# Potty training Cavachon



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

Hi Everyone

New to this forum and new to the world of puppy ownership. 

So we have an 11 week old Cavachon, we got him about a week ago. He is a lovely pup with a great temperament and is very quiet and low maintenance. I just wanted to get some advice as to whether i am on the right road with the house training.

Currently i bring him out a few times a day and he is good to go potty outside and he gets a treat. Yesterday for instance we had no accident at all but at night he is does at least 1 poop and 1 pee . He is in a crate which is in a pen on a vinyl floor so its easy to clean up. Generally the poop goes on a puppy mat and he does the pee on the vinyl floor.

He also seems to Poo in the evening around 4 - 5pm

Are we doing ok ? Should he not be able to hold the Poo at night at this stage ? I have changed the food to royal canine junior for small dogs as the breeder says that makes the poo much more firm. Currently his poo is ok but definetely not kickable. 

I will also be honest here, i cannot get up in the middle of the night to take him out as i have a 2 year old son who demands a lot of attention so we need our energy for him. Will he just grow out of the night time poop ? 

In a few weeks once he gets the last vaccinations then i plan on walking him in the evenings so hopefully this would tire him out also and not wake up for a poo. 

We will be going back to work in 10 days times so i would LOVE to have some kind of routine in place that is a start and one where we can move forwards with. He will be home alone with chew toys and in the crate with door open to go into the pen . I know he will pee during this time for another while but i would hope in a few months to be able to bring him out before i leave and then he could hold it until my wife gets home (total of 8 hours or less)

So any advice for us ? And will he grow out of the night time poop ?


----------



## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

Yes, he will outgrow it but your overall toilet training will be faster if you could get him out in the night. It only needs to be a quick visit, you don't need to interact with him; but the rationale is that you are setting him up for success by aiming for every toilet outside so he 'gets it' that that's what you want him to do.

If you are going to leave him home alone while you are at work that will also slow his toilet training as he will be unable to hold his toilet, so he will have to do it indoors and won't be able to learn you want him to toilet outside. Can't you arrange someone to call in every couple of hours when you are at work?


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

To be honest we dont mind two clean ups a day and the training to be delayed as long as he would grow out of it eventually (especially the night time one) . We understand that this is just part of it and thats why we have the vinyl in the utility room etc. 

Just took him out there now and he did a small pee , so he definetely understands that outside is pee / poo

If i was to do a nighttime visit, how long would i have to do it for ? I can do it when back to work in 10 days time


----------



## JoanneF (Feb 1, 2016)

It depends on the pup but it's quite important to give the message this isn't play time so it's up, no play or interaction, out until he toilets, praise and reward, back to bed. If he hasn't toileted within 10 minutes I would go back in, still be very boring, and get up an hour later - you might need a few nights to suss out his night time toilet time. Of course if you can hear him as he wakes (which would help a lot) you could aim to get him out just before he has to toilet.


----------



## Guest (Dec 28, 2017)

Am I right in reading that you are going to leave him alone for 8 hours in 10 days time?

I think by letting the pup toilet inside both at night and during the day when you go back to work you are going to find toilet training very, very difficult. He’s not just going to ‘grow out of it’ without training.


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

McKenzie said:


> Am I right in reading that you are going to leave him alone for 8 hours in 10 days time?
> 
> I think by letting the pup toilet inside both at night and during the day when you go back to work you are going to find toilet training very, very difficult. He's not just going to 'grow out of it' without training.


He is being trained. I am training now and for the next ten days. I expect him to eliminate when we are back at work but then in a few months he should be able to naturally hold it so i will encourage this by moving the puppy pad that he uses now closer to the door , then remove it and maybe crate him for a few days to get him into the habit of it )

Countless people have puppies and work all day. My sister had a 6 week old pug and he was left alone during the day almost straight away and soiled every day. After a few weeks the soiling stopped as he was just able to hold it.

