Please help me!! Puppy toilet training.

[Tasia 10]

Hi,

 

I have a 4 months old chihuahua x jack russel puppy. He's doing well on a puppy pad with some minor accidents. He had his vaccinations not long ago so I have just started to take him out. Sometimes he does a pee and a poo outside but sometimes he does not. E.G I took him for a very long walk today...from woodseats right to lowedges and then back...trying to get him on a grass but he prefers pavement. What is worse..for those nearly 2.5 hours of walking he's not done anything but as soon as we got home he went straight onto a pad and did a wee and a poo. How do I get him to do it outside?

 

Thanks for all the responds.

[Sarah1985 10]

Dogs are funny about toileting once they've got an idea of wheres right and wrong to go its hard to get them to generalise. I have a puppy that dragged me home from the park the other day because shes got it in her head that she can only wee on our garden or on the park...

 

The reason i dont use training pads is that they soon get the idea that the pad is the only place they can go and removing the pad will result in him peeing and pooing where the pad used to be (ie inside).

 

You need to move the pads outside and encourage him to use it outdoors. You can either move it gradually in the direction of the door or just remove the one inside and put one outside. Then you'll need to start doing the usual puppy routine. Taking him at once an hour, after food and water, after play and after sleeps. Then masses of praise once hes been. Once hes got the idea that weeing and pooing outside is prefered he'll start learning to ask to go out.

 

With regards walks you might want to be careful walking him that far too soon. 2.5 hours is too long for a puppy of that age. The best way i can think of would be to take a pad out on the park. No doubt the min it hits the floor he'll wee on it and then you can give him masses of praise.

 

Are the pads the scented ones that make him want to wee and poo on them? If that are cant you get the same smell in a spray bottle? If you can you could try spraying that outside and see if its the smell hes looking for.

[ladyB 10]

I know very little about dogs and my 5 month old is my first dog however she was like this at first. would never wee or poo anywhere other than in the house or garden. I think it was because of all the other smells and her confidence. Not wanting to soil another dogs patch!!!! Possibly. anyhow once she started doing in in the park etc she got loads better. Not able to really advise however just be patient and I am sure it will work out!!!

[Lotti 10]

Sarah's advice is very good and worth heeding - however what ladyB says is also true. Particularly male dogs will often have confidence issues about toiletting outside of their own property. You may find that once his hormones kick in a bit and he gets some confidence to toilet where other dogs have been, you'll have a hard time stopping him from peeing on every lamp post or tree!!

 

Again - as Sarah says be careful how far you walk him. If you need to be out that long, carry him part of the way. It's not as bad for smaller dogs but the general rule of thumb is 5 minutes per month of age so I would say your puppy should be doing 20-30 minutes at a time (you can do as many walks a day as you like though). This is to ensure you don't damage his joints as they are forming because they are still quite 'soft' at the moment.

 

Good luck

[Tasia 10]

Hi, I do know puppies should not walk a lot. I said I was out for 2,5 hours but of that he probably walked 40 mins himself. Anyway, I went to my mum's house and he did not do a pee or a poo there either. Then I stayed in our yard as soon as I got back home to make sure he does something eventually but he did not want to do it in the yard either ( he used to do it before though). I hope it will just tick soon.

[Lotti 10]

I do feel for you Tasia, I recently housetrained a puppy and it's not always easy!

 

Good luck - just make sure he gets lots of praise for doing it outside and when he goes inside (even if it's on a puppy pad) don't take any notice at all.