Toilet training Dexter!

Discussion in 'Labrador Training' started by Dexter, Apr 10, 2014.

  1. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Yes!you read it right!19 months and we are back on toilet training!
    Let me explain...we live opposite one of the community parks...we literally walk out the front door,down our path ,cross the road and we are there.While the weather has been ok we've got into the habit of popping his lead on and taking him over for a wee, a sniff,bit of practice of lead walking past anything interesting going on in the park....Bit of a sneaky off lead run :eek: and recall practice...anyway we are up to 39 degrees again,I've known I needed to address this and now the environment is forcing my hand...We can run from my front door ...and be on the grass in 13 seconds but I don't want his feet doing that in the 50+ heat :eek:
    :(
    So the clicker has been out this week ....we've learned that :
    1: during the day Dexter can last for 5.5 hours for a wee...we didn't know that as he always gets taken out and goes around the 3 hour mark....in his place on the bridge in the park
    2: it only took him 2 days to learn we want him to wee in a certain place but we haven't got it on command.....( he's on his lead and walked around the place we want him to go and we take him out and try every half an hour from his usual 3 hour window,then massive praisee and huge food reward ::) (you know my dog!)
    Do you all have it on command?.....ie if you need your dog to wee can you just put them out and achieve it any time?only because I'm wondering if the 'command' fits in with their natural capacity to hold or can you just say wee wee and they will do it for you anytime ?for eg bedtime?
    To guarantee a bedtime wee.....I'm putting the lead on now and heading off to the park ;D which we actually don't mind.....we are concerned about training the daytime toilet excercises for the garden to,avoid the heat
    I'd be interested to know what you do....
    He is house trained ,honestly ;D ;D :D ;D
    Thanks in advance everyone x
     
  2. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    Bless you and Dex for coping with that weather!

    Charlie wees on command, yes. We only do this in the garden. Out on a lead, he pees on command, reward. He always pees - if he doesn't need to go he does a dribble and demands a sea biscuit. If he needs to go, he'll do a long pee, then another couple, then expect more than one sea biscuit!
     
  3. lynnelogan

    lynnelogan Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    hi angela,
    we have never taught jasper to wee/poop on command, he taught himself,....he will not wee/poop in my garden, i think he taught him self knowing he would get a walk , its not always a good thing as i have got to take him out even if i am not feeling up to it :)
     
  4. Boogie

    Boogie Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    I take Tatze to the green near us to wee in order to save my grass from scorch marks :)

    She wees on command, which is very useful.
     
  5. Stacia

    Stacia Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    My two pee on command "have a pee" or "have a poo" :) My girls used to go on "be a good girl quick" :) My boys won't go in the garden so this command only works when we are out. I have said before on another post that mine will wee at about 5pm and then not go again until nearly midday the next day when I take them out again!

    My back lawn doesn't know what has hit it as it has been peed on from 1971 - 2013, not a drop has touched it since my GSP was put down just before Christmas.
     
  6. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    Interesting.
    We are having some work done in our garden, and OH said "I think we should train Lilly to just go in the one place".
    Hmm....good in theory.
    I am wondering how long it would take to do. Lilly is almost 4, and I am not so sure I am inclined to supervise every toilet episode outside in our Scottish weather. Any ideas and I might consider it, but you can bet your last dollar it won't be OH going out in the rain with her!
     
  7. Stacia

    Stacia Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    I had an area fenced off but very accessible to the dogs, first place they would come to on being let out, put bark down and bought a 'pee post' for the boys. Out of four dogs, only one ever used it!
     
  8. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    [quote author=Stacia link=topic=5354.msg67477#msg67477 date=1397160484]
    I had an area fenced off but very accessible to the dogs, first place they would come to on being let out, put bark down and bought a 'pee post' for the boys. Out of four dogs, only one ever used it!
    [/quote]
    Suggests I maybe should save my efforts! ;D
    Choccie Charlie is an expert though - there may be hope.....
     
  9. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    If Charlie can do it, I would have thought any dog can!

    Although, bless, my OH is the one who takes Charlie out, come rain or snow, and carefully counts out the treats for the pee. It's a very cute little routine they have. (I think it's a bit of a boy to boy thing with them). Plus, it's been in place from day one, so Charlie just accepts that's the way it is.

    They have just left for the bedtime "peep peep" (best said in a French accent). :)
     
  10. debsie

    debsie Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    Brods wees on command ( Do Your Wee), like Charlie he can always squeeze out something, i suspect because he so enjoys marking that he always keeps a bit back just in case! He learnt this from teenyhood. I think Cuilli will oblige if she needs, but she doesnt drink as much as brods snd tends to wee properly when she wees, doesn't save some back like brods, so more difficukt to squeeze one out :D. Isnt it nice that we know so much abour our dogs toiletry habits....neither of them poo on command, have never taught them that one....
     
  11. Lisa

    Lisa Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    Can't help with this one. With previous dog I taught him to poo in one area of the yard, but with Simba being older when we got him and all the OTHER things we needed to address I have never got around to it. Although, interestingly enough, he does tend to poo mostly in the previous dogs place so, go figure! :)
     
  12. Naya

    Naya Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    I've never done this so can't offer any advice, but good luck x
     
  13. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=5354.msg67474#msg67474 date=1397160065]
    Interesting.
    We are having some work done in our garden, and OH said "I think we should train Lilly to just go in the one place".
    Hmm....good in theory.
    I am wondering how long it would take to do.

