Toilet training at 9 weeks?

[stillnotjustamummy]

My gorgeous lab boy has arrived, but I'm struggling with toilet training. He doesn't seem to get the idea of pads yet. What's the best thing to use to clean up mess with? I have scrubbed and applied an odour spray but the smell is pretty bad.
The pup himself is starting to smell too, I've washed his feet and wiped his tummy and coat with a pet wipe but he still a bit whiffy. Is he too little to have a bath?

Don’t use pads they just confuse the issue about where to go , dog needs to learn from the start that outside is for toileting .

Is there a reason for you using puppy pads? I decided that I didn't want any confusion with toileting inside so I didn't bother with them. In the day I took mine outside after every play, every sleep, every feed, every drink and frequently in between. At night he needed toilet breaks so I used to set an alarm to take him out until he was older and could hold it.
At 9 week they are very young and some puppies take weeks/months to finally get it completely.

For washing I did have a puppy shampoo which I had to use when he rolled in his own poo once. but you want to make sure it isn't a horrible experience if you do try and wash him (lots of treats plus take it slowly)

I agree with ditching the pads, they prolong the toilet training process and can potentially make it much harder than it needs to be. Have a read through this toilet training guide.

For cleaning either use a proper enzymatic cleaner (Simple Solution Urine Destroyer is great stuff) or a solution of biological washing powder/liquid (patch test first!) to break down any residual smell which may encourage them to use the same spot again.

Bitey is right that if you do bath your pup you need to be very careful it pleasant for him. At that age a single negative experience can have lasting consequences. I'd be inclined to just use a damp cloth rather than try and do a full on bath at this point.

Fab. The taking him out a night isn't practical, I've got three young children and we have no lights in the garden. I was hoping to be able to get him to use a pad at night, but focus on getting him outside during the day. Will not attempt a bath yet, sounds too risky. Thanks!

I think if you use a pad at night then you are going to struggle with toilet training. He won't know the difference between peeing in the house during the night and garden during the day. Pop him on a lead and stand outside with a torch.

Some ideas, head torch and attach lead so you can do a quick dash outside and then back in to sleep? You can get really bright led head torches for around a fiver and I still use mine now to clean up poos now the nights are dark early.

Otherwise you are going to need a good cleaner (one that is used to completely take away the smell of pee to the dog) because otherwise it creates an association with that spot being a toilet spot. Mine was several months old before he could go through the night without a pee.

Cross posted with monkey on the torch and lead

I agree with monkey , lead and a torch and use a command word so pup knows what you expect him to be doing It really does make the process quicker later on . Not really sure what having children has to do with it they will be indoors asleep,hopefully .

He won't be able to hold it overnight. If you don't take him out at night he will learn to toilet inside.
Yy to ditching the pads.
Use enzyme cleaner.
Take him out after eating, sleeping, playing and about every half an hour. On a lead. Praise for going to the toilet outside. If you go out and puppy doesn't go back out in 10 mins. Watch like a hawk inside for signs too.

Fairly certain my neighbours thought I was bonkers padding around the garden in the middle of the night in my dressing gown and boots chanting "good wee wees, good wee wees"

I agree with everyone else, ditch the pads and take outised regularly including a couple of times in the night. It will be worth it I promise!

Another vote for a lead and torch for nighttime trips out. It's a pain having to do them but it's much better in the long run to

It's perfectly fine to start getting him used to being bathed, it's just not a great idea to jump straight in to giving him a full on bath with no pre-amble. Get him used to going in the bath when it's dry, then with a tiny amount of water, introduce the shower slowly, etc. You can use toys like this one to great effect; smear something tasty on it, stick it to the side of the bath and the puppy has a great time whilst learning the bath is awesome place to be.

We just did outside day and night with our lab from 8 weeks. Also no lights in the garden but torch and pup on lead. Is it your own private garden as otherwise not not sure why 3 kids make it harder? My 3 were oblivious when I took pup out at night! And in the day, out after every sleep, meal, play. She got it pretty quickly really but we were lucky as she arrived in August so much warmer!! Good luck!

I agree with no puppy pads. It really is a case of spending an awful lot of time standing in the garden waiting for them to toilet otherwise you have to teach them to use the pads and then to go outside. And then they start just ripping the pads up anyway.

Simple solution spray is the best for clearing up accidents, and regina blitz the best kitchen towel. I keep a clean up kit in the sitting room of these, poo bags, and a spray mop so I can react to accidents quickly. My puppies (I foster for a rescue) stay in the sitting and dining room so they are closely observed - if I'll be away from them for more than a few minutes they go in their crate

I also agree that the pads need to go. A puppy should learn to go outside not on a pad.

Sorry but you have to take him outside during the day and at night. Every time he eats, every time he drinks, every time he wakes up from a sleep.

We got our puppy at 9 weeks and me and DH took it in turns to sleep downstairs with him so that if he whimpered we could take him in the garden. He was toilet trained in a week and he is a breed that is notoriously difficult to toilet train

I know it seems like we are all anti puppy pads on here but every accident in the house is a missed opportunity to associate outside is the place to go (day or night).

Agree with Bitey if you can suffer the misery of permanently living in the garden and kitchen for a few weeks it will make life sooo much easier and toilet training so much quicker in the long run.

I am confused as to why your pup is getting smelly?
Our pup needed to go out about every half hour, honestly she was like a leaky tap. Last night trip out was about 11pm, then again about 3am. It does get better eventually, promise. I never used pads.
Are you restricing the areas where your pup can go? Don't allow him free rein in the house to keep accidents to a minimum, ideally keep him in areas with washable flooring. 9 weeks is very young, you have a long way to go. Get a torch, wellies and an umbrella, it's the only way - spending lonely cold periods in the garden in the middle of the night is a given with pups.

If the pup is being left at night to use pads and then walking over the used pads he will smell.

Ok, torch it is. I was concerned that the smallest might wake up and panic if I don't hear her, but if I do quick regular trips hopefully I'll catch both of them. Thanks for the advice.
He is constrained to the kitchen and snug so about 20ft by 11ft, and invitation only to dining room and lounge with supervision. He has a crate but I don't shut him in unless I'm mopping. (Steam mop - 5mins and in his view tops) I wondered if it was the pads making him smell. I'll stop with those.

Good luck! It is hard work but thankfully doesn't last too long!

I am sure you probably know this but every time pup poos or wees in garden tons and tons of praise and maybe a small treat some of the times.

I used to give my puppy small pieces of cheese each time along with over the top praise and, as I said, he learned really quickly. I am sure the cheese helped

The issue is with treats is that the dog can decide to keep doing lots of tiny wees to get treats! Just praise.

I don’t agree with pads. You’re just teaching the puppy that it’s ok to go indoors.

Take your puppy out, on the lead, every half an hour, when he’s awake. Take him out after meals, sleep and a game. Praise him when he goes. Watch him like a hawk when he’s awake indoors and if he starts to circle or crouch, pick him up gently and take him outside. Any accidents should be ignored.

It’s a full on time but worth the input.

I set my alarm and get up in the night to start with.

I didn't give a treat every time he did something. I always gave loads of praise and occasionally a treat. It worked for me