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Puppy won't toilet outside

25 replies

midnightstar66 · 28/04/2020 13:51

We got DPup on Saturday and she is fantastic. Settled in amazingly and adored DC. She's a Jack Russell terrier so lots of energy and likes a good play however she's learning quickly that teeth are more appropriate for toys not skin. Very trainable I feel in the right circumstances. We have a crate and I've followed the crate training advice but she's not keen and not ready to leave her closed in. She also has massively good bladder/bowel control which would be amazing if she realised outside was where it was best to go but it doesn't matter how often or how long we keep her out, she won't go and waits til we get back inside sometimes instantly. I've tried the advice from dog training Facebook page and not let her down at all inside til she'd been but she was getting frustrated being restrained. Ended up letting her down and she peed immediately. It had got to 1pm and she's still not been allowed down to play. Previous pee was at around 7 when she's got over excited when dd2 got up and done an 'excited wee' on the sofa which she's never normally do. I've been sleeping with her on the sofa but last night she managed to get down herself and had a poo then. I didn't realise til she woke me crying to get back up but she hasn't had one since as she goes under the table and we've prevented her going under there so far today. She's never been told off and as I say she'd be amazing if only she'd realise where it is she's meant to go. Any tips? She's 9 weeks on Thursday

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pilates · 28/04/2020 13:59

Do you go out with the puppy with treats so as soon as she does a toilet you reward straightaway?

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midnightstar66 · 28/04/2020 14:02

Yes we have treats at the ready but she hasn't toilted outside at all since day 1 where she got lots of instant treats

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sian1971 · 28/04/2020 19:32

I know it's horrible having to do this in this weather, but I would not go back inside until she has toiletted, no matter how long you have to stay outside with her. And give her treats and lots of praise once she goes.

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TeddyBeans · 28/04/2020 19:43

We picked up our puppy every time he went to pee and took him outside until he went. He soon associated outside with toilet! Overnight we just left puppy pads in the kitchen and he'd toilet on them until he could go all night. Keep going, she'll get it before you know it

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HappyBuyer · 28/04/2020 19:56

Puppies eliminate after drinking, eating and playing. At this age she should pee at least once every 2 hours plus each time after above mentioned activities.

When she wees inside collect some of the pee and leave it in the garden in location where you want her to go potty.

Take her outside to exact same location after drinking water, eating and playing and always say the same command/word. When successful (you might have to wait a while) - a lot of praise and a treat.

Also make sure you clean accidents inside thoroughly with special cleaner that you can get from pets at home. When caught in the act, loudly clap you hands and say firm ''no'', and take her outside immediately to the same spot.

If she doesn't want to go potty outside because of the weather, you might want to consider to teach her to use puppy pads. Place those close to the door leading to garden.

Good luck :)

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Elieza · 28/04/2020 20:21

These are old but may still work:

If she toilets inside try mopping up the pee and squeeze the cloth out in your grass or lift the poo and put outside in your chosen area of the garden. After she’s eaten and drunk her water, take her out and show her the pee/poo corner so she can sniff and tell her how good she is. Keep going back until she gets the message and does her business. Praise. Job done.
Or
If she goes on puppy pads take one outside until she realises she can go there. Put it in the same place. Gradually cut the pad down each day until it’s tiny, just a spec. Then remove and go to the place and she should toilet without it or on a flake the size of a 1p coin.

Or train her to toilet with a command. The guide dog people used to use the word busy. You just say busy every time she toilets until she links the word with the task in hand. Then you say the word outside and she should know you want her to toilet.

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Willowfrost · 28/04/2020 20:22

I would think twice about admonishing her when she urinates indoors as she could learn to associate urinating with being told off.

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MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 28/04/2020 20:29

No, do not tell her off if you catch her peeing indoors. Dogs learn in context and all that will teach her is not to pee in front of you. Which also won’t help toilet training. I’m afraid you just have to stay outside with her until she goes. Of course she’ll hold it on as long as she can, she’ll want to get back inside where it’s warm and safe and pee there. I know it’s a pain in the ease but if you don’t put in the groundwork now you’ll have accidents for months and months.

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MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 28/04/2020 20:30

Pain in the ease Grin arse, obviously.

