# Can't stand cleaning up wee much longer!



## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

We've had our puppy for about 6 weeks now and despite crate-training him he still thinks it's ok to wee in the house and I can't catch him 'at it'. He knows that outside is OK - lots of praise and treats when he goes outside, and he's happy to go when out walking. Had him in the crate all day long today and let him out [apart from walks and accompanied visits outside] at tea-time. While I had my back turned as I was getting dinner out if the oven - guess what! A puddle and the pup nowhere in sight. Later I went to get the washing out of the m/c and stepped in a puddle. I don't even know when he did that one, and there were 5 of us in the house at the time!

I just want to catch him doing it so I can scold him, as he just seems to think that inside is OK as well as outside and I can't teach him 'not to' go inside if I can't catch him at it!! Any ideas? Am crying in frustration right now. :cryin:

I'm cleaning the places he wees with a biological liquid to get rid of the smell [apparently it destroys the enzymes that cause the smell?]


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## Guest (Jun 10, 2009)

6 weeks is not long to expect a puppy to be house trained! It is something that needs working with daily ! You could still have mistakes even when he is 6 months old! Sounds as much human error as puppy error to me! Maybe you should go back to the beginning! Well done for praising him by the way!
Did I read right?? Did you say your pup had been in his crate all day!


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

Hi,firstly crate training does not mean leaving the dog in there for the majority of the day,really they should only be put there when you go out,during the night,and the odd time you are busy and need them out of the way.Do you put him outside frequently? did you use puppy pads when he was younger,how old is he now?


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## goodvic2 (Nov 23, 2008)

Oh dear not another one.........


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

Oh dear! You must all think I'm cruel! When I said he's been in the crate all day, I meant that today I had him in the crate with me in the kitchen [not necessarily with the door shut] and he spent most of his time asleep in there. He's quite happy to stay there with the door open when he's tired. I do shut the door when I go upstairs eg to do the ironing and again he's quite content. He's been sleeping in a crate since the day he was born so he's used to it anyway.


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

How old is he now? did you use puppy training pads at first?


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Firstly, dont scold him. Ultimatly it causes more harm than good, and can create a fearful dog.

Secondly, 6 weeks isnt a long time. Some dogs take a lot longer than others, so dont expect too much from a small puppy.

I trained mine by the rule of 20. I took them out every 20 mintues, directly after playing, after sleeping and after feeding. I went out with them, and stayed there until they did something.
Does he hold it over night? If not it may be worth getting up at around 3am and taking him out.

Hes just a baby, his bladder is small, and he wont have a huge amount of control over it. It all comes down to consistency and perseverance, and eyes in the back of your head.

Please, dont ever punish him for toileting, regardless of whether or not its in the wrong place.


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## bichonsrus (May 16, 2009)

puppies wee every where for all sorts of reasons, you stepping out of the room could do it lol i think you really need to devote a good week at least of staying in one room with pup, getting him used to weeing at regular times ie walking at same times, feeding at same times seeing the signs that he is going too, i know its not easy sometimes i use puppy pads near the back door for pups so they have always known this is where they go when they not in garden, now they started whining when they need to do number 2s so i put them in garden when they do that, they seem to know where it is ok to go but then im in the same room most of the time looking after them so i have got to know them and their ways i guess. good luck! 

oh and are you suppose to use non-biological powder rather than biological?


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

He is still such a baby. If you've had him 6 weeks and you got him at (I'm assuming) 8ish weeks old, then he's still got little or no control of his bladder. Just like a human baby, he needs to go as soon as he gets the urge.

A few pointers:

Take him outside every 20 minutes. And after play. And after food. And after a drink. And after a nap. And every time the adverts come on during a TV programme. And whenever you see him circling/sniffing. And at any other time you have free. Go out WITH him and praise him gently after he's been. Don't go too mad; some people think that if you overdo the praise, the puppy might well start bopping down in front of you anywhere, expecting a treat!

