So, my husband and I got this puppy a few months back - Patches is now 7 months old and we love him to death.  We, however, do not love that he pees and poos in the house.  We feel like we have tried everything but to not much avail.  We have a little success and then we are back to square one. 

I take him out to pee first thing in the morning as soon as my feet hit the floor and last thing at night before I go to bed.  I go to the gym and come home and take him for at least a 1/2 mile walk.  My husband takes him out before he puts him in the garage for safekeeping if he is going out for dialysis and takes him out immediately when he comes home.  I then take him out again when I get home from work at 7:00 pm for about a 1.5 - 2.0 mile walk. 

For a while he was pooing outside like clockwork - now he is just peeing. 

Anybody out there that can tell me what I'm not doing right.  Constructive criticism welcomed.  THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Well he goes on the paper in the house for the most part - unless it is early in the morning and he really has to go - we figured that out and now we take him out as soon as his feet hit the floor - I don't know what crate training is. 

My husband has been on dialysis for 2.5 years now.  Thanks for the welcome to the group - hopefully I can get some answers here.  Thanks again.

I'm on my way out right now, but here is an excellent thread on crate training:

http://www.rat-terrier.com/Home/tabid/37/forumid/5/postid/3963/view/topic/Default.aspx

It's very hard in my opinion to allow your dog to go on paper or potty pads AND teach them to go outside to potty. However, in your case perhaps potty pads in the garage would work on those days when you have to leave him for longer than would be appropriate for a crate. At his age, up to 8 hours should be fine as long as he's gone potty before going into the crate.

Here's another thread on house training:

http://www.rat-terrier.com/Home/tabid/37/forumid/5/postid/210365/view/topic/Default.aspx

So what do you suggest I do as far as the pee pads and going outside - should I just take the pads out and take my chances?  I'll do anything I need to do just am at a loss.  We don't have a yard or anything - live in a condo.  Thanks very  much.

He is always garaged when we are gone - we don't leave him in the house alone - don't trust him yet and yes the garage is attached to the condo with a door that separates the two.  I will read those links when I have a second.  Also, we just stopped with the free feeding thing last night.  We're trying a little bit of everything.  How long would you recommend after eating to take them outside.  I heard 10 minutes to 30 minutes.  I told my husband that we will put the food down in the morning when I get up for the gym (I take him out to pee right away) and then take the food up (he usually doesn't eat early in the morning but I think he will learn and then put the food down at 6:30 at night and I get home at 6:45 - change my clothes and take him out for a walk.  I guess we'll see how that goes.  Does it sound like we are doing it right?

He is always garaged when we are gone - we don't leave him in the house alone - don't trust him yet and yes the garage is attached to the condo with a door that separates the two.  I will read those links when I have a second.  Also, we just stopped with the free feeding thing last night.  We're trying a little bit of everything.  How long would you recommend after eating to take them outside.  I heard 10 minutes to 30 minutes.  I told my husband that we will put the food down in the morning when I get up for the gym (I take him out to pee right away) and then take the food up (he usually doesn't eat early in the morning but I think he will learn and then put the food down at 6:30 at night and I get home at 6:45 - change my clothes and take him out for a walk.  I guess we'll see how that goes.  Does it sound like we are doing it right?

Thanks that is my son and Patches.  That was his first time seeing him - my son lives in Pittsburgh, PA where I am from.  We tried the liter box thing - he won't go near the box.

I am continuing to work with Indy for potty training....   I adopted him from the shelter in December... he just had a small accident a couple of days ago.... and just before that he had no accident for almost 2 weeks...   So he has improved dramatically....   compare to everyday accidents that he was having..... He was in the crate for 2 months at the shelter so i had to train him as if i adopted him as a puppy. 

Someone told me that males seems to take a bit longer to understand the potty training issue....  I don't do paper training, because i just prefer that they just go outside to do their business... but thats what works for me..and I am home more......

It didn't occur to me that males take longer....   but don't give up.... I put up with it for almost 4 and half months to 5 months with his  potty training.... but before, i was very busy, i was going to school full time, and was working and taking care of the kids. etc...  now i just go to school and take care of the family.  so at this time.... it's almost a success....   and i am just waiting for that 3 weeks no accident.. on to 4...  and the weather is getting better too, so that helps... 

So when you get a moment... read those links that tracey posted...... and check out the training forums too....   alot of tips and questions and answers are in there...  

Hope this helps.... Good luck!

So, starting this past Friday we tried to time his pooping outside with his eating - we're feeding him twice per day - once in the morning and once in the evening.  We are taking him out every hour right now for peeing - he was outside with us for 3-4 hours yesterday did not poop until this morning.  He isn't pooping within 30 minutes after his meals.  I'm at a loss.  I think we almost have the peeing down - we took the poop outside and had him help us clean it up and just said outside and walked him with us and dropped the poop outside where we want him to go.  He sniffs from time to time but will not go there. 

We took the paper up that was down in the house as well so that he would not get mixed signals.  What are we doing wrong?

Hmm, I don't think you're really doing anything wrong. Some dogs just take a little extra effort to house train. Hang in there, and be patient.
Just out of curiosity, were did you get Patches? Like a pet shop, breeder, rescue, ect.

Thanks - we are being patient - doing the best we can.  Read the thread and started following those rules.  Took the pee pads out of the living room area near the sliding glass door where we had them so that we weren't confusing Patches.  We started feeding in the am at about 7 and at night at about 6 or 6:30.  Patches does not poop outside.  We got him from a breeder.

Thanks for your post - this makes me feel a lot better.  Good luck - thanks for not letting me be alone.

I read the links that Tracie posted and we are following them - for some reason Patches does not go poop within 15 minutes after he eats.  Never has - don't know if he ever will.  Thanks for all of the information.  I'll keep at it.

Hey all - well we had our first success this morning - I took Patches out to pee as soon as his feet hit the floor (I always do that) and gave him his bowl of food - he ate while I got dressed and I took him for a walk and he actually pooped outside - SUCCESS!!!!!  YEAH!!!!  Never thought I would be so happy to pick up poop.  But I am.  My husband is going to feed Patches tonight at about 6:45 and I get home from work at 7:00 and I'll take him out for his walk and we'll see what happens.  Thanks for all of your encouragement - WE NEED IT!  Patches thanks you too.

YEAH  POTTY OUTSIDE IS WONDERFUL.  We're working at it!!