We have no issue with a few cleanups for a few months, all we want is for it to be ok eventually


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

JoanneF said:


> It depends on the pup but it's quite important to give the message this isn't play time so it's up, no play or interaction, out until he toilets, praise and reward, back to bed. If he hasn't toileted within 10 minutes I would go back in, still be very boring, and get up an hour later - you might need a few nights to suss out his night time toilet time. Of course if you can hear him as he wakes (which would help a lot) you could aim to get him out just before he has to toilet.


Thanks. I definitely cannot get up multiple times in the night. I might try 3 am one night to see if it helps


----------



## tabelmabel (Oct 18, 2013)

Your pup is doing extremely well if you are only needing to get up once in the night at 11 weeks!

It sounds like you don't mind taking it slower and dealing with a few accidents though. I got a new pup july 21st and she was sleeping through the night with no accidents clean and dry by 13 weeks.

BUT i didnt use puppy pads at all and in the early days i had the pup sleep in a crate next to me and was up about 3 times a night with her. She was fantastic though. I didnt need to get dressed. I just opened the back door, she ran out and sqatted right away and ran back in

I can understand why you wouldn't want to be doing that if you have a 2 year old though. Through the night at 13 weeks was 12 til 6.30. My son gets up at 6.30 to do his papers and he used to pop her out then (by 13 weeks she was sleeping downstairs in a crate)

Now she is 7 months and for the past 2 or 3 months she has been sleeping in til 9.30!! So they can hold it longer as they get older but the whole house training thing is much quicker if you can limit housetraining accidents to nil or nearly nil from the outset. Which is impossible unless you can watch them all the time. 

Sounds like you are happy to go a bit slower though. They will hold poo longer than piddle so i think your goal of having a pup that doesn't soil inside the house is realistic and achievable.


----------



## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

mickman said:


> He is being trained. I am training now and for the next ten days. I expect him to eliminate when we are back at work but then in a few months he should be able to naturally hold it so i will encourage this by moving the puppy pad that he uses now closer to the door , then remove it and maybe crate him for a few days to get him into the habit of it )
> 
> Countless people have puppies and work all day. My sister had a 6 week old pug and he was left alone during the day almost straight away and soiled every day. After a few weeks the soiling stopped as he was just able to hold it.
> 
> We have no issue with a few cleanups for a few months, all we want is for it to be ok eventually


That's not training though. How is the pup going to get the idea he should only toilet outside if he's forced (and encouraged by the pad) to do it inside the house?
Pads put the idea in a dog's head that they should pee and poo on soft, fluffy things. Things like your duvet or rug. Although he may get to the age when they can 'naturally hold it', he won't know that he's supposed to.
Make the effort and do it properly. One trip in the night at 3am should be enough in the night (it always had been with my pups).
And your sister should not have had a pug pup at 6 weeks old. They should stay with their mums and siblings until 8 weeks at least.


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

tabelmabel said:


> Your pup is doing extremely well if you are only needing to get up once in the night at 11 weeks!
> 
> It sounds like you don't mind taking it slower and dealing with a few accidents though. I got a new pup july 21st and she was sleeping through the night with no accidents clean and dry by 13 weeks.
> 
> ...


Thank you . I feel it's going well. Much improved in only the last week. We are ok with taking it slower and I would hope to get there fully by the summer


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

Burrowzig said:


> That's not training though. How is the pup going to get the idea he should only toilet outside if he's forced (and encouraged by the pad) to do it inside the house?
> Pads put the idea in a dog's head that they should pee and poo on soft, fluffy things. Things like your duvet or rug. Although he may get to the age when they can 'naturally hold it', he won't know that he's supposed to.
> Make the effort and do it properly. One trip in the night at 3am should be enough in the night (it always had been with my pups).
> And your sister should not have had a pug pup at 6 weeks old. They should stay with their mums and siblings until 8 weeks at least.


I'm not looking for grief on what my sister should and should not do which is why I was unsure about posting on this forum

I am just a normal father in a two parent working family who got a puppy for his son and want to do things as properly as possible. Our situation isn't ideal but millions of people do it successfully


----------



## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

mickman said:


> I'm not looking for grief on what my sister should and should not do which is why I was unsure about posting on this forum
> 
> I am just a normal father in a two parent working family who got a puppy for his son and want to do things as properly as possible. Our situation isn't ideal but millions of people do it successfully


I wonder why you didn't just wait until a pup would fit easily into your life?

