End of my tether - puppy toilet training

geeky

Hi,

First post in this forum, so please don't murder me!

My wife and I recently bought an 8-week old Labrador Retriever Puppy. She's almost 11 weeks now, very healthy, and coming on wonderfully in almost all areas - even though I'd say she can't wait to get all her shots so that we can walk her properly. There's one area that she seems to be regressing, and that's in the toilet training.

When we got her first, she seemed to have a natural inclination to go outside, which was great - there was the odd accident, but every pup has them. However, the accidents have remained common - if anything, they've gotten more frequent, and I'm beginning to think that she's happier now going inside. This morning, on two separate occasions, I brought her outside and waited with her until she went in of her own accord, and then peed all over the floor.

Since it's primarily my wife's dog, she's done most of the research in this area. According to her, the toilet-training is just a case of taking her outside regularly, praising her to high heaven when she does her business outside, and not scolding her when she does it indoors. We don't seem to be making any progress, though. Is this pretty much the accepted method, or are there other tactics you'd recommend? I'm pretty much at the end of my tether with this, and it's starting to make me resentful to a dog that I'm otherwise mad about.

Toulouse

That's the way to do it alright and it does work but only if you don't let her go back inside before she's peed!

You can also crate train http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/errorless-housetraining

TwilightWillow

Sorry but the pup is only 11 weeks old. Considering that you've only had her 3 weeks, it gonna take her time to get used to her new surroundings. You cant expect a puppy to be house trained in 3 weeks. Give it some time and she will eventually learn.

paultf

geeky wrote: »

Hi,

First post in this forum, so please don't murder me!

My wife and I recently bought an 8-week old Labrador Retriever Puppy. She's almost 11 weeks now, very healthy, and coming on wonderfully in almost all areas - even though I'd say she can't wait to get all her shots so that we can walk her properly. There's one area that she seems to be regressing, and that's in the toilet training.

When we got her first, she seemed to have a natural inclination to go outside, which was great - there was the odd accident, but every pup has them. However, the accidents have remained common - if anything, they've gotten more frequent, and I'm beginning to think that she's happier now going inside. This morning, on two separate occasions, I brought her outside and waited with her until she went in of her own accord, and then peed all over the floor.

Since it's primarily my wife's dog, she's done most of the research in this area. According to her, the toilet-training is just a case of taking her outside regularly, praising her to high heaven when she does her business outside, and not scolding her when she does it indoors. We don't seem to be making any progress, though. Is this pretty much the accepted method, or are there other tactics you'd recommend? I'm pretty much at the end of my tether with this, and it's starting to make me resentful to a dog that I'm otherwise mad about.

What you are doing so far is right i.e. taking her outside and praising her when she goes to the toliet. It takes time. For my first 2 cocker pups I did it this way and it toke a couple of months. But its slow progress.

I have a 14 week old cocker pup at the moment. I got her at 8 weeks and she was practically housetrained at 12 weeks. She still has the odd accident especially at night. The main difference this time? I used a crate/cage to housetrain her. I was around all day so I kept her in the cage for 15/20 minutes at a time and kept an eye on her. There was enough space in the cage if she needed to go to the toilet. Then I would take her outside and praise her when ever she went to the toilet. At night I let her sleep with the other dogs in the utility room.

Housetrained after 4 weeks - fastest ever for me!

Whispered

Hey geeky, 11 weeks is still very young and I hate to be the one to tell you that toilet training can take up to a year.:p I know it's a pain but there are other steps you can take.

Firstly, don't let her back in of her own accord. Bring her in when she is done. Puppies need to pee ALL the time. I don't know where it all comes from but after sleep, after play, after eating etc etc they will need to go shortly after. So bring her out and stay with her until she goes. But ignore her until she goes. Then loads of praise.

If she is going in front of you, calmly pick her up and bring her outside, when she is finished praise her again.

