I have had the new puppy a Tibetan Terrier since Jan 23 and in accordance with the usual practice have taken her outside virtually every 20 minutes and waited with her, quite often she goes and I praise her and take her in, unfortunately to get to the back garden there are a few steps to negotiate and then a little path to get round the back.I usually carry her but thought as she seems to be blissfully unaware of what I am trying to teach her I have been encouraging her to follow me out, as it has been constantly raining since we brought her home and she doesn't like the steps much(she is nearly 12 weeks old) she has to be coaxed to follow us, she is very reluctant to go out. So I decided on another tack and have strewn the kitchen floor with newspaper and when she goes on that we praise her but she still seems to prefer to go behind the sofa or anywhere she happens to be when the mood takes her! Am I confusing her by encouraging her onto the newspaper and taking her into the garden? Should I do one or the other, and will carrying her out make it less likely she will ask to go out? Also can someone stop it raining!

Bet you feel you are chasing you own tail, relax and don't worry too much, 12 weeks is very young. Continue doing what you are, poping her out, and putting down paper but I would only put it in one place not over the whole floor. I must admit I no longer try to train my pups I take them out frequently and leave paper down over a ground sheet but that is about all, have found they seem to train themselves when they have control of their inner workings, which will not be until she is a few months older. Know it is a pain to clean up but it's well worth it, enjoy your pup she will become dry, promise. Jackie H.

Thanks Jacki feel so much better about it now, I had a feeling all puppies picked up the concept within a few days and mine was never going to get it! I shall become more laid back about it and I expect she will feel less stressed to.I must say she is such a lovely looking pup I love her when she is tired but can't say I really enjoy having a puppy will be glad when she is calmer.

I know how you feel! I have a 9 week old Lhasa and it's worse than having a baby! She can't go out yet because she's only had her 1st lot of jabs. However, when she can go out, I too hope that it stops raining!!! And the wind... I think that if I let her out now she would be swept up and deposited somewhere miles away - talk about raining cats and dogs....!

Sharon

There is no reason that your puppy can't go out into your garden, even with only her first innoculations. You just need to make sure she doesn't come in contact with unvaccinated dogs or where they have been in public places.

You are missing out on her best learning age, this is the time to introduce her to the big wide world in your garden.

Regards

Daz

My vet told me that foxes carry diseases that can be passed on to dogs. Is that true? That's the reason I haven't let her out yet - although I DID go out with her in the garden this morning, before the weather turned nasty again! Is it NEVER going to stop raining?

Sharon

Very strange I replied to this earlier, but it doesn't seem to have shown up. Anyway, my response was that we had been advised and also decided on our own to do 'either' paper 'or' outside' as both can confuse the pup. There is no problem carrying the pup out to do her thing - we often would take ours the second she woke up and carry her straight out and onto the grass. BIG praise for going and then let her back in. They do get the idea that 'that spot' is where they are to do it.

I know a lot of people paper train and outside train successfully, but with yours you may be giving her mixed signals and confusing her as to when/where it's okay to go in the house.

Also, when it was this type of nasty weather we would use the umbrella for her to shelter her a bit.

Wendy

hi
I have been taking out me little boy for the last 3 weeks and he is only 9 weeks old, i carry him as the garden is the only place he will not follow me. lol. he has decided where to go and it is the same place all the time but i have not yet got him to mess out side yet any idears

Bobby

Keep a VERY close eye on him - when you see him doing the 'hunting for a spot' behaviour in the house - take him straight outside (carrying him) and he should go out there. Use a word you want him to associate with the action (we use 'go potty') and when he is finished PRAISE him like crazy and treat him with a special cookie as soon as he is finished.

He is still very young so I wouldn't worry quite yet.