Think about it for a moment. Your pup has no idea where the "proper" place to toilet is. He is NOT A PERSON. To him, any porous surface is good to wee on. Just like it's obvious to us that porcelain toilets are for weeing in. So what you need to do is to make sure that the ONLY place he gets the chance to wee is the garden. Only then will he start to view the garden as the place to go.

Do NOT scold your pup for going in the wrong place. How is he to know that it's the PLACE you're telling him off for?? To him, you're telling him off for weeing at all - which will make him even more reluctant to wee in front of you. This might explain why you are finding "hidden" wees.....

So take him outside frequently, and STAY WITH HIM! When he goes, add a cue word ("wee wees" or whatever) and you'll soon have a pup who goes on command 

As I've read, and quoted on here - "If your puppy wees in the house, take a rolled up newspaper and hit YOURSELF on the head with it, whilst repeating 'I was not watching my puppy properly'"


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## Matrix/Logan (May 7, 2009)

Go back to basics, take him into the garden to go after feeding, when he wakes, when he gets excited and before sleeptimes (such as you going out or to bed). We set the alarm every 3 hours through the night for the first 2 weeks with our boy and took him out(just quietly give a food reward when he goes and put him back in the crate and go back to bed, ignore and whinging).

I would never scold a puppy for having an accident, i think the reason he is going out of your sight and weeing is because you have given him negative reactions when he has gone indoors so he is now hiding and doing it so that you are not negative with him (he has learnt to associate your negativeness with the puddle and not him having done the puddle, so he hides 'the puddle')!! 
You must just clean up and ignore the accidents. (after all you wouldnt 'scold' a potty training toddler for having an accident would you??). 

I have a 14 weeks old gsd pup who is crated, he has been clean and dry day and night for 6 weeks using these methods. (we get the odd tiddle in the kitchen probably once a week when it's raining!!! LOL)


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

I agree with nonnie on the 20 minute rule:thumbsup:what i dont agree with is the use of puppy pads,this encourages pups to toilet indoors,not the way to go at all!!and biological washing powder eliminates urine smells so helps prevent remarking.


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

Scold him in my opinion is one of the worst things you can do as he is getting a reaction from you even though it is not a nice one, in my experience if you catch him doing it , pick him up right away and put him outside , If you use wee wee pads put a soiled one outside and there is a good chance when you put him outside he will wee on this, You really need to have a good go at it over a week or so perhaps even putting him outside every half hour, and especially after every meal.

Wee wee pads are brilliant as they get used to doing their wees and poos on them and you can gradually move the pads towards the door that you would like him to go out of when he needs a wee.

It will eventually click with him

juliex


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

Bio washing powder also makes your house smell lovely. I still use it to clean the kitchen floor


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## bichonsrus (May 16, 2009)

i use puppy pads , i get the ones from argos as they are recommended by the RSPCA and are the most absorbant by far, and ive tried lots of types but these are great and i also agree about the moving it nearer to the door then outside, you need to do this gradually though.


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

If you use pads you are training them to toilet in the house! then you have to retrain to go outsidewhats the point in that,it causes confusion to the puppy.It should be made clear from the start that toileting is for outside only,there is no better way than perserverence,and regular 20/30minute supervised trips in the garden.The crate should be just big enough for pups bed(no available toilet area).


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

bichonsrus said:


> i use puppy pads , i get the ones from argos as they are recommended by the RSPCA and are the most absorbant by far, and ive tried lots of types but these are great and i also agree about the moving it nearer to the door then outside, you need to do this gradually though.


Can't see the point. You might as well teach them to go outside right from the start


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## Badger's Mum (Mar 23, 2009)

they are all different my lab was house trained at 9wk's my springer still had slip up at 6/7 month's and jrt was about 3month's my cocker's 13wk's and getting there.bit like potty training a child they're all different.


