Walking puppy from a wheelchair and toilet training questions

[Ourfirstpuppy]

We our picking up our first puppy next week and I am both excited and terrified!

My DH has wanted to get a family dog forever but for various reasons, we haven’t been able to up to now. Our children are older and currently have no idea that we are getting a dog, but they will be so excited about it. We have some experience of looking after my sister’s puppy for several months and have a limited idea about the teething, chewing and mess!

Q1. Which is the best way to toilet train a puppy?

My DH will do the regular walks and when puppy is grown enough for runs. However, when DH needs to work away from home on occasion or go on a lad’s weekend, I need ideas on how to walk the puppy myself in a wheelchair and if it is possible to pick up poo from a chair? We did think of this prior to finding our puppy and DH has budgeted to hire a dog walker for these days but it seems silly to pay some else when I will be home and will have the time.

Q2. Is there a way to walk and pick up poo from an electric wheelchair?

Toilet training means putting them out regularly, perhaps using a cue word when they do perform, and once they're used to that using the word to get them to perform.

As for walking a dog from an electric wheelchair and picking up poo, it will depend on your mobility and strength and only you can know that. If you can reach down and pick up your DCs' toys or a dropped newspaper from the floor, you could probably pick up poo. I used to know someone who used a manual wheelchair when walking her dog and she managed okay.

Look at dog training advice and support on FB. They have great advice on toilet training. Basically you need to have the dog outside whenever it needs to go. So after eating, drinking, playing and sleeping. Plus about every thirty minutes during the day!!

Train the dog to toilet on command (all assistance dogs are trained like this).

You get them to toilet in your garden before you take them on a walk. Of course they will occasionally toilet still whilst out but hopefully rarely.

How old are the DC they can come with you to poop scoop?

Kids are high school and college age. They will probably help me, to be honest they are likely to volunteer to do the walking instead of me! But I still want to be independent if possible and the dog is my and DH's responsibility not the DC's.

Does anyone think this might be helpful?

Yes, training the puppy with a suitable phrase and letting them out before a walk makes sense.

I've seen a poo picker upper thing for people that can't bend, I'll try to find a link.

It's like a tube you put the bag over then roll the tube back over itself.

Irritatingly I can't find it, maybe it's not made anymore... But there does seem to be a huge array of grabby things for picking up poo!

What breed of dog? The scooper thing might be alright for small breeds but not sure if it would be great for large breed.

A cockapoo. We met both parents and the puppy should be a small to medium dog.

I found this one https://handiscoop.com/

A bike attachment arm could also work on a wheelchair if the pavements are wide enough, it means there's no risk to the puppy getting under your wheels. I think you can get ones with a spring action too, for if the dog pulls suddenly

www.amazon.co.uk/wefaner-Bicycle-Exerciser-Leash-Hands/dp/B07N2MVNZR/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=34V2Y3GHFQ9OO&keywords=dog+bike+attachment&qid=1659307083&sprefix=dog+bike+attachment%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&smid=A3CZGZHR33NUHJ&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzNlEyUjRPOU9UWkNHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzg2NTc1RkQ1RkhXR0xRWDNNJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5ODgwMzBHQkYxN0wwS05YNzkmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

A local lady walks a lab from a scooter. Dog has learnt to walk nicely next to the scooter. She lets him off down the park and uses a ball thrower for exercise. Dog has great recall and comes straight back once he's got the ball.

Tbh if you get pup used to the wheelchair and train him to walk next to it there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to walk him.

Came across this website with some great products. That poo catcher gadget 😀

www.pawsitivesquad.co.uk/equipment

It depends a lot on your abilities, many people use mobility devices. A long handed scoop may work for you, others may be able to lean over? It's amazing what you can buy when it comes to helpful aides- I can ask the person I know who walks her dog in a wheelchair

This might help.
I crate trained my dogs.

Toilet training is, essentially, just habit forming.

If your puppy only ever pees/poss outside on grass then s/he will grow up only feeling right going to the toilet outside. Your job, during the puppy months, is to set up the dog's day so that they always happen to be outside every time they need to go. Then to praise them when they do.

Puppies mostly need to pee/poo:

• immediately after waking up


• immediately after eating or drinking


• immediately after playing


• about every hour otherwise (unless asleep)


• whenever they start sniffing or pacing

If you pop them out as in all those scenarios, you are likely to manage to catch most of the right times. Repeat, repeat, repeat for the first 6 months of so - though as the dog ages the /every hour' can become 'every two'.

It is useful to add a cue phrase (e.g. "have a wee") which you repeat every time they are weeing outside. Then this can become a way to ask them to do so when they are older.

We use "busy busy" as the cue for toileting.

She was 2 when we got her and she soon learned what it meant and she's not bright.