Potty training! your rug will survive

I remember last year stuggling trying to make sense of all the techniques I was hearing. Then I gave up on papers on the kitchen floor because his bladder should be able to hold for 4 hours until my sister came home to let him out during lunch. He got it. We did this for 3 weeks and had 2 accidents which were probably my missing the potty break timing. I didn't use a crate to train him and I don't think they are cruel. He uses one for naps or if I go out for a few hours and think he needs rest. He uses one if he barks too much especially at night. He goes in on his own to chew a bone or to seek a quiet spot or for dog shows and if my car would fit one big enough for him I would use it to keep him safe while he rides. I don't believe in using a crate for extended periods. Puppies need movement and shouldn't be confined for more than a few hours, definately not day and night. A friend of mine dog sat for 2 full grown dogs who weren't house broken because they were in their crates all day and night unless the people were walking them or after they went out for potty breaks. These dogs went all over her house and she had to have a cleaner come and use enzyme cleaner on all her carpets so her own dogs wouldn't mark over the accidents these visitors had.
You can do better. here's how.
step 1 is finding out your dogs schedule. If she drinks water when she comes back from a walk or after eating or whenever.... how long before she goes potty? same with food and feces
step 2 make a potty/bladder chart.... and get out a timer to remind you when you need to bring her out
step 3 be dilligent... If she doesn't go potty outside when you bring her to the spot, stand there looking bored and wait for 5 minutes... bring her back inside place her on a teather leash attched to you or put her in a crate or in the kitchen/bathroom for 5 minutes and then repeat the outside ruitine.
step 4 Allow yourself enough time so you aren't bringing her out to potty then rushing inside and then leave for the day. Always praise and play after potty for a few minutes then go inside and train for a few moments at least before leaving. Puppies attention spans are short so it doesn't take much to diassociate a task with another. I ran around the yard a few times or tossed the ball 3 times and then went inside and did 2 or 3 mintues of sit/stay/come/down commands until I was ready to go.
step 5 remember to take her out many times a day especially in the beginning and once in the night too. Set and alarm if you don't get up, I get up to go to the bathroom myself and simply took that time to put on a sweater and slippers and jont outdoors to the pee-pee area for a quick minute or 2. I also use the command "empty the tank" and you ready for nigh-nights? during the pre-bedtime potty break. He got the hint and started to empty his bladder before bed.
Things to watch out for. Do not scold your dog for accidents. This is something they did not mean and got confused about. Puppies thrive on any attention and will take negative as well as positive so don't give them the negative if you can help it. Never scold your dog for anything you don't see so if you come home to a mess on your carpet ignore it no matter how hard, it does no good, they don't know why you are yelling at them. Please don't rub their nose in it, it is gross and does nothing productive. trust they will get it and had a set back. get out the enzyme cleaner to get the entire smell out, and forget it was there. and maybe let your dog out a bit more frequently.
They want to do good, they don't want to sit in a smelly urine, poop house and they want to please you. dogs are not doing things to spite or as revenge they don't work that way. readjust schedule and get back on track. If an older dog or a housetrained dog has an accident more than once assume it is a medical condition and call your vet. If left untreated a urinary infection can progress to the bladder and kidneys and can actually be fatal. nip it in the bud. Love your home and your dog and have fun together. Plenty of walks and some people will take the water up after 6pm so they don't get up overnight to pee. An amazing behaviorist and vet Dr Nicholas Dodman of Tufts wrote a book which includes sections on potty training which is put very simply.