Izzy just doesnt seem to be getting any better with her toilet training! Im really struggling to cope and my OH is pulling his hair out. We take her out every hour, and still she does it in the house! I was just hoovering the bedroom, she jumped on our bed and wee'd!! Im beginning to think i cant cope with a puppy! I really am considering rehoming her, for the sake of our carpets and sanity! HELP!
Re: End of my tether! With all my puppies I have always restricted the areas they had access to until I thought they were sufficiently house trained. They would be in the kitchen and utility area and conservatory only, the floor in those areas is tiled and easily cleaned. Saves the sanity. ;D
Re: End of my tether! Same as Heidrun. Willow was confined to a small area of the living room to start with. When she was clean there, We extended it a bit. Then a bit more. They have to get the idea that the whole house is their den, so they don't want to go to the loo in it, but this is a process, not automatic. Giving them too much space too soon makes it very hard to manage. Maybe try reducing her area again?
Re: End of my tether! Just to add, I have noticed that Izzy is only just coming up to 4 months. All of mine still had accidents at that age. And even when I thought I had finally cracked it there would be the odd mishap much later when I no longer expected it.
Re: End of my tether! Yes, I have to say the same, Chepi only had and still only has access to the downstairs of a modestly sized house; she doesn't even go in the kitchen. Upstairs and the kitchen are the cats' havens. Just grit your teeth a bit longer and perhaps confine her to a smaller area, take her out more often and do the whole praise thing when she gets it right. Use that simple solution stuff to clean areas where she has peed etc as it's supposed to remove odours. She is young, so I would read any of pippa's articles and go back to those basics. I would also think: "right, this whole weekend is going to be focussed on positive training". Otherwise, is she lovely
Re: End of my tether! Yes - a small area until they are 'safe' is the way to go. We have a huge kitchen, so we start by dividing it with a 'fence' then slowly give them more space. I don't let them in any carpeted areas unless I know they are really safe. So it was months before we went in the front room with our dogs - meanwhile, we camped out in the kitchen Remember to clean up with bio stuff too, either Simple Solution or similar, all other cleaners smell of wee to dogs.
Re: End of my tether! I'm kind of having the same problem with potty training. Luke is 9 weeks old now. He does well outside when I take him in time. He's even learned that he gets three small pieces of a treat after a click when I pronounce "go potty" after he goes. I count them out and he waits for each one. But he still goes inside if I don't catch him in time. And with the winter cold he doesn't like to spend time outside while I try to encourage him to relieve himself. I have an open floor concept to my condo so I don't know how I would seclude him in separate areas. I close the doors to bathroom or bedroom though. He's crated at night and wakes me up once or twice to go potty and does really well. I'm concerned he won't be potty trained as much as I try to take him out every 45-60 minutes because he still just goes inside.
Re: End of my tether! star lily your pup really is just a baby and still an age when he should only have left his mum a week ago. So, don't expect the earth, he has to learn and should be taken out every 15 mins really, at this age, or 20 mins. Please take the time to look up the excellent articles about toilet training that are on this site. Shutting the bedroom and bathroom door is helpful, I don't really know what a condo is but maybe you find a way to section off an area of about 8 or 10 feet square for a couple of weeks. Taking him out more often, waiting a few mins and trying again in 5-10 mins if you had no luck the first time is my best tip. Then repeat in 15 mins or after food or after naps. It won't be forever.
Re: End of my tether! I'm just popping onto this thread to add sympathy. I strongly believe it takes time for the pup actually to have enough bladder control - it is not that they 'choose' to go indoors, it is genuinely because it happens without control, their bodies don't give them enough warning and / or they just can't 'hold' it. So even if it feels like your potty training is failing, have faith and keep going - it may well be embedding perfectly well in their little heads, but they just can't control themselves yet. With Pongo it came right all of a sudden - and I'm sure it was more about his physical maturity and muscle control rather than that he 'suddenly' learned what to do. Keep hanging in there. It will come right, you are nearly there I'm sure... (although a bit longer to go for Luke, star-lily, he really is still a baby.... if he were human he'd be in nappies for a while longer!) Rosie
Re: End of my tether! Thanks for the replies!! Rest assured he's only been with me for a week. The family would definitely not part before 8 weeks and I wouldn't have wanted him to. I'm okay with it taking time, I know he's still very young- I was just trying to make sure what I'm doing won't be an impediment to his training. Kind of a very obsessed first-time mommy over here. I want the best for him. Oh and a condo is kind of like an apartment in the sense that I share walls with people but only on the sides (only ground floor apartments) and I have a backyard. So like mini houses side-by-side.