This is a forum for animal lovers and I am just so sick of the number of threads by people struggling to cope with providing the basic requirements of a baby animal.

You have been given some good advice on how to bring your pup up properly and happily. I hope you take note for the pup's sake otherwise he might be one of the many who will find themselves out on their ear when they have "issues" and still crapping on the carpet at a year old for lack of the right training.

What were you expecting?

Don't bother to answer - that was a rhetorical question.


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

Ok thanks


----------



## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

Puppies need to understand that they are required to toilet outside all the time, not just some of the time. If the training is not consistent as in sometimes he is allowed to toilet inside sometimes he's not, he will be confused and not learn properly what is required. Many dogs grow up continuing to toilet inside because the owner has been inconsistent with toilet training. Just because your sisters dog is clean indoors it won't mean yours will be, all dogs are individuals in the same way as humans are.

I'm really concerned that you think it's ok to leave a very young puppy alone whilst you are out at work just because your sister did. Please consider how your puppy will feel, only a baby still and totally alone for 8 hours a day. Would you leave one of your children alone all day? And please don't say it's different, it's isn't, puppies have feelings too. You should have thought about this a bit more clearly before buying your puppy and put something in place. If you have no relations nearby or friendly neighbours who could come in and be with the puppy for a while a few times during the day, then employ a dog walker who offers puppy services to come in at least twice a day to take your poor pup out to the toilet and play with him for a while and perhaps one of you could come home at lunchtime to feed the puppy. Puppies should be on at least three meals a day at this be if not four.

Yes plenty of people work full time and have dogs, my niece does just that. For the first four weeks the puppy came home her and her husband both took two weeks leave back to back so that the puppy had a firm and fixed routine in place over a period of four weeks. Then a dog walker came in morning and afternoon for some months and my niece was home at lunchtime. Now her dog is an adult the dog walker comes in once a day and some days the dog goes to a day care. But then my niece and her husband planned carefully for a puppy and thought ahead about what is required.


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

thanks for all the help everyone. My son loves our pup and we all do, he will be treated very well indeed but will have to be alone during the day during work because thats life.

I just wanted advice on how to make it as pleasureable as possible for all parties involved. 

Thanks tabelmabel


----------



## Guest (Dec 28, 2017)

mickman said:


> thanks for all the help everyone. My son loves our pup and we all do, he will be treated very well indeed but will have to be alone during the day during work because thats life.
> 
> I just wanted advice on how to make it as pleasureable as possible for all parties involved.
> 
> Thanks tabelmabel


Why not get somebody in during the day lime a dog walker. That would be more sensible than pup will have to be alone because that's life. I set Buddy up to succeed not to fail personally.


----------



## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

mickman said:


> thanks for all the help everyone. My son loves our pup and we all do, he will be treated very well indeed but will have to be alone during the day during work because thats life.
> 
> I just wanted advice on how to make it as pleasureable as possible for all parties involved.
> 
> Thanks tabelmabel


So you will be leaving the puppy alone all day and not getting someone to come in? This is not being very kind at all


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

can people stop having a go please. its not helpful


----------



## Siskin (Nov 13, 2012)

mickman said:


> can people stop having a go please. its not helpful


Why? Surely you want the best for your puppy?


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

You came for advice on potty training your puppy , this is what you've been offered .
Many have said that leaving your pup alone to eliminate where he sleeps and all day when you return to work is not conducive to quick, reliable potty training.
I don't see anyone 'having a go' , disagreeing with your proposed management and care of your puppy, yes we are. If these are not the replies you wanted or expected I'm sorry, but they all point towards happy and successful potty training and the appropriate care of a small puppy.


