Toilet training puppy - not giving any signals.

[Redwrecker]

Hi all,

I am really hoping someone can give me some advice as its wearing me down a bit and I am not sure how normal it is.

My 17 week old cavachon is not toilet trained. I have had her since 9 weeks. She gives no signals that she wants to go that I am noticing ( I’m thinking whining/going to the door) so whilst she does go outside to the loo around 50% of the time its purely because I take her out every 45 minutes or so!

I had puppy pads down in certain areas and her accidents do seem to happen in those areas. Sometimes she toilets on them/or near enough to know she tried but a lot of the time its just in the general vicinity. She never goes anywhere uncarpeted, always on carpet. I have pulled up the puppy pads in one room to see if that helps? But its not noticeabley different - shes mostly stopped number 2s there but still peeing every so often.

I do not punish for any accidents, or draw attention besides cleaning them up. I praise when she goes outside and give her a training treat immediately afterward.

Am I expecting too much? She has no problems holding her bladder through the night and sleeps through so it makes me wonder if she can smell the old accidents and assumes its a toilet spot?

Quite frankly, puppies and APPs are in parallel universes. Puppies like babies aren't really smooth running algorithms. I would just use behavioural science and physiological understanding underpinned by common sense you will know when you are up against it!!

Thanks for the app suggestion, but I am pretty good about not needing reminders due to the nature of my working day!

We are 24 hours without an accident and one accident in total! I’m finding the door closured have helped hugely too.

Update for anyone interested - we’re vastly improving! There have been a couple of accidents today, but I can absolutely attribute them to me, and a slightly different weekend routine i need to work on. The removal of the puppy pads and door closures have really helped!

We’re having times too where she pees instantly outside, so has figured out its what I want and how to get back in the house 😂

Thank you everyone, by no means fully trained but feeling far more hopeful about the process!

Yay. Good news. It does get easier. I promise!
Then (if you’re an eejit like me) you start wondering when is the right time for the next pup!

@Wolfiefan hahah i’ll be honest, i’m pretty confident i will get a 2nd next year 🤣🤣 my dad has a friend who breeds the same breed and hoping she will be able to give me one of her girls next autumn if it goes to plan 😂

I waited three years between first and second. Planning another but not for a couple of years. Need to ensure I have existing ones sorted first and want to avoid littermate syndrome. Would never have them closer than 2 years apart.
But puppies!

@Wolfiefan oh, I will do my research on this then, i’d assumed not waiting too long was better to avoid get a lone wolf who hated company!

Not that I am expecting too much issue, she’s pretty socialised and has yet to meet a dog she doesn’t love!

My first dog loves playing with others when she’s out and it’s been lovely having two. BUT you need to have training really sorted with one before adding another to the mix. And they often have an adolescent arsehole phase. Littermate syndrome can be disastrous and they don’t have to be actual littermates. Just very close in age.
But getting a second has been lovely for us. Even in lockdown!!

I thought ours would never get it, husband at home on zoom calls would forget to take her out. But about 6 months she had it.

Unfortunately she still likes to wake us up at 2am for a wee....