Still toilet training and he's 1 next week!

[BubbleBathBitch]

Looking for some toilet training advice for my pup please! He is 1 next week and still sometimes goes to the loo indoors in the middle of the night.

Our house is 3 storey and I think we have trained him to think that he can just go downstairs and do his business and that's what he's supposed to do - whereas obviously we'd like him to carry on and get out the door!

So far we have tried: feeding him earlier, walking him later (10pm), putting a baby gate up so he can't get downstairs, ringing his doorbell and nothing has a lasting affect.

For info: he is not crated and can sleep/roam wherever he likes through the night, my next idea was to keep him constrained to our bedroom where he often sleeps? Please don't suggest a crate because I wouldn't like it but would love any other ideas or tips!

He's a very intelligent cockapoo but I know it's us that have taught him this badly, please help! xxx

I don't understand what you mean by teaching him to go downstairs to do his business - how did you try and train him as a puppy? Did you use puppy pads or did someone get up and let him out through the night?

Hi, firstly, don't worry about the fact he's almost 1 and still not 100% there, no training is completely linear and it's very normal to go two steps forward, one step back.
Your wording of "he can just go downstairs and do his business and that's what he's supposed to do - whereas obviously we'd like him to carry on and get out the door" makes it sound like he has a doggy door or something and can let himself outside in the night? That can in itself slow down toilet training for some dogs because the distinction between outdoors and indoors is less clear. If you think he'll cope with it, I think your suggestion of keeping him shut in your bedroom with you overnight for a while makes sense, that way if he does really need to go he can wake you up. But also think about going back a few steps in your toilet training during the day and really reward and praise him for going to the toilet in the garden or on walks so he starts to remember going outside is better than going inside. Before bed it might also be worth deliberately taking him in the garden on lead so he focuses a bit more on what he's meant to be doing.
It might also be related to the cold, if it's got worse lately maybe he's decided it's not quite worth going outdoors in the night. If he's super smart like you say, he'll soon remember it's worth going outside if you are rewarding him for that in the day.

Oh sorry for not being clear - when he was brand new he couldn't do the stairs so yes, we used to put him out in the night if he got up to move around. We also had puppy pads down for him and as he got older and could manage the stairs we moved them nearer and nearer to the back door, and then got rid of them altogether xxx

Thank you PetPositive, that's really helpful. We don't have a doggy door so he can't get outside without letting us know, but because the puppy pads were downstairs I think he relates that to where he is supposed "go" if you see what I mean. Saying that though, he sometimes rings his bell and sometimes just waits for us to follow him downstairs so deep down I think he WANTS to get outside, but in the middle of the night he can't? And even if he did ring his bell I don't think we'd hear it because we're 2 floors away! xx

If you think you've made a mistake in training somewhere, or somehow confused him, I'd go back to the basics, as if you just got him and you are just starting to potty train.
You stated you don't like crate training, and that's totally okay, but I think keeping him in some enclosed space at night would be a good idea because at this point going to the bathroom in the basement is a habit, so first you'll need to make that no longer an option. Your room is a great idea, so he can wake you up if he has to go.
If he only makes messes at night, that might signal that there is a reason he doesn't want to go outside at night. Does it get worse in the winter? Or when it's wet? Or he simply might need you to stand out there with him (I had a dog growing up who was like that) the outside at night can be scary to a smaller dog.

Ah, I could have guessed you'd been using puppy pads. I really wish they weren't a "thing" - they are so unhelpful when it comes to toilet training as they just teach the puppy that it's acceptable to pee and poo inside the house.

If you're happy with it, I would just have him shut in your room overnight and then as soon as he stirs, someone needs to get up with him and take him out to the toilet. Get rid of all the puppy pads and just clean up any accidents with a decent urine removal spray - Simple Solution is a good option and you can get it in most pet shops or on Amazon.

We've done this with our beagle from day one and he's never once had an accident overnight - just a handful during the day. As a puppy, we just carried him to avoid the stairs, now we just have to go with him to open the door, though he never needs to go out in the night anymore unless he's eaten something he shouldn't do

Nothing to add except I wish we’d never used puppy pads either, our dog still occasionally poos (never pees thank goodness!) on the rug inside over night. I’m convinced those pads trained her to like soft rug like surfaces!

Agree with everyone about the puppy pads! Wish we'd never used them! Thanks for all the tips so far xxx

We had this and put in a dog door. He refused to learn how to use it for a year until my dad dog whistpered him into it it sorted it for us.
If this has started recently could he need a vet check? I think keeping him in your room is a good idea, could you put a bell in your room as well in case he tiptoes out?!

I am intrigued that he has his own doorbell. I have never heard of this. Could you elaborate?

Hi Musicalmaestro - yes of course. We have 2 kinds actually, the one that works the best is literally a ribbon of dangly bells that is attached to the door handle and if he wants to go outside he can literally just nudge it with his nose/head - very easy and they pick it up quickly.

HOWEVER!! As our house is 3 storey we don't always hear the dangly bells so he has an ACTUAL doorbell aswell, fitted at "dog nose height" which he can press with his nose although it is harder for him to do. He currently prefers his dangly bells.

To teach him to use them I just used to say "ring your bell" in an annoying doggy voice and give him a treat when he touched them and immediately open the door, only took a few days (after the phase of him ringing them JUST for the treat obviously!)

If he is only pooing indoors overnight I think you are overcomplicating things.

If it is just night time he obviously can not get out so will have to poo indoors unless he sleeps near you and you can hear him stir and then take him out.

It is unusual for a 1 year old dog to still need a poo in the night but if yours does and you dont want him pooing inside you have to wake to take him out.

What breed is he?

I really recommend the Facebook group Dog Training Advice and Support - www.facebook.com/groups/374160792599484/?ref=share
They don't recommend bells / asking to go out as if you aren't there or miss the signal, pup goes on the floor and this undermines your training efforts. Their guides are great.
The gist of it is take him out often until you have 0 accidents indoors. Then take him out regularly on your schedule (I tend to take my dog out whenever I go to the loo, for example).

Ringing a bell works for some dogs but other dogs may use the bell to ask to go outside multiple times an hour to bark at squirrels too

PollyRoulllson - yes I think you're right, I need to go right back to basics I think! He is a cockapoo xx

Also if he's pooping overnight think about moving his mealtimes a bit earlier/ later so he goes last thing at night or first thing in the morning instead.

Thank you for explaining about the door bell!
Luckily my dog barks when she wants to go out, but I am very impressed.