The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: Kitchen Cottage on May 24, 2015, 07:01:16 am

Title: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Kitchen Cottage on May 24, 2015, 07:01:16 am
Tilly is 11 weeks and isn't picking up housetraining at all.  I understand her confusion.  Mum is fully housetrained as is Luca BUT Denzel (abused blindie from Bulgaria) is, at best, partially housetrained and so she is always seeing accidents from him.  There really is nothing to do with Denzel as far as I can see (you can JUST about touch Denzel on a good day and he cowers most of the time) but how do I make Tilly understand wees and poos are for outside?

I live in a house with only stoned and tiled floors for obvious reasons  :roflanim:
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: nutterly_uts on May 24, 2015, 06:14:38 pm
Take her outside every 20 min or so throughout the day, and immediately after waking and food and heavily praise her for going to the toilet outside -it may be easier long term to put a word to it too - in my house is "Go weewees". Keep her on a house line so she can't disappear to a corner or something and keep a really close eye on signs of needing to go - sniffing and spinning is usually a good indicator and any mistakes just ignore. If you watch her really closely you'll soon pick up her cues and how her body works and have it nailed in no time
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: nutterly_uts on May 24, 2015, 06:15:05 pm
And remember, she's only 11 weeks :)
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Porterlauren on May 24, 2015, 08:51:53 pm
Whats been said above. Just repetition and praise for getting it right!

Very hard with another dog messing in the house though, as the pup will generally go on smell etc.
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Kitchen Cottage on May 24, 2015, 10:44:12 pm
She isn't inside during the day.  She is outside with me.  She wees outside and then if she wants to in the evening... inside.
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Bionic on May 25, 2015, 08:14:01 am
She isn't inside during the day.  She is outside with me.  She wees outside and then if she wants to in the evening... inside.
KC, it seems that you are the problem  ;D  she wees wherever you are.
When she is outside I assume she goes goes when she wants to. If that's the case you probably want to make special time for her to go when you give her the command. Then in the evening take her outside often and give her the same command so that she can tie the two together.
Good luck
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: in the hills on May 25, 2015, 08:50:44 am
She is very young still, so plenty of time.

They just need watching constantly for the 'signs' that they need to go, then taking out with you so that when they go, you can praise.

Take mine out regularly during day and evening ..... every hour at least. I work from home and so could do this easily but not so easy if you are out at work in the day and training will probably take a little longer.

Do you pop pup in a crate when not supervised?  We crated our lab at night and only ever had one night time accident!  Never used a crate in the past but do think it helped with training. She is 18 months now and still sleeps in there at night .... seems to like it.  ;D Would use again.

Re. your older dog .... sure it doesn't help. Can only think that you might use a fairly fragrant solution to clean up and hence help to hide the smell that might encourage pup to go indoors. Having had a dog with an old age urinary problem, I'm guessing you do anyway!

Good luck .... at least you have the good weather for those constant trips outdoors.  ;D
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: devonlady on May 25, 2015, 09:55:43 am
My word!! The hours I've spent standing outside in the rain with a brolly (held over the pup, of course) It takes such patience, you really have to stay outside until the puppy "goes" then loads of praise and straight back indoors.
I agree on a certain word but AS they are performing. I had a Lab bitch who would obligingly squat every time she heard a word that sounded like "wee wees" and a dear rescue Staffie bitch who thought her name was "wee wees" We had to change her name to Eloieeeeees ;D
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Old Shep on May 25, 2015, 10:37:52 am
I feel your pain, got a 12 week old pup and a worn out mop now!  It takes time and patience.  As you are going to be in and out a lot with the pup, is it and idea to do the same with your rescue dog to try to help his house training too?
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: sokel on May 26, 2015, 02:49:51 am
You really do spend a lot of time outside with a young puppy, every time they eat, take it out, every time it drinks take it out, every time it wakes up take it out, and when it's awake keep taking it out. Watch all the time for signs of what it does before it pees and poops and you will soon get the hang of when puppy needs to go.
I always use the Words " BE QUICK" even now with the adult dogs I can be away from home and say BE QUICK and they will go and do what they have too
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Kitchen Cottage on May 26, 2015, 10:25:37 am
Hi,

When I am at work she and Misty are in the utility room and she is great about the puppy pad then.

