Toilet Training

[mrs tornsocks]

Our 13 week old lab puppy is still not quite there on toilet training - we've crate trained him and he can sleep through the night now which is good, however he is still peeing inside now & then ... but runs outside (I leave the door open) to poo. Is this common & how can I teach him to associate poo AND wee with his patch outside ?

Thanks in advance

eta. we both work fulltime so not home during the day to help with the consistency of taking him to his spot & rewarding. Although he doesn't seem to go anymore on the concrete area, and his poos are all on the grass spot so assume he wees there too.

Edited March 22, 2012 by mrs tornsocks

[minimax]

how can I teach him to associate poo AND wee with his patch outside ?

consistency of taking him to his spot & rewarding :)

[mrs tornsocks]

how can I teach him to associate poo AND wee with his patch outside ?

consistency of taking him to his spot & rewarding :)

we do this. Why are poos 'sorted' & not wees ?

[NOCTRL]

13 weeks is still very young, i wouldn't expect a pup to be reliably toileting and not having any accidents inside until at least 6 months.

Also just leaving the door open and having him take him self out isn't really training - i know it's hard when you work full time (been there, done that in the last 6 months!). When you are home, do you take him out regularly and praise when he goes? Does he do this consistently?

Is there any reason you couldn't keep him outside during the day when you're not there (secure yard, shade, water, can get out of the weather etc?) I found it was much easier to teach our pup not to toilet inside if he was only inside when we were there to take him out, and give him his command "go wees" when we wanted him to (and at 13 weeks it was after he ate, after he played, before bed, every 2 or so hours during the rest of the time).

[mrs tornsocks]

13 weeks is still very young, i wouldn't expect a pup to be reliably toileting and not having any accidents inside until at least 6 months.

Also just leaving the door open and having him take him self out isn't really training - i know it's hard when you work full time (been there, done that in the last 6 months!). When you are home, do you take him out regularly and praise when he goes? Does he do this consistently?

We do take him out at all the 'normal' times, reason I leave the door open is he has taken to running up to the door when he wants to poo (sometimes outside the 'normal' post-nap, post-food, post-play times).

Is there any reason you couldn't keep him outside during the day when you're not there (secure yard, shade, water, can get out of the weather etc?) I found it was much easier to teach our pup not to toilet inside if he was only inside when we were there to take him out, and give him his command "go wees" when we wanted him to (and at 13 weeks it was after he ate, after he played, before bed, every 2 or so hours during the rest of the time).

Yes, we do leave him outside when we're not here.

It's more about understanding why he never poos inside anymore but still wees. Perhaps it's because wees are just more regular/common - but he really seems determined to either take advantage of the poo time when we take him out and give him the command, or he runs outside of his own accord.

I suppose we have been a bit spoilt with our older dog, he hasn't had an accident inside since he was 12 weeks (now 3yo).

[Mystiqview]

For inside. You can get (or make) a "Belly Band"

This is a simple band that goes around the middle of the dog over his willy. Place a sanitary napkin there to catch any wetness. It is a training aid, rather than a fix.

When they go to pee in the house, they will pee into the napkin causing a "wet willy".

Nothing beats reinforcement, praise, reward and regular trips outside for pee.