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Hi, my beagle Dingo, will be 4 months on 10/15. By the time he was 12 weeks he had mastered several tricks(sit, stay,laydown,shake,spin). I rigged up 2 big jingle bells on my back door and he learned to ring those when he needed to go potty. He even uses this system when we stay at my grandparents house.
However, in the past couple of weeks he has been ignoring the bells and going where ever he wants to(in the house). Also, he is now getting into the trash. So, is this just being a 'teenager'? A trainer told me to expect this, and to just re-teach him everything. I just want to make sure its not a psychological thing, like he is pissed off at me for something.

Also, the only time he is allowed to poop/pee in the house is at night when we are sleeping. He sleeps in my room with me and has a newspaper to go on. He does not have free range of the house at night. Is he old enough to learn to hold it all night? I would really like to remove the paper and get him to go potty right before bed and right when we wake in the morning.Possible?Any training suggestions? Thanks for any and all help!

>>Hi, my beagle Dingo, will be 4 months on 10/15. By the time he was 12 weeks he had mastered several tricks(sit, stay,laydown,shake,spin). I rigged up 2 big jingle bells on my back door and he learned to ring those when he needed to go potty. He even uses this system when we stay at my grandparents house.
>>However, in the past couple of weeks he has been ignoring the bells and going where ever he wants to(in the house). Also, he is now getting into the trash. So, is this just being a 'teenager'? A trainer told me to expect this, and to just re-teach him everything. I just want to make sure its not a psychological thing, like he is pissed off at me for something.
>>
>>Also, the only time he is allowed to poop/pee in the house is at night when we are sleeping. He sleeps in my room with me and has a newspaper to go on. He does not have free range of the house at night. Is he old enough to learn to hold it all night? I would really like to remove the paper and get him to go potty right before bed and right when we wake in the morning.Possible?Any training suggestions? Thanks for any and all help!
>>

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Yes, you do have to train a dog twice, once as a puppy and again as the dog starts to mature. At 4 months he's probably ready to get rid of those papers. Best bet is probably a crate in your bedroom at night to make the transition.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

thanks! Do you have any suggestions as to make the crating at night easier? When I tried it before he cried and barked for hours. I have a town house so I cant really let that go on for too long. Thanks again!

>>thanks! Do you have any suggestions as to make the crating at night easier? When I tried it before he cried and barked for hours. I have a town house so I cant really let that go on for too long. Thanks again!

>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you go to him when he makes noise, that teaches him to make noise in the crate. This is a problem for apartment dwellers. Beagles were bred to be especially loud. Sometimes the best solution is to move!
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com