----------



## Sairy (Nov 22, 2016)

I wouldn't count on your pup growing out of soiling in the house. As others have said, some dogs continue to soil indoors well into adulthood due to inconsistent training. Indeed a dog in one of my classes is 2 years old and still toilets indoors overnight. I have told his owner to break the habit by getting up and taking him out in the middle of the night.

My advice would be to set an alarm in the middle of the night (say 2, 3am ish) and take him out. Don't make a fuss, just a quick trip outdoors and praise for doing his toilet. Then back to bed. Once he gets used to this then gradually make the trip later (say move it back by 15 mins every 5 days or so). Eventually this will become the time that you get up and voila, one pup who can make it through the night. My OH and I managed this and we both work. I understand it is harder with a young child, but this is part of taking on a pup and surely no different really than having a toddler and a baby, which many many people manage.

With regards to daytime, it does worry me that you plan on leaving him for 8 hours. Yes people do this and yes sometimes it works out ok in the end, but 8 hours is a very long time for a pup who presumably isn't used to it. Have you done any separation training with him (e.g. leaving him for a couple of minutes and coming back, rinse and repeat)? Toys are no substitute for human interaction and at his age he is going to be having short bursts of energy throughout the day when he really could do with having some human company. Puppies are like sponges and are absorbing lots and lots at this age - a perfect time for teaching things like bite inhibition and socialising with people/other dogs/the big wide world. As they get older they tend to sleep for longer and if they have been acclimatised to being left then being alone for a few hours shouldn't be an issue for most dogs. However, going from having you around most of the time to being left for 8 hours straight is likely to be distressing for him. He may well vocalise a fair bit - do you have neighbours in close proximity? I really would suggest that you get someone to come in every few hours to let him go to the toilet and interact with him.

The other thing that just occurred to me that you will need to plan for is what you are going to do in the mornings and evenings. Obviously it will be dark before and after work. Have you got places you can take him to for socialisation and training etc. as well as walks? If you haven't already then I would also suggest looking into training classes (find a decent one that uses reward-based methods).

Edited to correct a spelling error ompus


----------



## elmthesofties (Aug 8, 2011)

mickman said:


> can people stop having a go please. its not helpful


What wouldn't be helpful is people 'having a go' about things you have no control over.
People advising you to find someone who can pop in on the puppy throughout the day is something that you can change very, very easily. It would be kinder to the puppy and speed up the training process. I'd say it's incredibly helpful.


----------



## Guest (Dec 29, 2017)

Siskin said:


> Puppies need to understand that they are required to toilet outside all the time, not just some of the time. If the training is not consistent as in sometimes he is allowed to toilet inside sometimes he's not, he will be confused and not learn properly what is required. Many dogs grow up continuing to toilet inside because the owner has been inconsistent with toilet training. Just because your sisters dog is clean indoors it won't mean yours will be, all dogs are individuals in the same way as humans are.
> 
> I'm really concerned that you think it's ok to leave a very young puppy alone whilst you are out at work just because your sister did. Please consider how your puppy will feel, only a baby still and totally alone for 8 hours a day. Would you leave one of your children alone all day? And please don't say it's different, it's isn't, puppies have feelings too. You should have thought about this a bit more clearly before buying your puppy and put something in place. If you have no relations nearby or friendly neighbours who could come in and be with the puppy for a while a few times during the day, then employ a dog walker who offers puppy services to come in at least twice a day to take your poor pup out to the toilet and play with him for a while and perhaps one of you could come home at lunchtime to feed the puppy. Puppies should be on at least three meals a day at this be if not four.
> 
> Yes plenty of people work full time and have dogs, my niece does just that. For the first four weeks the puppy came home her and her husband both took two weeks leave back to back so that the puppy had a firm and fixed routine in place over a period of four weeks. Then a dog walker came in morning and afternoon for some months and my niece was home at lunchtime. Now her dog is an adult the dog walker comes in once a day and some days the dog goes to a day care. But then my niece and her husband planned carefully for a puppy and thought ahead about what is required.


