Toilet Training Puppies Explained.

[JaniceH]

Thanks Brunie...I have read this thread and found it very interesting, so I have copied my thread to here aswell. Maybe someone out there can help me.

I have a 5 month old bitch, Shine.

She very quickly learnt to go to the toilet outside in the garden and will whine or go to the door when she needs to go.

However, my training seems to have failed. At first, at bed time, I used to take her out for her last minute toilet (about 10.15 - 10.30pm). During the night I initially got up twice to let her out into the garden, reducing this to once, and then at 3 1/2 months, I decided she should be able to hold herself throughout the night. I normally get up at 6.15am.

What happens now is that at around 4.30 - 5.00am every morning (it got earlier over the weeks) she starts to whimper. I ignored her at first thinking she just wanted attention (she is crated at night) but found that she had peed her bed. I reduced the size of the crate so that if she peed then she may find herself lying in it which I believe dogs don't like. This didn't work. Her whining continues until I get up...getting louder and louder (the neighbours have made a friendly but subtle comment about their displeasure at hearing Shine so early in the morning). I started to get up and let her out and yes she always wanted a pee. I go back to bed but can't sleep after that as I am a very light sleeper, and as such, I am very tired. She starts to whimper again about 6.00am anyway, probably because she wants to pass her motions.

I decided to leave the cage door open just to see if that made any difference. Well, she whined for a short time at 4.30am and then it all went fairly quiet. I couldn't sleep as I was waiting for her to start again, but she didn't. When I got up at 5.45am, she had peed on the floor of the kitchen. This has happened now for the last three days.

What do I do now ? She doesn't drink much so I don't think picking up her water bowl will have much effect.

Please has anyone got any ideas? Have I done something wrong initially and if so, what can I do to try and correct it ?

Any advice would be so welcome.

Love to all your rotties.

[brunie's mom]

I think at 5 months she should be able to hold it through the night...from at least 10 p.m. to about 5:30-6:00 a.m.
If she is whimpering she is trying to tell you that she is uncomfortable and that she has to go pee. I would get up, without any fuss or muss or talking, etc...go outside with her..tell her "go pee"...and wait. When she has gone...tell her "good girl!" and then back into the crate with a treat. You go back to bed too...even if you can't fall back asleep again...then at least rest some more:D

I would not be giving her the freedom of an open crate door...the more accidents she get's to have the more mixed up she will be.

I would also take away her water by 7:00 p.m....if she has had some play and fun before bed..then maybe a few mouthfuls and that's it. Also you may want to cover up her crate with a sheet or blanket....it get's lighter earlier now and she may think it is time to get up.

How much exercise is she getting during the day?

Gina

[JaniceH]

Thanks for your reply Gina.

Shine is a very poor eater and doesn't usually finish her meal until about 9.00pm, so I don't really like to take her water up before then. She is on tinned puppy food at the moment which obviously has a high water content, so I don't suppose she will come to much harm. (She was just as bad on complete dried food)

She has about 1 1/2 hours exercise during the day which is spread over 3 - 4 walks (the last one being only her bed time walk of about 10 mins). During the evening she is very lively and I let her into the garden to go to the toilet at least 2-3 times before I take her out for her last walk.

A very doggy friend of mine has said that I am pampering to her demands by going down every time she whines, and that she will never learn to hold herself. She thinks I have spoilt her because as a small puppy, between 8 and 13 weeks, I would not leave her in her crate for more than 3 hours whilst I was at work. I always ensured someone (either myself or friends) would go in to let her out into the garden for her toilet and have a little play. I thought it was good to have different people who were willing as this would help her socialisation. But my friend said once a day (not three times) would have been sufficient.

Do you think she will learn to hold herself if I go continue to go down then ? I'm sorry for sounding ignorant, but will she not just get into the habit at 5.00am every morning?

Thank you for your patience.

