toilet training new puppy

[slartybartfast]

she wees on the newspaper in the kitchen . i thought tht was great. often poos not on the paper. she is 10 weeks and we have had her for one week.
it seems i should have been taking her outside every half an hour, or something

any tips?
i dont really want her loose in the house, she has learnt how to go up the stairs and runs up there excitedly but can't come down.

shoudl i put paper en route to the back door?

[blinkedandmissedit]

We didn't use paper as we didn't want to confuse our pup, although she does have a crate so I think that helped. We got her at 10 weeks and now at 13 weeks she is housetrained. Have you got a room where the floor is easy to clean and you can keep an eye on her? Then, everytime she goes to wee or poo inside, list her and take her outside where she can finish.

[slartybartfast]

well the kitchen with the lino is easily cleaned.
just pick her up then?

[blinkedandmissedit]

We shouted, just to startle rather than tell off, so not in a cross voice if that makes sense. The startling usually makes them stop, then they can finish outside and get praised. I think the problem with paper training them is you then have to untrain them from the paper and the whole process can take longer.

Disclaimer - this is our first puppy and we have had her 3 weeks!

[slartybartfast]

thanks, i was grateful that the breeder had trained her on paper at least but will try lifting.

[tabulahrasa]

If you take her out after eating, running about type play, as soon as she wakes up and about every half hour she's awake - you'll catch most of it anyway.

Loads of praise for going outside and whisk her out when she's had an accident and she'll soon get the hang of it.

[Floralnomad]

Introduce a command word so that she associates it with going to poo/wee then eventually you say the word and she goes! Also get a stair gate ,IME they are invaluable.

[Paddlinglikehell]

Firstly, you need to restrict where she can go, certainly until you know she has 'performed', then you are probably safe for an hour.

Take her out to a place she has gone before and wait for her to go. If she does, use a word as she is doing it and praise or have a game when finished. When you go out with her, don't play or distract her until she has been, once she has praise her, go doolallly, treat her etc. my old dog did a lap of honour after she pooed, right up until she was 13!

If she doesn't go and you must spend at least 10 mins waiting (go out with her, don't just open the door), dont play, but bring her back in and keep her in the kitchen, or put her back in her crate, taking her out again after 10 mins and in the meanwhile keeping an eye out for her giving signals she may need to go.

Signals are: sniffing - alot and in a place she has been before, circling and sniffing, going out of your way i.e. in a corner, another room/area and going onto the paper - which if you use it, should be near the door she goes out.

Once she has been outside and you have done the praise/play/treat thing, you do have an hour or so, before you need to take her again. Ideally, let her walk outside, have some treats to encourage her. If she is asleep, don't wake her up after the hour, but do take her immediately on waking.

Dogs need to wee or poo: After a sleep, after food, after a play (movement causes movements!). And every hour initially, extending to longer as they get older and more reliable. If you always reward outside, and ignore the mistakes you allow her to make inside, she will get the idea quickly.

If she goes inside and you catch her, you can try and interrupt her whilst doing it, just say something like 'ah ah' or 'out', to grab her attention and take her outside, ideally her walking. Whatever you do, don't tell her off,smack or any other horrid things, or she will start going off and doing it where you can't see!

If you find she has been and you didn't know, clean it and forget about it, making a note that you need to be more vigilant.

If she uses paper, then you could put some weed on paper outside, so it has her scent on it, but to be honest, paper should only be down when you are not there.

I have a puppy who is 13 weeks, two of which he spent in the vets, but having had him back only five days, he is clean, not because he is a wonder puppy - although i think he is pretty clever!, but because we are totally of aware of when he has been and when he is likely to go again. In fact DP writes it on a post it note, so we both know what the current status is!!!!! ( yes sad, but it is an investment for the future).

There will always be accidents, probably until she is 7 months or so and generally, small breeds are slower than the larger ones, but your dog is only as good as you are a trainer.

Have you got the book Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey?, lots of good advice in there.

Best of luck and as her bladder grows, she will go longer and longer.

[slartybartfast]

OH thanks, for your input,
post it notes at the ready.

[slartybartfast]

she has only once done a poo outside, all the rest is in the kitchen. but she is pretty good on the paper,
so it seems i must put some weed on paper. i did wonder about that.
good tip.

[slartybartfast]

am watching her like a hawk

[Floralnomad]

Definitely get rid of the paper indoors as you're giving her mixed signals as to where she is supposed to go .

[HousewifeFromHeaven]

Yay restrict her to one place, I spent a few weeks living in the kitchen

[Paddlinglikehell]

If she's pooing on the paper, you should be able to see when she goes to it and take her outside.

Or put the paper outside the door. I agree mixed signals, if the paper isn't there she will go to the door (providing the paper was at the door!

[Paddlinglikehell]

For example. My pup has just gone out for a pee, he has had a big play, a little bit of training (teaching him to like the lead) and will settle for an hour max. But as soon as he wakes, I will let him out.

I also know he will need a poo a bit later this afternoon, so will be looking for signals for that at the next outing!

Mentally thinking 2pm!

[slartybartfast]

poo less sucessful than the wee on paper. still watching, and been in the garden a lot this am.

[Marne]

Our pup is almost 10 weeks, we have been using paper, he will wee on the paper (sometimes miss) but not poo on it. We put the paper by the door and try and catch him when he sniffs around it and take him outside but because of the snow he is not keen on going out. We used paper with our other dog and slowly reduced it down (from the whole coseratory being covered to on news paper page) and moved it closer to the back door, she trained quite quick, never had a problem.

[slartybartfast]

thanks Marne, thats what i was wondering initially, moving paper closer to back door, which is unforutnately via stting room.

[slartybartfast]

and of course the snow doesnt help does it, it seems cruel,