Tips for the first few days of toilet training please?

Justkeepingplatesspinning · 18/02/2024 11:19

This doesn't sound right. I'd be checking this out with your own vet in case there's something else causing the loose poo.
Personally, I don't think the breeder should have let the pup go until their tummy settled down.

Devilshands · 18/02/2024 11:28

Justkeepingplatesspinning · 18/02/2024 11:19

This doesn't sound right. I'd be checking this out with your own vet in case there's something else causing the loose poo.
Personally, I don't think the breeder should have let the pup go until their tummy settled down.

I agree with this.

A good breeder would not let a dog go that was not 100% healthy. Where did you get her from? Also...9 weeks? Was she the last in the litter and you just took her? Or was it coincidence? What breed is she? How big is she? Sorry for all the questions, but I just can't believe a breeder would let a dog go with just a 'her poos are a bit loose.' Unless you do mean loose (as in not 100% solid) rather than totally runny?

And she needs to go outside every twenty minutes - regardless of whether she has eaten or not. Only exception is when she is asleep - and after that, straight outside.

Do not rely on puppy pads - you are teaching her that weeing and pooing on them is good. Outside, every twenty minutes (and on a lead to stop her doing her own thing) and the second she wee's or poos, mark it with a word ('toilet' or 'job') and then give her a small bit of chicken. Take her back inside. She needs to associate being outside with performing and not with fun.

tabulahrasa · 18/02/2024 11:46

I’d be a bit worried she’s not well tbh, kind of hard to judge but it sounds a bit excessive...

But, house training is very much just managing to be outside at the right time then rewarding that till they make a connection that that’s where to toilet. So you want to take her out after every meal, as soon as she wakes up from any nap, after any big burst of playing and every 20-30 minutes she’s awake that isn’t one of those.

Original poster

Cockapoopoopoo · 18/02/2024 11:47

I mean loose not runny, as in she has been three times today. The puppy pads are a precaution as we haven't been able to catch her about to go in time, we aren't rewarding her for going on the pads just protecting the carpet.

Sorry not sure what you mean about 9 weeks and it being a coincidence? Or what you mean about breeder letting her go with loose poos, would they really not let us have her on collection date because she has soft poos? That seems quite extreme.

OP posts:

Hellohah · 18/02/2024 12:07

Cockapoopoopoo · 18/02/2024 11:47

I mean loose not runny, as in she has been three times today. The puppy pads are a precaution as we haven't been able to catch her about to go in time, we aren't rewarding her for going on the pads just protecting the carpet.

Sorry not sure what you mean about 9 weeks and it being a coincidence? Or what you mean about breeder letting her go with loose poos, would they really not let us have her on collection date because she has soft poos? That seems quite extreme.

I'm fairly sure when I first got our puppy home he pooped 100 times a day. It definitely seemed like it 😭

I think 5 or 6 times is quite normal when they're young.

Devilshands · 18/02/2024 12:52

Cockapoopoopoo · 18/02/2024 11:47

I mean loose not runny, as in she has been three times today. The puppy pads are a precaution as we haven't been able to catch her about to go in time, we aren't rewarding her for going on the pads just protecting the carpet.

Sorry not sure what you mean about 9 weeks and it being a coincidence? Or what you mean about breeder letting her go with loose poos, would they really not let us have her on collection date because she has soft poos? That seems quite extreme.

Most people collect at 8 weeks - because they've visited their dogs 2-3 times beforehand are desperate to get them times. Only time I've ever known people collect later is when they're getting last of the litter (i.e. the dog no one else wanted). Although, of course, it's not unusual for people to push the date back. In this case it was the way it was phrased with the loose poos which set alarm bells ringing.

But a good breeder shouldn't be getting their dogs vaccinated and then shoving them off the next day. They should keep them for 48-72hours to make sure all is okay rather than just pass them off onto the new owner. The last puppy I got, the breeder got them vaccinated the day they turned 8 weeks and then let them go 72 hours later as she wanted to keep them with her to be sure they didn't have any adverse reaction etc.

