House training a puppy in an outside playpen?

[IVFNewbie]

Hi! We have a 9 week old puppy that we are starting to house train. He is in his playpen with the crate inside at the moment. We have been using pads which have been fine so far but he hasn't wanted to wee or poo outside yet (apart from one wee) and likes to wee/poo as soon as I bring him in.

I could sit out in the garden and observe him if we used the playpen outside (now that it's nice weather) and this will mean he would have to start weeing/pooing outside on the grass. I have looked for some advice around this but have found nothing online. Does anyone have any thoughts? Is this a known practice?

[BiteyShark]

Never used pads as I didn't want to give the message that it's fine to go inside.

I just used the usual toilet training advice which was to take them out after every sleep, drink, feed or play and wait until they go and then really praise them. At the same time give a command that they start to associate with toileting so you can use that to encourage them to pee on command.

[vanillandhoney]

I've never used pads as all they do is encourage the dog to toilet inside, which is the last thing you want.

You need to take puppy out every thirty minutes during the day, as well as after meals, play, training and sleep. Wait outside with them for as long as it takes, as soon as they go, praise praise praise and treat if necessary. I would also add a key word (we used "go toilet") when they go so you can get them to toilet on command in the future.

[PuppyMonkey]

Yep, take puppy outside on a lead every hour, stand still, they go round you in a circle sniffing etc for a bit and then hopefully go - give them a “what a good boy” and a treat when they do something. We never used puppy pads either.

[IVFNewbie]

thanks all- what I'm actually asking is if we just keep him outside in his playpen (supervised and when weather permits) so that he learns to go outside, does anyone ever do that?

[mooching]

Why would you want him in the playpen outside? When outside I would interact with him and play with him as well as toilet training.

Won't go over other advice as PP have said above what I would have advised.

[Wolfiefan]

He’s not in a playpen all the time though??
You need to take him out on a lead and praise when he goes. Ditch the pads. Praise when he goes outside.
You need to take him out after a nap, food, drink, play and every half an hour.

[vanillandhoney]

thanks all- what I'm actually asking is if we just keep him outside in his playpen (supervised and when weather permits) so that he learns to go outside, does anyone ever do that?

Wouldn't that just teach him to go in his playpen?

Why can't you let him free-roam in the garden under your supervision?

[BiteyShark]

If you just let him toilet in the playpen as PP asked what is that teaching him other than he can toilet in his pen outside or on the pads inside.

What you want to do is to teach them that they don't pee or poo inside and the act of going outside and then praising them associates that behaviour of eventually asking to go outside to toilet.

[Windyatthebeach]

Roam free. Praise on weeing.. Every time.
Or basically you are training him to use the playpen...

[bullyingadvice2017]

Never used puppy pads. Outside every 20 mins. After sleep, food, play. Encourage a wee and praise when done one. If it's been a while and you know they are die a wee stay out till it's done. Same place every time.

Never used a cage either. Just go for it. They need time more than anything else.

[IVFNewbie]

the playpen would be as big as the garden; it's just for security really as there are gaps in my hedges (and the red kites have been known to go for puppies).

[vanillandhoney]

the playpen would be as big as the garden; it's just for security really as there are gaps in my hedges (and the red kites have been known to go for puppies).

Then pop him on a lead every time he goes outside. Using the same playpen indoors and outdoors will just need him to pee in there.

[PuppyMonkey]

You’d have to be out there all the time supervising with a small puppy anyway, so play pen sounds like an unnecessary faff to me.

[Floralnomad]

It the taking them out to do it and praising them that teaches them to go outside not the being outside IYSWIM

[Wolfiefan]

You need to be with your puppy. You also need to do a lot more research. Shutting a puppy in a pen won’t housetrain it.

[IVFNewbie]

That's why I'm asking. It's research. There seems to be so many different approaches to this now.

[PeachesAndPops]

No, you need to put puppy on a lead and take out every 30 minutes. Ditch the pads.

[PeachesAndPops]

And as others have said when you notice puppy is going say a word such as ‘hurry up’ and lots of praise. Soon puppy will know to go when you give them the command.

[Wolfiefan]

There’s a great FB group dog training advice and support. Their files on toilet training helped me with a pup who hadn’t got a clue!! Lots of other helpful info too.

[IVFNewbie]

thanks again all!