Puppy Training 8 Months

CityMan2010

Advice needed if you can help thanks:

Male 8 month old Cocker Spaniel (Sporting type).

We have house trained puppies before, and by the age of 8 months we have had them fully house trained.

Our new puppy Bill is still "weeing" at night. He went through a dry patch at about 7 months for about 4 weeks, but now he is back to weeing again.

We did the usual puppy training with news papers, reducing that until the wee'ing stopped etc.

He goes to bed at about 12:30, prior to that he is let out with our other adult dog at about 10:30 for 30 minutes to run around in the large garden and then again at about 12:15, just before he goes to bed.

Sometimes he has just been put to bed, and in 30 minutes he has "wee'd". (we can hear him getting up and shuffling around the kitchen).

We usually get up at about 7:45 to let him out, but regularly now, he has wee'd in the kitchen. Sometimes he will just squat down in the living room during the day and have a wee.

He sleeps in a basket with blankets in the kitchen.

He has recently "poo'd" in the kitchen as well.

When he does this he gets the "bad dog" verbal treatment and is put out into the garden...(no hitting or nose stuff)...just scolding.

Looking for advice.

Am I missing something? He is due at the Vets this week so I can check for kidney infection, but I dont think its that.

Should I be going out into the garden with him at night to watch him "wee" etc?

Is he still young at 8 months, and this is normal?

Are somed dogs quicker on the up take than others?

Other thing to note, there is a pond in the garden, which he can drink from.

Advice appreciated.

Rob.

spurscormac

It seems from your post that he has the full run of the kitchen?
Have you considered crate training?

We have a cocker too, and use a kids playpen in the kitchen as his crate. He's been locked in there at night since he was 8 weeks old and apart from very early on, he's had no problems.
They have a natural tendency not to want to soil their sleeping area, so restricting their movement encourages them to hold it.
Obviously, 1st thing in the morning is a trip outside.

We did get up regularly to let him out when he was younger, but he easily slept through the night by 6 months.

We also used a command to encourage him when he was brought out to go - and still use the same command, lots of praise when he goes - even though he's 21 months at this stage, he still gets the praise.

Hope some of that helps.

CityMan2010

Thanks Cormac, that is helpful, never considered a crate. That might be the solution. Yes indeed, he does have the run of the kitchen.

Thanks

PS: Will we be duelling for 3rd place in the Premiership come May time?

spurscormac

CityMan2010 wrote: »

Thanks Cormac, that is helpful, never considered a crate. That might be the solution. Yes indeed, he does have the run of the kitchen.

Thanks

PS: Will we be duelling for 3rd place in the Premiership come May time?

We got the playpen from Smyths, about €90, but its great. Can contain him when needed, especially when young nieces & nephew visit - both for his & their sake.

battling for 3rd place, hmmmmm, wouldn't mind that, it would mean the Goons would be dropping out of the CL and with their debts, could get into a downward spiral. :P

CityMan2010

Thanks again Cormac...will check out Smyths....I am there later this afternoon.

Footie..you live in hope...we are normally counting the points to avoid relegation at this time of year.

Thanks again....

CityMan2010

Hi Cormac, my wife checked out Smyths play pens (she was already there buying kids presents for a bithhday party, a regular occurence these days!)

I think our Cocker would be able to get out of the playpen...does yours not try to climb out over the top?

I have seen the dog crates at NCF...just checked out Argos catalogue, they are in there, €70 Medium size with a mat.

When we bought Bill from the breeder she asked if we had a crate, and was surprised when we said we were going to keep him in the kitchen...maybe she knew a lot more of what to expect from his genetic line...

but our other cocker, bought from a different breeder, well he has slept in a basket in our bedroom since 7 months, a highly intelligent sort, more a show dog. If he wants out he cries and paws at the door...He actually started barking at Bill whenever Bill wee'd in the living room.

but bill, to be honest I dont think he is as quick on the up take...but on the other hand, hes a much more affectionate and playful dog, kids adore them both of course...

maybe its something in the breeding/genetic line as well? Bills parents were outside dogs, Max's mother was an inside dog.

thanks again

Rob

spurscormac

We got him as a puppy, so the playpen was initially to contain him when he was small.
He can now easily jump up and put his paws on the edge, stick his head out over the top, but he can't get up and over it.

We got one that was a metal hexagonal shape, has a really heavy base, so while he might move it half an inch along the floor if he jumps up, its too heavy for him to topple it. We changed the shape to rectangular to fit the room better, his bed is one end, the gate and water bowl is at the other.

From your post, I guess that if he sleeps in the bedroom, then thats his crate. And from a wild guess, with you taking up the bed in the room, there's less space there than the kitchen.
So if he sees the bedroom as his crate, and he wont want to foul it, so paws at the door to get out.
My guy, when roaming the kitchen will now sit at the back door if he wants to go. If he's in another room, he'll go towards the door too.

I wouldn't have concerns re the playpen, but whatever you think yourself, plenty more would advise a crate - I just liked the look of the pen over a metal cage.
Best of luck - I'm sure he'll pick it up quickly enough.

Howitzer

just my 2 cents: you'll need to keep good track of time using the crate and make sure your dog gets out regularly. We got cocky with it one nite and left her in for the full nite (12-7am) - but she soiled it. She was obviously too young to hold it at that time (our mistake). This then freaked her out to be in a crate...

So set a clock and get him out regularly...
Getting him to pee on command is good too.
I think accompanying the dog for toilet time is best as it keeps them focused from playing - plus you can check output. Even putting them on the lead for that bit - really tells them what you want from them.

Hope you see some success.

dublindogcare

hi guys,
It looks like you need to start from scrath im afraid. Getting a crate is the best idea , my cocker is 10 months now and although I didnt toliet train her in the crate she does have one now and loves it - its her own private space.

Do make sure you are getting rid off the scent were he has wee - ed before otherwise he will smell it and do it again. inorder to do this you need to be cleaning it with Biological Cleaning powder or liquid (basically just clothes cleaner but needs to be the biological kind not non-Biological!

Start going outside with him and giving treats when he does his business , he will learn in time to associate going outside to toliet gets him a treat!

CityMan2010

Thanks guys, lots and lots of really good advice, much appreciated. Would you believe it, he has been dry since I posted the thread....maybe coincidence...dont want to tempt fate!

Patience I guess is the key as well...thank you all very much.

Sigma Force

Deffo. go outside with the pooch to keep an eye to make sure he's weeing. They like to pretend sometimes. Could also have a touch of seperation anxiety. When the pup does have an accident don't say anything esp. if you aren't there when it happens, the dog will have no idea why you are scolding him. Best thing is to ignore the bad and praise the good.

Crate training works but some dogs take longer than others but good on you for giving it a go. Make sure not to feed the pup too late as well.

CityMan2010

Thanks GPR, all good sound advice...he's getting there...!! bye!

yayamark

I have 2 baby labs both 4 months

Good as gold and sleeps outside at night.

Are in the house a lot during the day but i make sure to let tem out every hour for a wee. They go every single time. Of course i praise them when they go as soon as they are finished they run back in again.

One of them is doing a no. 2 in the kitchen when i walk out its annoying me cos i watch them like hawks, they would n't do it if i was there. When i see it, both there ears are down so i know they know theyv'e done wrong. I immediately pick it up and discard it and the put the pups out so they associate me finding no. 2 with been put outside.

Takes a lot of hard work but i can see them improving all the time.