Potty Training 101

As much as I hate "potty training" I knew it would have to happen eventually.

Yep, it's that time.

Michaela is the first. Nine weeks old and completely potty training. No, I am not kidding. She pees on the paper. She poops on the paper. She also pees and poops outside. 

Humphrey is about halfway there. We had a bit of a rough start because Humphrey started peeing in the middle of the floor, right around the time I decided we were in serious need of Potty Training 101. I would grab him and run to the paper and he would be finished.

Jean-Luc refuses to go on paper at all, he doesn't like to be watched. He was prone to going under the bed, and only under the bed before I decided to block access to that location and put a stop to that.

Back to the books. I did some research and studied some potty training guides on the internet, not for the first time. It was the same thing I read when I tried to potty train my Michi, seven years ago.

Either put them in a kennel or put paper over the entire floor. I do not own a kennel. I own a playpen. If you follow my blog you know this. So, I put Humphrey and Jean-Luc in the playpen. I laid fresh newspaper across the "potty area." Yes, I only want them going in one area.

When they wake me up in the morning, which inevitably is every morning, I rush each of them in turn to the paper. Humphrey first because when he says he has to go, he means it and there is no time for delay. He won't pee in the kennel if he can help it.

 Michaela second because I can set her on the floor and she will take herself to the paper.

Then Jean-Luc, who has made almost zero progress.

The problem with Jean-Luc, I think, is that he will only potty when no one can see him because he is shy. I am not sure what I can do about this. He will potty in the playpen rather than waiting to be "taxied" to the paper. The playpen has paper across it. 

The original plan was for the playpen to be covered in paper, except for a sleep area since they do nap in there, but they rip it up, get it wet, and just move it around in general, so I don't know how this is going to work.

Anybody who's been through this stage have tips?