You wrote you take her outside during the day, what do you do with her while she is outside? Is she in a fenced area or do you take your dog for wlaks. If you are just letting your dog outside in an enclosed area, you need to actually walk your dog 45 minutes at least once a day. Most people walk their dogs morning, late afternoon and at night before going to bed. I suggest you have a good walk in the morning, a shorter walk during the afternoon and a good 15 - 20 minute walk before going to bed. This will help stimulate your dog to "go".

I went through this when I got my female Hound/Shepard last April. It is one of the most exasperating things I have experienced, and this was my fourth indoor dog. The others were very easy to train. So, I think I did learn some....

First you need to realize that you are starting to miss or push the edge for prime potty training time for your pup. Also, as I found out, not all dogs are the same in this category. Having said that, you need to start treating her like she is a 2-3 month old pup.

You mention that she is crate trained and that she won't go in her crate (most dogs wont). Is she crated every second when you cannot keep a constant eye on her? This is very important. You need to limit severely your pups unsupervised freedom until this gets under control. You should also have a leash on her when she is not crated. Limiting freedom unless you can watch her every second, will allow you complete control.

Also, when she is crated, the instant she comes out, take her outside. Get her used to the words "go pee and go poop". Praise her like she is the best dog in the world when she does something. Then give her a treat (boiled chicken liver is best, dogs crave it). You also need to go very heavy on the praise and treats when she does anything you approve of (that means, peeing and pooping on regular walks, drinking water, sitting, just laying around, anything that will reinforce positive behavior).

You also need to start taking her out about once every 15-20 minutes (gradually increased after a few weeks)after the initial trip directly out of the crate. If she doesn't do anything, that's fine, if she does, do the praise and treat thing.

When she is crated you need to get her used to your STOP command. Put a sheet over her crate and when she does something that you don't approve of like whining, LIGHTLY tap on the top of the crate and say firmly STOP. You don't want to scare her into next year. You should only need to do this a few times. When she starts to go or does something inside that you don't approve of, firmly say STOP, then immediately take her out with the treat in tow. You have got to get her attention that what she is doing is wrong. If she does something outside, do the praise treat thing. If you can't catch her in the act when she is doing something wrong, scolding her is useless. She simply won't know why you are mad.

Pups drink huge amounts of water. In theory yours should be able to hold it for about 6 hours (one hour for each month). In reality, if she has been playing, she will gulp down lots of water, and just won't be able to hold it for that long. After she drinks, keep an eye on her and ask her if she needs to go pee. All three of my dogs know this term. Soon she will go to the door.

Consistency is the key to all of this. My pup was 4 months when I got her and didn't know anything. After two months of not being able to get the problem under control, my vet dug into her background. Because she was dropped beside a road with her litter mates, then taken to a pound, then moved to another pound (long story), she was traumatized and completely missed out on any type of house training. I was forced to do what I described and got it under control after about 4 months.

Lastly. Your pup won't be considered house trained unless she has no accidents for at least 6 months! Also, as I learned, there is a HUGE difference in a dog that is 4-6 months old and one that is 9-10 months old. They grow inside and out. Once they reach 9-10 months, their bladders are larger and able to hold it longer.

Good luck! Keep us posted!

SG

Here's my cut-and-paste potty training memo:

Make sure to wash the area he has been pottying in the house so that there's no more smell. Use an enzymatic cleaner from the pet store that gets rid of the smell. Dogs develop habits more quickly than we do.

1) Don't give the puppy the run of the house. When you are home, keep the dog leashed to you or in a small penned area or a larger wire crate.

2) Feed on a schedule - don't do free-feeding - at least for now while he's still being trained. This will help put his body on a potty schedule too. Then take him out at the same times each day. (And since he's so young, after playtimes and naps as well).

3) Choose one spot specifically for "potty". When you take him out, at the door say "Let's go potty." Take Sam to the same spot immediately on taking him out.
Go to the spot and use a catch-phrase command like "go potty" repetitively. Do not let him out of the spot. Don't go for a walk. Walk him around and around the spot and tell him "go potty".

