I purchased a bichon pup 11 weeks old had him for 2 weeks now (i know not long) but have a few questions as my last dog of 11 years was a staffy so im not used to this breed. Firstly he has not had a firm proper poo since we got him he is on royal canin (breeder had him on)Secondly i know hard work needs to be put in been there before but nothing like this he screams the place down if i go to the kitchen same with trying to get him to stay inthe crate and i mean screams howls hops around the crate on back legs and will not give in so its hard to let him out when he stops as thats not very often.And finally toilet training OMG how hard is this breed?? my staffy would go on paper if couldnt get outside from 9 weeks this little monkey pees and poops where ever he is standing and im taking him out every hour sometimes sooner and outside for sometime only to come in and he goes inside (frustration) lol please someone with kind advice help me!!

Bichons are notoriously difficult to housetrain.
Being bred as a companion dog, that is what they like ...companionship...every moment away from you is stressful for him...probably contributing to his loose stools.
I know some bichons are we're never fully housetrained and yes, you will find them very different from a "Staffy".

Are you staying outside with the pup when you say that you take him out?

Toy breeds don't do "easy" they are nothing like your other breeds.  If you had done your homework before getting this breed you would have known that they are the most difficult breed to housetrain.  Your pup sounds very unhappy and stressed.  How long are you crating the pup for?  I only crate at night, and at this age, the crate would be by the side of my bed so that I could reassure the pup.  Hopefully there shouldn't be a need to crate during the day, but if so, for very, very short periods, once you have trained the pup by crating for just a few minutes at a time.

My Border Collie was trained in 24 hours.  But, as already explained, toys are just not the same as other breeds.   We breed toys as if they are babies as we want them as companion dogs.  And you wouldn't say a thing if your human baby wet the bed at 18 months old.  I would say that 8 months would be exceptionally good for this breed to be getting it right.  Unfortunately there are some toy breeds that are never 100% trained.

Hello firstly yes i did do homework on the breed before i got him i am home everyday apart from shopping etc crate only if i want to go shopping or clean without him getting hurt night time he is beside me and copes well at night i asked for advice from people not to be shot down and judged all i wanted was some knowledge on the subject from maybe professional breeders of bichon or anyone who has a similar dog thankyou for the help i did recieve :)

Forgot to say of course im with him outside wouldnt leave him alone he would be into allsorts of trouble

Hi, I have a toy breed and I can honestly say that I can count on one hand the amount of accidents she had in the house. And they are because I wasn't paying enough attention.
You need to get to know when he is going to poo/pee so you can get him outside immediately. I read that they sniff and circle before toileting but my dog sniffs in a straight line. It is a different sort of sniff to just mooching outside, her head goes down on the ground and she looks focused.
For the first few weeks I didn't go out to do a big shop - I got a Tesco delivery so that I wasn't leaving her too long.
When I nipped out on the morning school run I would nip into the local shop then.
I would then take her with me on the afternoon school run.
As for getting a shower and cleaning, it's a bit like having a new human baby !, you have to feed/play/toilet the dog before you do anything. Try and get to know his routine so that you can do jobs when he is likely to sleep.

Regarding his diet, what are you feeding him and when ?

I actually didn't use the crate in the day, I restricted her to the kitchen which had been puppy proofed and she was happier.
I didn't use paper either. You want the dog to go outside - not inside.
Remember not to overtire the pup, they need regular rest.  And try to enjoy him, this won't last forever.

Hi thanks i never use paper as it will confuse him i watch him like a hawk somethimes when i know hes likely to need to go i hVe him on a lead near my feet thing is he doesnt give any warning when going to pee which is difficult and becasue hes so fluffy cant see when hes actually going until we hear it lol i know when he need to poop as he goes ape and. Runs around barking lol i feed him 3 times daily around 830am then 1230 and 530 so he empties before bed he is pretty good at nighttime as for leaving him in the kitchen he screams if i move out of vision bless i know they are an attached breed but i dnt want to molly coddle him we do attend puppy classes too we are a family of four and even if 3 of us are in living room with him and one goes to make tea he starts yelping and whining for other person and we were tryibg to crate him for few mins during day and building it up but even if we are in the same room he creates blue murders

