Puppy Toilet Training

smurfbaby

Hi all,
I have a 10 week old puppy, a cross breed between two small terriers. At the moment we're trying to toliet train him, but there are a few things I'm confused about. I read Goffie's post below but found some of the answers pretty confusing.
Basically, we bring the puppy outside every time he eats, drinks, or looks like hes looking for a good place to wee! But while we are at work during the day, we leave some newspaper on a small tray where he can go, which we clean up when we get home. We do this because we were told that a puppy's bladder is too small to hold it all day until he can go outside. How would we gradually phase the newspaper out, or is it realistic to expect even a grown up dog to wait until we get home and let him out?
He is going to the vets soon for his injections-maybe that is the best place to get advice? Or can anyone give me any helpful tips or recommend websites/books?
Thanks

peasant

In the ideal world, someone would be around all the time, to let the pup out whenever necessary. That way the pup learns to keep the house clean.

In the real world, where people are away, a designated "toilet" for it to use when it can't get oustside is probly the most practical solution.

But in effect you now are teaching your pup a twofold appraoch ...relieve yourself outside when I'm around, and in the tray when I'm not there.

How you actually get the pup to understand then, that it's not supposed to use the tray at all, once it is over a certain age and able to hold it for longer ...I don't know. It just might stop using the tray ..(then again it might decide that a nice, warm, dry tray beats doing the business outside in the cold and rain any day and do its business inside only )

Luckily my wife is at home all day, so I never came across that problem ..all our dogs do their business outside.

But I'd be as interested as you are in finding the answer to that one ...


PS: All the literature on puppy training that I have come across so far always genereously assumes that somebody is around all the time ...

Doper Than U

I would stick with the method you're using now for a good while, especially if you're not going to be around all the time. When the pup gets a bit older (year/year and a half) then you can expect him to be able to hold his wee and poo for a good while.

I'm sure there's a veterinary explanation for when a dogs bladder is strong enough, but I don't know what it is, I'm just going by our two Jack Russells. Basically, when it got to the stage where they were able to hold it in, but they just didn't bother (we knew because they're in with us for hours and hours, but don't need to "go"), we crated them together. We got a decent sized crate (cage) and put them in it overnight, and lo and behold, no more weeing and pooing in the house. They don't like to dirty their own space as they get older, so use this to your advantage.

Also, continue to praise when the dog goes outside to do his business, and continue getting him to go on the paper when he's inside. Scold him if he goes anywhere but these places.

And don't worry about the crate being a cage or a negative place. It will only be seen as negative if you use it to punish the dog. Make it his bed, give him toys in there, tell him how great he is while in there, give him a special treat when he goes in there... all that kind of thing. Just don't lock your young pup in there and expect him not to go to the toilet, he will, and then you've ruined a good tool in your puppy training regime (i.e. restriction of space). Save the crate for when he's ready to hold it in.

Tabitharose

the rspca have a good dog / puppy training book. I had a private session with a dog trainer last week as I got a second dog & wanted to check that I was doing everything correctly - the session was excellent & well worth it as the whole focus of the session was on the situation that I have - it wasn't generalised as a group training class would have been. If you PM me with your general location I can give you a recommendation for a trainer - would highly recommend it

Fuzzie Bear

This may not be a possible solution, but when I was toilet training Ruby, I took 2 weeks off work.

That way I was there every minute to see what she was up to and to teach her not to wee all over the floor and to pee on the newspaper. She was a quick learner....

Shes 6 months now and since I took that 2 weeks off work, theres only been a few little accidents as I don't leave the paper down anymore - but the wee is always beside the back door.