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

plus theres the unexplainable relapse at around 6 months to a year that some dogs have


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

shortbackandsides said:


> plus theres the unexplainable relapse at around 6 months to a year that some dogs have


That's quite common... it's maybe more to do with the owner assuming the dog is totally housetrained, becoming complacent and taking their eye off the ball than anything, I reckon.


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

Sounds like I'm doing the right thing really - I have never ever scolded him when I do find him in the act, but do pretty much hit myself with the rolled up newspaper [thanks for that analogy!] as I am very aware that it isn't his fault, it's mine. I'm just not being very patient maybe. My 2 shelties didn't take this long and there were 2 of them! I have forgotten how frustrating it can be!

- I don't use puppy pads as I think they're counter-intuitive as you then have to wean them off the pads. Just a neat way to make extra money for the pet shops.

- I use biological as it digests the enzymes that make the smell [did I say that in an earlier post?]. I have a sponge cleaner with a handle which you fill with a mix of half bio liquid and half water. I clean up with paper towels and disinfectant, then wash a layer of the mixture on the area and leave it to dry.

- By the way, he's only 5 months old and we had him home at 11.5 weeks. He does go through the night [except at weekends if we don't get up at the usual time]!


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## bichonsrus (May 16, 2009)

shortbackandsides said:


> If you use pads you are training them to toilet in the house! then you have to retrain to go outsidewhats the point in that,it causes confusion to the puppy.It should be made clear from the start that toileting is for outside only,there is no better way than perserverence,and regular 20/30minute supervised trips in the garden.The crate should be just big enough for pups bed(no available toilet area).


so when pups are little say four weeks old that is ok to put them in garden? before jabs? risk of lungworm put me off for ages anyways lol. just saying it has worked in past for me and works for me now. each to there own i say.


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

bichonsrus said:


> so when pups are little say four weeks old that is ok to put them in garden? before jabs? risk of lungworm put me off for ages anyways lol. just saying it has worked in past for me and works for me now. each to there own i say.


Unless your garden is used a lot by unvacc'd dogs, then yes, it's fine for pups to go outside.


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

bichonsrus said:


> so when pups are little say four weeks old that is ok to put them in garden? before jabs? risk of lungworm put me off for ages anyways lol. just saying it has worked in past for me and works for me now. each to there own i say.


I think everyone has their own methods, mine was pads especially with Mavis only being 6 weeks old and in the middle of winter , i have never had any problems with mine and have found them all very easy to housetrain,

i do agree though every 20-30 minutes outside if possible

juliex


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Oh you still have a while to go  Sky wasn't fully trained until she was over 6 months and she's just turned 7 months. I'm sure you've had lots of advice from everyone here so I won't add anymore except patience is a virtue


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## 3Wags (Jun 10, 2009)

Agree! Don't tell him off for weeing it could make things worse. Take him the moment he wakes up. I like the rule of 20 - I've found that's helped the most in house training. Maybe if possible, you could leave a door to the outside open, so he could go on his own when he needs to until he can hold his wee in for longer. Sometimes we don't notice when they need to go which doesn't help them! Good luck.


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## bichonsrus (May 16, 2009)

Colliepoodle said:


> Unless your garden is used a lot by unvacc'd dogs, then yes, it's fine for pups to go outside.


 oh right .i was still worried about the lungworm, the leaflet at the vets scared the living hell out of me as i hadnt heard of it until recently and we get alot of slugs out there , but i do wash down with jeyes fluid before i let the pups out just in case, maybe im a worry wart lol but as im selling the pups i dont want to pass on a sick puppy either.


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

Just to add insult to injury, I have just made myself a coffee, pup was standing right behind me, wee-ing, so when I turned round...

This is what I mean!! I have only once caught him at it!!


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## nhamblin84 (May 5, 2009)

so what happens when we catch them in the act? is it just to tell them 'no' and put them outside? Max and Daisy are pretty good and do go outside if the door is open or will go on the paper by the back door if its closed...is this ok? x


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

nhamblin84 said:


> so what happens when we catch them in the act? is it just to tell them 'no' and put them outside? Max and Daisy are pretty good and do go outside if the door is open or will go on the paper by the back door if its closed...is this ok? x


If you catch them in the act, you weren't watching them properly 

Unless they are teeny tiny, they always give some warning before squatting; sniffing, circling and so forth.

