7 month cocker house training advice

[conistonoldwoman]

No problem when in his pen, but he still shows no sign of 'asking' to go out
when he is free in the kitchen. We take him out regularly so rarely have messes to clear up. But as an example,this morning he crapped on the floor as it was about an hour after his breakfast and usually we'd make him go out at this time.
Thanks for any feedback!

If you want him to ask to go out, you'll have to teach him. My cocker knocks on the cat flap when he wants to go out, this was taught completely by accident but works very well - he used to squeeze through it when he was a puppy to take himself out, as he got bigger when I heard him trying to squash his fat little body through I'd rush and open the door because I was scared he'd get stuck half way. I'm fairly sure that was him training me.

There's a method in one of my puppy books with a little bell on a string by the door, every time you open the door to take him out knock the bell and use a cue word (like 'outside'), once you've been doing that for a while go to the door with him at the usual time and wait for him to ring the bell (or even just put his nose near it - go in stages), use the cue word, reward and take him out for a wee. Eventually he should ring the bell when he wants to go out.

I don't bother with training them to ask to go out.
If they have enough exercise etc then they should usually be able to wait until they do go out

If you had fed a dog and not taken it out within an hour then a poo on the floor is not really the dogs fault.

He is still a baby and will ask to go out without training BUT it will take a while. You will need to be vigilant and make the decisions for him for a bit longer yet. So take him out after meals and several times during the day.

Generally they need a wee first thing on waking after meals, lunchtime, after supper and before bed. However many of those will tie in with their exercise anyway.