Meet Chip, our new Labrador American Bulldog mix.
He is sweet, cute, energetic, and loves to poop and pee… in the house. But we’re working on that!
Chip, Labrador American Bulldog mix
House training a puppy is tougher than potty training, I believe. But he’s getting it!
We’ll see if a Labrador American bulldog mix is smart? At least he’s loving and playful!
He is super tiny for a 3 month old pup. They told JD that he was pretty sick for awhile and they weren’t sure if he would make it, but he pulled through! He can’t weigh more than 5 lbs. So little!
He loves to chew. On shoes, things, and people.
OK, it’s time for me to let him out again! So that he can come right back in the house and pee and poop on the floor!
…. 5 minutes later ….
Success! He pooped outside! Woohoo!
Have you ever trained a puppy? Any advice?
Janine Huldie says
August 7, 2013 at 9:18 amOk, he is adorable and saw that you got him on your FB wall yesterday. Huge congrats. No advice, but may be coming to you for some when we get a dog in the future!!
Victoria from the Busy House Big Heart says
August 7, 2013 at 9:43 amexercise exercise, socialization (often and varied: kids, dogs, cats, all of the things!), consistency, quality food, crate train, plenty of praise (baby talk how great pooping in the yard is haha), did I mention exercise?
Puppy is so adorable! They grow so fast.
The Dose of Reality says
August 7, 2013 at 10:10 amOne of my best girlfriends has a new puppy, and she has been hilarious recounting the tales of teaching her to potty-train! 😉 Your new baby is ADORABLE! :)-Ashley
Tamara says
August 7, 2013 at 3:45 pmAh, he is so cute! I have no real advice because it’s been years for me, although we’re due our “third child” (pet) soon. I keep hearing about consistency and socialization and training classes from my friends and family with puppies.
Sue says
August 7, 2013 at 4:19 pmWhat a cutie! Puppies are the cutest little terrors when they are little and not potty trained. However, after having numerous dogs in my life and potty training most of them, the trick is to take them out every half hour and immediately after they eat or drink anything. Its a tough schedule, but it’ll save your carpets.
Also, when they do anything outside – even the smallest pee – praise them like they just saved your life. This is the reward for going bathroom outside and not on your floors. Soon they will look forward to the praise and catch the drift that they need to do their thing outside.
We never did the crate training thing, but I’ve heard that works. We just kept them confined to the area of the house that they were allowed to be in and closed off the rest. Eventually they learn their boundaries. Puppies are like kids – they need constant supervision and a strong hand in order to learn proper behavior. If you let them rule the roost they’ll walk all over you. Good luck and congratulations on the newest addition!
katbiggie says
August 7, 2013 at 4:49 pmThanks Sue! Those are great tips! The place we adopted him from actually made us agree not to crate him, that is their policy. I guess it’s considered in humane? So we are just confining him, teaching him his boundaries, like you suggested. I have been going out all day long about every 20-30 minutes. If I wait longer, there is always a mess!!
Pary Moppins says
August 7, 2013 at 4:21 pmConsistency on your part is a big part of training. He is sooooooo cute. It will be hard to scold him when he looks at you like that top photo. 🙂
Adrienne says
August 7, 2013 at 4:40 pmDon’t let him in the bed! Hard to kick the habit once you’ve started, for him and for you! Have fun!!
katbiggie says
August 7, 2013 at 4:48 pmYou’ll have to come see him! OK, noted, no bed! He actually did very, very well last night in the bathroom. He has his little “nest” that B made for him, and he didn’t make a peep all night long!
Leah Davidson says
August 7, 2013 at 4:54 pmSuper cute!! We just got a puppy a month ago – so I hear your pain (and pleasure) – so cute and sweet and so much work!!!
katbiggie says
August 7, 2013 at 5:44 pmHopefully you’ve gotten the house training down?
Meg says
August 7, 2013 at 10:54 pmIf you can magically find the time to borrow this from the library and read it one of my favorite dog training books is The Art of Raising a Puppy from the Monks of New Skete (http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0316083275).
Given the dog’s size, you are definitely going to be taking the dog out very regularly. Typically 30-60 minutes after feeding and watering. Every time you take Chip outside, give him the command to go to the bathroom. You might use Go Potty or Do it! Whatever phrase you pick, *everyone in the house* needs to use the same phrase. Give Chip the command one time, and one time only. If he doesn’t do it, it’s okay, not big deal (just like potty training kids). But the magical moment when he relieves himself…LOTS of praise. Good boy, Chip! Good Go Potty! That will help him associate command with praise. No need to use treats or anything, just give him lots of love when he does what you asked him to do. And hey, this is a great time for the kids to pitch in and do this with you!
katbiggie says
August 8, 2013 at 6:54 amThanks Meg! I appreciate that advice! Do IT! 🙂
Katherines Corner says
August 8, 2013 at 10:43 amYour fur baby is adorable!! Housebreaking is al about patience. he will get it with regular routines. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop xo
Michelle says
August 8, 2013 at 8:11 pmHe is so adorable!!! I love dogs (as if you couldn’t tell from my blog, haha). We had to pottytrain Murphy and I remember just taking him out like every hour or two and praising him when he went outside. We have the two older dogs though too and I think that helped!
another jennifer says
August 13, 2013 at 8:36 amHe’s so adorable! He’s about the last thing I saw on my phone before I lost my 3G network last week. Kailua (now 10) used to come back inside after we let him out and poop and pee in the house as well. Our problem was that we would let him out two different doors, which confused him. He thought he was only supposed to go to the bathroom outside one of the doors! Good luck!
small animal planet says
April 19, 2017 at 7:57 pmI have a Catahoula-Bulldog mix. My dad thinks he looks like he has some lab in him. My neighbor doesn’t really know what breed the dog is (Pepper is from his little).
But Pepper is the best dog I’ve ever owned. How’s going with the dog now that you’ve your “puppy” for 3 1/2 year?
katbiggie says
May 14, 2017 at 8:09 amUnfortunately, we had to remove him from the home. He became very aggressive and was biting a lot. I think it’s from the illness he had as a puppy. It was sad. But, we got another lab mix, and she’s an absolute sweetheart.