I wouldn't even say "no" - just scoop them up and put them out. The risk with saying "no" is that they won't associate the word with weeing INDOORS - they will think you're telling them off for weeing at all. They are then even more likely to try to wee when you're not looking - hence "surprise" wees in places you don't expect lol!

Think about it. If you tell a dog off for, say, pulling at your trouser leg, you expect him to stop doing it anywhere, don't you? You're telling him off for the ACT, not the location. So how is the dog expected to realise that if you say "no" when he's weeing, you're not cross at him weeing, but because of where he's doing it?!

Poor dogs - we expect them to have very human thought processes, often


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## nhamblin84 (May 5, 2009)

Colliepoodle said:


> If you catch them in the act, you weren't watching them properly
> 
> Unless they are teeny tiny, they always give some warning before squatting; sniffing, circling and so forth.
> 
> ...


Easier said than done with beagles lol  they have their nose to the ground all of the time!? so its hard to tell if they are just sniffing around or going to wee. you think they are sniffing and then all of a sudden.... wee!!! or vice versa and they are looking at you like your mad


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

Getting more and more frustrated - he was outside while we had tea, then we let him in. Within 5 minutes he'd wee'd 3 times in one room - and guess what? NO ONE SAW HIM DO IT!! How can I possibly teach him that it's wrong to go indoors when I never catch him at it - and don't tell me I have to watch him 100% of the time as it's just not possible with 3 kids to organise at the same time!!!

AAAAARGH


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

...you'd have though that after 6 weeks with him, we'd be able to see him doing something? I'm a full-time 'stay-at-home Mum' so I'm blaming myself constantly, but I have to do other things - I can't follow him everywhere and watch him 100% of the time!!


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## Dundee (Oct 20, 2008)

> How can I possibly teach him that it's wrong to go indoors when I never catch him at it - and don't tell me I have to watch him 100% of the time as it's just not possible with 3 kids to organise at the same time!!!


You need to forget about trying to correct him as a way of teaching and look at it a different way. Rather than looking to tell him off, you should be praising when he gets it right.

I haven't read all the posts so I'm sure it's been said before, but take him out regularly - after play, after a meal and after sleep are common times when a puppy needs to go so take him out and when he goes praise him. They need to gain control as well as learn what is right and this takes time. You wouldn't expect a baby to be toilet trained overnight would you? would you tell them off for going in a nappy as a way to train them to use the toilet? It's the same for a puppy.


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2009)

ftm42 said:


> Getting more and more frustrated - he was outside while we had tea, then we let him in. Within 5 minutes he'd wee'd 3 times in one room - and guess what? NO ONE SAW HIM DO IT!! How can I possibly teach him that it's wrong to go indoors when I never catch him at it - and don't tell me I have to watch him 100% of the time as it's just not possible with 3 kids to organise at the same time!!!
> 
> AAAAARGH


Been there,done that lol.

I used to put Tyler in his crate at mealtimes and during anytime I could not supervise him or watch him,the trouble with leaving him outside on his own is you don't know if he's actually done anything.

I would put him in his crate until you can properly supervise him,that way you are setting him up for sucess,remember every 20 -30 mins outside,if he doesn't perform try again in another 10 minutes etc.

I remember how frustrating it can be,my bitch was dreadful,I was standing outside some days for up to an hour in all sorts of weather,outside at 3 in the morning getting soaked isn't fun!
She did get there though and you will too!
Patience is a virtue LOL


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

ftm42 said:


> Getting more and more frustrated - he was outside while we had tea, then we let him in. Within 5 minutes he'd wee'd 3 times in one room - and guess what? NO ONE SAW HIM DO IT!! How can I possibly teach him that it's wrong to go indoors when I never catch him at it - and don't tell me I have to watch him 100% of the time as it's just not possible with 3 kids to organise at the same time!!!
> 
> AAAAARGH


Do you have a crate for him? Really, unless you CAN keep an eagle eye on him, you need to be putting him away in a place small enough so that he won't want to soil it.

