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You didn't happen to get any photos?! Unfortunately not - didn't even think of it, I was ankle deep in chook food trying to grab a piggie who did NOT want to be removed!

Sigh. I do know what you mean, ladies! We have two pet minipigs that live inside the house at night (in their own bedroom)(yes, we are nuts, my mother constantly tells me so). I was busy feeding the dogs at the other end of the house, and OH decided to let the the older piggie out of her bedroom for a run around the house (usually only let out into the lounge when we are sitting watching TV). I knew this, because she ain't a quiet piggie and I could hear her galloping around the house. A few minutes later I come in and everythings vewy, vewy quiet. Where's Poppy? I say. We go to investigate and she has discovered the 20kg sack of chook food that I had put inside the front door before decanting it the next morning. Yes, she had ripped the sack open, 20kgs of chook food all over the floor and one piggie right in the middle of it with a very big smile on her face.

Nope, nothing wrong with you at all ('cept maybe watching too much My Kitchen Rules or Masterchef :laugh: ) I often ask the dogs what they would like for dinner (bit like reading them a menu). They just reply by drooling. I talk to the dogs non-stop, mind you I am home alone with them most of the day, so I suppose it's a bit like stay-at-home Mum's with young kiddies, lacking a bit in real adult conversation.

I agree with all the above, but wonder if you are able to take a week off work first to see if you can retrain him? If it is separation anxiety, there are some great online resources that could help. Maybe as a last chance if you really had your heart set on keeping him.

Thanks Krystal&Coco, rushing off to buy a bell now!

Oh, the bell's a great idea - that would be terrific if I could teach them how to use that, would mean I could hear it anywhere in the house. Ummm, now how to teach them? Do I ring it myself when I take them out? Put their paw on it before taking them out? Any advice would be great, thank you.

Sorry to hijack, but FlowerProwler, what are the pups in your siggie banner? They are absolutely gorgeous!

We got two pups on Saturday and so far toilet training is going really, really well - I take them outside frequently and keep repeating "go toilet, go toilet" until they relieve themselves, then heaps of praise. They've only had two accidents in their pen and that was overnight. But how do I train them to ask to go outside? For the most part they seem to be holding on until they go outside (I take them outside on average every hour), but I'd like them to learn to let me know they need to go. We've penned off a large room for them, as I don't want them free-ranging in the house at this stage. They will of course have free run of the house once they've matured a little bit and have learnt a few commands. For now they spend lots of playtime outside, then back in the pen until next play time. One in particular will whine and bark on ocassion to be let out of the pen, but it's hard to know if this is "let me out, I need to pee", or "let me out I want to come and play with you and the big dogs" - especially as he will often whine/bark very soon after being put back in the pen. I don't want to be inadvertantly training him to harrass me just for play time. Or do I just keep going as I am and worry about the letting me know thing once they are "free-ranging" in the house? The pups are 11 weeks (3.5 months) and 22 weeks (5 months), ex shelter dogs.