Help! Just got a puppy

TravelJunkie

Hi, I got a puppy yesterday for my 4year old. Lovely little west highland terrier, 8 weeks.
I just can't deal with the peeing and pooing everywhere. I try and show him the newspapers and she goes anywhere but. I've never had a puppy before. I had a dog when I was younger but it was an adult we got at a pound.

What do I do? I'm worried I'll confuse the animal. My kitchen is large, (where she slept last night) real wood floors that stain with wet. I'm going to try the utility room tonight.. smaller area, there's a rad and it's tiled.

So far I'm making it sniff it's pee and then put her on the newspaper. Is this right? Any suggestions are welcome!

andreac

Edited - Dont use newspaper, it will oly confuse them, as you have to train them twice, first to go on newspaper, then again to go outside so i would get rid of the paper, as its only confusing for him.


Ok, firstly a pup that young has no control of its bladder so it will just go when it needs to.

What you need to do is bring the pup out side after every sleep, playtime, when he drinks, when he eats and at least every hr if possible and maybe more when hes that young.

When the pup goes outside, say a word, that he will associate with doing his business and as soon as he goes, reward and treat him, make a real fuss of him so he knows what hes done is great.

If he goes inside, dont scold him as that can only make them hide where they go inside as they are afraid.

If you catch him mid pee/poop, just say the word no and lift him up and bring him outside so he can finish off, then again reward him.
Some dogs take longer to train, my male rottie was 7 months before he was fully toilet trained, so you just need patience.

Just dont do anything like, rub his nose in it etc, thats just not nice.
You could also try crate training, if you do a search on this forum there is loads of helpful tips for crate training.

But just remember, he is only 8 weeks, just taken away from his mammy, its up to you to make sure he gets brought outside to do his business, he cant hold it in. So the more often you bring him out, he will learn thats thats where hes is supposed to go. So outside lots of praise, treats and so on when he goes.

TravelJunkie

Gosh, thank you so much. that was really helpful. I knew I was doing something wrong.

What is crate training? never heard of it before. I did see it mentioned in another thread but people posting all know about it already.

andreac

Try these links
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055463377&highlight=crate+training

or this one too
http://www.topdog.ie/showthread.php?t=1720&highlight=crate

spurscormac

TravelJunkie wrote: »

Gosh, thank you so much. that was really helpful. I knew I was doing something wrong.

What is crate training? never heard of it before. I did see it mentioned in another thread but people posting all know about it already.

To summarize - the crate is his own private den, with bed and a bit of space to stretch in. I've used a baby play pen for my cocker spaniel, though you can get specially made crates too.
He will naturally not want to soil his sleeping area, so keeping him here & bringing him outside to use the toilet helps him associate the garden with doing his business. Lots of praise etc are great to encourage him when he does it.

The crate also helps him train him to hold it longer. Now at the start, don't expect him to keep it in all night - he'll need to be brought outside every hour or two to start, but he should build up his capacity to hold on over time.

You will have accidents though, and there's no point in doing anything about them, except cleaning them without him seeing you do it, to prevent him trying to re-mark the spot.

Also, the crate is supposed to be his private space, don't use it as a punishment. Praise the good behaviour & ignore the bad, unless you catch him in the act & issue a stern "NO".

All easier said than done, but good luck with it.

seanybiker

we could help ya more if we had a pic of your new child he he

Glowing

You'll need to be very consistant in disciplining a terrior like this, they're very hardy and can be very very snappy.

Dubrub

I as well has a Westie (cross breed) pup and house training him was easier than I thought. Although I believe that crate training is the best I didn't have a crate. You really just have to keep an eye on the pup and every time you see him going for a pee, be it circling of even in mid flow, I gave a load NO, and take him out side. When he'd finish,, I'd give him plenty of praise,,, he was 5 weeks when I got him and about 3 weeks into it,, he was yelping at the back door to get out. You really have to keep an eye on them as their bladders are so small they may not give you enough warning, so pay attention and he'll be house trained in no time!!

andreac

God Dubrub, 5 weeks is way too young to get a pup, they should be at least 8 weeks before they leave the mother.

j2dab

Hi, we have a 5 month old labrador that is fully house trained now. The method we used is we got a cage that he sleeps in every night (dogs will not do their business in the cage as they know they will have to lie in it until morning) then once you come down in the morning let him straight outside to do his business - really works well. Also, when he finishes make sure to congradgulate him but make sure not to do it until he is completely finished.

andreac

Just make sure if you are crating the pup that you dont leave it in for too long, as they cant hold it that long, even in the crate. You couldnt leave a very young pup over night in one as their bladders wouldnt be able to hold for that long.
Try half an hour during the day and gradually build it up to an hour and so on.

