Adopted Puppies Need Some Advice

[Lilly02]

Hi everyone

I just adopted 2 puppies from a friend of a friend who has been unexpectedly deployed overseas for 14 months. He couldn't find anyone to take them so was about to give them to the RSPCA before my friend convinced me to meet them and they were so adorable I had to take them. We were going to get a pup at the end of the year but I couldnt let these guys be abandoned.

They are a very very strange cross of a lab and a cav spaniel. So I have no idea what they are going to be like or look like when they are older. I am taking out pet insurance on them just in case.

The pups are brother and sister and are 15 weeks. They have been to puppy school and have been crate trained for night time. We are continuing to have them sleep in our house at night time in their crates.

We work so will be gone from the house from 7-4 but I want them to be able to come inside as soon as we are home from work but their previous owner never had the pups inside so they are not really toilet trained. My question is how do I toilet train them when they are in their crates all night and outside for most of the day? How do I train them to let me know when they need to go?

Am I facing a loosing battle as I am away so much? I can't really take time off work but if thats the only way to get them toilet trained then I will.

I am a bit worried about it since they are just a strange cross breed but they are just so adorable and I am in love already. If you guys could offer any advice that would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[BigPaws]

First of all, good on you for taking on two pups at the same time and good luck with them both.

With the toilet training, I would just keep a very close eye on them when they're inside and the second they start sniffing around take them outside as this is a sign they are looking for somewhere to go to the toilet. Also put them out after eating, playing and sleeping. I teach my dogs a word like "toilet" and say it whenever I let them out and say it while they're going and also praise them when they go.

There are some products such as "odour go" or "urine free" which can be sprayed on any spills to deter further accidents.

[koalathebear]

It is going to be tricky to toilet-train them if you're at work all day and they're outside but 4pm is nice and early-ish so there you should still have plenty of opportunities to train them when you get home from work.

As BigPaw mentions, keep an eye out for when they sniff. Some dogs don't really give you a lot of warning (taking the position etc) so have the door easily opened or already open and be ready for quick dashes.

Also, take them out after drinking water and after their meals (I think it's about 15-30 minutes afterwards). Always take them out straight after they have been sleeping as puppies always seem to be very wee-ful post-sleep.

Try to take them to the same part of the yard when you take them out to toilet. Not only does this help with clean-up, but it helps them to understand what you're trying to make them do. You may find that two dogs, one dog will distract the other dog from its toileting because it wants to play etc. Just do your best to keep them contained in Poo Corner - move them back to the toilet zone whenever they stray.

House-training is one of the most challenging and least fun parts of puppy ownership. We have puppy #2 right now and he's actually remarkably well behaved inside but the last two nights, we were really sleep so foolishly went to bed without making him do number 2s, the end result was a lot of clean-up in the middle of the night.

Good luck with it all!

[Christina]

No advice on toilet training, you will get plenty.

Other advice is to get them desexed now. They are old enough & the last thing you want is for them to mate.

If you miss the signs & they do mate so phone around now for vets that do early desexing.

you are an for giving them a home