House breaking advice please - Page 1

We just got our puppy a few days ago.  We are attempting to crate train him.  So far, so good (keeping our fingers crossed).  My husband and I read different things on house breaking him and the use of the crate.  We put him in the crate at night and when we leave the house for work.  He seems to be okay after a little bit of whining....he does wake us up when he needs to go out, been pretty good actually.  We are wondering what we need to do so we know when he needs to go out when he is out of the crate?

Keep him on a leash and just pay attention. Your best bet is if he's taken a nap, when he gets up take him out. After playing take him out. If he's just laying around (and not sleeping) if it's been about 2 hours, take him out.  And don't let him go anywhere without you being on one end of the leash. The crate is the easy part. Learning to watch your dogs signs is a bit more of a pain in the ass. lol

Just keep in mind while you're learning to watch your dog, accidents can happen. Don't rub it's nose in it, that's just icky. Understand tht accidents in the house are your accident for not paying close enough attention. IF you're too busy to pay attention to him, put him in the crate and be sure to take him outside before you let him run around and play in the house with you.

Best of luck and enjoy the pup.

Thanks!  We have been playing with him, having him fetch his bones/teethers and he had two accidents, both of which were our fault completely.  We just brought him out and let him continue.  What a smart dog.  I can't get over it.  LOL. Thanks for your response.  :)

When you take him out and he goes, praise him profusely!

Thanks!  He is whining at night when he has to go out, sometimes it's to play but we don't play with him then.  He comes out of the crate to go outside and right back on at night.  The first night we had him he went to the bathroom in the crate, but not since then.  I have had him out all day and with me in the same room, he's been great.  I've brought him out when I see he is getting anxious and wandering and I know it's been a little bit since the last trip outside. Thanks vonissk for the advice about not eating after 6 and not drinking after 8.  I'm going to try that.  

The advice on not feeding after 6 and not drinking after 8 has worked great!  He is even going to the door most times when he needs to go out!  We have some times that we are playing with him that he doesn't make it outside, but we are working on that.  The whining and crying at night has stopped also.  I've put his crate on the living room with the tv on low and a light on for him.  He has even started going into his crate when I point and say, "go in".  What a smart puppy!  Thank you all for all of your help and advice.  We really appreciate it!