Re: End of my tether! [quote author=star.lily link=topic=9882.msg143415#msg143415 date=1423832133] ...a very obsessed first-time mommy over here. [/quote] Yes, that's a perfect description of me too! I thought I was a sensible, grown-up woman who kept life in perspective... until I got a puppy.... It's a roller-coaster - enjoy the ride and let us know any time you need to talk...
Re: End of my tether! We were similar to many of the others. Inca wasnt allowed beyond the kitchen door for a very long time as I didn't want her having accidents on the carpet. Similar to Boogie this required a lot of camping out in the kitchen! Painful at the time but it did work. We then introduced her to new rooms very slowly and one at a time. Funnily enough we found the conservatory the hardest room to toilet train her in and other friends have also found this with their puppies. Guessing being surrounded by garden and being able to see the sky is possibly a bit confusing for them.
Re: End of my tether! Both pups are still very young and to some extent we have to do their thinking them. Contain them in areas where an accident won't matter and can be quickly cleared up then you won't be so stressed out about it. I know you want to be with your pups all the time, but pop them in the crate when you need to go to a carpeted area. Molly was only allowed into the hall and kitchen when she was small as they have laminate floors. The only soft bit was the stairs and she looked so cute laying on them. Now she's 16 months and all leg she looks ridiculous. Training seems to take a long time but it doesn't really. Before you know it you will be offering advice and sympathy to another newbie.
Re: End of my tether! [quote author=Mollly link=topic=9882.msg143423#msg143423 date=1423839720] ...then you won't be so stressed out about it. [/quote] I'm sure this is brilliant advice. Don't give yourself more stress than necessary - the pups will pick up on it, and it is much kinder to give them some crate time if necessary to give yourself a break or make your life (and you!) happier.
Re: End of my tether! I not being 'smug' but toilet training is easy. Its a routine that you must enter and keep too. 1. After sleep out for a toilet 2. After food out for a toilet. 3. After play out for a toilet. 4. After any excitement (visitors) out fo a toilet. 5. After a training out for a toilet. and remember every time she toilets outside make a big fuss and maybe reward with a bit of kibble. If she toilets inside do not say anything, just pick her up and put her outside. Simples... Watch her like a hawk, if she starts to sniff and circle, pick her up and take outside. When you take her outside to toilet wait with her until she performs, can be a cold business at 3 am ???
Re: End of my tether! Hugs!!! It is a challenge sometimes, isn't it. ??? ??? As others have said....be patient, step back in her training to the basics, reinforce the good behavior, and set her up for success! With consistency and time...you'll both get there!
Re: End of my tether! Sorry to hear this Wendy, some take longer then others, despite taking them out loads and having a routine. Bella's still having accidents indoors and she's taken out frequently , in fact we have had 2 carpet wees today and thats not happened in yonks!!! Simple solution gets rid of it no problems. She'll be fine and so will you , keep at it, they will get better. Bella's more snappy at the minute which is hard work but I'm persevering. Good luck ;D
Re: End of my tether! My girl is just four months and I've only *just* starting thinking we've cracked it, as I don't remember the last accident and she has learned to go to the door and whine to ask to be let out. However, I made sure to buy another bottle of enzymatic cleaner just in case as my other one was running low - I'm sure there will be a couple more accidents awaiting me… But what you have to look forward to when they do get that signal to go out is that they have got the idea that they can go out when they go to the door and whine… so yesterday Maisie threw up from carsickness in the front patch of grass. I scooped most of it up in a poop potty bag but I missed some bits of undigested kibble I suppose as Maisie went over there during a potty break and tried to eat them. Urgh! I smushed them up as they were too far gone to scoop up and told her to leave it… then we get to bed time… she won't settle… asking to go out… fine, let's go out, don't want an accident… She BEELINES straight over to the previous vomit patch and sniffs around trying to find a snack. DELIGHTFUL!
Re: End of my tether! [quote author=maisiesmomma link=topic=9882.msg143476#msg143476 date=1423858493] She BEELINES straight over to the previous vomit patch and sniffs around trying to find a snack. DELIGHTFUL! [/quote] ;D ;D ;D gotta love a determined lab! ;D ;D ;D
