Whisky has produced urine burn all over of grass – despite trying to hose down after every visit and giving him tablets to neutralise the nitrogen burn. I am therefore going to try and train Whisky to use a designated area but where do I start? I will have to build an area in our small garden but what size should I make it. We do not have a large garden so do not want to create a huge area. Was thinking about an area approx 1.5m x 2m. I will obviously create good drainage so I can tidy up and hose down the area but what top surface should I use. Artificial turf appears to be the best solution but what about using gravel or sand instead? Apart from the grass and flower beds the only other area (at present) is the patio but Whisky appears to be reluctant to use paving stones – and in any case my wife would prefer that Whisky had his own area. Any advice gratefully appreciated.
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area I am a puppy walker for Guide Dogs - they have to have a designated area as blind people are unable to search the garden. This is our 'spending pen' as they call it It does need to be fenced off 'tho or the dog would move to other places. Fifi, the pup we just had, was brilliant at spending there and nowhere else (Guide Dogs can't wee or poo on walks either!) Guide dogs must have paved areas, but if I were creating one for a pet I would have half artificial grass and half paved so that the dog had a choice. The size is 3m x 4m.
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area Thanks Mags, I was hoping not to create a pen area as we want Whisky to have free run of the garden - but he does however have to eliminate in a designated area.
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area Yes, I looked at our lawn in the spring and decided things had to change! We already had a small gravel area (about 2m across) which we put tubs and containers of flowers around, so I conscripted that as toilet area but we still have the flower containers round the edges too. I then religiously took Merla out for toilet breaks on a lead only, and just to this area. Now (5 months down the line) she'll pretty much go on that area anyway, although what is really useful is that she knows what's expected if the lead goes in and we stand on the gravel - no more chivvying from the doorway when I'm late for something and she thinks she'll just check each blade of grass in the garden! Lawn looks great too, and I don't have to worry about my daughter doing cartwheels on it. Definitely worth doing in my opinion.
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area Kath, did it take 5 months to train this behaviour or are you just saying that you made the change 5 months ago? We tried using a designated area (including a pee stone to aim for!) but gave in after numerous episodes of standing in place for 15 minutes with no pee appearing! :
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area We made the change 5 months ago, February I think, or approximately when it stopped permanently raining!! (Remember that? Seems ages ago!!) We got the desired effect pretty immediately on lead, as I'd already trained a 'pee/poo' command. At first, she did look at me rather quizzically ('What, do it HERE?!') and would pull for the grass, but I just kept sticking her back on the gravel and repeating the command and eventually she'd give up and do it on the gravel, to much cheering and treat-giving from me. And she is quite good at picking up what produces good treats! So I think I'd advise training the 'go' command first, which is pretty useful on its own.
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area We have a similar system to Kath; Bess uses a strip of gravel for a wee and the adjoining flagstone for a poo (easier to pick up then from gravel). I think the key thing is to get Whisky to perform on command. Alice
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area [quote author=Alice link=topic=7152.msg98409#msg98409 date=1406795101] I think the key thing is to get Whisky to perform on command. Alice [/quote] I take it that to achieve this I would need to take Whisky to the toilet on his lead and then use an action word like "toilet" whenever he does his toilet (pee or poo) in the right place and of course follow up with lots of treats and affection to initially reinforce his good behaviour?
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area We have a patio that has a fence and gate that leads on to a big lawned garden, so we make sure the pups go on the patio before we let them on the garden. I have been reading a lab book that said to encourage them to go by saying 'be quick' or 'be clean' as soon as you take them out after meals, sleeps etc, so i have been trying this over the last few days, walking right down to the bottom of the patio where they already favoured going and saying 'be quick', it's worked several times, and seems to help them getting distracted with toys etc on the way if I go with them. They do still occasionally go on the garden, but not often. We have seen the 'pee posts' in pet shops and wondered about getting one for when they are big enough to 'cock a leg' - has anyone used these and do they work?? TIA Lou
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area We used the command 'be quick' from when Bess was an 8 week old pup. - she soon got the idea. I think with a slightly older pup putting him on the lead would be a good idea. Alice
Re: Toilet Training - Designing/Building a Designated Area [quote author=gordon link=topic=7152.msg98422#msg98422 date=1406798571] I take it that to achieve this I would need to take Whisky to the toilet on his lead and then use an action word like "toilet" whenever he does his toilet (pee or poo) in the right place and of course follow up with lots of treats and affection to initially reinforce his good behaviour? [/quote] Yes, absolutely. I would recommend the lead also, as it does stop them getting distracted!
