Toilet training advice

[Katelou1980]

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Hello,

First post and I'm after some experienced dog owner's advice with our new puppy! We have an 8.5 week old chocolate Labrador and we seem to be going backwards and forwards with toilet training. Of course, at this age I have no expectations of being fully toilet trained but I'd like some help to encourage him to get there.

He has a crate but we don't lock him in it. I've read all about crate training and how this can help but he got very anxious when we shut the door, even after we'd gradually eased him into it. It wasn't normal whining but he was throwing himself into the door as he was so distressed. My husband and I decided to puppy proof the room it's in and sleep with him for a week to build his confidence with it and ultimately leave him in his 'room' with the crate door open. We now have him happily sleeping in it at night with the door open and not worried when we eventually left him at night.

We've been getting up at 3 hr intervals at night to take him outside but also put down puppy training pads in case of accidents. At first he didn't like these at all and wouldn't walk on them. He's now ok going to the toilet on them but doesn't differentiate between going on the floor or on the pads. During the day we leave the back door open and I'm mostly at home and take him out regularly.

However, the last few nights we've come down in our intervals to take him out to find accidents on and off the pads and he's not bothered about going outside (although we force him to follow us out for a wee). This then bleeds into the day and he seems to forget previous outdoor training and despite the door being open and encouragement to come out, he pees on the floor or mat again.

We never tell him off for going indoors but simply ignore him and clean it up. When he goes outdoors we always praise him and now give him a piece of kibble as extra reward.

Ideally I'm after some advice on

-telling him the pads are the 'ok' place to go indoors and the bare floor is not

-distinguishing day and night. Nighttime accidents are ok if he missed our window but daytime he should go outside

-getting him used to us coming down in our intervals and trying to hold it until then

I should add, he is very capable of holding it for 3 hours as when we were sleeping downstairs he would only wake us every 3 hours anyway.

As I said before, I'm not expecting quick miracles but any hints and tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

Kate

Photo of Monty the pup attached!

 

[goldenbear2013]

Your puppy dog is beautiful! I remember when mine was that age! Just a bundle of cuddles!!! Loved it!

The first thing I would recommend is remove the pads entirely. In my personal opinion I don't agree with them.

In my opinion pads are only another method of getting your dogs to go to the toilet in your house. I know for a fact some people have had great success with them, but I suppose each dog is different.

if you can try and take him outside every 20 minutes, which shouldn't give him the chance to go in your home and wait with him and give him his toilet command (the command wont mean nothing to him at this age but give him a few weeks and he will know) and then praise as you have been doing when he goes. This will become slightly exhausting but he should catch on pretty quick that outside is really the only place he should be going.

You will be able to see the signs when he is due to go to the toilet as he should be sniffing the floor circling and maybe squatting as well. If you see him do this, or he has actually started to wee, pick him up immediately (mid-pee!) and pop him outside and give the command and let him finish then praise. Again he will soon catch on that inside is not the right place to go.

If you have him in a strict routine with feeding then again you should be able to start predicting over the course of the next few weeks when he goes to the toilet. We wrote down the time our dog went, every time he went so we could gauge his toilet habits to help with the training.

Labs are super smart so by 10-11 weeks comes round he should be able to sleep through the night and want to go outside to go to the toilet.

The only thing I would say as well, that when your puppy gets very excited he could just pee so if you see him getting really hyper just scoop him up and pop him outside. Do go with him and carry on playing with him if needs be so they dont associate this with a negative.

As you said you do not tell him off. There is no point with puppies as they do not comprehend discipline until later on into their adolescence.

I hope that helps and I wish you the best of luck with your beautiful boy!

Sophie x