Wendy

My Barney is a Lhasa and is 5 months old. He can hold himself all night but he is rather wilful and will play outside every time we take him out (every hour wind and rain) and still come in and "go" by the back door. In fact sometimes I think he waits until he does come in! Other times he will go outside. I think he is like any child and will be naughty when he wants to. He certainly knows every word we have for food, walks, etc but still turns a blind ear to "no". I think you will find your little 'un will get the hang of it in time because I was starting to wonder if mine ever would and he is getting a bit better every week...not massively better but we are getting there. Arnt they lovely dogs - I wouldnt be without him. Regards Gina

When we had this problem we learned that we needed to make 'potty time' distinct from 'play time' so we put them on a lead until potty was done - they then got rewarded with the cookie and then let off lead to play for a bit. Hope this helps.

Wendy

Thanks Wendy. Will try that in about 20 minutes time and for the next few days and see what happens...the business I hope !! LOl Gina

Hi Gina again!! Guess we're the only two on tonight - I just answered your post about car sickness as well LOL. Best of luck with the potty training. It will take some patience - so expect to be outside for a while till he 'gets' that he won't get off the lead or go back in till it's done.

Wendy

Hi Wendy oh good I will have a look at the car sickness now!! I'm usually out on a Saturday but daughter in America for weekend to see boyfriend (must be love....all that way.....!!) so we are pup and cat sitting instead!! I am about to take Barney out (change that husband is) and he is going to put his lead on. Mind you I have never known an animal who cannot understand 'no' like Barney...if I say "here" he is attached to my leg straightaway LOL Thanks

Hi Bobby, Gina and Wendy - lol

When I was training my two - I made a point of a clear distinction between play-time and toilet time. I went out with them - sometimes on the lead and made no moves at all that indicated play. Firstly, rather than taking them out hoourly, i watched like a hawk for the signs, going quite looking "sheepish" sniffing the ground that general uncomfortable look that seems to over-come them. I took them out by carrying them and I just stood and kept saying "go wee-wee/go toilet" until they performed then tons and tons of praise intermingled with goo toilet/wee-wee depending what they]d done - then started on play-time.

At 9 weeks - you've some way to go. Some dogs can learn very very quickly especially if you have only that dog to watch and nothing elses to do and can spot them everytime. In most cases though it takes a significant while longer.

At 5 months - I think you need to go back to basics and start over again just as if he were 8 weeks old.If he is coming and going in the same spot by the door each tiime - somehow you need to break that pattern. Scrub the area with a biological detergent to rid ot of hte smell then spray with something like Febreeze. Do you have a different door you could use? If he does it every-time, as soon as you come in - watch him like a hawk and as soon as his bottom starts to lower shout "NO" scoop him up and get him outside and just keep on and on and on. If you do this he will get the message - but you do have a habit to break now.

I had it with my younger boy - as soon as he had eaten he would go and hide - I just had to get there first to get him up and out.

He is now 9 months and for the past two months, possibly more, I've only had the occasional accident where it has been my fault for not letting them out. After all meals they go straight outside and that does the trick. I would also do that wioth yours as it's usually a time they want to eliminate and let him out for a while also - they often need to go twice.

Sorry this is long - but hopefully it helps. Do let us know how things go.

Pam n the boys

PS for once - I was out last night having a lovely lovely posh meal - yummy.

Thanks Pam. I think I may be doing wrong in that I still have the nappy pad thingy by the back door and he comes in and uses it. I am going to put it in the garden now by the back door and see what happens? Not sure if this will help so I shall also follow all the advice given as well, i.e. training him all over again with leads and no play etc.
Many thanks
Gina

HI Gina

I think you are right abut the nappy pad thingy; because basically we (or the nappy pads!!) are training the pup to go indoors - this is where you go, this smells right - and then they are expected to transfer outside. It can be very confusing for pups, but on the other hand the pad thingys can be helpful for owners.

Personally I never recommend paper training or lettingthe pup ever do anything inside at all, because although most do eventually get the hang of it, it makes life more difficult .

We got up at night, let our bitch pup out (and went with her, and praised ) at all the usual times - after food, play etc. Had a few accidnets but that's par for the course. Realised she got confused at one point as we used the patio doors all summmer and then expected her to know to go out the back door in the winter. Our fault!!!

She's totally reliable now and asks to go out, but I feel it would have been ever so much harder had we started with paper etc in the house - just our experiences.

LIndsay