Two weeks ago I collected our new nine week old cavalier puppy and life has been a nightmare ever since. I am experienced with cavaliers so do not have any rosy view about taining a puppy, but by all standards this one is a nightmare. She had a bad case of worms but now these have been dealt with she is starting to eat better and is more energetic like a puppy should be. Due to the worms being dropped everywhere I used a puppy playpen for her at night and when she sleeps during the day to avoid the other dogs ingesting them. When she is awake she is with me.  My main problem is trying to housetrain her.  She pees about every five/ten minutes the first hour she wakes then about every fifteen minutes the rest of the time. I take her out when she wakes, after feeding,etc then every fifteen minutes but the number of puddles in the kitchen per day is unbelievable. She does not even sniff around just sqats. Doesn't use the same area, pees in the bed area or where ever she is she just squats.I shout no and take her outside to finish then praise and treat her but she does not get it. I try to spend the first hour outside with her to avoid the mess in house but an wondering if this is really benefiting the situation as although she pees outside she is not actually learning the need to go outside. If she was a toddler I would put her back in nappies and try again in a few weeks but don't know the equivelant to that with dogs. I have taken three weeks off work (I only work pt/time) to settle her in and go back at the weekend.  She will not be home alone as my husband will be here, he will watch her but not to the level that I am so things can only get worse. She has been checked for urine infection but is clear. She has just woken I took her outside, she went, we came back in and she puddled whilst I was opening a new bag of treats.  I feel like weeping. Does anyone have a magic wand to rescue me from this nightmare. I am usually so good with puppies but can't get the handle on this one.  I know some of you will say its only two weeks but from past experience some progress should have been made by now. I will try to be more understanding now of people who find new puppies overwhelming. Anyway thanks for listening to my moans I shall return to the bottle of bio-detergent and kitchen roll.
Margaret.

At 11 weeks she will not have control over her bladder yet. You will need to carry on taking her outside every 10-15 minutes as well as after food and drink. Use a phrase, something she can learn to associate with the act of peeing, we use *Hurry up*. Praise effusively when she performs.

When she has an accident, clean the area with biological soap powder mixed with hot water, this should stop her smelling the accident afterwards.

If you are, as you say, experienced with puppys, I don't understand why you expect a 11 week old puppy to be getting the idea already. Just keep at it and she will get it, all dogs vary but I think that using a key phrase may help her :)

I am experienced with puppies as I breed them. I start taking them outside (weather permitting) as soon as they are weaned using the command 'do wee wees' and rewarding them. I have found that if this patterned is installed in them from about 5 weeks it just becomes natural for them to take themselves outside when the door is left open.  The litter that left me a month ago did not have any accidents after 7 weeks and have remained clean in their new homes.  The two dogs that I have bought in as puppies were both clean within two weeks as long as the door was left open. As they grew older they used the dog door so we never had any worries about leaving them for short times. I do understand that all animals are different but would have expected some improvement in the new puppy with two weeks.  I can't have just been that lucky with my previous puppies.  I can only think that she has been left in the puppy box the whole nine weeks without any guidance except from the bitch.

aw margaret I really feel for you. I am afraid I dont know the answer but I am sure that somebody will be along to offer some good advice. Our puppy is 15 weeks and he just seemed to get the hang of it I didnt really do anything. I was going to suggest urine infections until I read that you had it tested. I wonder whether she has another health/bladder problem. Did you talk to the vet about the problem. I had thought all dogs wont mess in their bed/den unless they really have to? Max has never messed his bed or anywhere apart from one spot by back door and every time it was our fault for shutting the door and not watching him for signs of needing to go so my gut reaction to your story is maybe a health problem. Have you spoken to the breeder? I wish you the best of luck and just hope somebody has some good advice for you. It sounds like you are a lovely owner and the pup is very lucky so I am sure you will get this sorted just hang in there.

  If the breeder allowed her to build up such an infestation of worms, I wonder if the puppies were raised with only one substrate (flooring) inthe nursery area?  Puppies raised like this often fail to recognise that one surface is OK to use, and will wee where ever they like, because they've never noticed any difference...........  If this is the case, then it's really a matter of making sure she recognises that weeing outside is what gets the reward, and not following you back indoors - take the treat out with you ;)

I have started taking treats outside with me but was caught on the hop this morning, more organised now though.  I also think she has been kept in puppy box all the nine weeks.  

Are you sure the pup does not have a bladder infection,??
A friend has recently got a pup, also full of worms due to negligence from the 'breeder' (??  ) same probs with house training but she developed a profuse dishcharge from her vulva...... they still have not found the correct antibiotics to cure it.

Thanks for the reply, she does not have any discharge or appear uncomfortable at the moment but I will certainly keep a close eye on her. I have wondered if there could be any connection with the worms or maybe it is both down to a breeder more concerned with profit than the animals health and comfort.  Hopefully we will get it sorted soon for both our sakes.