Potting Trainin Advice

[Gordiesmom]

I have a wonderful Belgian Shepard. He is so far an amazing dog and I have been using the Positive training techniques. He is so smart he has learned so much. But at 16 weeks we are still suffering in the potting training area. He will literally stand infront of you and pee on the floor with no warning. He doesn't squat or lift his leg he just goes. 75% of the time he will let us know he has to go out, but the rest of the time he goes inside. It is very fustrating. I didn't have this issue with our Golden Retriever (now 2). When he does go infront of me, he will immediatly run to his kennel because he knows he is wrong. What do I do?

[Nettle]

He doesn't know he is wrong - he knows you don't like what he's just done. He has to pee, he pees, then you get cross and so he offers appeasing signals.

We can't expect each dog to potty-train the same, so what your previous dog has done is not relevant here, because this puppy is the dog you are training now. Read through our pinned thread on potty-training and come back to us with your questions

[Mattie]

What type of Belgian Shepherd do you have?

When he toilets in your home what do you do?

He is only 16 weeks old, still a baby, would you expect a baby to be toilet trained at such a young age? Like human babies his internal organs have to mature enough to tell him he wants to toilet and also to hold it so he can go were he is supposed to. If you go to viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1981 it will tell you what to expect from your pup at various ages, breeds mature at different rates the larger breeds take longer than the smaller.

To teach him were to toilet go to viewtopic.php?f=20&t=6125, at 16 weeks old he will need to be taken out every 30 to 45 minutes as he isn't mature enoough to go longer.

[Gordiesmom]

Because of his breed type we do not use negative training on him we do not scold for bad behavior. His kennel is used as his place and isn't used for discipline because I don't want him to associate his kennel with negative behavior. And no I wouldn't expect a baby to be potty trained at 16 weeks. This is the first male dog I have ever owned so I wasn't sure if there was maybe something with the difference in male verses female. I am very well aware that my Belgian is VERY different from raising my Golden, we specifically bought a Belgian for the traits that they are known for. While our Golden, Emma spends everyday running the Golf Course that my husband runs. Gordie spends his days with me and goes everywhere I go. He is never left at home.
When he goes in the house, if I didn't see him do it I simply clean it up. If I see him do it, I take him outside immediatly and clean it up. Most days he does great and has no accidents. He does stay in his kennel at night without needing to go out. Thank you for the links I will definatly be reading up on them.

[Gordiesmom]

Our Belgian is a Groenendael.