TAKE him outside, rather than PUT him outside.

So - you can't watch him while you have dinner - so pop him in his crate with a chewie or filled bone/Kong. After dinner, he'll probably need a wee. Take him outside and STAY WITH HIM. Take a brolly if it's raining and a book if it's fine. Stay out until he's been.

It sounds as if you just need to organise things a little better.Please don't take that as a criticism - I don't work either but I have two small children and I know what it's like! My pup in fact took aaaaaaaages to housetrain and I followed all the proper steps religiously. You need eyes in the back of your head and sometimes I could have screamed but if you can just stick with it, it DOES get easier. They all get there in the end


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

sallyanne said:


> Been there,done that lol.
> 
> I used to put Tyler in his crate at mealtimes and during anytime I could not supervise him or watch him,the trouble with leaving him outside on his own is you don't know if he's actually done anything.
> 
> ...


Heartily agree with this post.

Also, when the pup is weeing, put a word to it so that eventually you have a dog who "goes" on command. VERY useful. Otherwise, you end up like me - standing in the garden, freezing (I got my pup in the winter. Brr...), watching with narrowed eyes while the pesky thing sniffed the grass. And the path. And the air. And gazed up at the stars...


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

I'm doing everything that everyone's telling me! He's in a crate if I'm upstairs/shopping/in another room for any length of time. It's the times that I leave the room just for a couple of minutes [eg to fetch the son's homework diary out of his bag] that he does it and he just doesn't seem to do the 'walking round in circles looking agitated' bit, so his body language doesn't betray him. I even had one time when all I did was pour out the kettle to make a cup of tea and he'd wee'd right behind me!!

Maybe I'm just being too impatient and he'll get the hang in the end. I just feel that we've now established that it's ok to wee indoors and it's going to be twice as hard to stop him.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Have you had him checked over by a vet? Might be worth making sure that everything is ok and working normally.


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## Dundee (Oct 20, 2008)

> I just feel that we've now established that it's ok to wee indoors and it's going to be twice as hard to stop him.


Have you established that the right place to wee is outside? In other words, are you taking him out regularly and praising him when he goes outside?


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

He gets lots of praise and treats when he goes outdoors and I use the 'quickie' and 'hurry up' commands too when he does what's required.


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2009)

ftm42 said:


> He gets lots of praise and treats when he goes outdoors and I use the 'quickie' and 'hurry up' commands too when he does what's required.


Never heard either of those commands myself! Doesn't sound like they are working though so don't think i'll bother!
lol
DT


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

The first command sounds like it should be for the over booked stud dog!!BOL


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

DoubleTrouble said:


> Never heard either of those commands myself! Doesn't sound like they are working though so don't think i'll bother!
> lol
> DT


I used "hurry up" before I had children... now of course I tend to say it hundreds of times a day so I had to rethink when I got my latest pup


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## Birdie Wife (Mar 30, 2009)

I'm learning a lot from the good advice from all the posters here :thumbsup: and I thought I might share some of my own experience as a new puppy owner - which is that once is never enough! Especially if they've been in their crate/asleep for longer than an hour. If Cari goes outside and pee ("Good Girl!!! Yay!!!"), often she would come back in and do another pee a few minutes after. Now I stay outside with her for another 5-10 minutes (foten have to keep on the moce because of the midgies this time of year - I'm up in the Highlands) and she'll usually do at least one more pee.


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## Chiksave (Jun 13, 2009)

Best if you can catch him at it. Just tell him NO! It's old fashioned I think, but I doubt the puppy knows that. 

Take him outside, or onto the litter tray. No good doing this while he is still dribbling of course 'cos it goes everywhere! Just resign yourself that he's done it and clean up. 

