miniature schnauzer

Question
QUESTION: i got my miniature salt and pepper female at 7 weeks she is now 8 weeks old. i have
read tons of books about dogs and i can manage to teach things like sit or stay but i
cant potty train. She is gorgeous and i love her so much but i cant stand the urinating
everywhere. my dream is for her to be all over the house and sit by the door when she
needs to go to the restroom so i can take her.  i have tried everything. i put her in her
crate and started taking her out. that worked for a while because she wouldn't soil her
bed but all of a sudden she does now. i really love her and i cant stand to let her go but
i need help. i have read tons of methods but i don't know what to do. and i cant really
take her at night because its a little walk from my condo to the garden downstairs. i just
want her to tell me like paw at the door and stuff. my schedule is hard so i cant take her
that often but plenty of times a day. i tried yelling and time outs and even a little spank.
nothing worked. i just want my dream to come true. help?

ANSWER: She is 8 weeks old? You've had her a week? I know very few dogs who are potty trained at 8 weeks. For now you need to supervise carefully (baby gates, closed doors, even tether her to you) and take her out frequently. If she is pottying in her crate how long are you leaving her in? Rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold their age in months, plus one. So an 8 week old puppy can only be counted on to be able to hold off pottying for three hours. If your schedule doesn't allow time to do this, you need to find someone who can walk her for you. And she WILL need to go out at night. One option might be an xpen with a doggie litter box for when you can't get her out. But you have to be patient. This takes time. Way more than a week. You can also teach her to target a jinglebell with her nose to tell you she needs to go out. Sandy Case MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com

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QUESTION: how do i teach her to paw at the door and how much time?

ANSWER: I'd go to a craft store and get a "jingle bell" Put it in front of her face. Being a curious puppy she'll probably reach out and touch it with her nose. Use a clicker to click (or say yes!) and give her a treat. Teach her to bonk it with her nose hard enough to make it ring. You start out clicking (or marking) every touch, and gradually only the touches which are hard enough to ring it. Name the behavior "touch." When she is good at ringing it, hang it off the doorknob at a level where she can reach it. Then ask her to "touch" every time before you open the door. This is easier on woodwork and louder than scratching at the door frame. Teaching her to touch should only take a few minutes. Teaching her to do it to go out, not very long. But be aware that for a while you'll have to let her out any time she rings it -whether she needs to go or not. Personally, I like to figure out my pup's schedule and take them out before they actually need to go. Many baby puppies don't now they need to go out until they REALLY need to go, and by the time you get the leash it may be too late. Sandy in OK MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com

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QUESTION: my dog is learning potty training i am using the crate method and it does work like she waits till i take her out but if i try to let her out on the house since it is not her crate she does her business in the house. and i dont like that she is friends with everyone all a person has to do is look at her for her to go folloiw them plus she nips at me and i say no but she does it anyway. and she knows her name but she just lookjs at me when i call her how do i teach her to come? help please?

Answer
Pick her up and take her out. Puppies nip. Give her a toy instead of your hands - avoid fast movements around her face. Puppies should be friendly with people, they develop more discernment as they mature. I'd be concerned about a puppy this young who was stand-offish. Looking at you is what she should do when you say her name. I think you and your puppy would both benefit from a good puppy kindergarten class. It will teach you a number of things including a good recall! Sandy Case MEd CPDT