OK, I've had dogs in the past, namely ones which were puppies when I was a child... As such, my parents did most of the toilet-training. I'm in the process of tracking down a Chiuahua puppy and wanted to ask a couple of quick things, as this'll be my first time training my own pup...

So I bring her home, she's paper-trained and I continue having her go on the paper, inside. Once she's settled in, do I have to get her shots before taking her into my garden? No other dogs, just cats...?

How do I wean her from the paper to the outside, probably the patio somewhere? Is it worth putting sheets of paper outside for her to go on, slowly reducing the size of the papered area until she knows only to go outside, in this spot, in the absense of paper inside?

Depending on vaccination stuff, I wanted to take her to work with me during the day. She'll have outside space to play and poop in, but I'm worried about the occasional rat that we spot out there. Obviously, I wouldn't leave her unattended, but can an un-vaccinated OR VACCINATED dog catch anything from rats, or generally from a typical "unkept" (swept, tidied, but not "maintained") yard space? This has been worrying me...

Any help appreciated!

The sooner you can do away with paper the better. Ideally you want her never to mess inside, so it is less confusing for them if you do everything you can to make this easy for her.

The dog-free garden will be fine for the pup before she's had her jabs. The yard with rats, however, is another matter. Rats are prime carriers of leptospirosis, so this would be a dangerous place for her.

Good luck!
:)

I know someone whos dog recently became ill from catching a rat :(
Would be worried personally- especially with a pup too :rolleyes:

Thanks for the info. So an un-vaccinated pup is fine to play in my home garden, yeah?

My thoughts about the rats you've just confirmed. I guess I'll keep her at home until she's a little older, then take her to work once the yard is either TOTALLY cleared out and rat-free or I'll walk her on the other (nicer!) side of the building...

Matt

Check with your vet about getting your pup vaccinated for Leptospirosis. (Should be two jabs, two weeks apart)  And how soon after the lepto vaccs are complete will it be 'safer' for your dog to go into 'ratty' areas.

All my terriers work rats and other vermin, and all are vaccinated against lepto (as well as the other vaccs) and i never had a single case of lepto with my dogs.

HTH

Caroline x

Make sure there are no sources of water in the yard as rats are very incontinent and uri*ate in water.  If there is drinking water in the yard then empty the containers every night and refill in the morning or when she wants a drink.

Smaller dogs have much more difficulty 'holding it in' and will need to go on toilet trips every half an hour or less as puppies - after playing, sleeping and eating also.  Our pup is kept in an ex pen, (when we are not around) with an open crate inside, there is a small paper area down in the ex pen, that way when pup does have to be left for an hour, I know that he can go on paper and not have to stress about needing the loo or give him the chance to soil his crate.  When we are around, (nearly all of the time) we will take him outside frequently and he is quite happy to go outside.  We leave the paper down all the time at the moment, as I would hate to miss his 'look' that he gives when he needs the loo (it really is just a look and if I miss it im too late!) and him go on the floor, as I think that would make matters worse.  He is going on his paper less and less and asking to go outside more and more (He gets his feet wet on paper and that bothers him!) I will remove the paper when he is older and he can hold it for longer and he is a bit more reliable. But just to let you know really, that I have used paper and have managed to teach him to go outside also.  I believe that like my breed, you can actually litter box train them, if you prefferred, but dont quote me on that one! Lisa 

(ps Im no expert, this is just the way I have worked my own small breed of dog.... and we havent finished yet!! *any advice greatfully recieved!*