When I am at home..... I am out until dark because there is lots to do.  There are puppy pads in the living room and she is JUST starting to get it.

Denzel is old, blind, traumatized and frightened.... his entire energy is spent worrying about whether someone is too close or a dog is near.  He hasn't got enough left to worry about house training.  I can't think of any effective method for Denzel.  Yesterday, the door was open for him all day, he pottered in and out (getting lost and banging into stuff and walking in circles...) and then half an hour after i came in... massive wee in the kitchen.  He is better than he was but it's always going to be painfully slow...  I constantly have a "quality of life" debate with myself over Denzel.... :(
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Jukes Mum on May 26, 2015, 10:57:12 am
Personally I would have thought that it is the puppy pads indoors causing the confusion. Either she is allowed to wee inside or she's not.
I would agree with what has been said previously. Take her out at every key time and crate her when you can't watch her 100%. The crate might seem like a cage to us, but the dogs love it as their nest.
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Marches Farmer on May 26, 2015, 11:13:17 am
We use a crate at night for our BC.  He had a few accidents when very young (he'd been raised in a barn) but now immediately enters his cage when we let him in for the night.
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: in the hills on May 26, 2015, 11:27:15 am
Tried to post a while ago but computer not happy today  ::). Basically saying the same as JM. I've never used puppy pads but imagine that they could slow down training. I would have thought that it was easy for pup to get confused about where they were allowed to wee. Always felt that it was adding an unnecessary 'stage' to house training. Possibly some people need that stage if they are unable to make the necessary, very frequent journeys outside that are needed for a tiny pup but think that I would personally avoid using them if I could.

Crating at night seems to work very well .... only one day time accident and one night time accident with our lab pup and we had her at 7 weeks old. We used a small crate initially and she didn't want to dirty her area. Never used a crate before but she loves sleeping in there and would use again.

I feel for you and for Denzel. Would he find life easier if he were kennelled. He would have his own space and security and of course could still have lots of attention but on his own terms .... not having to fit into life in a household.
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: doganjo on May 26, 2015, 02:40:18 pm
You have to be aware of when a pup needs to wee - standard times are well known, after sleep, after food, after play.  If you don't have the time or inclination  to watch her in the evening then crate her - a small crate is better than a large one.  I had my youngster (now almost 18 months) in a  huge crate, mistakenly thinking it gave her plenty of room so was better for her. Invariably she had wee-ed and often poo-ed before I came through in the morning, as well as dancing it all over the kitchen  :innocent:;  so after decorating the kitchen and moving furniture about she is now in a size just big enough for her to stand and turn, and lay down. (only fro sleeping and occasionally fro short periods if i need her contained) She has been completely dry and clean for a  week.  Now just WHO is a stupid breeder and experienced dog owner - we are learning all the time - i admit fully to my error!
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Kitchen Cottage on May 27, 2015, 08:24:41 am
Hi, the reason I don't want to crate her is that this would separate her from Misty (her Mum) and she is extremely happy and contented being around Mum.

My routine is to stay outside until dark (we have a dog show next month and I have TONS to do to get the place ready)... I think I just have to be more patient.  She will get it, it'll just take a little longer!

You are right it's play/poop/play/pee/sleep/poop/sleep/pee....
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: Bramblecot on May 30, 2015, 11:15:40 am
As others have said, teach her a command word for it, as she pees/poohs.  Praise her for doing it in the right place.  When she gets older you can use that word/phrase is a questioning tone (ie 'would you like to...?).  She will be at the door in no time :thumbsup: .  Never used puppy pads but I would have thought they slowed down the training :-\ . 
Only you can tell what is best for Denzel :hug: .
Title: Re: Housetraining and Puppies
Post by: twizzel on June 02, 2015, 07:39:29 pm
Pets at home do a spray called Get Off, it's brilliant stuff. Normal floor cleaners will leave a residue only dogs can smell which will make her go back to that spot and pee on or near it. The get off spray eliminates that smell so she can't smell that she's been to the toilet there. Take her out every 20 mins and say "go pee", after every play time and meal time too :)