We have a 4 month old Westie and are trying to house train him. We are using 'training pads' very (almost too) successfully but we just can't get him to go outside. Because we don't have direct access to the garden it's very difficult to catch him before he goes on the pads. When we take him outside he just won't go. We've been outside with him for what seems like hours, coaxing him to go but he just won't, he holds it all in and as soon as we get home he will go. Can anyone give us advice on how to proceed as he just seems to have an aversion to going to the 'toilet' outside!!

Try word association with him, i use ' quickly' ...but you have to be prepared to be watching him at all times to kick start the training, as soon as he starts going towards the pad or after he's eaten take him straight outside and wait! i know it sounds tedious but it works, this method was suggested to me by my vet and all of his staff use it with their dogs.
Best bet is after food take him outside and let him get on with it, he will go eventually, and once he does say your word ie, "Quickly" as he's going and then make sure you have give lots of praise for being such a clever little soldier....... Basics are Best!
:)

Hi Sooz,

Will try what you suggested and hopefully (eventually) he will go. Thing is, when he goes outside I think he just gets so interested in the smells and other things going on he just forgets.

Apart from that he's the best :-)

Take a training pad outside - once he's using it happily in the same place, gradually reduce the size of the pad until he's using the same place in the garden.......

Hi Digger,

We've tried that, but he just won't use the pad outside. He sniffs it and circle's, like he's going to go but the little devil just won't!!!

Thanks for the advice though, will keep trying.