Im getting a six week old puppy on friday and am a bit confused as to how to toilet-train him.
I live on the second floor of a flat, with a large comunial garden, which means i cannot just 'open the back door and let him out'.
I work full time, 9 - 5, and my partner works shifts, 6 - 2am and 2 - 10pm.
I was going to paper train him, and eventually, when he his old enough to hold his bladder for longer periods, train him to go outside.
Can i still let him outside,in my garden, even though he isnt fully immunised?
Any suggestions on the best way to toilet-train him will very much help.
Thanks

That's a difficult one!! Personally I wouldn't be taking on a pup when I lived on the second floor of a flat, but I know that we can't all have a house and garden!! The communal garden could be a problem, especially if there are other dogs using it (you're not going to be able to have a pup who's not been vaccinated where there are other dogs). The other problem is that you work full time and your partner works shifts. You can't expect a 6 week old pup to be able to hold on for hours!! This is going to make toilet training very difficult unless you can get someone responsible to sit with your pup whilst you're away. Your idea of paper training until the bladder gets bigger does seem the best idea for just now, but it will be a bit difficult to stop him going on the paper later on.
Good luck with what you decide and let us know how you get on.
P.S. What type of dog are you getting?

Sarah.

I agree, personally I'd wait until my circumstances were more suitable. Who is going to be with the pup during the day, to train it to use the paper? It won't learn without being taught, and it could take some weeks.

6 weeks is far too young for a puppy to leave its mother - I dont take any puppies or let any puppies leave until at least 10 weeks, though usually the minimum is 8 weeks. From you flat and working circumstances your puppy is not going to learn to be clean at home, furthermore i think it is quite cruel leaving such a young puppy on its own for that amount of time...

Why dont you wait until your circumstances change?

Hi Vikki,
i don't agree with any off this apart from having to watch that other dogs haven't been in the garden. We live in a maisonette and have our own garden but it is not fenced and we let Sooty (black Lab) roam in our neighbours who doesn't mind. We both work full time..my boyfriend 10am - 2pm and back on at 5pm - 10pm and i work 9-5. We take Sooty out every hour when we're home and we've had her since she was six weeks old. She is now 12wks and doing well. We bought Puppy Training Pads from the pet shop which have a scent on them to make the dog do the toilet which mostly do the job. Before we got Sooty we did get a few comments that it'd be cruel but it hasn't damaged her in the least. It is hard work but give it your best shot and you'll be happy that you proved them wrong. And when you're not in, it'll give her time to sleep and recharge her batteries so that she'll have enough energy for playtimes!
Good luck!
Shelly.

Shelly,
Could you read my reply properly!!
I was trying to help! I gave my personal opinion and tried to suggest ways of getting round the problems. You've said that you go back every hour to let your pup out, that's fine. I said that a pup couldn't wait hours to go out, and that someone responsible would be better to be with the pup whilst they are at work and can't get home, do you disagree with that? As I said, not everyone has a house with garden. There are ways of getting round this, as you've discovered, but it has to be done properly!!

Sarah.

Shelly,
Thanks for your positive advice. Its good to know we're not the only ones!
Vicky

Hi Vikki,
No problem! Taught Sooty this week to give me her paw, I couldn't believe it! You'll get on fine, oh and by the way...we don't come home every hour and take her out for the toilet, we take her out every hour when we come home from work. Your pup will cry when you leave her which is quite worrying but it will die down eventually. Sooty's quietening down gradually but it's taking time. Tell your neighbours why she's crying before they worry she's hurt! At first she'll miss her mum a lot and then she'll stop that and start missing you! Let me know how you get on.

Shelly

hi

theres nothing wrong with working and having a pup he/she will get use to your routine,puppy pads are excellent its hard work toilet training but your get there in the end ,the pup will get use to going when you get home,good luck

Glad you agree with the working bit. Sooty's used to our routine and now know's when she has to sleep. She knows that when we come home it's playtime. She sometimes sits at the living room door at night waiting for my boyfriend to come home! And she wakes one of us up between 6am and 7.30am to take her out for a wee. Still has 1 or 2 accidents through the night though but a lot less than when we first got her.

Shelly

hi

well we ave to earn the money to keep the puppy,i work and my pups use to it shes happy as larry,

Yes well buttons can't feed the dog! Sooty's sitting beside me snoring just now! I'm taking her out for her first walk tomorrow with my friend and her dog. Hope they get on ok. I think it also stops the dog from getting too spoilt and thinking your at her beckon call. What kind of pup have you and how old is it?

Shelly,

What times do you feed your pup?

Vicky

Hiya
Sooty gets fed at 7.30am when i get up, then again at lunch time around 12noon but if i don't come home my boyfriend feeds her between 2 & 3pm. And her last meal, usually when i eat which is usually between 6 & 7pm. But i also give her little treats apart from all her meals! I feed her 3 pouches of Pedigree Puppy...believe it or not it's the only wet puppy food up here! Well that i can find anyway! After your puppy is fed he'll probably be looking for more food...he's not really hungry, just greedy.