I have had Hermione a little over a month now she is 17wks old and I am having trouble with her toilet training. If I take her out and watch her no probs at all, but if my back is turned in doors she just does it wherever :-( She gets lots of praise outside but because I dont usually catch her at it indoors I cant tell her no. I have another dog who is nearly 4 and is v good. I thought Hermione may have taken notes from the older dog? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I think you're going to have to go right back to basics and treat her like an 8-week pup. Take her out after each play, after each nap, after each feed (she'll still be on three meals a day) and at least every hour she's awake. Watch her like a hawk - when she's awake, you're concentrating on her and nothing else. Don't let her go into any room if you're not there too. Maybe you'll need to take some time off work till she's learned.

Do you have a 'signal' word you use outside for when she's performing? And how do you clean up where she's been indoors?

As for her learning from your older dog - I've found dogs never learn anything good from other ones - only bad things! Take care that your other dog doesn't reckon s/he can get away with messing in the house if the pup does it ...

dont be so sure. our older dog toilet trained our puppy for us just about which was real funny to watch. they'd both do outside n the older 1 would squat down for a poo n the pup would watch then get into postion next to him and do one as well. (Altho we had a bitch for a short while after that which he copied squatting and he still does that now :S but nvm)

She does get taken out after every play, feed,sleep etc. Mostly it is if the children leave the gate open to the hall/lounge. Signal word is 'do wee wee' or pooh. I did originally start giving her a treat after every performance outside but I was told she would get confused on where to perform. I clean up using antibacterial disinfectant.

Some disinfectants contain ammonia which (to a dog) smells very much like wee and dogs often think that means it's okay to wee on top of the disinfectant. The best thing to clear up with is a solution of biological washing powder/liquid. A final wipe-down with surgical spirit (if on a hard surface) will remove all lingering traces of smell, which may be encouraging her to use the same area.

Other than that it's a matter of time, effort and concentration, I'm afraid. Good luck!

Thankyou I will get some surgical spirit and try that.