When to grant freedom in the potty training regime?

[deonk1]

Hi All,

Harley has been brought up with a combination of grid and crate training, and of course praise and reward. He is 9 months and due to recent events (some of you may have followed my post on the little intruders I've had in my apartment) i've started letting Harley have his own bedroom, with his potty and his crate open and available 24/7, (I just can't stand to lock him in his crate in case those darn little bugs come back). Well once I get those stupid buggers under control, I'm debating on whether to keep him as he is, or whether it is too soon for that freedom and whether he should be crated again at night.

He pees on the tray, and has only had one mistake recently (partially due to him moving the newspapers... he peed on the papers, just not on the tray)

His only issue is pooing... he starts on the grid, and then walks off, poo hits the floor 75% of the time rather than the tray. I really don't see how I'm going to fix this. He does poo outside when we walk at nights, but the morning poos it's the same story. I shave his bum regularly to prevent anything clumping.

Thoughts, my apologies for the long post...

[Teegy]

Can I suggest taking him outside for all his poops, when you see him doing the shapes and the sniffs grab him and stay out until he goes. I did this with Teegy to the point he started walking over to the door when he needed out. Persistence.
When you get to that stage then I'd consider not crating him over night.
Teegy slept in his carrier for 3 weeks then I brought his bed and blanket in the room to try him out and that been it from 13 weeks on, he's slept in my room and never had any overnight bathroom issues. He even had an upset tummy one morning and ran from the bedroom to the living room pee pad and let it go.
Harley may then realize he has to wake you to go outside.
Just my thoughts.

[deonk1]

Normally I would accept that solution, however I'm on the 21st floor of a high rise, and the elevators are rediculously slow... thus we'd poo in the elevator before we'd make it.

we're moving in a month and will be on the second floor of a small condo with a nice semi private back yard, then we will be able to do any time of day, poop runs, until then, I'm stuck trying to find another way...

Another problem is that my boyfriend and I are on work terms... so I work 8-4... and two of his poops are in the 7:30-8:00 range, so me having the time isn't there either (I know crappy excuse, but I go back to school when we move in September, so I'll be able to do the morning poo runs then).

I look forward to having a back yard, and no bugs in my freakin apartment... that's why I'm not crating him at night (mind you he doesn't poop at night anyway, unless I feed him after 8... for which I deserve a late poop for messing up his schedule... ok I'm rambling now...

Thanks!