Hi all, Bear is 17 weeks old now, and as far as house training goes, I am very happy with his efforts, but I had a question about getting to perfect. Bear has had a few rare occasions of ending up going to the toilet at the door (inside), and when we think of what went wrong, it seems to be a case of he had tried to go out, but we had missed seeing his attempt. At the moment he doesn't really make a fuss if he needs to go out and so the accidents have happened when the house was busy we don't notice his attempts to get out. Our previous Labrador would come up and nudge your arm before running to the door and comming back again if you didn't react, and then he would let out a bark if you still didn't get the picture. I don't remember doing any particular training with our previous Labrador Storm other than the usual toilet training (so nothing specific about making a fuss if we miss his request) and I think he just naturally made a fuss, but I am trying to remember back 14 years, so it's possible I have just forgotten his mistakes as a puppy. Is this just a case of Bear being a young puppy still and he will eventually make a fuss if we miss his request to go outside, or is there something I should try to do to get things perfect (just to confirm, he definitely seems to understands outside is the place to go, I don't think he sees the back door as a toilet spot, it's just he can't get out). Cheers, Cameron
I think that this is just a case of you getting the house training so strong, a dog is motivated to try all sorts of things (eg nudging you etc) rather than wee or poo inside. There is no magic to it, and no special training, it's just getting the basics - don't wee inside - absolutely strong. Of course, it's best not to have your dog that desperate, I think, and if they haven't 'asked' to go out after 3 hours or so, take them anyway.
I have a dog that is very subtle about asking to go out. He will never bark to go out, which took a lot of getting used to after our previous dog. He will get up and run to the door, and if we don't come will come back and run back upstairs again (if we are downstairs watching TV). If I am anywhere on the main level he just goes to the back door and waits. I just have learned to watch for that and let him out. I have some doggie bells for the back door and I suppose I could train him to use those - haven't got around to it yet. That might be another option for you too.
Mine have had the ultimate faith (misplaced) in my ability to read their minds. Thus until they were adults we had a few accidents just like you. Jet was 9 years old before she figured out she could bark to come in the house from outside and nearly 11 before she figured out it worked to go out as well.
I think sometimes you just have to read their body language! Mole just gives me a "look"!! Never goes to a door, never barks. As Julie says if he hasn't gone out for a while I just take him anyway and he is brilliant at peeing on command (for a treat ) - no accidents for months now so I guess I have just got used to his funny little stare!! My last one used to let out a little bark by the back doir so I think they are all different!! Sam and Mole (8 mo)
Some of the signals are very subtle...in all honesty I don't think my dog knows to ask ....We manage it for him in routine where he is taken out mid morning and mid afternoon and apart from that he goes on walks.He won't toilet in the garden ,he was outside a while back playing with my niece and nephew and he just stood stock still mid game and a bit like Mole he just stared at me ...I knew straight away something was wrong as he wouldn't carry on playing ,he just stared,he had the longest wee EVER when I got him out the gate off our property!
I think they work out how to tell you. Jessie taps the window with her paw, which has evolved from just pressing her nose against the window quietly! I saw some bells in pets at home the other day that they are suppose to ring to tell you, but goodness know how you train that! I am also not sure I want a labrdor with a bell to summon me! It is a bit Downton Abbey for dogs!
all my dogs have a different signal for different things I'm doing. They touch my hand when I reading just a gentle touch and a drift to the door. If I miss them a stand by the door they do a subtle drift and a walk by then to the door. They funny one is the over shoulder come hither look, very cute. Moos fav is to sit in my line of vision and stare. One they all seem to enjoy is licking my face if I'm a sleep or just staring at me with their faces next to mine, you wake up with a big nose in your face. its not hard to train for the bells I used to do it with keys in the door with Doug but I find I'm just so aware of them all now just a look enough, and to be honest the noise was annoying and some labs think its funny just to jingle them for fun. it took time with all of them Rory has been the best and Midge the hardest to toilet train. I regularly took them all out until they got the idea its seems to be a mental maturity thing as well as a bladder size thing. It just takes time some take longer than others
Pongo never really learned to "ask" in any obvious way. (See my old posting about trying to use a bell - hilarious but entirely unsuccessful). But we found that pretty soon he developed a bladder the size of a camel and immense control....so the issue just doesn't exist now. He comes out with us first thing, then a morning walk; then he will be quite happy to snooze the whole day away without needing to go, until we walk round the garden last thing at night.
Coco doesn't really ask. He will sit at the back door (out of sight of the living room), and eventually I'll notice. The only time I suppose he asks, is early morning - if he needs to go out before we're up, he'll give little but annoying whine by the bed. That CAN mean he wants to go out to toilet, it can also mean "wake up and stop ignoring me". I think you just need to be a little more pro-active still, and take him out before he is desperate. When is bladder is big enough & strong enough, and he is under no mistake that outside is the place to go, he will develop his own way of letting you know.
Bailey just sits and stares at us until one of us gets up, then he runs to the back door to be let out - again staring back over his shoulder! He does not bark, whine or make any noise at all if he needs to go outside, and if we miss the signal then he does have the occasional accident - not his fault at all as he will do everything he can to get outside. Mind you he is outside most of the day anyway, so it is just evenings (usually if me and the OH have dozed off in front of the TV!).
Mine never asked or shown any sign its all routine and if they have had a big drink I let them out a little later.
Thanks everyone for the replies, and the great stories. The times it has happened, it really has been our fault, and it's so occasional that I am certain Bear has made efforts that have gone unnoticed. I will need to be mindful of the times we get distracted and watch for Bears signal. Thanks again for all the advice
@camo with Juno I found it really was down to me to pick up her signals. The most she does is walk out of the lounge, go to the front door and then come and peep round the door at us. At that point we normally ask her if she wants to wee, her tail gives a wag and she turns back towards the front door as we get up. At 17 to 18 weeks the 'request' would normally be in the evening around 9:30ish with other wees accounted for pre-breakfast, morning walk, lunchtime training, afternoon walk, after dinner play with a final bedtime wee, so outside of those events a request was unusual, so indicators are harder to read
