Bullmastiff Puppy Potty Problems

Solve your bullmastiff potty problems

I know when I first got Payton it was an absolute nightmare potty training her. And to some extent that was expected. I was a new dog owner. It was then that I ended up doing some online research. I finally found and read this excellent ebook. (I'm a big fan of immediate information consumption and guaranteed results :)

With Payton it seemed like an eternity before she was golden when left alone for an extended period of time. Due to large breed dogs being bigger as puppies as well, they naturally have a bigger bladder. In contrast my friends Yorkies leave what looks like the aftermath of one of Payton's sneezes!

Suffice it to say, we went through a boat load of paper towels and also a deodorizer. I highly recommend using this as it helps to eliminate the odor of urine which dogs seem to find again and again. Of course your pooch-friend means no offense by peeing on the rug in the same general area -- however it does cause some frustration at first. A good product I found was Wee Wee Stain/Odor Remover. (Get the gallon size - You'll need it. Fill a cheap spray bottle with it and use as necessary). This simple solution will help eliminate the recurrence of puppy peeing in the same spot.

Now to the nuts and bolts of it. How do you get Betsy or Bob to stop peeing inside? There are a few schools of thought on this. I'll tell you what I did.

1. Put your new pup on a pee timer.

What's that? Well simply put, you make that new puppy into bootcamp. You make it wish it was going to Navy Seal training. Ok, that's a bit much, but the idea is to feed/water her and then immediately take her out. An even better idea would be to take her to a predetermined spot and then encourage using a word or simple phrase. I like "Do your business". or "Business". It's simple and not confusing. Eventually the new pup will go.

2. Praise your puppy.

Dogs want nothing more than constant praise. They love that you're happy with them. When you doggie does good let her know it. Pat her and in a high and loving tone say "Goooood boy/girl". Tone of voice means a lot since she doesn't understand English :). With praise, make sure it's immediate. Some dogs will be satisfied with a pat and sound and yet others like a little treat. A simple tasty morsel can really help reinforce this behavior.

3. Create a positive memory.

If it's terrible weather outside and lighting and thunder every two seconds try and avoid going outside and wait out the storm. It's amazing what traumatic incidents can affect young dogs. For example, Payton knocked over her baby gate once and it made a loud noise on the hardwood floor. It scared her half to death. Fortunately, in a sense that desired behavior as even to this day she won't go near that thing.

In summary: To effectively get your dog housebroken you need to regiment their schedule and make it after a meal (try warm water in kibble to get #2 going). Pups generally have a tendency to do their business quite quickly after feeding time. When you get the business end of the "business"; praise her. Let the pup know that she's great and have her associate that good feeling to doing her thing outside. And finally, create that positive memory. Link that daily habit to a safe and comfortable thought for both the pup and for the sake of your floors.

And one last thing. If your dog gets caught in the act -- surprise her with a "Rahhhh!" type noise. (Like you're jumping out of a closet to scare your 8 year old brother :) That will usually stop it mid-stream. Immediately take the pooch outside and let it finish. See step one after that!



Hope this helps.