They do sometimes regress. My own fella at 8 months old decided to have a pee inside when it was too cold for him to go out :rolleyes:. He was chancing his arm I suppose but we went back to putting him out regularly instead of waiting for him to ask to go out. It only took a few days to gt back to normal.

You can also use a command for toileting. It's very handy for when you are travlling etc.

cocker5

geeky wrote: »

Hi,

First post in this forum, so please don't murder me!

My wife and I recently bought an 8-week old Labrador Retriever Puppy. She's almost 11 weeks now, very healthy, and coming on wonderfully in almost all areas - even though I'd say she can't wait to get all her shots so that we can walk her properly. There's one area that she seems to be regressing, and that's in the toilet training.

When we got her first, she seemed to have a natural inclination to go outside, which was great - there was the odd accident, but every pup has them. However, the accidents have remained common - if anything, they've gotten more frequent, and I'm beginning to think that she's happier now going inside. This morning, on two separate occasions, I brought her outside and waited with her until she went in of her own accord, and then peed all over the floor.

Since it's primarily my wife's dog, she's done most of the research in this area. According to her, the toilet-training is just a case of taking her outside regularly, praising her to high heaven when she does her business outside, and not scolding her when she does it indoors. We don't seem to be making any progress, though. Is this pretty much the accepted method, or are there other tactics you'd recommend? I'm pretty much at the end of my tether with this, and it's starting to make me resentful to a dog that I'm otherwise mad about.

To be fair you only have the dog three weeks... and she's only 11 weeks old... so still very young for a puppy....

training takes alot of time and consitency...

http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/

http://www.training-dogs.com/potty-training-dogs.html

Just be patient and stick with it....

miami2007

crate training is definately the best way, but it all takes time. our weimaraner was fully trained within about a month - you need to be consistant with it though.
she goes in the crate when your busy, say cooking or house work etc then straight outside when the crate is opened, let her wee and back into the house for a bit of a play then back in the crate when your busy again - she thinks her crate is her little den now.
once she knows the routine you can gradually leave her out for longer wandering round the house. our weim is now almost a year and we got rid of the crate after christmas, but she was properly trained well before that. we just kept the crate cos as above, she thought it was her house.

geeky

TwilightWillow wrote: »

Sorry but the pup is only 11 weeks old. Considering that you've only had her 3 weeks, it gonna take her time to get used to her new surroundings. You cant expect a puppy to be house trained in 3 weeks. Give it some time and she will eventually learn.

Thanks. I know I've got to be patient (I wasn't expecting instant results!) but my big concern is that she appears to be going backwards after starting off so well. If there's something more that needs to be done, I want to get on top of it. A relative has a dog of about a year old - he's really lovely but pees and poos all over the shop. As a result, they can't really take him anywhere. I don't want my dog to be like that, as it's fair on her either.

And thanks for all the tips - even the one who told me this could take up to a year!

andreac

Toilet training takes time and patience and lots of it. It can take months to fully toilet train a dog so please give her a chance and shes still only a baby at 11wks so is still far off being trained.

Also at 11wks, puppies cannot hold it in as their bladders are very weak so if they need to go they just will.
You need to bring the pup out after every sleep, play, meal, drink and then as often as possible and praise the pup for going outside and lots of fuss and treats.

Crate training is another method which will help a lot as dogs dont like to soil their bed so will help with toilet training but please make sure you look into it properly if you decide to do so.

The pup will eventually learn that outside is the place to go and she gets rewarded for doing so.
When you bring the pup outside, do not interact with it until its does its business, so thats no playing or anything. You can say a word or a phrase like "go toilet" etc just so she associates going to the toilet with that word and she will nearly go on command then once she learns this.

But it could be a few months until shes accident free, my dog was nearly 7 months before he was accident free at night.
Puppies pee/poo, its what they do, its up to us to teach them and its not going to happen in 3 weeks.

