Toilet Training Advice Please!

Milk_Tray

Hi guys, I really need some advice here on this one, I might be doing it right but feel there is something missing. Our 5 month old Staffy is not fully toilet trained yet and I'm wondering is it something I'm not doing.

We leave her on her own during the day and I dont expect for her to keep it in from 8-5 (She is fine on her own and goes to daycare some days) We generally come home to a few pee's and poo's as expected. We treat her constantly for going outside and make a fuss and always bring her out after meals/plays/sleeps etc. She has kind of started to walk to the door now, doesnt ask to go out but if we see her walking towards the door we bring her straight out and usual treat routine etc. On a side note i'm curious to know when they alert us to go out or how we train that because its literally a walk by the door and were up and getting her out!

The issue is she could have just gone out and gone toilet, we might have to leave her down stairs for a few minutes and she could just gladly go again.... she basically just doenst get even holding it in, not even trying too lol. She knows were still here (I think) as there is walking around, noise etc

I know she is still puppy and thats what I'm hoping this is down too but maybe I am not doing something right? She is really smart and we had her at puppy training, she gets the commands, sit/stay loose lead all that but this toilet training is proving tough! Any help or advice appreciated

I appreciate the leaving her on own might slow down the progress, but we have literally been non stop treating/ bringing her outside for the last 2 months etc... I can bring her outside, say the word 'toilet' and she will go lol! she gets that but its the lack of holding it in / asking to go out!

Bit of a long winded post, but would be great to get advice and help ...

Bells21

Hi OP, I would imagine the puppy is probably a little confused in terms of it being acceptable sometimes and not at other times. When there is an accident in the house you also need to ensure that you're cleaning using the right products to get rid of the scent.
It may be best to see if you can adapt the length of time the puppy is left on its own as it may be difficult to completely house train/break bad habits. A dog flap into a small secure area in the garden, a relative to drop by and let them out or a daycare every day might be some options?

aonb

As I see it, the puppy is at home 8-5 for 5 days a week presumably. i.e. she is home alone with zero toilet training, she poos and pees indoors during that time, then you humans come along, and take her out to poo/pee, treats/fuss, all lovely. Next day off you humans go again, and shes alone and does her poo/pee in the house. Then humans take her out to poo/pee again. Do you see what Im getting at - she hasnt a clue!!! She is only a baby. Shes very bright as you say, and gets that you want her to poo/pee when you take her outside (big progress), but because she is toileting indoors for MOST of the time, why would/could she ask to go out, or even think about 'holding' it, when thats what she does most of the time?? She just doesnt know that its not ok to toilet indoors, if thats what she does usually...

As she matures she will be able to hold her pee/poo til you come home (though 8-5 is a big ask even for an adult) I think you need (1) to do a steady 7-10 days of daily toilet training, how you will do that if you work?!? and (2) figure out how the dog is to toilet if left alone 8-5. Could you get someone to come in once/twice during the day to let her out to toilet? Could you come home at lunchtime to let her out at a very minimum?

Good luck!

Milk_Tray

aonb wrote: »

As I see it, the puppy is at home 8-5 for 5 days a week presumably. i.e. she is home alone with zero toilet training, she poos and pees indoors during that time, then you humans come along, and take her out to poo/pee, treats/fuss, all lovely. Next day off you humans go again, and shes alone and does her poo/pee in the house. Then humans take her out to poo/pee again. Do you see what Im getting at - she hasnt a clue!!! She is only a baby. Shes very bright as you say, and gets that you want her to poo/pee when you take her outside (big progress), but because she is toileting indoors for MOST of the time, why would/could she ask to go out, or even think about 'holding' it, when thats what she does most of the time?? She just doesnt know that its not ok to toilet indoors, if thats what she does usually...

As she matures she will be able to hold her pee/poo til you come home (though 8-5 is a big ask even for an adult) I think you need (1) to do a steady 7-10 days of daily toilet training, how you will do that if you work?!? and (2) figure out how the dog is to toilet if left alone 8-5. Could you get someone to come in once/twice during the day to let her out to toilet? Could you come home at lunchtime to let her out at a very minimum?

Good luck!

thanks, I completely understand I guess its just at the moment when we come home its literally to 5 huge wee's and 3 poo's and its a bomb site...but I know its expected I guess I am just trying to at least get her to a stage to try hold it in for as long as possible , if she has to go off course no issue but its the lack of any control im trying to work on... I know shes only 5 months and as she gets older its hopefully going to be less of a bomb but when that will be i really would like to know haha

Alpha_zero

Do dogs use the toilet now!

Milk_Tray

Alpha_zero wrote: »

Do dogs use the toilet now!

Really clever ones can :pac:

aonb

Milk_Tray wrote: »

thanks, I completely understand I guess its just at the moment when we come home its literally to 5 huge wee's and 3 poo's and its a bomb site...but I know its expected I guess I am just trying to at least get her to a stage to try hold it in for as long as possible , if she has to go off course no issue but its the lack of any control im trying to work on... I know shes only 5 months and as she gets older its hopefully going to be less of a bomb but when that will be i really would like to know haha

I think the problem here is that WHY would the puppy hold his pee/poo when he is home alone, and has no-one to tell him that what hes doing is undesirable?! WHY would be not pee/poo when home alone. He has no problem with soiling his space - hes a puppy! Its only us humans who have a problem with it

An adult dog will be inclined to want to keep his space clean and want to go outside/away from his bed/space to toilet

This from the humane society webpage:

Generally speaking, a puppy can control their bladder one hour for every month of age. So if your puppy is two months old, they can hold it for about two hours. Don't go longer than this between bathroom breaks or they're guaranteed to have an accident.

Milk_Tray

aonb wrote: »

I think the problem here is that WHY would the puppy hold his pee/poo when he is home alone, and has no-one to tell him that what hes doing is undesirable?! WHY would be not pee/poo when home alone. He has no problem with soiling his space - hes a puppy! Its only us humans who have a problem with it

An adult dog will be inclined to want to keep his space clean and want to go outside/away from his bed/space to toilet

This from the humane society webpage:

Generally speaking, a puppy can control their bladder one hour for every month of age. So if your puppy is two months old, they can hold it for about two hours. Don't go longer than this between bathroom breaks or they're guaranteed to have an accident.

I get that but she wont even hold it in for an hour and shes 5 months old haha

lulu1

Op I really think if you want to stop coming home to this every evening you are going to have to work out some way to get home during the day to let your puppy out, or try and get a friend/family member to call a few times a day.

The puppy thinks it's ok to do it indoors because that's what he has been doing all it's life

Can he not be kept outside or in a garage/shed while you are out? No idea how anyone would put up with coming home to the place destroyed once never mind every evening.