Puppy and caravan

[Jamandcheesesandwich]

hi folks

going to be getting a puppy next year, and also a caravan. Thats the plan anyway.

so dont want to have the puppy having accidents in the caravan , so what age would you think that I would be able to take the pup with me in the van and not have to worry about this . Obviously , taking the pup out regularly etc etc to toilet train.

not bothered about odd accident

cheers

theres No real answer tbh. Depends how determined you are to toilet train it. My first dog took months cos I didn’t have a clue what I was doing! Now I foster rescue puppies and I find I can get them toilet trained within around 3 days ish (these are rescues who have never lived indoors before). The other foster carers also manage it within the first 2-5 days too

for a first dog, I would suggest maybe a month would be enough?

thank you very much

whats your hints and tips apart from taking them out regularly

had dogs before but many years ago

I would say it’s honestly like a full time job when they first arrive! I just take them outside literally every 20 mins or so (not nice in the winter!). Puppies also tend to poo within 10-15 mins of eating, so u need to catch them in that timeframe.

I also use a word (mine is ‘wee wees!) in an excitable high pitched voice, that they then associate it with when I’m leading them out into the garden. You can also try rewarding them with a little treat everytime they toilet outside.

you can also usually tell when they need a poo,, they start to sniff the floor and going round in like circles.so when you see them do that you need to take them outside immediately.

im no expert; I just found the way that has worked for me. Other People may have better ideas! I never use puppy pads indoors either as I think that continues their association with toileting inside being acceptable

Mine was completely clean in the house by 16 weeks after regular outings and saying wee/poo and praise. He just goes over to the door or stares at me if he needs to go outside but rarely does any toileting in the garden now. Prefers off-site completely.

We have a camper van. We took ours away for a night when she was 6 months old, 2 nights at about 8 months and then a week just before a year old. I wouldn’t have attempted it earlier or longer than that but I know others do. It’s so overwhelming for them. We chose very quiet sites no more than an hour away for the short trips and 2 hours for the longer. She did get better with each trip. I’d personally forget it until 6 months or more. Just sit in the caravan and have tea and give them a chew to build positive associations.

I found toilet training the easiest bit of a puppy tbh 😂

Our pup had her first long weekend away at 3 months old. No accidents but did very closely supervise, another long weekend at 4 months and fully trust worthy by then. Had a full week away in a campervan at 6 months old.

We got our puppy at 8 weeks old and took him away with us to a lodge a month later and he was trained by that point, but we did have an older dog who puppy copied so toilet training was quite easy.

Are you getting a static caravan? the first time we took puppy away his recall would not have been good enough for him not to wander off if we left the lodge door open, therefore we made sure we had a secure area outside the lodge.

We took our puppy away on holiday when he was five months old and he didn't have a single accident - we just made sure to let him out regularly and never left him unattended.

My dogs have all been pretty much reliable by four months, some a little earlier.

I have a motorhome & four dogs. Always had dogs & this is my fifth motorhome so been doing it for years, reason being I like to holiday with them, never kennels.
Lots of good advice already. Constant vigil when they are tiny, out after every meal, every sleep & whenever you see them sniffing or circling. Take them outside, don’t send them, even if it’s raining, freezing, dark, keep a coat handy if you hate the cold & wet. When they oblige use a special word as they’re doing it, I use hurry up, then make a HUGE over the top fuss…What a clever girl/boy, over & over, cuddle, the more the better, then when you both go in give them a little treat saying again What a clever dog etc.
My puppies have always come away whenever we were going so anything from just through their puppy jabs till a few month older. Just today arrived home from the very north of Scotland. If not on motorways I stop regularly in lay-bys to get them out. On motorways service stations but if it’s going to be a while between possible stops I put down newspapers & a puppy pad, though they rarely get used even on long journeys. Not so easy I admit with a caravan as they’d need to travel in the car.