Hi,  have had my cocker pup for 5 weeks, he's 13 weeks today, and thanks to the advice given to others , I'm taking him out to house train him. I understand the theory but am a bit confused as to how to put it in to practice...at first he was taken out every 30 mins , and now every hour, sometimes he goes out the cat flap to have a poo, without any prompting, but it seems that he goes to pee on demand, but doesn't really have any idea that he's supposed to do it without me telling him. I go with him , make a ridiculous fuss when he gets it right, but how will he learn to hold it at all(when he's older obviously) if I keep taking him out hourly? If I leave it longer, he goes on the hall carpet...he's doing well with his crate, which I only put him in if I need to do something and I can't watch him, for less than 1/2 hour max, and he sleeps in his open crate in the kitchen at night. Very good, no fuss, but I would like him to sleep in his crate at night,  and would like to know what age is that ok? He's happy in his crate, and I want to take it slowly so he's totally happy in it, but am wondering if it would help him to be clean at night as I come down to loads of poo and pee!! but don't want to put him in it too early and create a problem . I feel like I'm doing something wrong, as loads of folks on here seem to have their dogs clean in days , and I just need to know I'm doing ok, and not doing something really stupid that's slowing my pup down...Sorry to ramble on, but sooo want to do it right.... thanks for any help xx by the way, I can't get up in the night with pup to take him out as I'm still on anti-depressants and they knock me out at night as they're supposed to !!

<<<I feel like I'm doing something wrong, as loads of folks on here seem to have their dogs clean in days >>>

Bobo, some dogs take months- dont worry about it , pup will soon learn. :)

Thanks Lel, I don't mind just being patient, if I know I'm on the right track....thanks for the reassurance....

Hi, Bobo it does sound as if you are doing all the right things. I have put my cocker pup Ozzy in his crate at night time (after he,s been out for last wee) after 10.00 . I close the crate he has a bowl of water attached to the inside of his crate. He is six months old now and has been clean in the crate from his first night in there. His granny Tina sleeps in her basket next to his crate. He still has an odd accident through the day but very rare. I think little boys sometimes take a little longer than girls to gain full bladder control. Ozzie rarely goes in the crate through the day he sleeps with his granny in her basket. Don,t worry he,ll get there in no time at all!

Pups don't 'learn' to hold their wee - it's an ability that develops with maturity - it can't be taught - the bit we teach them is 'where' to go......  You'll find that one day you'll have forgotten to take him out - and he hasn't wee'd, or that he's asking to go out (it helps if he can't wander about the house at this stage, so he can't sneak off and do it by the back door - the less chance they have to get it wrong, the quicker they learn the 'right' thing :))  The ideal way to use a crate is to be able to let the pup out either when the pup demands it, or by setting an alarm clock (then setting it half an hour later every night so pup learns to 'hang on') Obviously you can't do this, so the easiest way would be to put newspaper down (not to 'paper train') purely to make it easier to clean up.  When he's not messing on that at night it's your cue that he's ready to spend the night in his crate.......  By then ofcourse, there's no real benefit to locking him in :(

thanks for the replies...Snoop is never allowed to roam freely, I'm either watching him, or he's in the kitchen with his toys, or , for a short time , in his crate....so hopefully, Digger, I'm doing that bit right!!
thanks....I'll just keep at it then...xx Louie ,when did you first put your cocker in the crate all night?? Thanks!!

Ozzy didn,t come into the house until he was 12 wks . I put him in his crate the first night inside and didn,t hear anything until 6.30 the following morning . He was howling (i get up at that time anyway) just wanted to be outside for a wee. I was expecting a sleepless night though. He has been excellent through the night. Wish you luck!

Thanks....five cockers?? lucky thing...aren't they gorgeous???

Yes they are , my mum bought me my first cocker when i was 9 years old . I had wanted a German Shepherd ! she liked cockers . I have been hooked ever since. ( 30 yrs gone february!).

What colours do you have? Is there any difference between them, as some people say there is between the colours? Do they all get on? They're such happy little souls, aren't they? :)

They are all blue roan. Tina my oldest now is 7 years, Emma who is 4 years, Holly who is 2 years , Alfie who is 8 months and ozzy who is 6 months. I like all of the colours but blue roan was my first love.They all get on brilliantly . Tina,s the boss though!

My Snoop is a blue roan!! Always been my favourite too...mind you, love all of them...sounds great...:)