Hi there, I was after some advice. My GSD puppy is 13 weeks today. She is very big for her age (14.45 kilos already, with VERY large feet and knees). She has done brilliantly with her toilet training. She has never pooed in the house and has only had as far as we can remember 3 wee accidents in the house, and that was wholly my fault (she sits in front of you whining to tell you 'I need to go' and both times I had fallen asleep on the sofa - yes a new puppy does take it out of you!!!) We currently crate her between 11:30 and 12 at night, and now she can be left until 6am before we get up to take her out again for a pee (she doesn't whine or moan though to indicate that she needs to go, we just take her because of her age and I don't want to leave her all night just yet as that would be too much I think). Everytime she went to the loo, we would say 'wee wee' (meaning both wee and poo) and so she got used to hearing that word when she went to the toilet. Now she is understanding that when she hears us say 'wee wee' we want her to go and she does, which helps us immensely as she will go when we say 'wee wee' before we are going to take her out in the car or something like that.
Now I am totally unsure as to how long a puppy needs to be crated as part of their toilet training. We are using the crate purely to toilet train her, and also I wanted her used to a crate and comfortable with the sensation of being crated so she will be used to it before being spade and heaven forbid any other operations she may have to have at the vets through her life, and also for the car. When can we start to tranfer her from sleeping in her crate to sleeping on her bed in the kitchen? If she was in the kitchen we would still get up in the night for her (probably twice at first and then adjusting the times gradually as we did when we first got her). I don't want to push her too fast in her training, but we are quite keen to transfer her from her crate on to her bed at night. Our kitchen is tiled (nice and wipe clean!) and is a galley kitchen, so is very small, so she wouldn't have a massive amount more space than she does in her crate already which is an adult GSD size crate. Any advice on how to pursue her toilet training would be really appreciated. I have got this far with great success but I don't want to expect too much for her or set her back unduely.

Thanks!

Hi Nanny Ogg

I have read your posts with interest as I have a puppy GSD Kody who is just over 17 wks old, I know this is hard to believe but I have had him since 9 weeks and he used to go in his cage at 9 p.m. and has NEVER woke up until about 6 a.m. the earliest.  I used to wake up and have a look at him during the night but he was always soundo !!!  He is now more active during the day so he is in his cage from about 7.45 and wakes up when I get up at 6 a.m.  He is in a cage not just for toilet training but because I have a 7 yr old GSD and she needs to have a break from him.  But he LURVES his cage, and goes in there during the day for a nap. (Bless)  He has also got enormous feet like your puppies, everyone remarks on them.  I am not sure how much he weighs now, but he was weighed about three wks ago and weighed 16 kilos.   By the way I think he must have a cast iron bladder.

Personally I'd keep her in her cage for some months yet :) Make sure that she is really reliable at night - don't rush it, as you say :) Also, if she develops any puppy habits like chewing, it might be better to have her still used to her cage :)

Daisy