newgoldie Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hi - I'm hoping someone has some ideas for us regarding our puppy's backward track on house training. We have had our gorgeous 11 week old Golden Retriever (Bentley) since he was just over 8 weeks old. We seem to be getting nowhere fast with house training, despite taking him out as soon as he wakes, shortly after he has eaten and if it's been a couple of hours since the last wee/poo. Some days we think we've got it covered, then others (like today) I'll take him outside to his toilet area, he sniffs around and starts to play so I bring him in with the idea of taking him out again in a few minutes. Virtually as soon as I brought him in he pooed inside. He did something similar to my husband last night - was out in the garden for about 10 minutes - nothing - then within a minute of being indoors he wee'd on the doormat! If we catch him in the act we do tell him 'No' and take him back outside, then clear the mess immediately. Our breeder recommended a mixture of white wine vinegar and water to get rid of the smell of ammonia - and to be honest he doesn't seem to go back to the same place all the time so I assume that's not the problem (other than our house smells a bit like a chip shop! :) ). What are we doing wrong.... Or am I just being impatient? Can someone give us any ideas on how we can crack this problem, before my house starts smelling like a lavatory! Thanks in anticipation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ams Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Puppies need to go out every 20 - 30 mins when little. Don't let him back in until he has done his business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Don't let him back inside until he does what he needs to do. He can play all he wants, but don't interact or play with him until he does his thing, and THEN make a huge fuss with lots of treats and happy noises and playing or whatever his favourite reward is. Sniffing around is a dogs signal of "gotta go" or finding the right spot. Sometimes they need to sniff the entire yard twice before they find the right spot. If you're out there for an hour with him before he does anything, then take a book and sit and wait it out. And be grateful it's not winter :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Agree with leaving him out until he goes. At that age he will still need to go out at least once an hour, that's what I did with my guys and they had barely any accidents. As a rule, if he has eaten, drunk, slept, played or is sniffing/walking round in circles - straight out and wait till he goes. Then as minimax said, crazy praise when he does eventually go! :) You will be fine, it just takes time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeimMe Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I hear your pain - I was in your shoes about a year ago. I think perhaps that some dogs just take longer to get the idea than others. What eventually worked for me was going back to basics and taking him out every hour, after naps, play and eating while he was on the lead. I would take him outside, give the command "toilet" and ignore him until he went then praised him madly and gave him a few treats. After a while I was able to have longer periods between toilet visits and fewer accidents on the floor. He'll get it eventually :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Agree with everyone :) Like WeimMe says, add a command word if you aren't already. I use "toilet" as well in a high, happy tone but you can use a possibly more effective but more embarrassing word like "wee wees" :laugh: At this stage don't say it until he is actually going, so as soon as he starts to go you say the command word, pause for a second then tell him "yes" and reward with heaps of praise and even treats. He's too young still to have full control of his bladder, so he won't quite be able to go on command and hold until he is given the command, so treat the next few weeks as a training period, expect a few more mistakes, then once he's old enough to have control he will have connected both going outside and the command with what you want him to do :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Oh and I agree that some dogs take longer to get it, I'm not convinced that my middle dog, who is nearly 2, actually "gets" it, I think he's mainly just following the crowd and copying the other two :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny1shine Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Have you crate trained at all? Our pup is 12 weeks old and after 10 mins of sniffing an no toilet when we're sure she needs to go, we bring her back I and straight into the crate for 10 minutes or until she makes the 'need to go toilet' bark. Then we try outside again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Agree with the others, I would dial down any interaction outside until they go while paying enough attention to praise like a maniac with treats when they do go. You probably give off unconscious "the pressure is now off" signals when you let the pup back inside. A book and a chair, and yes, at least it is summer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lollipup Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I agree with what everyone else has said too :) Just on the same topic, how about if it's raining? Some pups don't like the feel of the wet grass and it puts them off. Would you just keep standing there with an umbrella over the two of you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I agree with what everyone else has said too :) Just on the same topic, how about if it's raining? Some pups don't like the feel of the wet grass and it puts them off. Would you just keep standing there with an umbrella over the two of you? Yep, It's gotta learn to pee outside at some point, may as well be right from the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puglvr Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I tell my puppy buyers to not come straight back inside after the pup has gone to the toilet. My pups love to go outside and so if as soon as they have peed/pooed they are bought back inside then they tend to hang on to stay outside. So when you bring them in they "go" and what happens you take them back out again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I agree with what everyone else has said too :) Just on the same topic, how about if it's raining? Some pups don't like the feel of the wet grass and it puts them off. Would you just keep standing there with an umbrella over the two of you? Yep. Or in my case standing with an umbrella over myself and watching my lovely white puppies get more and more filthy as they plan in the rain and mud instead of going to the toilet :laugh: Least they have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lollipup Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I have a little toy poodle pup staying with me at the moment and of course it is bucketing rain. We both got wet, but he finally went and I have never been so happy to see a dog take a pee. The longer you go between raising puppies yourself the easier it is to forget that there is some hard work involved. I think I need to get puppies here more often to keep reminding me! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Oh yep! 3 baby puppies in 2.5 years here! I'm taking a break now. Funnily enough my toy poodle x malt is still the only one who will willingly go out in the rain, my two working breeds I have to take out and wait with them *rollyeyes* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 10 mins is nothing when it comes to waiting but at present your training it to go inside. All my pups are placed onlead when puppy toilet training so they learn to toilet on lead & also focus on the job. Just walk around saying "your " word & praise whilst there going with a calm tone. Dogs get it but they also get confused quicker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 We say Pee Pees :laugh: as soon as they hear that they run to the back door :) Lili doesn't like to go out in the rain either and tiptoes out quickly pees then bolts back inside looking at me like I'm the devil for making her go *rolleyes* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newgoldie Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Thanks everyone for your tips! We are taking him out about every hour, but I think it looks like we're not being patient enough when we are outside. It makes sense that this means he is learning that he can go inside if we aren't giving him time whiles he's out there. Much as the chair and the book idea is appealling, our pup tends to spend any time not playing outside looking for stones to chew on. We are contantly following him around while he's out there in case he swallows one - this then seems to be counter-productive as he is then getting our attention. He is also not keen on the midday sun (we're in WA so he's gonna have to get used to this at some point!) or the wind (we're on the coast, so ditto!), or the rain! In case you haven't guessed, this is the first dog we've had from a pup and it's exhausting, although we love him to bits which makes up for the frustrating bits! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I agree with what everyone else has said too :) Just on the same topic, how about if it's raining? Some pups don't like the feel of the wet grass and it puts them off. Would you just keep standing there with an umbrella over the two of you? Umbrella over me, not the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newgoldie Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 I agree with what everyone else has said too :) Just on the same topic, how about if it's raining? Some pups don't like the feel of the wet grass and it puts them off. Would you just keep standing there with an umbrella over the two of you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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