When I take my 4 month old puppy outside, he pees but doesn't always poop, instead when we bring him back inside, he looks for a spot to poop inside, how can I break this habit? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 4 months and 8 days old | 3 lbs

Housebreaking puppies can be tough, especially the little guys. With Leo, what I recommend is that when you take him outsid, you go out with him, use a leash if he can’t stay focused and give him 5 minutes to go. Keep saying, Go Potty! or whatever command you want. If he goes, tell him, Yes! And give him treats outside immediately. It’s important to mark that behavior you want. Now, if Leo doesn’t go. Bring him back in and do one of the following- put him in the crate for a bit, carry him around, or leave him on his leash and hold onto him. The trick is to not let him out of your sight or have him in a crate. This is important! Then wait a 5-10 minutes and take him out again. Repeat until he goes. If he stays to go inside, clap your hands, say NO. and take him right out. Reward him profusely when he does go outside. The key is not to let him have an accident inside by watching him like a hawk!

I’m sorry to hear about Leo! Housetraininf can be a frustrating part of puppyhood. The trick here is repetition and patience. It sounds like Leo consistently goes poop after his pee/walk so this helps you with timing. I would take him out, let him pee and walk, and then extend the walk by 5-10 minutes. If he does his business outside, praise him quietly while he’s going, and more enthusiastically when he finishes. If he still won’t go outside (likely), come in as usual. As soon as he starts putting his nose to the ground, circling, etc. pick him up and go directly outside. Wait 5-10 minutes outside and try variations of walking or staying in a small area. You may have to do this many times in a row until he finally gets the idea poops outside. Be as diligent as possible but if iou happen to catch him pooping inside, carry him immediately outside and praise him lavishly -even if most or all of the poop ended up in your home. If you didn’t catch him in the act, scolding will not do anything and may in fact make him scared to poop in front of you -which is definitely the opposite of what you want. All this is admittedly annoying, but generally works well within a few days to weeks. Hang in there and hope this helps! Best of luck to you and Leo!