How many times a day do you take your dog out and for how long

[ifmamaainthappy]

ok, so we've had a very very cold winter, my little doggies shiver when they go outside for a wee, however now the weather is looking to warm up (lets hope!!) im on a mission not to let them wee on the lawn, so if i take them out at 6.30am how often and when should i take them after that? does it need to be every time i go out and come back ?? ( im sure it probably should, but someday's i'm in and out a lot!!) any advice welcome, To give us a lawn back {wink]

[thegriffon]

We're doing the same thing after having the garden re-done 4 weeks ago. So far so good on just 2 walks a day, he never goes in the garden now, I think he assumes it's an extension of the house since it's been re-designed. He has an off lead walk in the morning of 1 - 2 hours and an evening on lead walk of 30 mins.
He must have a huge bladder capacity because he goes from 6pm till 9am without weeing and isn't that desperate in the morning.
He's a lab, don't know if some breeds can hold it longer than others.

[HousewifeFromHeaven]

We trained ours to go in one place, it's easy to do so maybe over the nicer weather you could give that a go

[ifmamaainthappy]

Oh wow, thats good news, i was thinking i should take them every time i came in which could be 6 times a day i can manage 3 easy not sure about 1 -2 hours in the morning though, more like 30 minutes., would that be long enough they're small dogs..

[ifmamaainthappy]

housewife,, how did you manage that and how long did it take??

[HousewifeFromHeaven]

I cordoned of a bit of the garden basically and used cheese as a reward! I think it was only about a week.

[HousewifeFromHeaven]

I did have to go out at all times with her too though, to give cheese as soon as wee/poo were produced! Exactly the same as house training

[ifmamaainthappy]

Right thanks, that's the next week sorted..

[ifmamaainthappy]

Hmm hope they're ok, the haven't had a wee since 1pm, keep taking them out to their new toilet on their leads, they're looking at me like i'm mad standing there saying toilet, go on toilet, now got them on their leads next to me in the lounge just in case!!

[thegriffon]

Some dogs need to walk about, sniff and have a general mooch around before weeing or pooing, unless they've been hanging on and are absolutely bursting of course.
Mine usually toilets around 15 mins into a walk.

[ifmamaainthappy]

I have to say, mine usually tear around the garden like mad things for a short while before they go, but i'm now taking them out on a lead so i can control where they toilet, I do feel really cruel, but i really need this toilet issue to work for me, i wish i'd have thought or been told about it 3 years ago i'm also doing calming training with them because they really are very excited when they see the lead, so if i can manage this it will kill 2 very very annoying habits i've allowed them to develop

[ifmamaainthappy]

No going to plan as yet, i ended up taking them out for a walk last night, ( it did only take 10 minutes mind!!), And again this morning, so were going back to basics, after all they've never been trained to go to the toilet on command, Wish me luck and any tips would be fantastic

[BastardDog]

Not got my most recent dog trained to go on command yet, but with the two previous dogs I would wait until they were toileting and then while they were going repeat my little saying "hurry up" several times. Then praise and treat afterwards. In time I could just say "hurry up" and after a bit of a sniff about they'd do the business.

My new dog toilets on his morning and afternoon walks, but rarely goes in the garden at all. Wish I had such a good bladder.