Hi again Pepper, things are going a little off track in view of Lisa's advice :(   As you'll see from other posts, correct training from the outset is vital and will make life for all much happier in the long run so develop a routine and stick with it religiously.  As Brainless suggested take your puppy out every half hour or so throughout the day, immediately on waking from a nap, after playing games, after feeding.  It sounds like a lot of hassle but it is only for a very short period.  During that time your pup will have occasional accidents indoors - these are always OUR fault for failing to notice that the pup needs out (sniffing/circling) or not realising that he/she has just wakened.  Never scold your puppy for these accidents - quietly clean up as described by Brainless and try and be more vigilant :D  It's more difficult in an upper flat than in a main door property but 1000's successfully house train pups in your situation.   PLEASE don't follow Lisa's regime of only taking her dog out when she feels like it one of the most exciting things in a dog's life is sniffing new places and identifying who/what was there before him - we owe it to them to provide for their needs, happiness and comfort before our own.  Good Luck, Teri :)

well said teri i am horrified at lisa`s views :(

Lisa's regime, is in my eyes, gross neglect!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely. I'm stunned and appalled. :( :(

Pepper - can you not even put a small piece of turf just outside the door for your dog to use? We have a big patio outsied our back door and since I do not want my dogs to use this I buy a turf once a week and sit it on layers of plastic, I clear up the poos but the pees serve to help the dog know where it is supposed to 'go'. I watch like a hawk and as soon as circling starts grab pup and rush out to turf, give command as it is happening and lots of praise and a treat after.

If accidents do happen they (and they will) need to be cleaned up in such a way that the DOG cannot smell it, that means a specilist cleaning product such as 'simple solution'.    

Bluebell  - do you think this would work in a block of flats on the communal landing.  Just how bad does it smell?  I live on the third floor of a block of flats and it took six months for my current dog to be totally clean.  By about 4 months she was reluctant to go on paper in house and was asking to get out but if I was growing grass (my neighbours will think I've lost the plot) she might start to ask to get out earlier.  I'm also a bit concerned about the smell as I don't want to affect my neighbours with any odours or risk offending them with wee'd on grass lying about the landing. 
Where do you buy the grass - is it the PAH pet grass and do you find that your dog goes on the patio grass in preference to real outside grass?  Sorry for all the questions but I'm getting another dog in a few months and would like it to be as easy as possible and would hate for my 2yr old to regress and start messing in the house.  the volume of puppy pee is far less than a full bladdered adults pee!! (if i could do a horrified face smiley it would be here!)

Hi Cheekychow Im not sure how it would go down with the neighbours, but I cannot see it getting smelly being a real problem so long as you change it at least once a week. Our turf came from a local turf specialist and cost £1 per strip. You can buy it from any garden centre, infact you could probably put it in one of the really big shallow plant trays that I have seen in some garden centres to keep it a bit neater. Of course we always cleared up the poos and changed it as soon as it was looking the worse for wear.

My dogs quickly learn that any grass is good to wee on - the only down side is the first time one of them went to a kennels for the day- he kept his legs crossed the whole day until he came to greet me - he ran straight past to the nearest grass and had an enormous pee! Oh and you need to be able to dispose of the used turf I guess that you could wrap them up and put them in the bin but the make great compost if put on a compost heap :D

Many people put a piece of turf on their balcony for this purpose. Easy to renew and teaches the dog that 'outside is good'.
:)

we owe it to them to provide for their needs, happiness and comfort before our own.

Nicely said :)

Thats what i was thinking J/G. Dont most people who live in flats have balcony's? I would think that would be the perfect solution,there wouldnt be any trapcing all the way down to the furthest point of the backyard(like my dogs always did :rolleyes: ) or go down to the street. You could always stand half in,half out and still be close enough to the dog.This is the first time i've really thought about it,but i would much rather had a balcony when i was housetraining than a muddy,cold yard ;)