Outside tell him to 'Look sharp!' He'll associate that phrase with urinating. For the other, I always used 'Chop-chop'! 

You can't always exercise your dog, when you think there will be toilet needs, so this is useful if you want your dog to empty him/herself at a particular time. (Assuming the dog needs of course and you soon know.) 

I used to ask my dog 'Look sharp'? He would bark if he wanted to 'go' and shake his head if he didn't! Honest!  :thumbsup:


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## Staceybob (Jun 13, 2009)

With my puppy she was crate trained (Went in there when I was out or asleep) and she learnt not to go to the toilet in there as it was her bed, but then she started peeing out of her crate as she only considered the crate as her bed.

Gradually I introduced her into sleeping out of her crate and realised that she would go to the toilet on newspaper. So, I took the newspaper outside with me.

She learnt that the paper was outside and started running to the back door when she needed to go, but as she only had a weak bladder back then, you had to be fast, or she'd let loose lol!.

Eventually over time she built up her bladder and started waiting at the door. Again, because she was so quiet I needed to pay close attention to her to avoid accidents.

Now 8 months old, my husky puppy now runs to the door, then comes back and howls at me to let me know that she needs the toilet XD.

Then I respond with, "Do you need the toilet?" (Yes! She has learnt the word toilet and her ears prick up when she hears the word 'toilet') and she'll howl back at me to respond.

I had her since she was 7 weeks old; so it took a good 4 months to get her settled (Possibly a bit less than that) into her toilet training, but with time, it will pay off.

Just be patient.

You wouldn't expect a baby to come out of nappies in 6 weeks right? =] I hope you're finding everyones experiences helpful.

Stacey xxx


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

I really thought we'd got past this problem but now that it's raining all the time, he's reluctant to go out! I've just shut him outside in despair as he's wee'd on my treadmill! He even stood on the 'wrong' side of an open back door this afternoon and wee'd on the floor! As usual, I didn't catch him actually 'at it' so couldn't do the old 'pick him up quick and put him out'. It's getting so frustrating esp as I have 3 sons who are in the same room so you'd have thought one of us would spot him, but oh, no! He even wee'd all over the kitchen floor after he'd been out last thing last night [hubby's duty] and hubby didn't catch him so as a result I got up this morning to a puddle before I'd even started the usual morning chaos.


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

BTW, he's now 6 months old and we've had him for 3 months, so I'm running out of patience now. Aside from going right back to square one and locking him in his crate apart from meals and toilet breaks, I can't see what else to do. It seems cruel now to lock him away all the time, esp with the school hols coming up when the kids will all be wanting to play with him all day.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

How have you been toilet training him up until now?

You dont lock them in the crate unless you arent there, thats not how crate training works.


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

He goes in the crate when we are all out of the house, or mowing the lawn, etc, or if I go upstairs eg to do the ironing [not that that happens very often...!] and he sleeps in there at night. Otherwise he trots round the house happily and there's always someone with him, but he has accidents while we're not looking and then you've missed your chance to do anything. I take him out [rain or shine] into the garden at least every hour and walk round with him until he does something, then praise him, use the right words, etc. Yet we still miss the odd occasion, but at 6 months shouldn't we be past the accident stage?


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

Someone asked ages ago if the vet had checked him out and he did at his last vaccination appt - just says it's up to me to catch him at it as he didn't think the pup has a problem, only his human!


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

ftm42 said:


> He goes in the crate when we are all out of the house, or mowing the lawn, etc, or if I go upstairs eg to do the ironing [not that that happens very often...!] and he sleeps in there at night. Otherwise he trots round the house happily and there's always someone with him, but he has accidents while we're not looking and then you've missed your chance to do anything. I take him out [rain or shine] into the garden at least every hour and walk round with him until he does something, then praise him, use the right words, etc. Yet we still miss the odd occasion, but at 6 months shouldn't we be past the accident stage?


Some dogs do take longer than others.

