# Bitches harder to toilet train?



## merlin39 (Jun 7, 2010)

Hello all!
We have a 13 week old puppy bitch and she is proving to be very stubborn to house train! Our older dog was a dream and was clean fairly quickly! Luna however is a different matter! We know the weather really hasn't helped as rain and gales isn't helping her want to go out but we are persevering! 
Some days she is great and will take herself out, if the door is open everytime, sometimes she will use the dog flap! However other times she pees everywhere! Even when at all the key times we take her out she will pee a little then go back in and finish off inside! We keep her out until we are sure she had done but no! I think she has reserve tanks! 
I am talking only about wees as without fail she will poo outside :0) it just seems she hasn't made the link yet! Any ideas?
She is not yet clean at night but has a pad in her crate with her.


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## Galadriel17 (Jan 22, 2012)

You should be taking her out every time and not letting her take herself so you can praise her every time she goes where she should.


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## Jugsmalone (Apr 11, 2011)

This may be down to training however does she appear to strain to pee? It's just with you saying its only wee in the house and not poo. Then you let her in when you think she's done and she then continues to pee in the house. I'm thinking it may be a UTI.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

merlin39 said:


> Hello all!
> We have a 13 week old puppy bitch and she is proving to be very stubborn to house train! Our older dog was a dream and was clean fairly quickly! Luna however is a different matter! We know the weather really hasn't helped as rain and gales isn't helping her want to go out but we are persevering!
> Some days she is great and will take herself out, if the door is open everytime, sometimes she will use the dog flap! However other times she pees everywhere! Even when at all the key times we take her out she will pee a little then go back in and finish off inside! We keep her out until we are sure she had done but no! I think she has reserve tanks!
> I am talking only about wees as without fail she will poo outside :0) it just seems she hasn't made the link yet! Any ideas?
> She is not yet clean at night but has a pad in her crate with her.


13 weeks is still pretty young to actually rely on them to remember. They still have pretty limited capacity and sometimes especially if doing something they dont always recognise the need or realise too late. If It were me I would go back to basics and do an intense course of retraining go out with her every 30/45 minutes, when she starts use a chosen word every time, eventually they associate the name with going so you can eventually use it as a toilet cue. When you are sure she has finished then praise and reward her with treats. If she does have an accident dont tell her off, that can make them nervous about going in front of you and more likely to try and sneak off to do it. Also make sure you clean any accidents up with a special stain/odour remover for pets, any smells left can encourage more in the same areas. Look out for circling sniffing and scratching at the floor this can be a sign they are looking for somewhere to go, although you sometimes dont see this until they are older, as mentioned when younger they dont always recognise the need or realise too late.

If you have got pads and paper about still or are using it at times ditch it, it can confuse them as it sends the message that its still ok to go in the house especially if thats what they had at the breeders and/or were previously trained on. By taking them out constantly and consistently there is no confusion that is the one and only place you want them to do it.

At night I personally slept downstairs with mine for a couple of weeks, taking then out if they woke or stirred, just popping them out no fuss quick word of praise and back to bed, no bright lights to stimulate them awake or talking etc otherwise. I found over the couple of weeks it got less and less until they were going through clean and dry until early morning. Some set an alarm once or twice and pop them out that way if they are not within sight and sound. I found it all was a lot of work for two maybe three weeks but it worked and I had very very few accidents.


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## alisondalziel (Oct 8, 2008)

Hiya 

My little girl is also 13 weeks old.

They all seem to be different. Mine was dry at night after only one week which is brilliant, i never needed to take her outside at night as she was dry just around the same time as she was ok to go outside, i just got up if i heard any noise and took her quickly to a puppy pad then straight back to bed, she did sometimes wet her bed but it just stopped on its own, i crate her at night 

I've been taking her out every hour, or as close to that as possible and its going ok, still the odd accident or two but it is difficult to commit to every single hour with a family to run lol. Sometimes i'll be about to take her out and then she's peed the floor, argh, just need to clean up and realise it was was my fault for not being on time and try again in the next hour. 

I actually think that each hour isn't quite enough at first, every 45 mins may be better and i might try that myself if theres still accidents here.

It's frustrating and not easy but we WILL get there!! 

p.s. i don't use any paper or puppy pads at all now.


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## Mophie (Sep 20, 2011)

She's a baby, she won't have full toilet control for a while so you're going to have accidents. Donnie was about 5-6 months, before he FULLY grasped toilet training. He had a pad at night until he was around 3 or so months, once he was crate trained that is. Otherwise he pad was used at night - and without fail as soon as his feet hit the pad I was awake - thunder storms don't wake me but my puppy getting ready to toilet and I'm there.

It will take time, I echo what others have said and close the door so you are taking her out after waking, eatings and playing.


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## Guest (Apr 19, 2012)

It's possible if she has free access to both inside and outside that she's not actually making the distinction between the two areas, which is generally why it's advised not to just leave the door open for them when toilet training. 

I would close the door and the flap if possible and physically take her out when she needs to go, preferably on a lead, so she realises outside is where she should toilet


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## JulianaEvans (Apr 20, 2012)

Have you thought about crate training? It can be useful for toilet training because it better helps a puppy to understand when they're expected to hold on, and when it's appropriate to toilet. It also prevents them from messing in the house when you aren't around to supervise.

And, give it time. At 13 weeks old, she's still very small and only beginning to adjust to her new lifestyle. Your older dog may have housebroken very quickly, but expecting your new puppy to fit into the same timeframe is only setting yourself up for disappointment. Just carry on being consistent and patient.


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## Jobeth (May 23, 2010)

It could also be you've forgotten with your older dog and it wasn't as easy as you remember! Im still getting there with my puppy and feel like my dog did it so what am I doing wrong. Are they the same breed? My puppy is smaller (yorkie) and her bladder can't seem to hold much!


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## TheFredChallenge (Feb 17, 2011)

My Male took SIX MONTHS!!!! However we've never had *any* accident after that and we were told it would probably take about 2-3wks?! So you can imagine how I felt at the time. So no I don't think it's a M/F thing, just how it goes sometimes. I think yours is still quite young.

Hope she 'get's it' soon


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## merlin39 (Jun 7, 2010)

Hi guys! Thank you so much for all your advice! It has been very useful in reminding me that she is only a baby and not to fret! 
We have shut the door and I'm setting an alarm on my phone every 40 mins and the only accidents have been clearly our fault.
It prob didn't help that she had managed to wee a few times, we think, on a door mat and we hadn't realised so the smell hadn't been removed! We have now replaced all the doormats, just in case! Hope my dh can keep up with this during the week :0&


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