You can tell that I am a new dog owner as I keep posting this week. You lot are so helpful its the best place to come for advise!

Anyway, the next question I have is regarding toilet training. Toby is starting to be very reluctant about going into the garden on his own as we have always been out with him since he arrived just over two weeks ago. I when we close the door he whines and scratches to get back in. He does on some occasions go off and have a stiff around. When the door is left open he also goes out and does his business on his own.

Is it just a matter of leaving him out there and ignoring him and he will get used to it? I don't want him to feel it is a punishment but a fun place to be.

Any advise would be very welcome.

Thanks

Nicky xx

You should go out WITH Toby and keep saying a phrase that he can associate with the action ..*Hurry up* or *Be quick* or somesuch :) When he performs give him a big fuss so he knows he has done what you wanted. Carry this on until he knows what you are after ...gradually make the fussing (or treat) less and less until he is just going outside to do the business ;)

HTH

Melody

Hi Nicky

It's too soon to expect Toby to go outside by himself - you still need to go with him for a while yet. That's part of the fun in housetraining a puppy, standing outside in all weathers, even if you're only wearing your nightie :-) I would also not leave the door open so he can wander out by himself - the door needs to be shut so there is a clear dividing line between where he can "go" & where he shouldn't "go". Where puppies are allowed to wander in & out, often they can get confused & then the owner wonders why their pup has started peeing in the house :-) Don't expect too much too soon - remember Toby is very young & has a very short memory. Training is going to be an ongoing thing which will take months rather than weeks :-)

Jane

Hi Nicky

I still go out with Morgan each time he needs to go. House training has been the most difficult thing to crack with Morgan. He sometimes goes out and we'll be wandering about the garden for twenty minutes and he won't poop, then he's no sooner in the door and I catch him doing it!!! I feel like a yo-yo sometimes, no sooner have I sat down and he's sniffing about the floor again:-). It takes a lot of patience but you do need to be there to tell him when he does the correct thing.
Good Luck
Shirley

P.S Keep posting as it's good to hear about how others are getting on.

Hi Shirley, your pup is much to young to understand or be able to 'perform' to order yet. What can you do? Well for a start relax a bit, try not to worry about the odd pee or even very odd pee in doors, just clean it up whilst thinking what fun it is to own your very own puppy. Keep going out with the pup, keep the praise going, no scolding and before you know, you'll be asking questions about your grown up dogs desire for a mate. Jackie

Hi Nicky
I Borrowed a Friends adult dog for a couple of weeks. (Its a dog I trained and look after regularly to allow my friends work/holiday commitments etc) This taught my pup toilet training in a couple of days. Sure we still had the odd accidents after this but it was a fantastic help. Ive never had a toilet training problem as my pups always had an elder to copy. This time we did'nt so I borrowed one.
I dont know if this would be possible for you or not. If not there is'nt much more I can add to what has been said already.
Good luck Mick

I've never noticed any input from my adults Mick, I'm lucky if they avoid standing in it :) What exactly are yours doing to help?

In the days before I stopped house training mine I used to have a ground sheet down with the puppy pen set up on it and the puppies bed within that. I used to put down sheets of paper and praise if my new puppy used the paper. That was untill my adult dog came running in from the garden and emptied himself on the paper. I yelled at him and he look confused. After all how was he to understand that I was pleased when the pup peed on the paper and cross when he did. Ja:)kie

Hi Isabel
My adult dogs dont do anything in particular, I just find the pup copy's them as they are pack animals and take lead from the animals higher in rank. I may be wrong in thinking this, but Ive never used paper or training aids, such as things to sprinkle on paper to show them where to go, I just watch them carefully and try to catch them as they go for the squat and lift them outside.
Regards Mick.

Don't make any special effort to train mine either Mick, found they learn just as quick without all that effort. Just make sure they can get out should the urge take them and it usualy does within a few weeks apart the odd accident. But if they do go out I follow them and praise, I follow to make sure they are safe apart to anything else. Ja:)kie

Hi Jackie
Thats the way its been done for years I would imagine.
Regards Mick

I dont paper train either I suppose with patience it would work I found it a pain .
I just keep popping them out and then praise them
. I hated the paper and decided years ago I was not doing this .
So decided I was going to watch them for a few days and it worked so thats my way also.
Mari

Just a quick update!

Toby is doing very well and knows the word 'Go Wee wee's' when we go in to the garden together. He does his business and then we go back indoors. He even gives an indication of when he wishes to go out by going to look out the back door.

I am really very pleased with his progress, thanks for the advise everyone.

Nicky xx