Lauragoesmad

Glowing wrote: »

You'll need to be very consistant in disciplining a terrior like this, they're very hardy and can be very very snappy.

If someone said this about a staffie or a pitbull there would be uproar. I have known lots of westies to be quiet submissive dogs. For all you know, a comment like that could make the OP nervous of the dog. Its all how you bring them up. Just like people!
Anyone remember the saying "deed not breed"? Just because there isn't a hate campaign in the papers about westies, it doesn't mean we should start our own one here.
And sorry to go off topic but I just thought that needed to be said.

TravelJunkie

Hi, an update as to how we're doing.

The second day she did 2 #2's outside and 2 wees. Through the night I confined her to the utility room. There were two #2's - one less than the night before, but the utility room was full of everything.

Day three, I keep taking her out (I bring my daughter too), and my mother supervises if I'm not there, but the dog just plays with my daughter or stands and won't do anything. It could be up to 15 minutes or more outside, and then back inside (there's a limit to how much you can hang about outside in the cold). She did a wee 1 time out of every 4/5 outside. But wee'd about 4 times inside.

Night three: This morning I open the utility room and she hasn't done any #2's, before I get the chance to open the door to outside, she runs into the big kitchen and does the business there.

I'm thinking that she thinks the kitchen is where she must 'go'.

Is it because my daughter plays with her outside? But if we just stand she just stands. Also, other dogs (neighbours) have been known to do their business in my garden - could she be smelling their excrament and that is a reason she won't go outside?

Whispered

Hiya,

I'd suggest not bringing your daughter out with her for now. Until she gets the hang of it I'd say bring her out alone and completly ignore until she goes. As for a limit to how long you can stand outside, I don't agree. Perhaps I'm a bit overboard but you just have to put up with it. It wont take long for the dog to realise that once she goes, she gets attention and it will stop taking so long.

She's obviously getting the idea if she didn't go in the utility room, so thats a start. Just keep up the good work and before long she will be nearly there. They can and will have accidents for a long time after they appear house trained so don't get disheartened if this happens to you. And I absolutely recommend crate training.

Beth

When you cleaned up previous accidents did you by chance use bleach or anything like bleach/ammonia? To a dog, that smells like a big dog came in and piddled everywhere, so this tells them this is where they are to go. Or for an older dog, it will not smell like their pee so they have to "cover" the smell with their own and reclaim their house.

If you have used ordinary cleaners to clean up previous accidents in the kitchen, go over it again with cheap biological washing powder in water. Or anything with "enzymes" like Vanish Oxy etc.

You can also use a vingegar solution. 50/50 water and vingear and it will get rid of the smell. You dont smell the previous accidents but their noses are much more sensitive so will smell either their own pee and go back there, or will smell floor cleaner and still wee there.

Its best not to take your daughter with you when going out in the garden to get the puppy to do business. the puppy needs to know that "we are going here to pee/poop". If you can, try section off a bit of the garden. Even using two planks of wood to keep a corner for puppy's business. Your daughter can be taught to keep away from that side too if its clearly marked so she wont walk poop in to the house accidentally or fall in it etc. If the puppy plays in the garden, she may think that she's going out to play when you really want her to do business. If you section a bit off, and always take her to that bit for business, but leave the other bit for play, she'll soon get the idea that if she's in X part of the garden she needs to do her business now.

Give her 5-10 minutes to do business, and then pop her back in the utility room (crate if you have one, but utility room if you dont go that route). Give her another few minutes, and bring her back out again. If you can get her used to going the minute she goes out the door, its so much easier when they're older and the rain (or snow) is lashing down

I would definitely recommend crate training. While they look horrible to some people, the dog sees it as its den, its inside kennel where it can go for snoozes during the day, peace to get away from tv noise, kids playing etc, or somewhere they can go to have a gnaw on a chew. You can cover them with a blanket to make it more "den-like" and have it feel safer for them, or you can get covers now that match furnishings! Using a crate while they're at home is also handy in case they have any overnight vet visits. They're used to crates by then, so they dont have the added stress of sleeping inside a cage where they have no idea whats going on.