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midnightstar66 · 28/04/2020 20:52

We've been out for hours the last couple of days throughout the day it just doesn't seem to make a difference. There's 3 of us on the case taking her out so regularly. Early morning and nights though I end up bringing her back in as it's cold so she's shaking and crying. I've been trying to prevent her getting under the table where she's been tending to go then taking her back out again 10 minutes later. This went on today from 7am til after 1pm today when she peed while she was eating her lunch. I haven't been telling her off just completely ignore it and clean up once she's moved away. Her ability to hold it is amazing for such a tiny puppy. She's had her tea tonight and has been flat out on the sofa asleep an hour and 45 minutes later. This is the first time we've not taken her out straight away as there just seems no point. Fingers crossed by the time she wakes up she'll be desperate.

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midnightstar66 · 28/04/2020 20:55

Good idea about taking a poo outside. We have carpet and her favourite pee place is on the nice soft rug so collecting pee not an option.

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midnightstar66 · 28/04/2020 21:20

Just been out for 20 minutes and no luck. Spent most of it crying at the door to come in. She's in now but keeping her up on the sofa will try again when she tries to get down. Once she gets this with her ability to hold our lives are going to be very easy lol

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MontysOarlock · 28/04/2020 21:25

When she pees on the rug lay an old towel on it to soak up the pee, put that outside, weight it down and then take her out so she can smell the pee on the towel.

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midnightstar66 · 28/04/2020 21:41

I'll try the towel too. When I took her bed out her crate she went in and peed on the thick fluffy crate lining I have down so she obviously like a fluffy surface. Maybe a towel will do. I did wonder whether to take the lining outside as I caught her going back in sniffing, about to go again in the same place but I didn't want her to to learn to go on that. Put the bed back in now so she hasn't done that again. Will definitely try using a prompt word too. Thank you everyone for the great suggestions.

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Easilyanxious · 28/04/2020 21:51

We took ours out straight after waking , drinking and eating as they normally need to go then
Then praised and we always used t words wee and now out dog does go for a wee pretty much on command when we send him out ( not mastered poohs though )
But he went every couple hrs for a wee at 9 weeks so easy to catch him

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MiniChoc · 29/04/2020 17:28

Are you all using the same prompt word? 'be quick' 'busy' etc. Good luck this sounds stressful! I've got it all to come next month!

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midnightstar66 · 29/04/2020 18:33

It's not especially stressful as she's tiny and it's effortless to clean up but it's annoying as i know if she knew what was expected she'd be fab. Last night I took her out at 3am and she just sniffed a little bit then curled up at my feet shaking with cold and peed as soon as I brought her back in. I've got a scented towel ready now and have started with prompt words but probably a bit soon yet. We managed one person out I side today which was progress

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twinkleprincess · 29/04/2020 18:49

When you wipe up the pee go outside and rub it onto your grass. They may then start to understand

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midnightstar66 · 30/04/2020 10:05

Outside toilet made. Tea towel with several pees on and a poo under shelter of a bush so it's private and dry in the rain. Puppy sniffs around, pretty much ignores the 'toilet' cries and looks uncomfortable a little then curls up at my feet shaking in the cold 🙈. So I take her in and she runs under the table to relieve herself. Will persevere again today and try and avoid letting her down til she's gone. Couldn't leave her curled up and cold at 3am.

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MiniChoc · 30/04/2020 20:58

Oh dear!

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MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 30/04/2020 21:37

Get her a nice little warm coat. She won’t be able to try the shaking trick. Grin

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midnightstar66 · 01/05/2020 16:45

@MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig hmm yeh I suppose at least one of us will be warm when she's curled up at my feet at 3am lol. The scented outdoor toilet didn't work but the leaving it til she's completely desperate but keeping up on sofa or playing rather than the usual take out every 10 minutes has given a small amount of success as we've had a few wees outside now. Step in the right direction!

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TopBitchoftheWitches · 01/05/2020 16:56

Sorry if I have missed this info but how old is the puppy?

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TopBitchoftheWitches · 01/05/2020 17:00

Sorry just read 9 weeks, your puppy is being normal, you need to teach them to go outside, this will take a couple of weeks at least.

We need a photo btw, those are the rules 🙂

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midnightstar66 · 01/05/2020 17:08

@TopBitchoftheWitches I've obviously been lucky as I've had ones that couldn't hold on so taking them out after naps and food and every 20 minutes in between was successful. This one seems like a camel. She slept all night last night 9 hours. Like a say she'll be a dream once she's got the hang of it but the holding in for so long til she gets inside is a new experience. We'll definitely get there though. Here's mandatory picture - trying on a harness for the first time Smile

Puppy won't toilet outside
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