Toilet training my puppy...

[schnauzerfan]

Does anyone have any advice for me. I want to make sure I'm doing things right. I take my puppy out to the garden after every meal and also if I see him circling or sniffing at the floor. Sometimes he'll go out and just mess about for ages and then want to come in and just wee or poo on the floor. Other times he'll do a wee and a poo and I have success then other times he'll do one or the other and come in and do the other on the floor. I always praise him when he does one outside and give him a treat. Any suggestions or tips would be very much appreciated. He is great really to say he's only young but I want to make sure I'm doing it right and doing the best by him. Thank youxx

[Floralnomad]

I took mine out every 1-2 hours during the day and used a command word , by praising and rewarding he soon associated the word and even now 2 years later will wee on command or at least have a try!

[meah]

I did the exact same as Floralnomad, and my dog pee's on command too and sometimes a poop but only sometimes, she'l also have a drink when i tell her. Its all about praise and reward, the more you praise and reward the quicker and easier it becomes, i would take mine out on the lead too (in the garden) constantly saying "go wee wee's", the lead wasn't always used but i always went out with her, puppies dont like being left alone and by simply putting them in the garden on their own usually results in them trying to get back in the house once they realise they're outside alone, also being with them means once they finished doing their piddle and/or poo poo you can give them lots of wonderfull excited praise (you know the stupid voice kind), eventually pup learns that outside is a great place, it will take time and you will have little accidents, persistence is the key to all puppy training. I'd also recommend getting a clicker and lots of yummy treats as clicker training is easy simple and very effective plus attend a puppy class, not only will they help you with all sorts of issues and worries but it will ensure that your pup is well socialised and teaches you and your puppy great basic obediance such as walking on lead recall sit stay etc, thats something i cant stress enough to puppy owners, it would reduce soooooo many dog problems, from agression to strays to chewing up the house and so on.