# Advice on toilet training our puppy.



## eekbubble (Dec 11, 2014)

Hi all,

Apologies for how long this post it!

We've had our twelve week old Cavachon, Mabel for almost three weeks now and we're having some problems toilet training her. My partner and I are new to owning a dog and would appreciate any advice you can offer. It might be worth noting that she is still unable to go out for walks until her vaccinations are complete. 

At the moment the arrangements during the day is that she is left alone during the day. This is for around four hours in the morning, then my partner comes home at lunch and spends around an hour with her. Then she is alone for another four hours until we both get home in the evening. During the day, she stays upstairs with access to the main bedroom and hallway. There is a puppy pad there at all times but whether she uses it is hit and miss. More often than not, she will relieve herself elsewhere.

When we at home she is downstairs with us. Ideally, we would like her to eventually be kept downstairs at all times. The reason for keeping her upstairs is that we felt the upstairs area was a bit more 'puppy proof' i.e. less dangers, things to chew etc. 

Anyway, whenever we are home, we take Mabel outside to the garden to try and encourage her to relieve herself outside. When she does, she is rewarded with a treat. Again, this can be quite hit and miss. I can be outside with her in the garden for a while, then come back into the house with her and she will relieve herself in the house. We used to have puppy pads downstairs also but she just chewed them to pieces (she doesn't do that the pads upstairs). Anytime she does anything in the house, we ignore this behavior with no punishments or rewards.

At night time, we have her upstairs with us where she sleeps in her own bed (or on the floor if she decides that's a better option!). Again, we get up and put her outside during the night but without much success. She'll just relieve herself inside instead. Currently there is no indication from her as to when she needs to go to the toilet, so we're just having to take an educated guess along with regular trips to the garden. 

Yesterday, on the advice of a vet, we purchased a crate to try and train her this way. It did not go well! I put her in the crate with water, a blanket, a toy and a puppy pad and then went upstairs with the idea that I would leave her for an hour and then go back downstairs to take her outside, cleaning her cage, give her a bit of fuss etc. She spent the whole hour, whining and barking. This aside, when I came downstairs, she had not downstairs, she hadn't messed in the crate and when I took her outside, she relieved herself straight away (treat as a reward and another treat for going back in the crate). I did this regularly but she did not stop whining and barking throughout the entire process (around four hours). Eventually, at around 2.30am, I gave up and brought her upstairs where she slept quietly (I woke up to two accidents though). 

Any advice on toilet/crate training would be very much appreciated. Where we're going wrong or what we could do better would be great.

Thanks in advance, 

Stacey


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## Amelia66 (Feb 15, 2011)

A few points i picked up on

If you want her to pee outside get rid of the puppy pads. all you are doing is teaching her its ok to pee inside. put her in a room where the floor doesn't matter when you go out and start taking her out every mins when you are home. If she doesnt go do not take you eyes off her and keep her close to you and take her out 10 mins later [repeat every 10 mins till she goes.] You need to wait outside with her till she goes, its boring and cold but if you wait her out she should do everything outside. Adding a command to toileting can help pup understand what to do so choose a word, when she goes keep saying it and treat her she will soon get the idea the word is associated with peeing and a treat after.

At night especially you need to be getting up before she pees inside and waiting it out outside with her till she goes.

You cannot just buy a crate shut her in it and expect her to be fine that is too much. You need to slowly introduce it and make it a fun place to be. feed her in there, put yummy treats in there, play crate games [search on youtube[. Do not put a puppy pad in there as it will teach her to pee in the crate which defeats the idea. The crate should be small enough for her to just sleep in, if its any bigger its too big and you will need to section it off to make it smaller. Do not shut her in there until she is comfortable with the crate.


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## LaceWing (Mar 18, 2014)

I had to look up cavachon and found that you have a mixed breed dog. CKC x Bichon Frise. Both breeds have been bred to be companion dogs. Feed your puppy in the crate. Don&#8217;t lock her in, just make sure she has to go into it for food. Leave toys in the crate so she will associate the crate as a good place. Once trick is to tie a chew toy or bone to the back of the crate so she has to stay in there to chew it. Drop a few kibbles in the crate for her.

Tonight, put the crate next to your bed. Put a few little treats in the crate, but keep it shut. When you are ready to turn lights out and get in bed, let her in the crate. Since she has been sleeping in your room she should settle down after a bit and go to sleep.

In the morning take her for a good romp. If you don&#8217;t want to take her out of the garden, then run around the yard and get her to follow you. Praise when she does. Pat your leg so she learns that the leg pat means &#8220;come with me&#8221;. You can work on fetch and play fetch with her. Anything to get her tired out. If she is tired she will fall asleep in the crate. At lunch time, the same thing. Take her outside and get her tired out.

On another note, don&#8217;t let her do anything that you don&#8217;t want her to do as an adult. If you want her in your lap, don&#8217;t let her on your lap until you teach her a command for &#8216;on the lap&#8217; and another for &#8216;off the lap&#8217;. When she is calm, gently pick up each paw and stroke. She&#8217;ll need her nails trimmed and must be okay with having her paws handled. You can even take a nail file and give each nail a single stroke.


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## Jahli (Nov 18, 2014)

My 12 week old puppy has slept in her crate since she arrived. The first night she slept in there she cried for about 1h30 then stopped until 6h30 the next morning. The crate was always open during the day and that is her safe place, I didn't feed her in there, but her toys and her bed was in there. Her food is in the kitchen! 

I know most people possibly wouldn't agree but if you want her to know that is where she sleeps, then I would put her in there last thing at night and just leave her. Put a puppy pad in so hopefully there is less to clear up in the crate in the morning, and let her whine it out - it's a bit like a child asking for attention... unless they are really distressed you leave to cry themselves to sleep... This worked for me and my puppy and she now sleeps through the night from 10/11pm to 6.30/7.30am. There is normally a pee on her puppy pad but she doesn't wake me up during the night - I'm a light sleeper and hear everything!!

It took about a week for her to settle down, but now it's easy! She will now go into it straight after she goes out for her late night pee, and doesn't make a sound.

She is pretty good during the day and runs to the door if she needs a pee but doesn't make a sound so if you aren't concentrating she pees in front of the door. But she whines when she needs a N°2, so in the past 10 days hasn't had a N°2 accident!  

You need to watch her and see what she does when she needs a pee, there must be something that she does differently? If you catch her going to the toilet inside, put her outside and say a word "wizzer" is what we use! Stay outside as normally puppies do a few in a row to empty their bladder and not at once. 

Before she goes to bed make sure she has done alot of playing so she is tired  Mine has a 10/15 minutes training about an 1h before bed and then she plays quite a bit  

It does get easier, you just have to have a routine/be strict with yourselves, and try to notice the changes with her!


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