If your puppies poos are a bit loose tomorrow (and she's pooing a lot), I'd be minded to take her to the vets. Better to be safe than sorry with a puppy.

Either way, outside every twenty minutes.

Original poster

Cockapoopoopoo · 18/02/2024 12:58

We collected the day before she turned 9 weeks as we were away for half term. Nothing unusual and she wasnt the last or the runt. She hadn't just had her vaccinations either, they were earlier in the week. You've made quite a lot of assumptions from my post. The loose poos from the jabs didn't really ring alarm bells as I know DD was unwell for ages following her MMR.

OP posts:

MyGirlDaisy · 18/02/2024 13:08

I would be taking her outside every half hour and giving her huge amounts of praise for doing her business in the garden and using a word that she will begin to associate with toileting. However given her jabs were a few days ago and the loose poop started at the breeders (so not stress related to change of environment or change of diet) I would get her checked over at the vets tomorrow just to be sure.

BeansOnToast32 · 18/02/2024 16:57

I'd take pup to the vets to be on the safe side.

I'd also recommend getting a tube of Pro Kolin in (available on Amazon or from pet shops) it's a pro biotic/pre biotic that helps settle their stomach and firms up poos. I was never without a tube when mine was a pup because you never know when you are going to need it, pups can get upset tummies frequently for no apparent reason for the first 6 months or so.

As for toilet training, don't bother with pads because it's basically saying it's ok to toilet in the house. I used to take mine outside after playing, eating, drinking, napping or if I saw her trying to sniff and circle the rug. She ended up being fully housetrained by 10wks and only had a handful of accidents in the previous 2 weeks.

Lots of praise when she toilets outside and I'd also recommend using a key word when she goes. I used the word "toilet" and it's been super handy. My dog hates the rain and will refuse to go for a walk or go on the garden and will try to desperately get back inside but if I say "toilet" she stops trying to get back in and quickly does what she needs to do.

Hope your pup is better soon.

Yllasin · 19/02/2024 07:09

BeansOnToast32 · 18/02/2024 16:57

I'd take pup to the vets to be on the safe side.

I'd also recommend getting a tube of Pro Kolin in (available on Amazon or from pet shops) it's a pro biotic/pre biotic that helps settle their stomach and firms up poos. I was never without a tube when mine was a pup because you never know when you are going to need it, pups can get upset tummies frequently for no apparent reason for the first 6 months or so.

As for toilet training, don't bother with pads because it's basically saying it's ok to toilet in the house. I used to take mine outside after playing, eating, drinking, napping or if I saw her trying to sniff and circle the rug. She ended up being fully housetrained by 10wks and only had a handful of accidents in the previous 2 weeks.

Lots of praise when she toilets outside and I'd also recommend using a key word when she goes. I used the word "toilet" and it's been super handy. My dog hates the rain and will refuse to go for a walk or go on the garden and will try to desperately get back inside but if I say "toilet" she stops trying to get back in and quickly does what she needs to do.

Hope your pup is better soon.

Bringing my puppy home next Sunday. Has been using pads with her 9 littermates, breeder is starting to take them into her yard but I think with 10 it wouldn't be fair to expect her to have got much further.
I'm planning on not having transitional pads, do you think that's best? Just start as you did?

Thanks

Yllasin · 19/02/2024 07:14

Cockapoopoopoo · 18/02/2024 10:59

We brought home a 9 week old puppy yesterday. The breeder did warn me her poops were loose following her first set of jabs but my lord, there's just so many poops. We've now fully covered the living room floor with puppy pads. We're doing the taking outside after each meal and she's toileted outside a few times but I feel this has just been the luck of going out at the right time. Also meals seem to be followed by at least three poops over a half hour period so difficult to anticipate.

Any top tips or just suck it up until her tummy settles?

