My puppy won't come inside after potty. Is it okay to carry him?

Sounds like Louie is doing exactly what he is bred to do; sniff around and look for little critters to munch. If your pup has been a regularly obedient boy, getting him to resume his normal behavior should hopefully be no more complicated than rewarding him for the desirable behaviors. On your walks for the time being, make sure to carry treats with you that you can use. Also, use a clicker for training if you would like to maximize effectiveness. There are numerous great video series on clicker training that you can watch for free. I am typically not a proponent of choke collars, but in some cases with large-necked breeds like Pitties, they do require. Definitely not staying to start there, but it might be something to consider down the line if his behaviors are getting worse. You also may want to give a try to the gentle leader. That way you will have better control over his head, and ultimately, the direction in which he travels. Hope this answers your question. If you have further questions, please feel free to obtain a consultation.

This will be challenging to correct as Copper has developed an unhealthy fear of coming inside. So you will need to be very patient and try to avoid any negative energy as that will only feed into Copper. This is an instance when clicker training can really help pets. First you will want a very high value treat. Once Copper knows what the clicker means, you will gradually move closer to the door. Make sure to click and reward him for any motion that he makes to move towards the door. Eventually you will work through the door. You should also utilize the area for play with any favorite toys. With holding these toys at all times except in that area will further the positive experience with the area. Lastly, slowly moving his food bowl toward the door can also help. The idea is to make the area positive. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Put him on a leash and take him outside to his designated spot. Do not walk around. Just stand there and repeat "go outside" or a similar phrase. As soon as he starts to go, repeat "go outside" and praise "good dog!" as he goes. When he is finished, or if it appears that he is not going to go, bring him inside but do not remove the leash, e3ven if he has done his business. Attach it to your belt loop and keep him with you. Don’t let him out of your sight! When you see him start to circle or sniff, take him right outdoors again and repeat the process. If he does mess in the house, do not scold him unless you actually catch him in the act. In that case, say "NO!" and take him right outside. Tell him to "go outside" and praise as he finishes. Keep him in a crate at night, or for short periods when you are not at home. For further assistance, click on the prompt to start a consult, where we can discuss this at length.

Your puppy is young to be fully house broken, so be patient. If he is busy playing when outside they sometimes forget to poop until they come back in and relax. I recommend you bring him back in, out him in his crate for 5-10 minutes then take him out again to poop. Take him to the same area to pee and poop and reward him with a treat when he goes outside. Please leave him in his crate if you can't watch him so he doesn't learn to poop in the house. Most dogs are not fully housebroken until they are four months or older. Good luck and have fun with Wolfie.

That is quite tricky. What you need to do it work on developing a "bullet proof" recall ("come" command) first instead the house, then inside the gate, then outside the gate on a leash, then outside the gate without a leash. At the same time, you need to work on impulse control and general attentiveness, again starting inside and taking it outside. I would highly highly recommend working with a qualified trainer on this, it's possible to do on your own, but will be hard enough with an experienced helper. Good luck!

If your new addition is otherwise feeling well (eating well, interacting and playing with you) she may be a shy puppy and/or adjusting to her new home. Some puppies are more confident than others and it can take some time for them to figure out their place in the new house. If you got her from a breeder you could certainly contact the breeder to ask about her personality previously with her littermates. The breeder will likely know if she was one of the more timid puppies. As most dogs are food motivated using treats can be really helpful. Or if she has particular toys she loves these can be used as well. Basically it's important to make her home a positive and not scary environment for her right now. For example if you get her to leave the house on her own show her praise and give her treats so that she knows this was a good behavior. It can take some time for some puppies to develop confidence. The other really important thing for puppies is a consistent routine as far as when they are fed, when they go outside, etc. Dogs are very smart and will learn a routine quickly and gain confidence in it. The other option is that she may not be feeling very well and that may be why she's reluctant to do some activities. It would not be normal for a puppy to just want to sleep all the time as they should have more energy then an adult dog. This would be even more concerning if you feel like she is not eating well. If any of these seem to be the issue, or just to ease your mind that what you're seeing at home is normal, then having her checked out by your family veterinarian would be a good idea. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Is it possile to go out another door, or to a different part of the yard? If not, you need to teach her, in very small doses, that it is okay to go out. Do not baby her ("Oh, poor puppy! It's going to be all right.), or she will pick up on your tone of voice and be even more scared. Instead, speak to her with confidence (Come on, Lola, let's go out!). If she gets through the door, stop, rward her with a treat, and stop the exercise. Next time, try to get a very little bit farther out the door. Keep inching out in increments until she is comfortable going outside again.