    [/quote]
    Jacqui it's taken me 5 days.....I've got him doing it in the same spot ( we are still on the lead though) but I haven't got it on command ....here's what I've done
    I put him on his lead and try him about 4 hours after his last wee.....straight to the place I want him to go and say Wee Wee time! ;D If he doesn't go we come straight back in and try again in another half an hour .....on one of the trips out he'll do it .i tried using the clicker but he won't take a reward while he's in full flow ::) ;D so now I just make a massive fuss of him,loads of praise,big chunk of chicken and unclip his lead and have a play with him.Im going to try him today without his lead and see where he goes....I'm not actually that bothered about it having to be in the same place ...I'm just doing this so he'll use the garden and so eliminate the need to walk him on the hot pavement across to the park......
     
  14. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    That's encouraging Angela. Not so bothered about the wees and the poops are fairly predictable.
    Hmmm.....
    Will have to work out a good spot first :D
     
  15. Boogie

    Boogie Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    I have applied to be a guide dog puppy walker - they have to poo and wee in a designated area in the garden (the 'spending' area) and it has to be on hard standing, not grass.

    We are preparing the space then I will try to train Tatze to use it. I try to take her out to the green these days to save the grass from scorching, but if I can get her to use the puppy's area then that will save the grass anyway!

    :)
     
  16. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    Thanks for all your replies ,interesting.Dexter lasted 7.5 hours today :eek: think he's trying to outdo Jacqui and Stacia's records ( well the dogs records ;))maybe I've given him a bit more freedom too soon ,we'll go back on the lead tomorrow ......7.5 hours seems a long time during the day ???
     
  17. lablover

    lablover Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    Meg will wee on command. It's something we taught her when she was a pup. Unfortunately now she's become deaf so it's a bit harder. Before she was treated for cushings she was weeing near enough every hour to two hours. She's learnt now that if I point towards grass she'll go and do a wee.
     
  18. Lisa

    Lisa Registered Users

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    It is amazing how long they can "hold it".

    Last night Simba was out for his walk and we got home at 7:30. He did not go out again until 9:30AM....and not for lack of opportunity. I would open the door, he would stand there sniffing, but no go. Did this a few times...finally gave up. Around 9:30 he wandered over to the door and stood there. So. 14 hours. Wow.
     
  19. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    [quote author=Lisa link=topic=5354.msg67856#msg67856 date=1397349242]
    It is amazing how long they can "hold it".

    Last night Simba was out for his walk and we got home at 7:30. He did not go out again until 9:30AM....and not for lack of opportunity. I would open the door, he would stand there sniffing, but no go. Did this a few times...finally gave up. Around 9:30 he wandered over to the door and stood there. So. 14 hours. Wow.
    [/quote]
    Blimey,I've said it before but Simba really does have a strong constitution doesn't he!that is a long time x
     
  20. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Re: Toilet training Dexter!

    Help please guys xxxx
    Ive got a bit of a problem.....Dexter has now successfully built himself up to be able to hold a wee for 10 hours + during the DAY!This was starting to make itself apparent as I left last week ,I told the dog sitter and Chris to keep persevering with him in the garden but to have MASSIVE roast chicken jackpot rewards ready for if he did a wee........they haven't had a chance to jackpot him because he just holds and holds until He gets taken out for his eve walk.
    This is what I am doing .....he does his last wee on his walk 7-7.30 am ......from 11 am I start trying him outside.....back on his lead now,we stay out for about 10 mins.....I go to the spot I want him to use ( I'm not bothered about it being a particular spot though) and stand and say wee wee time Dex....we wait for a few mins,I walk him about the garden then go back to the spot and repeat,after about 10 mins we go back inside and try again on an hour and every hour after that.if I'm not home my dog sitter tries him using the same method.He won't go until I take him out on his eve walk 5.30-6pm :eek: then he goes immediately and massively soon as we get to the first tree /bit of foliage :( chris said just to check what was going on at the weekend, he ran him across to the park quickly and he went straight away...so it's definately the location that is making the difference.please don't think I'm being a fusspot but I ran the distance on bare feet that Dexter needs to walk to get from our front door to the park .this is considered the test here,if human feet can't take it,why would our dogs paw pads be able to take it?whilst I'm not blistered or anything it was blummin uncomfortable and not something I want him to be doing regularly when it's 50 degrees and heating up the pavement.
    I know there are dogs on the forum that can last like this ( Stacia and Jacqui's come to mind) but I'm worrying that such a change and what I feel is an enforced change is going to harm him?Is it bad for him to be holding so long when he always used to go regularly every 4-5 hours? There have been no accidents and there won't be,he's completely house trained.any thoughts,advice,suggestions much appreciated x

    I've just thought while I'm typing this.....if I take a big chunk of hot roast chicken on our walk,when he goes in his place of choice should I reward him and try and get him to associate a great treat with a wee regardless of the location and then try and get him to understand wee wee time gets a great reward wherever he does it .....when that registers get him to do it in the garden?
     

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