Toilet training

Hi everyone! Opie my almost 16 week old staffy puppy hasnt quite mastered toilet training yet. We dont use puppy pads and take him into the garden regularly. He goes outside about 80% of the time and some days doesnt have any accidents indoors but other days has several! He doesnt give us any clues he needs to go like whining or sitting by the back door. Im starting to worry he thinks its ok to go indoors, especially when its raining! Should i be worried or do anything else?

Don't worry! Many dogs don't get full control of their bladders/bowels until 7 or 8 months!

You're doing all the right things & the penny will drop soon, I'm sure.

What do you use to clean up any accidents?

Wonderful! Thank you I needed reassurance. Was using the vanish specifically for pet accidents on the carpet but I can’t seem to find any more of the stuff!

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You could use a biological clothes wasing liquid (diluted, of course). Does the job & much cheaper. Use the same one you normally use so that you know your pup isn't sensitive to it.

Don't worry he will get it soon, we thought Hank was never going to master it then one day it just clicked and he took himself to the door for us to let him out, only accidents we've had since then were nasty poop ones which we could see couldn't be help. I agree with Gilly on the biological clothes wasing liquid, it masks the urine smell so he wont go to the same place, other cleaners seem to just clean but the pup can still smell where they've gone.

As well as the above, keep making sure you take him out at the times he's most likely to want to go - when he wakes up, straight after meals, etc. - and also see if there is a pattern to when he has his accidents, so times of day and things like that. Toilet training is in part a question of getting there before he does, so being able to anticipate his need is very helpful.

And yes, you will get there. Don't worry.

Thanks everyone. I will start using the diluted detergent from now on. We do take him out regularly, just sometimes he will be in the garden, come back in and pee! Other times the back door is open but he will just do it indoors. We will get there eventually! Another thing, lately he has stopped wanting to go for walks? He usually enjoys them but today for example I just tried to take him out and he sat outside the house and wouldn’t budge. A friend took him earlier but he didn’t want to go then and was just shaking and wouldn’t move. He is afraid of other dogs but is getting better - could it be that? Or is it too cold for him?

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Could be cold - try getting him a lightweight coat, Staffords really do have short fur!

Have there been any fireworks recently?

Ok will do. No fireworks to my knowledge!

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What worked for Nifty was that I made a huge fuss of her when she went outside. I always used the same terms to invite her to go to toilet and always went with her to be right on time for the praise each time. It became a fun game for her.