Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,
This is my first visit here and I have a potty training dilema with my five month old pup. I just read a few older posts about potty training and I would like to get some thoughts on what to do.
I have owned dogs for years from puppies to adults and know how to potty train. I have never had any problems housebreaking my dogs until I got my pup, Gordi.
He has been with me since he was eight weeks old and he started his life here with me in a crate. He soiled the crate of course as a baby because that's what babies do and I cleaned up the mess and him with no drama involved. I always put potty pads down and although he usually shredded them, he would sometimes 'go' on them.
I noticed that he really liked to lay in my kitchen on the tiled floor so I started letting him stay in there when I wasn't home and during the night. I put potty pads in there for him and sometimes he hits them and sometimes he goes on the floor.
He was of course, introduced to the back yard and learned to 'go' in one area and he knows to go potty when I take him outside. I praise him and bring him back in.
The problem is, Gordi is five months old and can't seem to 'hold it' like he should be able to do at this age. He should be able to hold it for at least five hours but he doesn't. He was just checked by the vet and he is in perfect health so there is no medical reason for this.
Gordi eats an all-natural kibble twice a day and eats about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of food each time and I don't free-feed. If the dogs don't eat within fifteen to twenty minutes, I pick the food up. They rarely gets doggie cookies and never human food.
The amount of poop that comes out of Gordi, one would think he eats around the clock but he doesn't. He is taken out many times, allowed plenty of time to do his business and even poops around 10pm. At 2 or 3 in the morning he whines and when I check on him, he has made at least two piles!! I am amazed that this dog has all that still in him!!! I clean it up without any 'fan fare', put down more pads and go back to bed. At 4 or 5, I find Gordi has done the exact same thing. Gordi whines only after he's left his presents for me and never whines to go outside.
I am about to lose my mind trying to figure out what I am missing with the potty training. Like I said, I have house trained puppies and adult dogs but this pup is tough!!! I don't want to start putting him back in his crate because when he is in there he gets covered in poop and the entire crate is covered in it too. At least when he is in the kitchen he doesn't seem to wallow around in the mess.
I have posted this on a couple of other dog forums and have gotten several different opinions. One person told me to get rid of the potty pads, another person told me to use the potty pads but take Gordi out more often and one person said to take him to doggie day care or hire a pet sitter which I can't afford.
Any thoughts?

the only advice i can offer, is to stop letting him sleep in your kitchen. Let him sleep in his crate. Make sure he only has enough free space in the crate to stand up and turn around.
If he thinks that he is going to have to lay in, or sit in, the poop, then he might be more likely to whine BEFORE he goes poopie.

also, when he does go to the bathroom outside, praise him and give him treats. Make a big deal out of it, so he knows that it is better to go outside.

I know you said the vet checked him out, but the excessive amounts of waste sound liek a problem overall. Have you tried adding probiotics to his meal? That might help get his gut working better overall. IF there's a food sensitivity it could also produce the excess amounts you are describing.

Ifi t really is a training matter- which it could be, but still doesn't sound like it completely, I'd go back ot puppy training 101 and leash the pup to me when you are around and I'd use a dog litter box for the times when you are away. Ideally, I don't like litter boxes and piddle pads, but if a dog really can't hold it, it's an alternative to the messes without. I like litter boxes better than pads because it's a more defined area and a clearer picture for the dog. It also smells less and stuff doesn't get dragged around causing confusion for the dogs.
-----
Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

Hi Chelle,
Thanks for your message, I appreciate your input.
I purchased an extra wide 'child' gate with metal mesh instead of plastic and made Gordi's area in my kitchen smaller. I just came home from work about a half hour ago and saw that Gordi had apparently pooped but he must have eaten it. I know that sounds gross but he does that occasionally even when he's outside.
I took him the vet on Monday and they checked his stool. They found some kind of parasite and put him on two medications. He was de-wormed twice since I aquired him and the vet thinks Gordi must have re-infected himself by eating the poo.
At least today he didn't shred his potty pads. I left him a frozen raw bone this morning and he was probably kept occupied by that.
Maybe I'm trying to compare Gordi with my other pups and I really shouldn't do that. Not all dogs are potty trained at the same age so I will just have to continue doing what I'm doing.
Thank you for your insight. Take care.
-----
Sandra J.