4) When he does go potty - praise him loudly, immediately and very excitedly - "GOOD POTTY!" and if he has a treat he goes nuts over, throw him a small treat. This has to happen immediately after he potties.

5) If he doesn't potty, bring him inside, keep him leashed to you, then try again in 5 minutes.

6) Only AFTER he potties, he can go for a walk and smell his favorite "pee-mail" spots, etc. Going for a walk should be a different activity than going out for potty. He will learn the difference eventually.

Accidents may still happen but they will get fewer and farther between. Good luck!

Thank you for all the information!!!!!
I'm doing everything wrong. I take her out and
then let her roam free in the house until I take
her out again. I will use all of your advice.

I just read SG's advice and hope she can help me as well. I have a 6 month old redbone coonhound who has been a terror to housebreak. We walk her about 7 am and she does her pee and poop. I walk her for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hour at some point during the day. She generally does another poop sometime in the middle of the day, often after we get back from our walk. She does not seem to like to poop in places other than our yard. We usually go to the metropark to walk and work on dog school training. Then in the evening she sometimes poops before or just after her dinner, but sometimes not until just before I go to bed. I will take her out and walk her a little, and if she does not go I bring her back in and take her out again about 1/2 to 1 hour after she has eaten. But sometimes she will come in the house and will sneak off and poop while I am fixing dinner. Other times not. It is a mystery to me when this is going to happen. She seems to go to the door when she wants to pee, but not when she wants to poop. I have trained many other dogs (not hounds) and this has never happened. She heels on command and we are in dog training. She does "work". I am pretty confused about this. Dinner hour seems to be puppy crazy play time, and I hate to not let her have some freedom, but maybe I am wrong in this. She is the first dog I have had that has huge anxiety when in a crate, but is good when left in our garden room when we go out. She has rarely messed while we are gone - only when left for more than 5 hours, which is really rare. I welcome your help.

Everyone here has given you good advice. One other question - is she spayed yet? My 9 month old male puppy was doing the same thing, with little drips in places. I guess he was marking. He would ring his bell to go out consistently, except for these little drips. He finally stopped at 6 months after he was neutered.

I forgot the part about feeding. Typically, dogs over 3 months should be fed twice a day, about every twelve hours, unless the vet says otherwise. Free feeding a dog is just a big no-no.

Good luck!

SG

No she is not spayed yet. I can't imagine Anna Belle ringing a bell. How in the world? That is a smart pup!
I free feed her becauce she only eats alittle all day.
So I quess I should feed her only twice a day and maybe
then she will be hungry. So you don't think it to late?

It is never too late. Adult dogs from shelters can be housetrained. We have adoped both adults and puppies from shelters, and the same consistant training process applies to both. Dogs do not like to be messy.

Here is another source of potty training troubleshooting. See "Potty Wars" parts I and II

Here is a link that might be useful: dog training library

I don't think it's to late either. Perhaps you should consult your vet before changing feeing habits. You might want to consider what pup is eating also. The present food may not be agreeing with it. Typically, they should be fed every 8-12 hours.

I do think it is very important for you to pick a system and stick with that, rather than switch. Switching will only confuse you and your pup.

(Perhaps this is a hound thing).

Here is a step by step method that worked for me. It also has worked for others. I did do a cut and paste thing, but modified it to your issue.

1. First you need to realize that you are starting to miss or push the edge for prime potty training time for your pup. Also, as I found out, not all dogs are the same in this category. Having said that, you need to start treating pup like it is a 2-3 months old. Dig into pups background and try to find out if it was traumatized. If it came from a pound or rescue league, there is a possibility that it was. Not good for any dog, especially one that is a pup and simply does not know much in potty habits etc.

