Hi! We had a real nightmare with our puppy from the day we got her home. She was going to the toilet all over the house and would not go to the toilet outside. She’s now 4 months old and we have nailed getting her to go on a puppy pad, almost without fail, and also she will go when on walks but to this day she has never been to the toilet in our garden. Does anyone have any tips for helping her graduate from the puppy pads to the garden? We don’t have any idea about the best way to manage the transition!
Sorry to hear of these issues. One of the worst things new puppy owners can do is use pee pads. It confuses the puppy because it tells them it's OK to pee in the house. Good luck breaking them of the pee pad habit! Keep bringing the puppy outside every few hours to get her to pee outside. This is what u did with my 8 week old girl and she was a breeze to potty train.
Hello, as you have found you have trained her to go inside and it takes some breaking. Lab are bright dogs that train easily with treats so food will be your key. I would go back to basics, get rid of the pads and be a helicopter mum. Take her out frequently and when you get success...give her top smelly lovely treat. When she wees on her walk, add a command “ have a wee” or something and treat. Then when outside at home say the same thing, and treat. My dog learnt very quickly to wee when asked, it’s a handy habit to have. It will only take a couple of times and she will get it, but be super vigilant, don’t let her wee inside. Good luck.
Do you have any family/ friends with dogs that could bring them into the garden to wee? She may need some doggy scents out there to make the connection. Follow Edp’s advice re a connecting word.
I honestly have no idea if the suggestion I'm about to give will work! However... thinking of the approach we would use to train a cat away from using an inside litter tray to going outside by moving the litter tray close to the door, then just outside the door, then in the garden, then take it away... maybe a similar approach with the pee pads would work as well if you've at least managed to build the association with the pee pads being where she wees in the house? As I said, that may be a completely bonkers idea, but worth a go?!
