Just wondering if anyone can offer any tips here. Freddy, our papillon boy is over a year old now. We have had him since he was about 5 months old, he had another home first but the breeder had taken him back. He arrived here with some issues, really nervous and not well house trained. We were told his other owner only wanted him to toilet in one spot of the garden and would get cross if he went anywhere else so it's not surprising he has some anxiety. Anyway, we stick to a careful routine and praise him when he goes outside, we never get cross if he has any accidents indoors because he is terrified of people being cross with him. Normally if we keep to his routine there are no problems but he never asks to go out, we just take him regularly. Last night he woke us up about 3am lying on my OH's chest, Freddy was in a state shaking and panting, we thought he was ill! Then twigged he needs the toilet, he had an upset tummy and had no idea to ask to go out. Occasionally Freddy whimpers and gets anxious and we realise he must need to go, but he never goes to the door or barks to go out, so I am wondering will he ever learn this and can we do anything to help?

I have one that doesnt usually ask just follows the others, but last night she came and woke me needing to go out and shes 6, Normall one of the others will bark for them all !!!!

I would love to know how the dogs we own all communicate with each other.  To me they are sometimes like children one asks and the others follow LOL !!!!

My previous CKCS used to bark when she wanted out, she just taught her self, but after she passed away and we got Alfie, he didnt have a clue.  So after we had got him used to going outside to go to the toilet, so that everytime we let him out he went, I put a cat collar with bell on my back door key.

After this, before I let him out as normal, I got him to sit in front of the door, hold a treat right next to the bell, so that when he jumped up for the treat the bell rang. As soon as he rang the bell I opened the door and let him outside with my normal 'go for a wee' command.  I clicker train so I used a clicker as well (as he knows exactly what it means through previous training). It took quite a few goes and I knew that when he was repeatedly ringing the bell that he had got it.  At one point he was bell, treat, out, bell treat out over and over again, but he had learnt that bell meant out.  Over the course of a couple of days he realised that he could ask to go out.  So now he does, 99% of the time he goes out for toilet, but sometimes he just asks to go out for a mooch round the garden lol.  If he stays with my dog sitter, the cat collar gets put on her back door, so he uses the same way of telling her.

our dogs use our cat flap and just whack it with their paw or nose to let us know they want to go out.  One dog started it and they all followed suit so even my 9 month old pup does it as well.

My oldest dog used to shake and get very worried and upset when she needed to go out to the toilet and wouldn't ask to go out. With time and patience and as her confidence grew she has got better at asking, doesn't always but does most of the time. Hopefully as Freddy grows with confidence he too will start asking to go out.

Thanks all. I'm interested in the idea of the bell and treat - have never clicker trained or anything but Freddy is a smart dog, that might be just what we need. Will be off to buy a cat collar with a bell!

One of my chows comes over to me panting and looking me dead in the eye when he needs to go out, this is his way of asking. My boy pug just sits in front of me and looks frustrated at me whilst saying,' Mmmmmm' in a very impatiant manner, when I get up he then runs to the door and barks when he gets there. 

I don't think it really matters how they ask as long as you know they are asking.  Sounds like Freddy get's your attention just fine, not every dog's a barker lol :)

> Thanks all. I'm interested in the idea of the bell and treat - have never clicker trained or anything but Freddy is a smart dog, that might be just what we need. Will be off to buy a cat collar with a bell!

might help build his general confidence to so help him all over :)

as i said on another thread, dog flaps are great- no more asking required!

Personally I'm not at all keen on the idea of a dog flap for a number of reasons especially security. Even if I am in the house I don't leave the dogs unattended in the garden but would never let them go outside if I was out. (could get stolen, hurt themselves, escape, the other dog would bark etc) I would like Freddy to learn that he can ask to go out rather than just get stressed and panic like he does at the moment, that is why the bell seems a good idea and I do think it may boost his confidence.

Most of mine don;t actually tell me I just keep letting them out every hour or so..