Just a thought - might you have significantly increased pup's food quantity, or changed from what she was having?
Overfeeding can cause loose and abundant stools. (Not ideal 😆)

I'd be going to the vet with her fairly soon if it doesn't settle, a friend of mine had a rough time with her puppy, never really got to the bottom of it but he definitely had giardia infection at some point. He's one now and she still has to be careful with what he eats.

Original poster

Cockapoopoopoo · 19/02/2024 10:34

I haven't changed the food as she came home with the food she'd be having at the breeders. It seems it is a side effect of being wormed, which she was the day she came home.

I have ordered the pro kolin. And just to confirm I am not using puppy pads for training, she is not being praised or rewarded for.going on the pads they are just covering my living room floor so as far as she is concerned they are just the carpet as she is toileting so much we can't keep up with taking her outside. I would sit outside all day but not actually that practical with a child too.

OP posts:

BeansOnToast32 · 19/02/2024 15:03

@Yllasin How exciting what breed?

Yes I really wouldn't bother with pads, the only time I used them was at bedtime. My pup slept in a sectioned off area between my side of the bed and the wall so she had her bed, a puppy pad in front of that and then a barrier to stop her wandering in the night. I put a pad down as a precaution because I didn't fancy cleaning poo up off the carpet at 3am if I didn't hear her wake up 😂 but she only ever ended up having one overnight wee a few days after I brought her home, she was dry all night otherwise.

I've always had new pups in my bedroom because sleep is super important when you have a puppy. I couldn't be doing with weeks/months of broken sleep because being well rested makes the daytime puppy madness easier to cope with. Mine only woke up every couple of hours for the first few nights then after that she'd wake about 5am, I'd lift her onto my bed and she went straight to sleep curled up next to me until the alarm went off. It's not for everyone but it worked for me and my dog.

Remember the puppy days don't last long, when you are enduring them you will feel like it's never going to end but it will. Mines 19 months now and an absolute dream 99% of the time and I adore her. I think the first 4 months were the toughest then everything slowly got better,

Invest in a carpet spot washer if you have carpets/rugs.

Start teaching "leave it" straight away. Your pup will pick up all sorts of random stuff off the floor and being able to get them to leave things will make your first dog walks so much easier/less stressful.

Yllasin · 19/02/2024 15:31

BeansOnToast32 · 19/02/2024 15:03

@Yllasin How exciting what breed?

Yes I really wouldn't bother with pads, the only time I used them was at bedtime. My pup slept in a sectioned off area between my side of the bed and the wall so she had her bed, a puppy pad in front of that and then a barrier to stop her wandering in the night. I put a pad down as a precaution because I didn't fancy cleaning poo up off the carpet at 3am if I didn't hear her wake up 😂 but she only ever ended up having one overnight wee a few days after I brought her home, she was dry all night otherwise.

I've always had new pups in my bedroom because sleep is super important when you have a puppy. I couldn't be doing with weeks/months of broken sleep because being well rested makes the daytime puppy madness easier to cope with. Mine only woke up every couple of hours for the first few nights then after that she'd wake about 5am, I'd lift her onto my bed and she went straight to sleep curled up next to me until the alarm went off. It's not for everyone but it worked for me and my dog.

Remember the puppy days don't last long, when you are enduring them you will feel like it's never going to end but it will. Mines 19 months now and an absolute dream 99% of the time and I adore her. I think the first 4 months were the toughest then everything slowly got better,

Invest in a carpet spot washer if you have carpets/rugs.

Start teaching "leave it" straight away. Your pup will pick up all sorts of random stuff off the floor and being able to get them to leave things will make your first dog walks so much easier/less stressful.

She's a whippet with 25% IG (personal recommendation of the litter by a good friend)

I quite like that, and I could do that in my bedroom, or another idea I have is if she'll go into a little crate she can be in that in my room/on the bed.
I'm a terribly light sleeper, but my concern with the bed is that she might jump off and hurt herself, or decide that an area of the bed could be her toilet 😮

I also have a sofa bed in the living room, with french doors to toilet area.

Decisions decisions!