Question:
I really don't know what to do anymore. We have been really working on house training Spencer (7 month beagle). He is pretty good most of the time. We leave him loose in the house when we are gone and I think that might be confusing him. He has to pee on the floor if he can't hold it (I put puppy pads down) and then in the evening, he does really good. The problem is when we are going to bed. I can almost guarantee that every night, he will pee on the floor. Last night he peed on the carpet 3 times and on the bed once, all within about 30 minutes. I didn't want to have to crate him at night because we like him sleeping in bed with us. Once he calms down enough and lays down, he's fine but it's before that.

Any suggestions?

I usually take him for a walk in the evening around 8:00pm and with this heat, he tends to drink a lot when we get back. I think that might be why it happened 4 times last night.

Answer:
I hope you have air conditioning for what i'm going to suggest....
take the water away 3 hours before you go to bed, he won't dehydrate.
and make sure he is out side and takes care of buisness before he comes in for bed. I would get rid of the puppy pads, move a soiled one out in the yard where he should be going. have a puppy party where other pups put scent in your yard or even you yourself put scent in the yard any thing to make that the fun place for him to go.

I know people are going to jump down my throut for saying this but I don't think this has anything to do with not crate traing. my guy was never crate trained and hasn't left me gifts since 9 weeks.

Answer:
The puppy pads are only down when we are gone. As soon as I get home, we put them away. He will ring the bell to go out but it seems as soon as we go to the bedroom to go to bed, whether he has gone out or not, he will pee on the floor. Usually after he finishes his kong. I am starting to think that he just wants to be outside and he know that if he pees on the floor, I will take him out. His scent is already in the yard because he goes there in the evening all of the time.

Answer:
i read in one of my training books that you put them out right after they play/eat/drink while potty taining them. the knong may be stimulating

Answer:
Just out of curiousity, why are you not using a crate? I really am just curious, I know alot of people have great success without a crate.

If this is the only time he pees on the floor though, maybe he'd benefit from having his own sleep space - like a crate.

Answer:
Personally I would take him for a pee right before bed, that's what I do with my dogs and if I don't guarantee one will wake me up to go pee....

As for during the day I would get an x-pen and put him in there with a bed, blankets, toys and a pee pad.

Answer:
Hazel was never crate trained - I've always been too much of a pushover to crate train - they cry to get out, I let em out. Anyway, the idea of no water for awhile before bed is a good one - although I didn't have to do that. I would suggest spending a bit more time outside right before bed. I would also use something to get the smell out of the carpet in the bedroom. Maybe he's smelling where he's gone before and that is stimulating him to go again. Good Luck - house training is so much fun!!

Answer:
If I read your post correctly, you take Spencer for his last walk at 8:00 p.m. May I ask what time you go to bed? If say you go to bed at 11:00 p.m., I would take him out just before bed and hold back on the water. He made need a small drink late evening, but you can restrict the amount. Our Eskimo goes for his last walk at 10:30 - 11:00 ish and he holds it during the night - but at 5:30 a.m. he has to go - has been this way pretty much since 6 months - he is now 14 months. Also, he has a small bladder for a 20 lb. dog so I think he is doing a good job of holding it at night. During day I seem to take him out every 2 hours - but sometimes 10 minutes after we come in he asks for me to take him out again. Just like people I guess, sometimes we have to "go" more frequently than others. Certainly with people if you "hold" it it can result in inflammation of the urethra which will result in restricted flow which in turn results in the need to go several times in small quantities. Re the puppy pads, I am a firm believer, as is my vet, that a dog always needs a place where he can go if you are not home - nature does call. My feeling is that if the dog is supposed to hold it then we should be able to as well! But I do believe if you take puppy out just before bed and restrict water after that it will help. Beagles LOVE to sleep. Also bladder is still growing.

Answer: