Today I have been out for hours with my puppy but he just won’t go potty outside. I left a blanket that had pee and I also left some of his poop on it, he just sniffed around and kept walking away. I tried playing with him, throwing balls. All he does was chew on the grass and lay down. I stayed for about a whole hour outside with him after he ate and drank, but nothing. After and hour of being in my backyard I took him back inside and he peed. He always goes to this one spot inside the house, and its a blanket that smells like pee, I read that I should take it off but I don't want to ruin the carpet. I went out frequently today but he didn’t go potty. Today was the first time I actually really started potty training him, just because the past few days it has been raining. And I know he won't learn in one day, but I thought puppies could only hold their pee and poo for so long, which is why I'm frustrated with him not pottying outside, he was holding it in for the whole time while I was outside with him. I'm worried he won't learn on time and continue to potty inside even as he gets older. I don’t know what else to do.

Age often depends on how long they can hold it. Think it's around an hour per month of age. So an 8 week pup could hold for a couple hours potentially. Wash the blanket in vinegar or an enzyme wash and move it or get rid of it. When you bring him in leave him on leash and don't let him go to that spot. Come in and go right back out. If he tries to pee inside give a correction through the leash and take right back outside. Even if he's mid squat grab him and shuck him out the door.

The way I potty trained mine, and it was mostly Mishka because Kohdi had it down within a day or two, was to wait til they had to go rather than to just take them outside and expect them to go. Like Jenn mentions, you catch him mid squat, grab him and put him outside. If he's inside and you see him sniffing urgently or heading towards that blanket, grab him and put him outside. Have a phrase for the job too, like "go pee pee", something that you can use each time and can associate this with. Once he goes, praise him, I think it's important, dogs love to know they've done something good. I would also give mine a treat for being good, it's about the only time I treated them for doing something I wanted.

Thanks a lot everyone!

I was lucky I had mine house trained in 2 weeks and puppy pads at night. How I toilet train is get the dog pee pads and put them at the back door. Put one in the main room where he is too. Every time the dog does something take him out. By this I mean if he's played put him outside after, if he's woke up put him outside. Once he's done a pee outside reward him and make a big fuss. Puppies can't hold their pee long. The puppy pads in the main room gradually move it to the back door so he learns if he can't make it to go outside it's ok to go there. Make plenty of playtime out side . If it's warm just leave the back door open .I could not do that as it was winter. I persisted carrying him out side everyone he did an action like woke up, played started sniffing about and within 2 weeks he went to the back door himself. During the night he went to the puppy pads I put near the back door he was around 5 month old then he would Howl at night and wake me to go outside for a pee. I did not use a crate at all with him. He's 14 month now and still howls at 6am for pee o clock ! It's persistence with them. Give him a treat when he owes outside like liver for instance.

I recommend using a puppy pee encourager. you can buy the spray at most pet stores and spray it in a likely spot for them to pee. remember, if you don't see them have an accident, it didn't happen! good luck