Couple of puppy toilet questions

[PhoboPhobia]

Hi all

We have a 13 week old Dachshund puppy. He's doing really well and has settled in. He was really well toilet trained when we got him and has almost always used the puppy pads. We are transitioning to weeing outside but he won't poo outside - I just think he doesn't know he is allowed! I take him out as soon as he wakes up, after he's eaten and regularly in between - he will almost always wee but never poo - then he'll poo on the pad 5 minutes after we get in. Is this likely to improve when we start walking him?

2nd issues is that as of yesterday he has started absolutely destroying the puppy pads if he gets the chance. He has plenty of toys which we rotate. We do 'brain' games with him, I play with him when he is at his most awake. I've just cleared up a shredded pad, took him outside for 15 minutes after he ate now he's pooed where the puppy pad was but I hadn't replaced it as every time I went to put it down he tried to chew it!

Am I doing all the right things and this is just a phase?

You've basically taught him to do his business inside. Get rid of the pads and go right back to basics (as in watch him as closely as you did when you were training on the pads, and take him outside more frequently).
If he doesn't go outside when you expect, pick him up, bring him in, carry him around for 5 and try again. Basically no opportunity to pee inside
Peeing outside is just habit- the more often he does it, the morehe'll associate it. It's not really about praise outdoors vs indoors.
As our trainer said - the relief is the reward!

Puppy pads are a disaster when it comes to toilet training - personally I really wish they weren't sold at all.

All they do is teach the dog to go to the toilet indoors. Get rid of them and just take the puppy out every 20-30 minutes through the day.

Yes, he'll have accidents but you just clean them up and ignore them. Dachshunds are notorious for being difficult to train but the puppy pads won't be helping either of you.

Oh and destroying things is just he doesn't know what is a toy and what isn't - everything is fair game. but again the more they play with one thing the more they'll know that that's the toy: so keep non toys completely out of reach so he can't fail whilst he's still associating. Again no opportunity to fail!!
Our puppy was a bugger for picking up and destroying everything. They're just buggers!

Thanks all - it's reassuring to know getting rid of puppy pads can work.

He was already trained when we got him - I was a bit astounded when we he started going on them as soon as he came home!

Really useful advice - we'll go back to basics - thank you!

He was already trained when we got him - I was a bit astounded when we he started going on them as soon as he came home!

Unfortunately he wasn't trained at all. Puppies will generally go on puppy pads because they have something in them that smells of pee, lol.

I really wish there was more awareness of how much puppy pads can set back toilet training, tbh.

If he is used to going on puppy pads just put the pads outside for a day or two and let him get used to pooing outside then make the pads smaller and smaller untl they are now longer needed outside.

I would do what @PollyRoullson said and just put the puppy pads outside. Out dog never used puppy pads, as he also preferred to chew/destroy them, but I know many people who have used the 'put puppy pad outside' method (even better if it's a used puppy pad, so it has his scent)