Hi all, I have an almost 10 week old puppy and I have been reading like crazy, including the Happy Puppy Handbook. We are well under way with housetraining and haven't had an accident in a couple of days. Buddy is happy enough in his crate on the passenger seat and I hope to be able to move him to the boot/trunk soon. In theory, it all sounds doable, but here's my problem: Where do I continue? I tried to introduce a clicker and I try to train his name (he sits in front of me, I call his name and click once he makes eye contact, followed by a treat), but he doesn't seem to be understanding the next moment. I want to try training recall, down and drop it. Is that too much all in a day? Help please, I am completely overwhelmed and scared I am missing windows of opportunity left, right and centre
First and foremost is Socialization. Make sure he goes to lots of new places and meets new people. See if you can find a puppy play group/ obedience class. Also there is an awesome book called "Train Your Dog Like A Pro" by Jean Donaldson. It teaches you how to teach commands in Easy to follow steps.
Yikes. I do hope this is a translation issue. You do NOT want to put your dog in the boot/trunk. Ultimately the back sit or parcel area in a SUV, constrained with a seat belt arrangement. Totally agree with Jade. You need to be socialising with the puppy always having a good time. Socialise AND FUN go together, until approximately 16 weeks of age. Down and Recall can wait. https://www.thelabradorsite.com/how-to-socialise-your-labrador-puppy/
We used to hold Willow on our lap but not the best way to travel so now she is in a crate in our ford focus hatchback. She pees in it for some reason. When training only focus on 1 thing at a time when Buddy is comfortable and doing what ever well then move on but don't push it. Willow was 8 weeks when she learned to sit and leave food she loves treats and is easy to train. She is now learning sit and stay when I walk away then come. We are taking her to a field tomorrow to be let off the lead it's hired and secure. Just take your time there is no rush.
She pees in the crate in the car she was OK when sitting on my knee in the front but that's not safe.
Is she showing signs of anxiety before getting in the car? Tongue Flicks? Licking her lips? Yawning even though you haven't and she isn't tired? Sniffing the ground but not really interested in what she is smelling? Might I suggest you undertake toilet training but now with respect to the car. Do it in small steps. She sits in the crate in the car.. Then take her out to the garden. A big reward after she goes on the grass. Then next session start the motor. Turn it off and out of the crate for a toilet break. Don't interrupt her squat. Reward. Next session. Drive say 10 metres. Stop the car. Out of the car for a toilet break. Again a big reward, after she has finished urinating.. And so and so on. She has a history of toileting in the car so it will take some training to undo her history.
She only pees on the journey there not back home I will try to get her to pee like you said. My rescue spaniel used to poop in the crate through excitement that was a problem. We had to walk her before going anywhere.
You may not have to get her to go through such a process. If she doesn't urinate on the way back, it suggests that it is not the car ride per se that is the issue. We have to get her to empty her bladder before going in the car at the beginning. So take her to the spot in the garden and wait for her to urinate. No walking around. Just wait. Don't say anything. Nor do anything. But when she is finished, it's party time! Let us know whether that works?
She emptied her bladder before we went out in the car but she had peed in the crate. Nothing on the return journey.
And you have washed the blanket in the crate, @WillowA ? So the smell of urine is not the issue. Manifestly, she's not voiding her bladder before getting in the car? Is she over-excited? How many times does she urinate before getting in for the return journey?
She pees once before we go out the bedding is washed after every journey. I think she is stressed going in the crate in the car as she sits on my knee in the front and goes to sleep. She will eventually learn that going in the car results in nice walks. When she gets too heavy to pick up she will be in the back of the car with just the dog guard as the crate will be too small.
@WillowA I am not certain we have worked out your dog's behaviour yet. You say on the trip home she does not urinate in the crate. So she is not fearful of the crate per se. It sounds as if she is excited about going in the car, and the excitement spills over to a wetting issue. I am wondering whether you have taught her a cue to urinate. Every time she starts urinating say Wee and give her a treat when she is finished. In the end try saying wee or whatever cue you decide on before she starts urinating. Reward her at the end. So two things will take place. You will ask her to urinate several times before getting in the car. Second, as she habituates to travelling in the car, she should have less excitement about the journey, and greater bladder control. You can speed that along, by getting her to go into the crate in the car, and then alight. Reward. Next session starts the motor. Turn off the engine and get her out of the car. Reward if no urination. Next session travel 10 metres down the street. Stop. Get out. No urination results in a reward.
I have taught her to pee and poop on demand she will try to pee even if she don't want one so I will work on this I think she will grow out of it the more we take her in the car. I will do some exercises putting her in and out and driving short distances.
We went out in the car today Willow had a pee before the journey and she was dry she had anothe pee when she got out and another just before we went home. She went to Pets at home saw lots of dogs and kids she loved it she also came home with a new kong toy.
