Welcome to the forums jenbren!

Your situation sounds all too familiar and I want to thank you for seeking help before giving up on your puppy.

I had VERY similar issues to yours with my boston, Jake, and I was literally hours away from giving him to a new owner because I had completely lost my patience with his inability to control his bladder in the house. He was peeing and/or pooping literally every hour! However, I stuck it out and did a few things that obviously helped his progress and when he hit about 8 months old, he was fully potty trained. Now, this dog is like my son and I almost tear up at the thought of nearly giving him up.

It sounds like you're crate training, so that's one step in the right direction. It's important to make sure that he doesn't have a lot of room in the crate - he should have just enough room to stand up and turn around - not an inch more! This will prevent him from creating a designated toilet spot in his crate. If he pees in the small space he's confined to, he'll quickly get over laying in his own pee and try to hold it longer.

Another thing, when your dog does use the bathroom outside, you must praise the living hell out of him. Give him treats and lots and lots of attention - let him know that what he just did was the greatest thing ever.

When he uses the bathroom inside, you must yell at him loudly, but only if you catch him in the act. If you yell at him afterwards, he won't be able to put two and two together and will only be confused.

As for the biting, some are going to disagree with me here, but it's my opinion that a dog needs strong, sometimes physical discipline. Jake used to bite and every time he did, he got smacked on the butt. Obviously, enough of that and he quit biting. You might want to also make sure he has something to chew on throughout the day so he can work out some aggression - something like a kong or nylabone is ideal.

The barking issue is the first time I've ever heard of something like that. Is your boston full-bred or a mix? That sounds like very strange behavior for a Boston Terrier, so I would make sure to ask your vet about that.

All in all, your expectations might be a little on the high side. A five month old puppy is still developing both physically and mentally so that's very important to understand. You must be vigilant in your discipline and praising and things will eventually work out for the best. When they do, you'll look back on these days and laugh. Hard to believe, but trust me!

I'm wishing you the best - hang in there!

__________________
Boston Terrier Forums