2. Crate training is essential when trying to house train your pup. If this is an issue, put an old sheet or blanket over the crate. When pup starts to whine or do something you donÂt approve of, LIGHTLY (you donÂt want to scare pup into next year)tap on the crate and firmly say STOP. This command will also help you when your dog is getting into mischief. ItÂs direct and to the point, it stops the pup and it will associate the command with the crate noise. When pup starts to go indoors, you must get itÂs attention so it will stop. If that means using a loud voice, then so be it. NEVER HIT THE DOG OR RUB ITÂS NOSE IN IT. THIS WILL ONLY DAMAGE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DOG, PLUS, IT DOESNÂT KNOW WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS. Sorry I yelled, but this seems to be a common thing some people do, and it's useless.

MOST dogs wonÂt go in their crate. If pup does, for a few days, do not put any blankets on the floor. This should cure that problem. Because you are treating your pup like it is 2-3 months old, you need to supervise it every second it is not crated. Using a leash when it is out is also very important. You can easily grab the pup and take it out when you need to. Crating unless you can watch pup every second will allow you complete control. If you can't catch pup in the act when itÂs doing something wrong, scolding is useless. Pup simply won't know why you are mad.

When crating while you are away, try playing soothing music. All dogs love this, especially pups. It keeps them calm.
3. When pup is crated, the instant it comes out, take it outside. Get pup used to the words "go pee and go poop". Praise pup like it is the best dog in the world when it does something. Then give it a treat (boiled chicken liver is best, dogs crave it). Soon, pup will associate doing itÂs thing with a yummy treat. You also need to go very heavy on the praise and treats when pup does anything you approve of (that means, peeing and pooping on regular walks, drinking water, sitting, just laying around, anything that will reinforce positive behavior).

You also need to start taking pup out about once every 15-20 minutes (gradually increased after a few weeks)after the initial trip directly out of the crate. If it doesn't do anything, that's fine, if it does, do the praise and treat thing.

4. Pups drink huge amounts of water. In theory yours should be able to hold it for (one hour for each month). In reality, if pup has been playing, it will gulp down lots of water, and just won't be able to hold it for that long. After pup drinks, keep an eye on it. Take it out in about 5-10 minutes and offer it relief. Soon pup will go to the door when it need to go out.
Consistency is the key to all of this. You need to plan on excessive praise and treats when you are house training so pup will associate yummy treats with doing itÂs thing.

5. Daily walks twice a day (about 20-30 minutes each in the same area) are essential for dogs. Walking gets things moving, dogs love it and it gives them something to look forward to. Try and feed pup close to the walks. Never free feed unless your vet says to. Pups have a high metabolism. Soon after it eats or drinks, it will need to go out.

My pup was 4 months when I got her and didn't know anything. After two months of not being able to get the problem under control, my vet dug into her background. Because she was dropped beside a road with her litter mates, then taken to a pound, then moved to another pound (long story), she was traumatized and completely missed out on any type of house training. I was forced to do what I described and got it under control after about 4 months.

Lastly. Your pup won't be considered house trained unless it has no accidents for at least 6 months! Also, as I learned, there is a HUGE difference in a dog that is 4-6 months old and one that is 9-10 months old. They grow inside and out. Once they reach 9-10 months, their bladders are larger and able to hold it longer.
Good luck! Keep us posted!
SG

Free feeding totally depends upon the dog.

Its pretty typical for a lone hound to only eat a little bit at a time. And sometimes they will even wait until you are eating and then they will eat. I think AFTER your dog is potty trained you could go back to free feeding him.

A strict feeding schedule helps get his bowels on a set schedule, so its easier for potty training. Generally a dog will go to the bathroom shortly after they eat.

My old hound was free fed, until we got a second and then a third dog. When he was alone he rarely his emptied dish. But when we introduced other pack mates, then the free feeding had to end.

I know alot of people who can free feed their dogs. It depends upon if you have nibbler or a gulper. Nibblers can be free fed, gulpers cannot...

Jewelbug- I use a cat toy that has bells attatched to the end, it slips over the doorknob. EVERYTIME you take Anna Belle to go out and potty, shake the bells and say "Go Potty" or "outside", be consistent with the word you use for potty trips and when she does go potty use the same word with praise. Before long she'll jingle the bells (hopefully :) if she needs to potty.