Our new lab Pongo has just arrived to join our family! We have had him three days now, he is nine and a half weeks old, very calm (so far) and a lovely boy. We are first time puppy owners (although have always been dog lovers) so I think we'll be on this forum lots looking for advice - thank you everyone in advance. Our first challenge is toilet training. No worries so far about poop (he seems to hold that well and we've only had one accident indoors). But he seems to be constantly urinating in the house - never great quantities, just very frequent. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be any sign that he's about to go - he just goes! When he goes indoors we try not to react at all, just cleaning it up each time with the spray that is supposed to neutralise the odour (the house smells of lemon now). We are trying him outside frequently, but he's not that keen in this foul weather and we don't want to torment him! Also when we do go outside he doesn't seem that keen to have a piss. We do praise and reward him when he goes outside but it's such a rare thing I'm not sure we're getting any message through! He seems to get through the night without too much trouble (and then has a HUGE piss when taken outside first thing!) So....my question is: Is he just too young to know when he needs to 'go'? Is it just lack of bladder control? Are we expecting too much at nine and a half weeks? Should we restrict how much water he gets? Any advice welcome! Thanks everyone... rosie
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Hello Rosie and welcome to the forum from me, two year old black Lab Sam and our rescue girl Millie, hope you enjoy the friendly forum with lots of advice, support and a few laughs along the way At nine weeks old , Pongo wont have good bladder control yet , its just a case of repetition and patience until the penny drops , and it will do You seem to be doing all the right things Rosie , best times to get them out quickly is after a nap and after food and play . I know that at times, we feel like lavatory atendants which, in a way is just what we are when they are small , stick at it with the praise , you will get there and no , this awful weather doesnt help at all :
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Hi Rosie and welcome from Poppy and me, what terrible weather to be welcoming your puppy into your home!! And especially terrible to be trying to house train him… Not to worry, he'll get there, as Kate says it sounds like you are doing the right things. Don't restrict his water during the day, but pick his bowl up before he goes to bed for the night - he doesn't need water overnight.
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Welcome and that is a GREAT name ;D Sounds like you're doing well, you'll get there!
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Love Pongo's name too....very unique,welcome to the forum .i have a yellow,boy called Dexter 16 months ,our first dog : xxx
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Welcome from me and Harley (6 months old). Might be best to try getting him to go out every half hour to an hour and like Kate said after food/naps etc. continue to reward and make a big fuss when he goes for a wee outside. Do t let him okay in the garden until he has had a wee. This forum is really friendly and the advice is brilliant
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Hi Rosie and Pongo from Phil and Holly (15 month old yellow Lab). We did the same as Kateincornwall suggested and one day the indoor widdles stopped. The only thing I'd add is to put newspaper by the back door. Some dogs will use the newspaper out which makes it easier to clear up. I have no idea why this works, it just does!
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Welcome to the forum! Hope your wee-attendant days aren't too many in number
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Hi there and welcome from Lisa and Simba (18 months old LabX). I'll leave the puppy advice to those who have more of it, it's been a long time since I raised a pup, Simba was 1year when we got him. Enjoy the forum!
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Thanks everyone for the encouragement! We're finding it much harder than we expected to keep our calm...we'll take Pongo out and round the garden for twenty minutes, he'll explore everything and run around, then we'll come back in and IMMEDIATELY he squats and has a piss on the carpet. Aaaaaaaaarrrgggggghhhhhhhhhh! Doing our best not to react. Deep breathing. Thanks for the encouragement.... Rosie, Paul and Pongo
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Hello, welcome from me and my boy Charlie. I love the name pongo! Glad to hear things are getting better. [quote author=Rosie link=topic=4452.msg54522#msg54522 date=1392487217] we'll take Pongo out and round the garden for twenty minutes, he'll explore everything and run around [/quote] You could try taking him out, on a lead. If no pee or poo within 5 minutes, back inside (and straight in a crate so he doesn't have a pee). Back out 5 mins later, back in if no pee etc. etc. When he has a pee or poo in the garden treats and then he gets to run around and play. I think this helps later too, when they "ask" to go out - it stops them asking to go play.
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Hi Julie, thanks for this advice. We don't have a lead on him yet (only had him five days!) and no 'crate' - although he does have cozy den under the stairs which is where he sleeps (it has a slatted door that we can shut on him - that acts like a crate, I suppose, but we weren't intending to use it during the day?). Perhaps we should use that? What do you think? He just doesn't seem to 'get' that he shouldn't pee indoors! Touch wood we've had no problems at all with poo, that is always outside. Rosie the Lavatory Attendant
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Definitely agree with Julie's advice - make it all a lot more structure and make trips outside primarily about weeing and use play as a reward for weeing. The understairs area sounds fine as a crate substitute. Good to hear that it's all working on the poo front!
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! [quote author=Rosie link=topic=4452.msg54529#msg54529 date=1392491155] Hi Julie, thanks for this advice. We don't have a lead on him yet (only had him five days!) and no 'crate' - although he does have cozy den under the stairs which is where he sleeps (it has a slatted door that we can shut on him - that acts like a crate, I suppose, but we weren't intending to use it during the day?). Perhaps we should use that? What do you think? [/quote] Ah, much sympathy, I stopped putting the mop bucket away, for sure... You can carry them outside to the pee spot - that's what I did, although I did have him on a light lead right away to keep him there. You could just keep returning him there, I suppose, if he wanders off. The idea of a crate is that the pup will be super reluctant to pee where he sleeps (or eats), so confining him anywhere that he will try to "hold it" will do - obviously, when they are young, you can't ask them to "hold it" very long at all - then when he really needs a pee, taxi outside, he will go - and yippee! Treats! Play! Wonderful things happen when pup goes outside.
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! Hi Rosie, if your puppy does not do a wee when you take him out, you need to confine (crate) or cuddle him for ten to fifteen minutes and then take him outside again. Rinse and repeat until you get a result.
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! I have no more advice to add to what others have said as they have all made great points already. It will seem frustrating at first and you cannot expect miracles straight away as he is only nine weeks old and by this age they have not learned to control their bladder yet. Just keep going as you are and he will eventually understand. I would definately recommend a crate or some sort of confinement in between toilet times and for when you cannot supervise him. As a side note - it took Penny until she was 7 months old to be fully housetrained. Though she did have several urine infections which hampered her progress. As you have said he urinates frequently without any sign he needs to go, perhaps you should have him checked for a UTI?
Re: Brand new puppy - first timer help! [quote author=Rosie link=topic=4452.msg54529#msg54529 date=1392491155 Rosie the Lavatory Attendant [/quote] Well, at least you are under no illusions as to your role.... Can't add anything to what has been said - it does seem to take up all your time and vigilance, but if you do it conscientiously now, then it is soon done. Clare
