Housetraining Issues

Question
Hello Kim! I am having some difficulties teaching my 11 week old Chow mix to use the bathroom outside and could really use your expertise. For some reason, whenever I take Chucky outside to go to the bathroom, he will usually walk around smelling the ground for a while, and then just lay down in the grass. It takes him literally an hour to finally go to the bathroom, when he feels like going outside! Thinking that he just doesn't have to go to at the time, I take him inside and he will do his business inside the house almost immediately >:/ It seems like I am scolding him and cleaning up piles of poo and puddles of pee multiple times a day! I have been as consistent as I possibly can in training him-- I take him out to the same spot at roughly the same times every day, give him a "go potty" command, and praise him when he actually DOES go-- but have had little results. It seems like he PREFERS to eliminate in my house; he just isn't getting that it is NOT ok to do that. What do you suggest I do? Again, I really appreciate your time and advice.

Answer
Hi Meg!

It typically takes months (not days or weeks) to completely potty train a puppy, but you should see progress as time goes on.  Here are a couple suggestions.  Try taking him out on a leash, and keeping him right at the spot he should go (be sure he has either gone there before, or you can put a towel you have used to clean up his pee there for a marker for him).  Don't allow him the luxury of laying on the lawn until he does his business.  Even if you have to take a book and sit at the spot holding his leash - eventually he should realize that if he doesn't go potty, he doesn't get to nap on the lawn yet.  Give lots of praise, maybe even occasional treats when he does go.  You may even have a super play session followed by a nap on the lawn after he does his business.  Another thing, you must be sure to thoroughly clean anywhere Chucky has pottied in the house.  Dogs have a super keen sense of smell and can easily pick up the urine scent if it isn't properly cleaned.  Check out this blog post for how to:  http://blog.gizmo2wizmo.com/2009/05/12/5-essential-steps-to-cleaning-dog-pee.asp...