I am so proud of Ranger our Westie!  We have been tirelessly working on potty training him for 2 months.  I have stood out in the freezing cold of November and December even in the snow.  Cleaned pee off the bed twice, cleaned poo out of the “white room” where no one is allowed to go, ran outside dog in hand with a turd hanging from his behind, cleaned pee off the couch when he was real little and couldn’t jump down and go on the floor (ugh!), picked up poo off the carpet right outside the back door, and scraped it off of the exercise equipment.We have used the same methods though and the persistance has finally paid off.

We got Ranger on a schedule, feeding at the same times daily, taking him out on a regular basis.  This was acheived by my basically standing over him for the first month, nervously following him around the house trying to anticipate when he had to “go.”

He had accidents but we did not correct him on pottying in the house until just recently and that was out of pure frusteration of feeling like the process was not working.  We did not rub his nose in it or anything just told him “no” and we weren’t consistent with that.  Just on occasion like when we had spent the better part of 30 minutes outside and then watched him go inside and “go” on the floor, I’d catch him in the act and shout “No, No, No!”  Then I’d pick him up and take him outside. 

He just looked at me most of the time like, “What?” “I had to poop!” I asked the vet at one point about 2 weeks ago what I may be doing wrong.  She said “Just keep doing what you’re doing little dogs can take longer to get it.”  I have to be honest, I left the vet thinking I was going to be cleaning up poop and pee out of the house for the rest of his days.

He started going on the linoleum only about 3 weeks ago.  He also stopped peeing in his play pen during the day even when left with a full bowl of water.  We had to leave him with the water cause he got a puppy cold and the vet said not to let him get dehydrated.

He had an unusual start, we lived in an apartment for the first 3 weeks, then we moved to a house, I also visit my boyfriend’s house on the weekends.  So he had 3 doors to learn to go to, 3 yards to deal with, what a confusing time for him!

For the past month, we have been in our new house and we still go to my boyfriend’s on the weekends but I think he’s really got it now.  As my boyfriend and I were making dinner tonite Steve heard the bells that I had the kids hang on the door to the backyard.  He said, “He’s ringing the bells.”  I was deaf to the bells that I have been continually ringing for the past two months, I guess I never thought he would ring them himself.

Steve said it again, “He’s ringing his bells!”  I was like, “What?” Then I got it!  He’s ringing his bells to go outside!  ”Oh crap!”  I ran to the door and said, “Good Boy!” ”Go outside and go potty!”  I opened the door and watched Ranger, he went right out to the grass and peed!  I was soooooo happy.  I told him “Good Boy!” “Potty outside!”  He came running back in and I scruffed him and told him ”Good Boy!” over and over.  I hope he really got it, he’s rang the bells twice since then to go outside.  I hope when we go home tomorrow he rings the bells on my back door to the yard too.  What a good boy Ranger, we are so proud of you.

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