Getting so stresssed with housetraining my puppy.

[ThespianTendencies]

I know it takes time. I am home all day with her and big dog so she is not left to her own devices unless she is asleep in her crate and then I go and do my bits and bobs. I take her out after naps, after food, play, drink - whenever I feel there has been enough time inbetween (30 mins max) ...I am on it like a ninja! She has not wee-ed in doors because I am not allowing the space for it iswyim and she obliges every time we go outside. However..poos are a different matter entirely! When she does manage to go outside there is praise, value treat etc. same as with a wee. But 99% of the time she will come back in - and I am leaving enough time outside with her to do both and I don't leave her unattended outside - I make sure I am there for her triumphs. But she is not getting the poo thing at all! I know she is still very young (11weeks) but I just need advice as to how to help her make the connection. I also know that this will come in time but how can I help? I literally spent all the day today and yesterday with her, I closed the door on the room I was in with her to minimise the chances of her wandering off and both days she managed to squat and poo in a split second whilst my back was momentarily turned! Today whilst I was chopping vegetables for dinner! What am I doing wrong? I even picked up her poo and put it in the garden so that when she goes out again she can smell that and hopefully realise that poos are outside too!

Sounds like she might want privacy. My boy used to poo down the side of the house if I was in the garden with him. Still likes to be out of sight.

ThespianTendencies I really think you are putting too much pressure on yourself with toilet training. Honestly there is no point worrying about whether she is going to get it as quickly as other people's puppies or your other dog (going by your other thread).

I just stayed outside with my puppy for a long time after eating when he was more likely to poo. I found that exercise also made him poo more so if he did the zoomies soon after eating then he went outside.

I also tried to watch him ALL the time but as you have found even just being occupied for a few seconds they can have an accident in that time.

If I spotted him pooing in the house I would pick up and run outside and plonk him on the garden (even if that meant him continuing to poo as I ran out) just so I could then praise if more came in the garden.

Bitey you are probably right - I am putting a lot of effort adn time into this phase of her life...playing, trying to teach little tricks (sit, lay down etc) spending time, house training etc. I feel llike I am on the go all the time!! She is an amazing pup though. She clambers into her crate if she is tired and has a nap in there, she is huge fun and a little whirlwind! I guess I am afraid of bad habits forming and it taking longer to un do them than get it right first time around.

It's so easy to focus on any negatives that you can easily overlook how far you and she has come. It really won't matter in 6 months time how long it took to toilet train her and it isn't necessarily a reflection of you doing anything wrong or her not being intelligent enough. Like kids they mature at different rates and it's too easy to compare and beat yourself up.

Remember even if bad habits form at this age it's all ups and downs and easily corrected. I remember trainers pointing out little bad habits we were reinforcing and hadn't realised but with a bit of effort it was easily corrected so nothing is set in stone.