Another Toilet Training Question

[Adele]

I have a 12 week old female American Bulldog that we have had for 2 weeks. She is mainly an outside dog during the day but is allowed inside when we are at home. She gets taken out (the exact same route) to go to the toilet when she is inside regularly. We have our toilet word for her and she has picked up on that really quickly and she gets a lot of praise when she does go outside BUT she continues to wee inside even when we leave the door open. She won't take herself out and she never asks to go out. Are we expecting too much from her and what can we do?!

[The Spotted Devil]

Personally I think you are expecting too much from her Don't give her a chance to go inside - take her outside every half hour to begin with (plus after eating, waking and playing), then gradually extend that period. Most of the time, their bladder control is not sufficient for them to think about going outside let alone holding on long enough to make it Plus, inside is so exciting!!!! Once my Dally had some bladder control, he just looked uncomfortable when he needed to toilet so I had to be pretty observant to pick it up. Even now, he just gets a little restless and whiny.

[Ahona]

Our golden retriever puppy was the same at 12 weeks He knew the toilet word, and got lots of praise for going outside but didn't go outside by himself. It's only recently that he has started letting himself out to go pee and has started holding it in till he can go outside and he is about 16 weeks old

[Adele]

Thankyou for your replies! I am just going to have to be patient I guess and hope she will get the idea soon.

[BC]

Yes, you will need to be very patient. Toilet training can take many months before you get a pretty trustworthy dog

[Erny]

Thankyou for your replies! I am just going to have to be patient I guess and hope she will get the idea soon.

Hi Adele - by the sounds of it you're getting most of your pup's toilet training right. Except for one thing - that is that you need to learn to identify your pup's unique's signs that it appears to need to go to the toilet. Sniffing, circling - these can be some of the typical signs, but each dog is a bit different to the next. If you're vigilent, you'll get to learn these signs. It is at the first of these signs that you need to be on your toes to act quickly and encourage your pup out the door via the route you have learnt.

To be able to watch your pup to learn these signs, and to avoid you pup learning a habit you DON'T want in the meantime, you of course need to be able to keep your pup in sight. So block access to rooms and have pup where you can be on the watch.

Continue with the "toilet word" and praise once your pup has gone to the toilet in the appropriate place, as you have been. And continue to take pup out at the 'prime times' for toileting (after sleep; after play; after meals; after it's been a while since the last toilet stop) as you have been.

If you're vigilant with watching, it shouldn't take too long.

I like to recommend people DO NOT think that toilet training is completed until the pup/dog has gone for at least 4 full weeks without an accident inside (without intervention from the owners). But even then, it's not a matter of completely taking it for granted ...... you wean off your attentions to vigilence bit by bit, until you can know you can trust your pup's toilet training skills.

Good luck - and in the meantime, enjoy your puppy and all the trials and tribulations in training that you journey with her! :D