I purchased a bichon pup 11 weeks old had him for 2 weeks now (i know not long)

Exactly, not long, your pup is still a babe not long from his mum, reeeelax...... :-)

When I get a pup I start training immediately, (so pleased you are doing puppy classes :-) ) sits, stays, recall, accustoming to the whistle, and socialising, we have great bonding and great fun, with lots of love, cuddles and reward, separation anxiety is out the window, don't even touch such a thing until a pup is so much older, settled and secure, (if ever needed) forget it completely, this pup just needs to be with you for now so allow him to be, if that is what he wants, take your foot off 'curing' this kind of behaviour immediately, or both you and the pup will stress each other out completely.

Pups are generally on 4 small meals a day at this age and the last feed for me (some breeders even later) is approx 7-8pm, did your breeder give you times and amounts to feed? For me you are too caught up in trying to stop your pup toileting and the most important thing is that he is given enough food spaced throughout the day at good intervals.

A tip I can give to speed up toilet training is, I always get up at 4am with new pups and call out into the garden to pee, you need to call your pup out into the garden very regularly during the daytime too, with a pup I will do that every 30-60 mins so that you can catch many pee's outside and give that very much needed reward for me it is a big fuss and they remember and learn from that, any other accidents you just ignore.

But, you do know as already said they are the hardest breed to train, my old neighbour still didn't have a dry dog at 12 months which is why she resorted to crating just on a night-time. So no point in expecting a 13 week old pup of this breed to be anywhere close, infact with this breed, I would expect nothing........ and be extremely please with a few point scores outside.

Just be consistant it is all you can do, but with this breed it will be slowly, slowly, hard I know when you are used to dogs being trained quickly, I would find it hard, I train pups so fast, but knowing this breed I'd just have to accept it and not be frustrated by it, so I would let it go and just concentrate on bonding and giving the pup the extra companionship this breed craves, when it comes to pups they get what they need, you can train things in or out as a dog ages, he will never be like your other dog in anyway. ;-)

Just try and keep trying but keep in mind it may not work.........yet, especially at this age and hopefully instead of frustration you'll learn to just relax about it. ;-)

Its still early days, try not to worry. my friend has two bichons, personally they are far too much hard work for me but each to their own :-)

Putting pup in a crate for short periods will do no harm. A) it will force him to rest which all young pups should do and B) will get him used to the crate being a calm and happy place to go. You sound like everything you are doing is correct, its just a case of time and perserverance although I can understand you feeling frustrated at the moment :-)

The crate thing is upsetting me because he screams for england!! And honestly doesnt stop even out of crate with others in room any one of us go in kitchen off he goes again! Lol i read up lots on bichons and wanted a lap dog companion but i didnt realis he may never stop soiling my home :( that has upset me everything i am doing doesnt seem to be working thats all maybe im expecting to much i was younger when training my staffy had more patience i love him dearly and really hope he will be clean he even wets his crate when left too :( thanks for advice really appreciate it he is a lovely little dog i just want him to be a well behaved one too

My pup was on 4 meals a day at this age. The third meal at around 3.30pm was scrambled egg with the other 3 meals being meat meals. You then gradually drop it to 3, then 2 for life.

I was also getting up around 2-3 am for a wee break. This gradually got put back and she eventually didn't need it as she slept all night. Now she looks at me like, "do I really have to get up ?" !!!

Have you organised a groomer ? It's worth looking early and getting on someone's books.
Can you tell us what you are cleaning up with ?

Hi hes awesome at night goes and sleeps in crate with door locked next to me and i take him out through the night when he needs to go but daytime he has none of it also i clean up with pet odour remover from the pet store or biological washing powder he was on 3 meals a day when we got him so stuck to that :)

As for a groomer yes hes already on the books :)

>i asked for advice from people not to be shot down and judged all i wanted was some knowledge on the subject from maybe professional breeders of bichon or anyone who has a similar dog thankyou for the help i did recieve :-)

I had no intention of shooting you down.  :-)

However, I still maintain that this little chap is stressed.  And as you are frustrated, as you say, the dog will feel this, but not know what to do about it.  I'm surprised that your research didn't pick up that this is the hardest breed to housetrain.  He is never, ever going to be as reliable as any other dog that you have known.