Good luck. You're doing well and so is the puppy. Keep at it, be consistent and patient, and you'll end up with a well trained dog.

Glowing

Lauragoesmad wrote: »

If someone said this about a staffie or a pitbull there would be uproar. I have known lots of westies to be quiet submissive dogs. For all you know, a comment like that could make the OP nervous of the dog. Its all how you bring them up. Just like people!
Anyone remember the saying "deed not breed"? Just because there isn't a hate campaign in the papers about westies, it doesn't mean we should start our own one here.
And sorry to go off topic but I just thought that needed to be said.

The OP said they'd never had a puppy before. I felt it had to be said. They're terriers, and need a firm hand (not in the literal sense). And you're right, it IS how you bring up the dogs. So the OP needs to be made aware and learns to discipline the pup from this young age. That's all.

And aside from that, I think staffies are lovely dogs.

andreac

Dont play with the dog in any way when you bring it outside, just go outside and just wait, dont talk or anything, until the dog does its business, no interacting with the dog until it goes, it could take 5 mins,it could take a half hour but you just need to be patient, ocne the dog is going, you can say a word then so they associate the word with doing their business, then loads of praise when they go, and treat to if you want as well as lots of rubs and nice praise.
It just takes time, months sometimes.

whitneysegura

I wanna see the pup! Let me seeeeeeee pleaseeee , I love doggys! hehe:rolleyes:

TravelJunkie

Beth wrote: »

When you cleaned up previous accidents did you by chance use bleach or anything like bleach/ammonia? To a dog, that smells like a big dog came in and piddled everywhere, so this tells them this is where they are to go. Or for an older dog, it will not smell like their pee so they have to "cover" the smell with their own and reclaim their house.

If you have used ordinary cleaners to clean up previous accidents in the kitchen, go over it again with cheap biological washing powder in water. Or anything with "enzymes" like Vanish Oxy etc.

You can also use a vingegar solution. 50/50 water and vingear and it will get rid of the smell. You dont smell the previous accidents but their noses are much more sensitive so will smell either their own pee and go back there, or will smell floor cleaner and still wee there.

Its best not to take your daughter with you when going out in the garden to get the puppy to do business. the puppy needs to know that "we are going here to pee/poop". If you can, try section off a bit of the garden. Even using two planks of wood to keep a corner for puppy's business. Your daughter can be taught to keep away from that side too if its clearly marked so she wont walk poop in to the house accidentally or fall in it etc. If the puppy plays in the garden, she may think that she's going out to play when you really want her to do business. If you section a bit off, and always take her to that bit for business, but leave the other bit for play, she'll soon get the idea that if she's in X part of the garden she needs to do her business now.

Give her 5-10 minutes to do business, and then pop her back in the utility room (crate if you have one, but utility room if you dont go that route). Give her another few minutes, and bring her back out again. If you can get her used to going the minute she goes out the door, its so much easier when they're older and the rain (or snow) is lashing down

I would definitely recommend crate training. While they look horrible to some people, the dog sees it as its den, its inside kennel where it can go for snoozes during the day, peace to get away from tv noise, kids playing etc, or somewhere they can go to have a gnaw on a chew. You can cover them with a blanket to make it more "den-like" and have it feel safer for them, or you can get covers now that match furnishings! Using a crate while they're at home is also handy in case they have any overnight vet visits. They're used to crates by then, so they dont have the added stress of sleeping inside a cage where they have no idea whats going on.

Good luck. You're doing well and so is the puppy. Keep at it, be consistent and patient, and you'll end up with a well trained dog.

You are right! I'm using amonia products to clean up. Does the vinegar disinfect too? Otherwise what disinfectant is suitable?

I must say I've heard good things about crate training but I don't know if I could do it. It mightn't be true, but I perceive it to be a cage and that the dog will feel trapped... the benefits of future transport and kennelling are there but I still can't get my head around it. Tbh I would feel bad.

Thanks for your tips. I will take the dog out myself and see how it goes.

I will post a photo when I get the chance!

tx
tj