[BittyPitty]

We've had our 12 week old puppy for a week now and she's been doing pretty well with crate training. We live in a raised ranch and at first we had to pick her up and bring her down the stairs to go outside. Then she started walking down the steps to go outside when we told her "outside" and "come!". Now, every once in a while she'll take the steps, but more often than not she'll sit at the top of the steps and look at us then start running away/acting up and we have to chase her around then pick her to pick her up to go out. Anyone know why she runs away/doesn't want to go out? The only reason I can think of is that it's been cold outside and she doesn't want to go outside. She always GOES when we actually go outside, even if she's just squeezing out a few drops. I always praise her and tell her she's such a good girl and she is very happy, tail wagging etc, when we come inside. Today I even bought her a little sweater, but that hasn't helped.

The other reason I can think of is that we're bringing her out really often and maybe she doesn't HAVE to go as often, we're just trying to be proactive so that she doesn't have any accidents, taking her out every couple of hours. Are we doing something wrong? I don't think after a week she's ready to tell us when she needs to "go". How long does it take them to get the hang of it and let you know when she needs to go?

Looking for any advice experienced dog owners can give me!! This is my first puppy as an adult and I just want to make sure we're being effective with the training and not making "outside" a punishment.

[Poohbear]

Are you using the same door everytime? What we did, was always used the same door, then we used a leash, so we could be there when the "deed" happened. When we put the leash on, we would say "want to go out?" And we used a lot of praise, which it seems you are doing. After a few sniffs in the house, which signaled that he had to go, we would say, "By the door" Then when we put the leash on, "want to go out?" It only took a few days, before Rex would go by the door and whine to go. He was also 12 weeks when we did this. I hope I helped, it seems that the running thing is just something that is fun.

[BittyPitty]

Yes, we use the same door every time, which requires a walk downstairs to the basement. We don't usually wait till she starts sniffing, we try to be more proactive -- when she wakes up, finishes playing, finishes eating, etc. We say "Outside?" and then usually start walking downstairs saying "Outside?". I thought at first it was her playing but her ears go down and her tail between her legs and she runs away and tries not to get picked up when we pick her up to take her out. After outside we say "Emma go potty", and usually she goes right away. It's like she feels like she's being punished and I don't want her to think that. We definitely give her lots of praise and a treat when she comes in after going potty. We've started using a leash to take her down the steps. She pulls and pulls but we kind of drag her to the steps and after she starts coming down we are praising her. We'll see if this helps...we just started yesterday.

If anyone else has any other suggestions or reasoning as to why she is acting this way, please let me know!!!!

[Poohbear]

She could very well be afraid of the stairs. You could try getting something yummy, and quick to chew, and I guess I would start at the bottom. Three stairs up, place a treat with her watching. When she gets it, let her see you put one on the floor, when she gets that, praise like mad. The next time, go one step farther. Everytime you do and she is now focused on the treat, she should learn how to function on the stairs better and soon that shouldn't be a problem.
As to your saying something outside, you may want to change it and make it fun with everything new going on. Instead of Emma go potty, which she may associate with something fearful (maybe the stairs) start using another phrase. We say "Hurry up" because it is cold in Maine most months of the year. Another could be Get busy.
I wouldn't pull her down the stairs, (I don't think that you said that anyway) But, I would leash her to the door at the top. And for now, pick her up and carry her down, then on the way in, start teaching her to use them. Dogs have 4 paws, and sometimes they feel a little clumsy, and stairs can be intimidating.