I do think the breeder should have warned you to be fair.  Have you asked them for their advice?  A someone has already advised you, do try and relax, as this will rub off on the dog.  And hopefully, by a year old, he may have it halfway sussed. 

Good Luck  :-)

Thanks i read hard to train didnt find that may never be clean that is odd just hope he isnt one that never is :( my mistake obviously i didnt go into depth on breed still hes here now and we have a loved little pup :)

The never getting clean is something I have been told by numerous Bichon owners, so much so that belly bands for the boys are often used, as they can also be devils for urine marking behaviour.  That's basically a sanitary belt.

My friends two bichons are fully housetrained. It is possible, just not easy (compared to other breeds)

How are you getting on now tracey?

My sister owns an ex puppy farm Bichon bitch, who is completely housetrained, so it can be done.
Good luck.

I know it can take months etc but after 3 weeks of walking pup out to garden to do buisness constantly surely he must show some sign of going near the door??? Nothing he will just if given the chance that is to go wherever he may be usually on my rug or in the kitchen!!

Celli thanks its nice to hear that someone managed it i am getting worried i really dont want a dog thats never clean really if i can help it noone does 😊

> I know it can take months etc but after 3 weeks of walking pup out to garden to do buisness constantly surely he must show some sign of going near the door???

Even with an easy pup it's still a bit early to expect that.  Look closely at your dog there probably are some subtle signs but blink and you'll miss them.  Sniffing and circling are classic signals but I find that mine are way more subtle than that :)

Re your other post though, at least you know when he needs a poo!!

Have you tried using a pee pen?  These can be very useful for focussing your dog on the job in hand (pardon the pun).  I use a pen made from puppy panels and the pup is taken there every time we go outside for a pee - the more they use it, the more they want to use it - the smell encourages them to repeat wee in the same spot.  As soon as your puppy has pee'd give lots of praise, a reward and let him out for a proper play.  Most boys need to pee more than once each time but as long as you get the first one in the pen and then wait outside long enough to catch the 2nd and 3rd wee then your lad will start to get the right idea.  Add a word to the wee action and you can get - with some puppies- a pee on command which is incredibly useful :)

hi tracey

Don't panic - it's still really early days, especially for a toy breed!  Just wanted to add one thing to all the excellent advice you have already had which is that in my experience even fully house trained adult dogs don't necessarily always 'go to the door' when they need to go out.  Mine never have unless they really need to get out there urgently.  They just look a bit restless and come and find me and give me a certain look ... !  I would never expect a pup or young dog to be able to 'ask at the door'.

Mine have been house trained very quickly (much bigger breed than yours, so easier) but it took a LOT of time and patience and for the first couple of months I spent so much time outside walking in small circles with  them - often every 20 minutes - that it felt like I was outside (rain, shine, sleet or snow!) more than I was indoors.

Try and be patient and take it day by day.  The methods others have described really do work if you can be consistent with them, praise every outside wee/poo and ignore any accidents.  I am sure you will get there eventually with your little chap.  Good luck.

Yes i feel the same spend more time outside on the naughty step or so it feels lol hes signs to poo are great its the pee part nothing sometimes he has even done it whilst laying down!!!  He has a special part of the garden where he always goes to of his own accord with me watching and relieves there its just inside he walks off and always pees on my rug lol

When you are outside is he on his lead? If not put him on his lead so he doesn't have the chance to play and when he goes huge praise for him and reward him - treat/verbal/toy whatever he responds the best to. Then introduce a word as he is going - I use the word "Busy" so eventually he relates the word to the action.

I have one dog who will ask to go out by going to the door and giving one short bark. Neither of the other dogs do this - one might go out to the kitchen area but doesn't go to the door and the other one doesn't give a very noticeable sign at all that he needs to go out. I just ensure the dogs are given ample opportunities to go outside to toilet.

The two older dogs will go on command when asked and the younger dog is still work in progress with the on command bit. Some dogs take a lot longer than others but consistency is the key - good luck :-)