[brunie's mom]

This may be your problem!!!! She should be eating two meals a day now. Get her on a good quality food...I'm not sure what you have in the U.K.?? A good quality kibble with a few tablespoons of canned...put the bowl down for 10-15 minutes give her a chance to eat...if the food is not eaten, put the bowl of food away. Offer it the next meal and so on...it may take a day or two for her to be hungry and clean up her food at once. It will not do her any harm.
I usually feed my dogs at about 7 a.m. and then about 5p.m.
I really do not think it is good for housetraining puppies to be feeding them as late as you.
I give mine each a dog bisquit when they go to bed at night.:)

It does sound like she is training you....I do think the whole idea of the crate is that she tells you when she must go relieve herself.
I would listen to the dog..if she is whining...then take her out to relieve herself...but put her back into the crate. This way she understands that she is just getting out to pee not to play or to visit with in the early morning.

Gina

[JaniceH]

Hi Gina,

I meant to add this to my reply to you.

Something strange did happen last night though. I took her water up at about 8.30pm. I went to bed at 10.20pm as usual but left the cage door open. (I forgot to shut it) She didn't whine at all when I went upstairs (she normally gives a little whine or two). I woke up at 4.45am waiting for her whining to start...it came at 5.15am but it was like only one short whine. I was about to get up when I realised she hadn't kept on, so I just waited and waited...nothing. I waited until 6.00am and couldn't stand it any longer and went down, ready to mop her pee up. NOTHING...no mess at all...I quickly let her out and she peed. I was so thrilled and gave her lots and lots of praise and cuddles.

So...what do I do now ??????? Cage door open or not ??????

[JeanT]

I will leave comment on your real topic to others with current/recent experience with the training.

I just can't help myself, however, from commenting on your "very doggy" friend's opinion. You absolutely were not spoiling Shine by arranging for her to have a crate break during the day. Shine is very lucky you can do that. Most people would love to be able to do that for their dogs, but not everyone can.

I'd caution you not to just accept this person's opinion even though to you she seems very "doggy", for which you may be giving her opinions extra weight.

[JaniceH]

I appreciate your comments Jean and feel better. Thank you.

[Vista]

Posts addressing poor appetite have been moved to a new thread in the Nutrition and Grooming forum:

http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/sho...threadid=25585

[dermon]

hi mick,

thanks for your post. I hope you could help. Everytime my rott eats i take him outside and tie him to a post so he can relieve himself. He does and after a while i let him go back in his cage (this even always comes with great difficulty). While in his cage he sometimes relieves himself.

the problem is he relives himself not in a regularl way. sometimes when his outside and sometimes when his inside his cage. sometimes we take him outside and he does not relive himself at all but when we get him back inside his cage he relieves himself!

i guess the problem started when we bought him from the breeder. the breeder had lots of dogs and i guess he didn't had time to properly toilet train him. the dogs relieves themselves inside the cages.

any suggestions?

derick

[Mick Trainer]

You will have to go back to the start and keep taking him out and then when you bring him in keep him with you and then take him out every 20 minutes so he can go. If he goes to go when you are with him simply say no and take him outside. (nothing more). Then he will learn too go outside. It will mean a fair bit of work and time for you but it will get the result.

Mick.

[LICrottie]

Hi Mick,

I will be picking up my 8 week old puppy from the breeder next weekend. I live in a high rise in New York City, I want to house (apt.) train my rottie, but can't let her out to pee until she receives all of her shots. Obviously I have to paper train, but I want to house/crate train as soon as the dog has its shots. Can you make any suggetions for proper paper training. Should I keep her crated and then take her to the paper to go pee or should I put her in a papered room and leave her there, each day cutting down on the floor area that is papered?

I work from home so time is not really an issue and I want to do this right the first time. Also any any suggestions on a smooth transition from paper to outside.

Thanks in advance

Marc

[LICrottie]

Hi Mick,

I will be picking up my 8 week old puppy from the breeder next weekend. I live in a high rise in New York City, I want to house (apt.) train my rottie, but can't let her out to pee until she receives all of her shots. Obviously I have to paper train, but I want to house/crate train as soon as the dog has its shots. Can you make any suggetions for proper paper training. Should I keep her crated and then take her to the paper to go pee or should I put her in a papered room and leave her there, each day cutting down on the floor area that is papered?

I work from home so time is not really an issue and I want to do this right the first time. Also any any suggestions on a smooth transition from paper to outside.

Thanks in advance

Marc