Toilet Training Puppies Explained.

[Mick Trainer]

Ok if you are planning to put the dog outside the sooner the better. Get her used to it ASAP. Too do this put her outside and ignore her cries, scratching etc. When she goes quiet (and it may be a little while) go and let her in. She will soon learn that crying etc does not work and that going silent will get her back inside.

As for teaching her to let you know that she needs to go outside start to feed her outside. She need to desire to go outside. Feeding her outside for a week or so should get her excited to go outside when food is on offer. Once she is at this stage goto the door (leaving it shut) with the food bowl in hand and stand there and start to talk to her "What do you want" what is it etc" so that she starts to get excited and offer behaviors. As sonn as she touches the door in anyway prasie her and open it taking her dinner out and feeding her. Repeat this for a couple of nights. Then go too the door the next night and repeat but only open it when she really gives it a knock. (When she reaslises that what she did the night before is not working in all likelyhood she will try it again but a little harder, reward this by opening the door). Then slowly wind down what you are doing (no talking etc and get her to offer behavior).

Once you have her elling you she wants to go out for her dinner simply do the same with toileting. Once she has seen it with her food and she desires to go to the toilet outside (which will be once she has the habit of going outside) she will soon figure what she needs to do to get outside.

Mick.

[ArLawman]

Mick,

Thanks for the post and I will use this advice when I get my boy. I also think this needs to be put back up to the top again.

Tim

[Connie]

Mick,

Thanks so much for your advice! I haven't posted anything until now because I wanted to try your suggestion. It is working! But I have one more little thing to add to your advice that others might find helpful and fun. About the same time that I heard back from you, my Dad had seen an article in the paper from "Hints from Heloise". She had somebody write in and say that rather than teaching the dog to scratch on the door, she hung a bell on the door knob! When she knew the dog needed to go outside, she persuaded it to "Ring your bell".

I used your advice with the feeding outside, and with dog bowl in hand, tempted her with the "food!!!" "outside, you wanna go outside" - "ring your bell". Now I have added "outside - go potty" - ring your bell!!! It is working!! I know for sure also, because I had to run an errand yesterday, and left her in the house. My son, in his bedroom, heard her whinning and ringing her bell to try to get outside to follow me!! Not only can you hear the bell throughout the house, it also saves the finish on the door!!

I very much appreciate your response to my question, and I hope what I am posting about the "bell" is not a good thing to do. It just seems to be working for us. Tory is my third rott, but the first female, and the first I have raised from a pup. I appreciate knowing there are so many people out there on hand to give such good advice from having so much experience!!

Thanks again,
Connie

[Mick Trainer]

Connie,

This is a great idea. I had not thought of it but I really like it. Vrey clever and should work easily.

Mick.

[Tcharles]

I am enjoying the post regarding tolieting puppies. I have a question for I guess Mick or anyone that can provide me with some suggestions. My family and I will have an addition to our family next week (new proud owners!). His name is Kingston (8 weeks old). Unfortunately, I will be going back to work at the end of this month. My plans were to stay home for a few more weeks to house train the puppy. Although, we have decided to crate train, I was wondering if someone could offer me suggestions on what I should do since I will not be home most of the day? We want to start out right as best we can. Thanks.

[DivaDog]

this may be a little off topic but i have never had solid answers from anyone...how do i make the dog poop on command?

to answer your question woofwoof this was THE EASIEST thing I taught Maya! All I did was tell her "Do it" over and over as she was relieving herself and I would stop saying it when she was done. It actually did not take long before we could tell her "Do it" and she knew that meant to go potty. Hope that helps, nothing fancy:D

[moondog]

More little puppies at Rott.net! Time for a boot back up to the top! :D

[07RED]

Dear Mick

I've found this thread very helpful, we have a 9 week old Rott and have had him a week now, he is very good as he always asks to go out to do his poos and mostly goes on the grass but doesn't seem to want to do the same when he pees, he seems very keen on peeing inside and prefers to pee on the concrete or tiling when outside. As the inside of the house is tiled aswell I was wondering how i could get him to poo and wee on the grass?

Your input is most welcome.
Many Thanks
Claire

[Mick Trainer]

Claire,

It is simply a matter of putting the dog on lead when you are puttig him out too the toilet and teaching him to go on the grass. If he going inside like it says in the article you simply need to take him out sooner.

With toilet training there are no magic cures or quick fixes it is simply going through the motions until the desired behavior becomes the learnt one.

Mick.

[Beckysmom]

On the bell concept. I tried this too. But there needs to be some way to stop it from becoming a way for the dog to say "come" to the human. My dog quickly caught onto bell but used it not just for when needing to go outside, but also when desiring to get my attention. I ended up taking it down. But it was great for the door not getting scratched. Any ideas on how bell could be used without it turning into a major tool for the dog to train the human with?

[H-B]

Mick,

I've enjoyed your post regarding training. I'll be getting two puppies this weekend (male and female -- 7 weeks).

I'm sure we'll have lots of accidents. Are there any types of sprays or home remedies that I can use on the carpets when the puppies make a mess?

P.S. The puppies will be house dogs and I don't want to paper train.

Thanks


H-B

[DivaDog]

I clean up puppy messed with a spray called OUT! that I get from walmart. It takes away the odor so that you and the dogs can't smell it anymore. It seems to work well.

[H-B]

Thank you DivaDog. I'll put it on my list for this week.


H-B

[Maglee]

To Mick Trainer,

We still having problem to train our almost 4 months female Roxy to do her business outside when my hubby walked her. Since we got her at eight weeks, we paper trained her. So now she only do her business on the designation place which is our car porch (still within house compound). And she never do her business after food, the time just not fixed. Any suggestion?

Thank you very much.
Maglee
from KL

p/s: this is our first dog.

[brunie's mom]

For new people asking questions about house training their new pups or even older pups.....please read this thread.:)

Gina