Very specific toilet training issue

[lucymoonxo]

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Hi - any help appreciated. I have read the generic guidance on this forum for toilet training but this is a bit more specific.

We have an eleven month old English show cocker. We took her on at five months old, and was told she was pretty much toilet trained, but that was not our experience. She learned quickly however, and we then got a dog flap installed, so at ours she is fine.

However, we regularly take her to my parents’ and also friends houses, and she is completely unreliable there. She has not generalised to other homes, and in particular loves carpet (of which we have none in our house). At my parents’ home she is 100% reliable in their kitchen, which is solid wood, but as soon as she is let out of the kitchen, she will find a carpeted spot to do her business.

This has been going on for months, and we have tried again and again to praise her when she goes outside, but they also have a dog flap, so in general, she just takes herself - particularly if she is locked in the kitchen. We take her outside regularly and she does a wee on command - she just still thinks it’s fine to go inside, and particularly poos.

The other problem is that we are rarely at other homes for an extended time, so it is really difficult to make progress with completing her toilet training. All carpets have been thoroughly cleaned with a Vax after she has done her business - perhaps six accidents in total - so I don’t think it is a smell issue. I wonder if she was trained on puppy pads before she came to us.

I am becoming really exasperated with it, and my parents are on the verge of refusing to look after her as she can’t be trusted. I am not really sure what to do. I wonder if we should lock the dog flap at ours to try to reinforce her asking us to go out, and allow her to develop a way to tell us she needs to go - but I am still not sure that will help with other homes.

Any help appreciated.

 

[JoanneF]

loves carpet (of which we have none in our house).

At my parents’ home she is 100% reliable in their kitchen, which is solid wood,

I think this is the root of your problem. She thinks it's okay to toilet on carpet, but not on wood or other hard flooring.

So, what I'd suggest is going right back to basics on carpet-toilet training. I'd encourage her to be with you in the carpeted room, but on lead and at the first sign of toileting, immediately rush her outside to toilet (or complete her toilet) then enthusiastically praise and reward. If it was me, I'd even get a square metre or two of cheap carpet offcut, to start the training at home. The rest of the process would be the same as other toilet training.

Does that make sense?

 

[lucymoonxo]

I think this is the root of your problem. She thinks it's okay to toilet on carpet, but not on wood or other hard flooring.

So, what I'd suggest is going right back to basics on carpet-toilet training. I'd encourage her to be with you in the carpeted room, but on lead and at the first sign of toileting, immediately rush her outside to toilet (or complete her toilet) then enthusiastically praise and reward. If it was me, I'd even get a square metre or two of cheap carpet offcut, to start the training at home. The rest of the process would be the same as other toilet training.

Does that make sense?

Yes that makes sense, but hard to do when we are there for only brief drop ins! I may move in for a week to try to reinforce it. We do however also have problems at our friends flats with no outside access as she doesn’t seem to know how to ask or that she should hold if there’s no dog flap. I think that is again a back to basics thing… It’s not rocket science, but is so frustrating at the time when it’s new spaces only!!

 

[JudyN]

I think as well as Joanne's suggestion, I would shut up the dog flap in the hope that she does learn to as to go out.

For visiting friends in the meantime - if you're not staying for too long, I wonder if you could take along a foldable dog pen and cover the floor inside it with dog incontinence pads? It wouldn't help from a training aspect, but at least you shouldn't lose friends

 

[JoanneF]

I meant to say something about the dog flap too, then got sidetracked. Having unlimited, sort of 'barrier free' access to outside doesn't always help. It doesn't teach a dog the muscle control to hold their toilet, and also it blurs the distinction between outside (toileting) areas and inside (no toileting) areas.

 

[Hemlock]

I'd put down some something like rugs temporarily in your own home to enhance the understanding that she understands that carpet is not for using as giant puppy pads. It's clear that she does not yet understand this. Also - as well as locking the dog flap (do you know if your household insurance allows dog flaps as many do not) take your pup out - don't put her out - accompany her every time and reward her every time. This will help enormously.