Toilet training our dog

[B2023]

We’ve recently added a 16 week Australian Kelpie to our family. He’s absolutely lovely, the only issue is we’re struggling with toilet training.

It may not seem an issue to most people, but currently he will not go to the toilet while on a walk. We can walk for 3 hours, and as soon as we get home, he wants to go into the garden as he needs to go to the toilet. I understand this may be some people’s ideal situation, however I would personally prefer him to go when on a walk, so I can clean up after him and put his mess into a dog bin.

does anyone have any suggestions at all please? He’s a very intelligent dog, we managed to go from using the floor - to using puppy pads - go going in the garden, all in one day. I really do think it’s an error on my behalf.

another issue I’m having is when I walk him, he pulls on the lead really bad. We don’t have a harness for him, just a collar and lead. What are people’s thoughts on using a slip lead? If used correctly of course. Are these cruel to use? I don’t want to cause any unnecessary harm to my pooch, I’m just struggling to walk him while having my son in the baby carrier and my dog (Checo) is pulling my arm off.

Any thoughts and recommendations are highly appreciated. I want whatever will make my dog happy and safe of course.

Put a soiled puppy pad in the garden, I put a brick on top, I then took him on a lead to it immediately on going into garden and repeatedly said “go wee wee”. When dog wees give lots of praise (and we gave a small high value treat). I also taught him to poo to command too if he hasn’t been when really he should have. (Basically every time he had a poo, I said his name and he’d been a good boy doing a poo poo, gave lots of praise, and after a while he realised wee wee was wee, and poo poo was a poo)

I watched a lot of Zak George on YouTube (who can be a tad annoying and you have to look past all the sales blurb) but I found all his stuff worked with out dog. The only thing I felt is we didn’t do a lot of reinforcement after about six months and a few things got forgotten. He’s a nightmare for recall and I just think that was our fault, Covid came and he was just on the lead all the time.

our dog is six stone in weight, when he goes I don’t have a chance other than to run with him.

a pet shop lady suggested a figure of eight lead, ours is a soft rope, we’d been through all sorts, it works perfectly, he’s obedient but can be wilful and it’s pulled him up a treat, I don’t have any hesitation walking him with that lead. A few think it’s cruel but my argument is I’d rather be alive than him pull me into the road.

Sounds like he is doing really well to be going outside for the toilet, and learning that in a day. When you recognise he needs to go and you take him outside can you use a cue word - anything - for his pee/poop and then try using the word/s on your walk? Maybe you have tried this already. He is still very young so it might be a confidence thing and in time he will understand it’s ok to go elsewhere. Slip leads for me are a complete no - I know some trainers use them but I don’t like them. I would suggest a harness and double ended lead. One end on the harness one on the collar so if he pulls you are not putting pressure on his neck. Or you could use a harness with a front ring which some people have success with, again with a double ended lead. I think Battersea or Dogs Trust do some videos on loose lead walking which might be worth a watch.

Our ddog was a year before she shit anywhere but our back yard!

Our dog hates an audience on the poo side of things and would rather do his doing in the garden when a puppy so it might just be a case of your dogs needs to grow up a bit.

Thank you all so much for your advice, I really do appreciate it. I will definitely try associating a word with the action. Perhaps he does just need to grow up a little (as he is quite young still)/become more confident and comfortable as well. I’ll definitely watch some videos that have been recommended. Thank you all so much :)

It can be that they want to avoid leaving their scent and advertising their presence to local dog population if feeling unsure so prefer to toilet in safety around home. I've had it with rescue adult dogs and usually they will go in both places in time. While you can train to toilet in one area in garden, it's a total pain if your dog will only toilet on a walk as at times this isn't practical or if will only go on specific surface so try to encourage pup to be flexible. Like if you travel sometimes there no grass nearby to go on.

3hrs is a really long time to be walking a puppy, the 5min rule per month thing has been debunked but still want careful not over doing it as they can be poor at self regulating and want to follow owners/dogs. Also avoid them jumping on/off things, sliding chasing ball and steady them down steps as these can cause strains & are more at risk to injuries with growth plates.

They have to learn to walk on a loose lead, they will want to get where all the exciting smells, fun is quicker. Go for Y front harness that doesn't restrict shoulder movement and has front ring and used with double ended lead to pull turns them back to you. Pulling on collars can damage the neck and head halters/slip leads work with aversive effect causing discomfort so with puppy who maybe feeling anxious there's possibility it may end up linking discomfort if felt when lunging in excitement with dog/person it saw at time and then be worried when see others dog/ppl that it may hurt them again.

I much prefer my dog going in our garden. I clean up thoroughly and it doesn’t bother anyone else.

Working dogs can sometimes have the mindset that on a walk they are working - hence the loo in the garden only.

Sometimes it can take young dogs a while to click that they are allowed to go to the toilet out on a walk, ours takes his training very literally and thought he was only allowed to go in the garden so it did take a while, we just gave big praise when he eventually did
With the lead walking, you need to fix this ASAP as it becomes a nightmare when they get older. You need to be very clear that you are only walking when the lead is loose. Teach a command and praise whenever the dog gets it right. Kelpie are a working breed and should pick it up pretty quickly. If you're struggling the k9 coach on Instagram has a good lead walking online program to follow. Make sure puppy is getting plenty of mental stimulation too, that's important for working breeds as they can end up with behavioural issues if they're not stimulated enough, but it's equally important you teach them to switch off and chill out too