I remember when Buddy was a pup my aunty agreed to come in a couple of times a day for half an ho


mickman said:


> can people stop having a go please. its not helpful


I see nobody having a go. At the minute OP you are setting the pup up to fail. You were given advice. If you don't like it then we are really sorry but it is a forum.


----------



## Guest (Dec 29, 2017)

SusieRainbow said:


> You came for advice on potty training your puppy , this is what you've been offered .
> Many have said that leaving your pup alone to eliminate where he sleeps and all day when you return to work is not conducive to quick, reliable potty training.
> I don't see anyone 'having a go' , disagreeing with your proposed management and care of your puppy, yes we are. If these are not the replies you wanted or expected I'm sorry, but they all point towards happy and successful potty training and the appropriate care of a small puppy.


Well said Susie. I say set the pup up to succeed not to fail.


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

Sairy said:


> I wouldn't count on your pup growing out of soiling in the house. As others have said, some dogs continue to soil indoors well into adulthood due to inconsistent training. Indeed a dog in one of my classes is 2 years old and still toilets indoors overnight. I have told his owner to break the habit by getting up and taking him out in the middle of the night.
> 
> My advice would be to set an alarm in the middle of the night (say 2, 3am ish) and take him out. Don't make a fuss, just a quick trip outdoors and praise for doing his toilet. Then back to bed. Once he gets used to this then gradually make the trip later (say move it back by 15 mins every 5 days or so). Eventually this will become the time that you get up and voila, one pup who can make it through the night. My OH and I managed this and we both work. I understand it is harder with a young child, but this is part of taking on a pup and surely no different really than having a toddler and a baby, which many many people manage.
> 
> ...


I am going to get up tonight at 2 AM and bring him out, that would be 4 hours after i put him in the crate. I will be crating him tonight for the first time, i usually let the crate open and he can come into the pen but tonight i will close the crate, let him out at 2 and then put him back into the crate

He has already been alone for several hours at a time and settles down very well. He is a very good dog and learns very quickly. I will be phasing him into the 8 hours and not doing it all at once. Hopefully getting up in the night time will eradicate the night time eliminations very quickly .

last night i took him out for a poo at 10PM. My mother got up at 4AM and there was a tiny bit of pee there and she got up again at 7AM and there was nothing extra so he seems well able to hold it already.


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

mickman said:


> I am going to get up tonight at 2 AM and bring him out, that would be 4 hours after i put him in the crate. I will be crating him tonight for the first time, i usually let the crate open and he can come into the pen but tonight i will close the crate, let him out at 2 and then put him back into the crate
> 
> He has already been alone for several hours at a time and settles down very well. He is a very good dog and learns very quickly. I will be phasing him into the 8 hours and not doing it all at once. Hopefully getting up in the night time will eradicate the night time eliminations very quickly .
> 
> last night i took him out for a poo at 10PM. My mother got up at 4AM and there was a tiny bit of pee there and she got up again at 7AM and there was nothing extra so he seems well able to hold it already.


That sounds like excellent progress, great stuff !
thanks for the update .


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

should he be able to hold it until 2 in the crate ? He seems to go every 4 hours during the day so maybe 3AM would be better ?
I really want to avoid getting up too early or too late!


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

mickman said:


> should he be able to hold it until 2 in the crate ? He seems to go every 4 hours during the day so maybe 3AM would be better ?
> I really want to avoid getting up too early or too late!


If he goes out about 10.30-11pm and performs, 2am should be fine. To be honest it's rather trial and error I'm afraid. If he's clean at 2am, brilliant, keep it at that for a while then move it back an hour.
Alternatively could you have the crate in your room? Then you would hear him when he wakes and take him out..


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

SusieRainbow said:


> If he goes out about 10.30-11pm and performs, 2am should be fine. To be honest it's rather trial and error I'm afraid. If he's clean at 2am, brilliant, keep it at that for a while then move it back an hour.
> Alternatively could you have the crate in your room? Then you would hear him when he wakes and take him out..


