Very interesting! Gypsy has to learn to wee and poo on command, the command is universal for Guide Dogs, so that whoever has them (breeders, puppy walkers, boarders, big school, eventual owners) it's the same. The command is 'busy busy'. Gypsy knows it for wees already and will even squeeze on out when she doesn't need a wee. They start this at the breeders so Guide Dog pups have a head start and it's easy to train once they get to us puppy walkers. The interesting thing is that Gypsy knows 'busy busy' for wees BUT if, when she shows she needs to poo (squeaks and runs to the door) I take her out and I say 'busy busy' she then wees and forgets she needed a poo! If I say 'busy busy' as her bum opens (!) she stops and goes to wee position. Not sure what to do, for now I have stoped saying anything for poos, so as not to confuse her. In her mind 'busy busy' very clearly means 'do a wee'. So I have emailed my supervisor to see what to do - I am sure there is a 'poo' command I don't know, but it isn't in the instruction manual! (Yep, the pup comes with a huge manual of instructions ) Do any of you have commands for wees and poos? For Tatze I use 'hurry up' which means a general 'go to the toilet' but it is a bit hit and miss.
Re: Weeing and pooing on command Rather oddly, we evolved 'do empties' ! I used 'busy busy' for my last dog but OH didn't like it. Anyway, we've managed to make this work for both, although it has occurred to me that it can't be obvious to the dog what we mean! It works well but the thing that made a difference is Merla getting older (now 14 months) and getting her onto a diet we are happy with. And into a routine. She is now almost guide-dog-esque in her toilet habits! First thing in the morning, onto the gravel on her lead, pee and poo. Also late evening . In between she doesn't do many of either, and will usually wait to be pointed at the gravel and asked if at home. Can't remember the last time she did a pee or poo on lead outside home without being asked (if we're doing a whole day out where she's on-lead the whole time I'll make sure I ask her to do pees every couple of hours so I know she's not uncomfortable, and she knows what I mean and obeys promptly). If she's running around off-lead outside home, she generally takes this to mean she can pee or poo if she needs to, which is usually true (unless it's mid-retrieve at a gundog thing, in which case it's a : moment!) Maybe you need to keep doing what you're doing, but wait until she's properly mid-poo until you give the cue so she can't stop!! (Lovely mental image!!) Or maybe do some playing after the wee until she remembers the poo again!
Re: Weeing and pooing on command Penny knows 'go wee wees' and like Gypsy will try her best to go even if she doesn't really need to. I'm not sure if she knows one for a poo... She's generally very regular anyway so I always know when to take her out for one, but if I need to hurry her up (she takes a looooong time to sniff out the perfect spot) I tend to say 'go poo poos' and she seems to get it. I wonder if you could try waiting until she is erm... Mid flow with the poo before giving the command to try and teach her to associate it with both... It does seem silly to have the same command for both things though, it must be very confusing for the pups.
Re: Weeing and pooing on command I've used "go wee wee" since Maisie was 8 weeks old. She wees on command in the same spot in the garden. If she only needs a wee she tries to wee twice instead of doing a poo! :
Re: Weeing and pooing on command We use "busy". We've used this command with all our dogs over the years. I have no idea why, but it could be that we picked it up from a dog trainer.
Re: Weeing and pooing on command We use "hurry up" but just for wee's. Hadn't thought about the pooh aspect. Would have thought you'd need a different command? Good luck. Interested to hear what your supervisor says.
Re: Weeing and pooing on command I use go wee wee and she does. As for poo, she's regular as well, so have never used command for that. Like Penny she will even squeeze a wee out when i say go wee wee.
Re: Weeing and pooing on command With my GSPs, I used to say "be a good girl quick" which seemed to do both. I am very basic with the Labs. 'have a wee, or have a poo' they know the difference I wonder what the official line is for Guide Dogs!
Re: Weeing and pooing on command Always used two commands for all my dogs , wee-wee and poo , seems to work, most of the time
Re: Weeing and pooing on command I say 'do wee sees', Poppy has a bladder of iron and steadfastly refuses to be hurried. :
Re: Weeing and pooing on command "Be quick" is what I used for my first dog and subsequently for Murphy. Don`t know where it came from but it works!!
Re: Weeing and pooing on command Being a bit of a basic nurse Meg will go on command to "have a wee" or "have a poo " she did from very early on
