House training puppy (miniature dachshund)

[SWnewstart]

All my dogs have been adult rescues, so never had to toilet train a pup. DD and partner are now the doting owners of a mini dachshund, a lovely boy aged 15 weeks. He is still weeing and pooing about the house, despite having designated area, pads, newspaper etc inside and regularly being taken into the garden. They praise / reward when he does go to the door to go outside. He's so full of energy it seems that sometimes he is racing about and forgets, then wees (over-excited?). He goes outside just before they go to bed, about 10.30 - 11.00pm then wakes them whimpering about 2.00am and again at 6.00am, when he goes out to wee a small amount.

Is this the usual sort of time frame for toilet training? What else can they do to help him along?

Well getting rid of all the pads and papers would be a good start... it just confuses the issue.

He’ll need out immediately after eating, sleeping and playing - and about every half hour that he’s awake in between those as well.

And asking to go out is a separate skill that often happens later anyway.

I have read very negative things about daschunds and house training I'm afraid - we were thinking of adopting. I don't know what the answer is but you you probably need to talk to someone who knows the breed.

@IsItADHD

I have read very negative things about daschunds and house training I'm afraid - we were thinking of adopting. I don't know what the answer is but you you probably need to talk to someone who knows the breed.

I'm on my second dachshund (and DH had one as a kid) - no particular issues.

Firstly, they need to make sure that any accidents in the house are cleaned up scrupulously, best to use the 'pet odour' spray to get rid of the scent. Then make sure a spot outside is scented - maybe leave a towel that was used to sop up an accident. Encourage the pup to go there and praise lavishly. The idea is to positively reinforce where he should go.

Thanks @ErrolTheDragon

We have one. To be honest, she's been easy to train. We took her out every half an hour when she was a pup, standing still and paying her no attention unless she did a wee/poo - then she got all the praise!
We'd give a command 'go potty' when we knew she was starting to go (sniffing, circling etc)

We didn't do any pads inside. We took turns to sleep in the couch for the first few weeks (she was in her crate next to us) and took her out for a wee when needed.

Once she'd got the hand of going outside and could go a bit longer, my daughter trained her to ding a doorbell when she needs to go outside. I think we've had two accidents in the house since she was about 14 weeks, and she's 14 months now.

But - apparently they are a very hard breed to train, I think we've just been lucky, and it helped that she was a pup during lockdown so we could be around and watch all her signals etc

It's not surprising he's peeing inside - they're giving him so many places to go!

Get rid of all newspapers, puppy pads and designated indoor peeing areas. They need to take the puppy outside every 20-30 minutes while awake, as well as after play, training, food, drink and sleep. Lots of over-excited praise when they get it right, plus a nice high value treat.

Indoors, all accidents need to be ignored completely and cleaned up with an appropriate pet cleaner like simple solution.

Thanks for the advice - will pass on, especially about not using pads and having something wee scented outside! And I'm very impressed with Cocoaone's DD dog "ringing a doorbell" to go outside!

@SWnewstart

Thanks for the advice - will pass on, especially about not using pads and having something wee scented outside! And I'm very impressed with Cocoaone's DD dog "ringing a doorbell" to go outside!

It's honestly amazing - all credit goes to DD for that one

Oh should probably clarify it's not a doorbell - she couldn't reach
It's one of those reception bells.
If she dings it too quietly and I don't hear/come or she's desperate, she gives it a proper whack to make a loud ding!

I have a mini dachshund, she’s been fine to housetrain but I know lots of other dachshund owners have had difficult experiences.
I didn’t use pads at all and literally took her out religiously every 30 mins and straight after food/waking up. I also rewarded her with a piece of hot dog sausage or cheese when she toileted outside and lots of praise and ignored any accidents and made sure we cleaned scrupulously so no odour for her to go back to. She hates the rain and will occasionally do a stealth wee on our door mat to avoid going out but otherwise is fine. Ours rings a bell attached to the back door when she wants to go out as we found she would never bark at the back door to ask, funny characters.

I'm smiling at yet another little dog trained to ding a bell to go out! DD coming to visit as soon as restrictions lift so we'll continue the training together.

The bells are great! They hang on the door handle and she bangs them with her nose 😂

Yep mine made was very easy to toilet train when I got the door bells too. Make sure you open the door EVERY time they ring the bell so they associate the bell with going outside (they will sometimes ring it to go out and play) and when they toilet outside lots of high pitched praise and excitable jumping around... they need to think "wow when I toilet outside it's brilliant! Look at this excellent attention I get!"

So I found my girl dax totally fine with potty training she was an absolute dream. My boy on the other hand a little harder and to this day (he's 6) will pee in the house. BUT he's not neutered which has something to do with it apparently.

I love the sound of the bells that's perfect!