Puppy Toilet Training Timeframe Poll (for 8-14 Weeks Old Puppy)

[megan_]

IMO toilet trained is different from "no accidents in the house". If you're the one initiating taking the dog out then I don't consider them toilet trained. Toilet trained dogs either take themselves out or give you a very clear indication that they need to go out (eg knock on the back door or ring a bell).

True toilet training takes time. I suggest relaxing, not worrying about what other dogs do and just keep on cleaning.

ETA: Remember that often in these types of threads people who have had good experiences post, and those that haven't are a bit too embarrassed to admit that they took longer. I took a while because I worked fullt-time and he was left indoors with a doggy door to get outside. Obviously being allowed in the house without me there meant more accidents.

Edited September 13, 2011 by megan_

[Aztec Gold]

Chester is 12 weeks old now, and I would say he is 95% toilet trained. He has had one accident inside in the last 10 days, and that was my partner's fault for not taking him out in the morning after he came out of his crate. So he hadn't been outside for 9-10 hours, so yes, my partner's fault!!!

He sleeps all night, but he did that from his second week with us. He won't make a noise until we get up (10:30pm bed, 7-8:00am wake), and then once we get up he starts his wincing noises!!

He sits at the door, and stares at it when he needs to go out now, which is great!! Not bad for 12 weeks old!! I was expecting this to take us months!!!

[wuffles]

IMO toilet trained is different from "no accidents in the house". If you're the one initiating taking the dog out then I don't consider them toilet trained. Toilet trained dogs either take themselves out or give you a very clear indication that they need to go out (eg knock on the back door or ring a bell).

True toilet training takes time. I suggest relaxing, not worrying about what other dogs do and just keep on cleaning.

ETA: Remember that often in these types of threads people who have had good experiences post, and those that haven't are a bit too embarrassed to admit that they took longer. I took a while because I worked fullt-time and he was left indoors with a doggy door to get outside. Obviously being allowed in the house without me there meant more accidents.

Mine don't 'indicate', but I don't expect them to. They do hold on, though. And they'd take themselves outside if we had a doggie door or other way of letting them do so. Neither of my dogs have ever left a puddle beside the back door.

[Stitch]

From my experience, the smaller the dog the longer it takes to toilet train.

Our Dobe which we got at 10 weeks old never had an accident in the house.

Our main breed which is small/medium size will have accidents if we don't think for them when they are in the house. This is because we keep the screen doors shut all the time to keep out insects.

Some pups are easier to train than others even though they have free access to outside when they are young puppies and kept in the puppy area. This is so they can toilet naturally outside and learn good habits. Some pups will urinate in their bedding and others are very clean. This is an individual thing.

I think new puppy owners often have unrealistic expectations about their puppys toileting. They also make the mistake of giving the pup free range of the house and are then very surprised to find little messages around the place. Puppies need constant supervision so they don't learn that it is OK to soil inside the house.