Are you able to take him out more frequently while you are there? Perhaps every 30 mins or so if possible.

Also take him immediately after feeding, having a drink, after a nap, and after play.

Does he mess in his crate at all?

What are you using to clean up his pee?


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## Guest (Jul 17, 2009)

ftm42 said:


> He goes in the crate when we are all out of the house, or mowing the lawn, etc, or if I go upstairs eg to do the ironing [not that that happens very often...!] and he sleeps in there at night. Otherwise he trots round the house happily and there's always someone with him, but he has accidents while we're not looking and then you've missed your chance to do anything. I take him out [rain or shine] into the garden at least every hour and walk round with him until he does something, then praise him, use the right words, etc. Yet we still miss the odd occasion, but at 6 months shouldn't we be past the accident stage?


Sounds like your getting frustrated,I know I did with my bitch.
Have you had him checked by a vet just to rule out any underlying problems such as an UTI.

Keep going at it,sounds like your doing everything correctly,it just takes some dogs a little longer to cotton on than others.
Do you use treats as well as praise ?


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

I hope it's just me getting frustrated - after all, you wouldn't want to go outside to pee either in this rain!! He's only having the occasional accident really and does everything else outdoors pretty consistently. I'm just not very patient! Still, it's frustrating!!


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

What is it with my bl*&~y family?! There are 5 of us in the house - I go upstairs to do some ironing and when I come back down there's a present for me - by the open back door! Oh dear, nobody saw him do it!!!:cursing:


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## hazel pritchard (Jun 28, 2009)

I know how you feel ,when hubby came home with a puppy,it was me that had to look after him,i would go upstairs for a shower ,come back downstairs to a puddle or a pile,then tell hubby,reply i got was " oh i didnt see him do it i will clean it up" what hubby meant was "i was watching tv,in the end i told him if you dont watch Rusty every minute while im not in the room,if i find a puddle or pile i will rub your nose in it, think the message got through to him.


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## ftm42 (Apr 27, 2009)

Hazel - now that's a good idea!!


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## Stellabelly (Jul 11, 2009)

Stella was a good 8 months old before was properly housetrained. She used to take one step forward and two steps back. She never used to let us know when she wanted to go out. Then all of a sudden she just "got it". She still doesn;t cry to go out. She just comes into where we are and trots back out again and we say "do you want to go the toilet" and she runs to the back door. And it was the end of all accidents - just like that...

It was v frustrating for me because the JR cross I used to have was only 6 weeks old when we got her (they just wanted rid of her - not a proper breeder) and she was completely clean in 4 weeks - amazing!! Bit then again my daft old deerhound was over 9 months before he stopped weeing in the house. Then when eh reached the age of 5 he started having fits which would result in slobber, pee and pooh everywhere. He lived to the ripe old age of ten and a half despite the fits.


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

I know what you are going through at the minute - our puppy is 14 weeks old and some days we seem to be able to get her in the garden at the right times and other times we get it all wrong. I was so proud of her the other day because she actually asked to go outside by scratching at the back door frantically and then went out and had a wee. It's just a matter of getting them outside at the right times I think - after sleeping, eating, playing and standing with them till they perform and then loads of praise when they do.
Puppies aren't easy though.:laugh:


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

Despite doing everything right, my puppy in fact took aaaaaaaages to housetrain. She was probably 8 months before I could start to relax and actually watch a TV programme with both eyes...

I think it's worth remembering that almost all dogs end up clean in the house regardless of how vigilant you are... they eventually gain control of their bladder/bowels and learn that the whole house is the bed rather than just the area they sleep in. It's just that the more vigilant you are, the quicker they cotton on.

There is always light at the end of the tunnel - even though at times it seems as if the tunnel itself is paved with puddles and poo


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## Birdie Wife (Mar 30, 2009)

Colliepoodle said:


> There is always light at the end of the tunnel - even though at times it seems as if the tunnel itself is paved with puddles and poo


Eeeeeeeeyyyooooo


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