But if he is clean at 2 and i crate him again then he will be dirty at 6 most likely ? and i dont want him to soil his crate


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

danielled said:


> It isn't a silly thing to say. It is key to training setting them up to succeed. I'd be tempted to try taking him out every hour. Try the getting up at 2am to begin with.


take him out every hour for what ? he goes at least 4 hours during the day without a pee and more prob at night.


----------



## Guest (Dec 29, 2017)

mickman said:


> take him out every hour for what ? he goes at least 4 hours during the day without a pee and more prob at night.


To toilet.


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

mickman said:


> But if he is clean at 2 and i crate him again then he will be dirty at 6 most likely ? and i dont want him to soil his crate


I would expect him to be clean until 6am if he performs around 2am. As I say there's an element of trial and error in the timing , which is why I would suggest letting him sleep in your room if at all possible so you can hear him waking up and shuffling about.


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

thread edited.


----------



## Guest (Dec 29, 2017)

SusieRainbow said:


> I would expect him to be clean until 6am if he performs around 2am. As I say there's an element of trial and error in the timing , which is why I would suggest letting him sleep in your room if at all possible so you can hear him waking up and shuffling about.


Another great suggestion right there.


----------



## Jamesgoeswalkies (May 8, 2014)

mickman said:


> We will be going back to work in 10 days times so i would LOVE to have some kind of routine in place that is a start and one where we can move forwards with. He will be home alone with chew toys and in the crate with door open to go into the pen . I know he will pee during this time for another while but i would hope in a few months to be able to bring him out before i leave and then he could hold it until my wife gets home (total of 8 hours or less)


Toilet training in an 11 week old puppy is a matter of time ....they are only just getting the brain/bladder control required for 'waiting' to go. And as you are intending on leaving your puppy for your working day (per your post up to 8 hours) then i would go easy on insisting that he learns to go outdoors to be honest. *A little pup of barely 13 weeks old (which is how old he will be when you leave him alone all day) will do himself an injury if he tries to hold on for 8 hours and be upset if he has to go ...because a puppy of 13 weeks should go at least four times during that period. It's what puppies do ...they have little bladders. 
*
You can't make puppies grow up any quicker just because you have time scale.

And you should not leave a 13 week old puppy on his own for a full working day of 8 hours anyway. It is totally unfair on the puppy and can lead to issues later on. No good breeder would have let you have a puppy on those terms. Use family, call in favours, employ a puppy walker/sitter but get someone in to let your puppy out and have some human contact.

Of course most of us work ...I have six dogs and they are very used to be left (though never for 8 hours actually even now as adults I wouldn't leave them that long) but at 13 weeks of age? And all day? No.

J


----------



## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

mickman said:


> But if he is clean at 2 and i crate him again then he will be dirty at 6 most likely ? and i dont want him to soil his crate


Take him out just before 6 then.

Gradually the intervals can be extended.

Short term pain (for owner) long term gain for all.


----------



## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

If he's crated all night, will he also be crated for the 8 hours you leave him to go to work?


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

Ok so i am going to try and employ someone to call to the house at 12.30 monday to friday to let him out, give him water and a bit of human contact. 

So my plan tonight is outside at 10PM - crate until 2AM and take out and see what happens. If he goes at 2AM then crate him again until i get up at 6.30

if he doesnt go at 2AM then i might let the crate open for the rest of the night to make sure he doesnt soil his bed. 

When i go back to work i would leave at 8.30AM and the sitter will come in at 12.30 - im not sure if he should be crated for this time - what do you recommend ? 

I was thinking maybe crate him for a few days until the sitter comes in at 12.30 and if he is clean then after a few days i could leave the crate open from 8 - 12.30

Then once we have mastered the 8 - 12.30 and he was going to the loo consistently when the minder called at 12.30 then we could consider what we would do from 12.30 to 4 (Crate closed or open)


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Have you read the sticky on house training at the top of this section ? Some excellent advice to be found there !
I would say again though, if you can have the pup in your room it will almost certainly help him get the idea quicker due to your response.


----------



## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

He should have access to water 24/7. And needs feeding several times a day whilst young.