Jinxi

Just about to get my first puppy on Sunday.( I found her on the boards!)
SO EXCITED!
Anyway, you guys are scaring me. I am not working for the summer so I assumed that she would be trained by then(I know its alot of work...we even decided to take separate holidays this summer to be with her)
I decided to go with crate training...got it today(I cannot believe how expensive a flimsy wire crate is), and her owner is going to bring some of the fleece that has been her bed for the last 10 weeks!

cocker5

Jinxi wrote: »

Just about to get my first puppy on Sunday.( I found her on the boards!)
SO EXCITED!
Anyway, you guys are scaring me. I am not working for the summer so I assumed that she would be trained by then(I know its alot of work...we even decided to take separate holidays this summer to be with her)
I decided to go with crate training...got it today(I cannot believe how expensive a flimsy wire crate is), and her owner is going to bring some of the fleece that has been her bed for the last 10 weeks!

Congrats on your new puppy

Any advice you need just ask on her people areusually very helpful

Just remember if your dog is coming from another house she may be unsettled for a little while... so be patience, consistent and enjoy her

OP it took me 6 months with my Husky . I read as much as i can from different people. I have read message boards and so on. All i can say is just stick with it.

Wheelsonthebus

I know females can have problems with peeing a lot and inside.
I've heard that a good technique is to clean up the pee with newspaper, tear up the newspaper and put it/bury it in the area of the garden that you want her to pee in. Similarly if she does a no.2- put it in that area of the garden. Repeat as neccessary.

Apparantly she'll get the smell and will eventually associate that area of the garden with her bodily functions.

Everytime she goes or if you catch her in the act, place her in that part of the garden. Also put her there last thing at night/first thing in the morning so she gets the picture.

Also praising and scolding in equal measures cant hurt.

Wouldn't worry about it too much as she's pretty young and labs love the outdoors anyway.

goat2

geeky wrote: »

Hi,

First post in this forum, so please don't murder me!

My wife and I recently bought an 8-week old Labrador Retriever Puppy. She's almost 11 weeks now, very healthy, and coming on wonderfully in almost all areas - even though I'd say she can't wait to get all her shots so that we can walk her properly. There's one area that she seems to be regressing, and that's in the toilet training.

When we got her first, she seemed to have a natural inclination to go outside, which was great - there was the odd accident, but every pup has them. However, the accidents have remained common - if anything, they've gotten more frequent, and I'm beginning to think that she's happier now going inside. This morning, on two separate occasions, I brought her outside and waited with her until she went in of her own accord, and then peed all over the floor.

Since it's primarily my wife's dog, she's done most of the research in this area. According to her, the toilet-training is just a case of taking her outside regularly, praising her to high heaven when she does her business outside, and not scolding her when she does it indoors. We don't seem to be making any progress, though. Is this pretty much the accepted method, or are there other tactics you'd recommend? I'm pretty much at the end of my tether with this, and it's starting to make me resentful to a dog that I'm otherwise mad about.

that there sentence tells me you should think again about owning a dog, as like children they need patience, repeat, repeat, repeat, go outside with little mite until it pees every time, patience is the word

geeky

goat2 wrote: »

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that there sentence tells me you should think again about owning a dog, as like children they need patience, repeat, repeat, repeat, go outside with little mite until it pees every time, patience is the word

Thanks but, as I said (in the OP and elsewhere in the thread), the reason I was getting frustrated was that she appeared to be going backwards rather than making further progress. I've no problem being patient, but wanted to be sure we were doing the right thing. Thanks.

goat2

geeky wrote: »

Thanks but, as I said (in the OP and elsewhere in the thread), the reason I was getting frustrated was that she appeared to be going backwards rather than making further progress. I've no problem being patient, but wanted to be sure we were doing the right thing. Thanks.

yes they do go backward now and then, as they dont have control of their bladder until about 6 months, it is worth it to keep on going as you will have a beautiful pet in one year, fully housetrained and following commands, which are, stay, sit, jump in, come,

Whispered

goat2 wrote: »

which are, stay, sit, jump in, come,

speak, dance, play dead, roll over, find, leave, drop, touch and yawn.