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

so my neighbour has agreed to call in around midday when we are back at work to let the puppy out and make sure all is ok. This is great news.


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

mickman said:


> so my neighbour has agreed to call in around midday when we are back at work to let the puppy out and make sure all is ok. This is great news.


Great news indeed ! It seems things are becoming more manageable, very pleased for you.


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

SusieRainbow said:


> Great news indeed ! It seems things are becoming more manageable, very pleased for you.


Thanks. So can you advise me should i crate him or leave him access to his pen during the work day ? I dont want to crate him night time and day time until the sitter comes in or we come home even if its a temporary measure. I can only get my neighbour to call in once while we are away .


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

mickman said:


> Thanks. So can you advise me should i crate him or leave him access to his pen during the work day ? I dont want to crate him night time and day time until the sitter comes in or we come home even if its a temporary measure. I can only get my neighbour to call in once while we are away .


I would leave him in his pen , can you put the crate in it with the door open ? Make sure he has water, bed and safe toys, Maybe leave him with a stuffed frozen Kong to chew when you go out.


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

SusieRainbow said:


> I would leave him in his pen , can you put the crate in it with the door open ? Make sure he has water, bed and safe toys, Maybe leave him with a stuffed frozen Kong to chew when you go out.


Yeah I can lesvecthe crate open. That's what I have being doing up to now


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

Thanks for all the help - making great progress

Last two nights have been totally clean. I take him out at 10.30 PM now and he is clean at 6.30AM.

I feel so happy . I am a bit of a clean freak and very worried about the mess that a dog would bring to my house (even one as small as a cavachon)

I took him out this morning and he had pee and a poo and he actually walked to the door with me for the first time , the evenings are especially nice after he has eliminated after dinner and we all relax for the night with no pee worries 

We are back to work next monday and we have arranged a neighbour to come in during the day to let him out for a pee. My questions are these :

1. Should we remove the puppy at night now as we have had two dry nights in a row
2. When back to work should i leave him in the crate with gate closed or opened. I cant put water in his crate as his bed and toys are in there so if i close the gate then water is restricted (for a lttle while only as the sitter can give him some when here)
3. If you recommend leaving the crate open will i leave the puppy pad there or take it up during the day ?

I took him out this morning at 7AM for pee and poo and then again at 8 for pee so he made it to midday no problem. My worry is that some day next week he will go pee at 7AM but wont go again before i leave the house at 8AM and then he might soil his crate and or pen before the sitter arrives to let him out at midday....

Can someone advise me here on the best course of action ? Im tempted to close the crate from 8 to 12 for a few days even if he doesnt have water as that would train him fairly quickly that he has to hold it but if i do that he might soil the crate ?

If i leave the crate open and a pad down then he might use it and then get used to using it during the day (not the end of the world as we would just remove it anyway once he is older and can hold it and will always go outside when we bring him)

We are making great progress and i just want to make the right decision next week once we go back to work

Thanks for any help
All i need now is for this horrible Irish weather to clear up so i can take him for walks 

Thanks again to everyone


----------



## Guest (Jan 3, 2018)

You cannot withhold water!!! 

I have a bowl that attaches to the side of the crate so it doesn’t need floor space.


----------



## Guest (Jan 4, 2018)

mickman said:


> Thanks for all the help - making great progress
> 
> Last two nights have been totally clean. I take him out at 10.30 PM now and he is clean at 6.30AM.
> 
> ...


Don't withold water. Find a way to have a water bowl attatched to the crate or put water in the crate by shifting a few toys a bit to make room.


----------



## mickman (Dec 28, 2017)

ok

This morning now he had gone a little during the night so wouldnt go again when i took him out at 6.30 . Fed him and had a poo outside at 6.45

Then he went pee on the pad inside at 9.30AM 

What should i do about this next week , i was hoping that he would go when i got up at 6.30 , again at 8 before i left and hold it then till the sitter comes at midday

When he does go inside, he does so on the pads and never on the floor in his pen. Do i just have to keep taking him out at the designated times and wait for him to drop the extra pees once he gets older ?


----------

