Toilet Training

Hi All,

So, Alfie has now reverted back to peeing on newspaper (apart from a lapse last night) which is all well and good but I want to stop this completely. A lot of you have said that crate training is a good tool, but I do work in the day full time so I couldnt leave him in there all day could i? And also at night, it is not meant to be used for a prolonged period.

Any suggestions for a desperate mummy?!

The crate is really to be used as a tool to give the dog his own space. A dog tends not to mess where he sleeps so it nearly works as a knock on effect sometimes to control bad habits. It also can calm to dog and make him less nervous in certain situations.

As you can imagine, Alfie doesn't mean to do it in the house but posibly gets nervous/confussed and has no choice.

I crate trained Logan as a puppy and it really did help. But I don't close the door of it as it seems to make him feel confined. Also, he should have the choice imo to go in and out of his "own place". If you do try crating, cover the top and sides with a blanket to make it extra comfy. Take him a walk before leaving him to his crate, then give him an extra special treat in his crate and leave him to it.

A really good idea would be to look on local advertising sites for a second hand one to try. They are quite expensive new, and a lot of pups out grow their crates and are no use to the owner anymore.

Still tiolet training??

Well Ramsey has been completely trained since 4 months and that is through routine routine routine..
You then gradually make the gap between each walk to strengthen the bladder.. That my way anyway.

Alfie is a rescue dog and is really new to the house. It can take them a wee bit longer but he'll get it

I had Alfie a few weeks ago (he is 11 months) and hsi previous owner never ever toilet trained him so I am starting from scratch!

And thanks Matt although if I leave the door to the crate open he will just walk out and do his business all over the floor again - our house is open plan and we do not have doors to each room so I cant shut them off to him

EllieSmith wrote:And thanks Matt although if I leave the door to the crate open he will just walk out and do his business all over the floor again - our house is open plan and we do not have doors to each room so I cant shut them off to him

My house is very open plan too.

You don't really want to shut him into a certain area if possible as it's better if he can just roam about the house if it's safe. One thing to really bare in mind is in a few weeks of owning a rescue dog you have made very big progress. It takes some dogs absolutely ages to adjust and Alfie's flying, he just has a few wee things to iron out and he'll be totally at home. My last rescue dog was as mad as a stabbed rat and took months before she could even be treated like a pet lol.

A lot of dogs will chose to be in the crate all day. I know I'd much prefer a comfy bed than walking around aimlessly! I've actually seen people on the forum complaining about their dogs loving the crate TOO much!

I guess you are right, Im so obsessed with this toilet training business that I forget how lucky we are in other aspects; hes settled right in with us and loves us to bits! He will literally follow me EVERYWHERE and wont sit or lie anywhere else other than on or right by me. If I got a crate Im afraid he wouldnt go in because the sofa is more appealing!

Logan would def choose the sofa these days. But when he was young he was very nervous at night times and the crate simply took that away.

It's really an issue of finding the routine that will work for you and repeating it until it sticks. Before bed or work make sure you get him out even to the garden or a lamp post near your house and make sure he goes to the toilet, then praise him heavily.

I make sure Logan goes to the toilet before we go on a big drive as he cries his heart out when he has to go, and it's no good if I'm trying to drive haha.

Haha aww bless him! at least he lets you know when he wants to go and not until you step in something haha! It just feels like its been left too late with Alfie and like we are never going to get there! Its extremely difficult because he does it in the day and at night so I am not with him to put him outside

It's def not too late! The rescue dog I mentioned earlier was 4 years old when we got her and from what we had been told she had never even been inside a house! It took a few good months at least but after then she lived until she was 14+ years and never had accidents.

It's just a matter of persistence. Def make a point of making sure he gets to the toilet before he is left for a few days and you should see an improvement. Even if it's slight it's a start.

I have started giving him a treat whenever he goes outside in the hope that will start associating the two and actually want to go outside. I can only hope

I need to have a few weeks off with him so I can get him into a routine but I just cant do that

i just have a problem with peeing patch will pee even if he has been wont poo indoors which is good but will pee

What do you do to try and stop him/her?

sorry I apologize for not knowing the reason

Jason wrote:sorry I apologize for not knowing the reason

Dont worry! Everyone thinks the same when I first tell them his age they thnik its me that has never bothered training him... Personally I dont understand why he was allowed to get away with it for this long! He thinks its the normal thing to do bless him. PS, SO jealous Ramsey is toilet trained

MatLogan wrote:Alfie is a rescue dog and is really new to the house. It can take them a wee bit longer but he'll get it

Love the "Pun" Mat!!

inez maria wrote:

MatLogan wrote:Alfie is a rescue dog and is really new to the house. It can take them a wee bit longer but he'll get it

Love the "Pun" Mat!!

I missed that - went straight over my head

EllieSmith wrote:

inez maria wrote:

MatLogan wrote:Alfie is a rescue dog and is really new to the house. It can take them a wee bit longer but he'll get it

Love the "Pun" Mat!!

I missed that - went straight over my head

I hope it didnt!!

EllieSmith wrote:

Jason wrote:sorry I apologize for not knowing the reason

Dont worry! Everyone thinks the same when I first tell them his age they thnik its me that has never bothered training him... Personally I dont understand why he was allowed to get away with it for this long! He thinks its the normal thing to do bless him. PS, SO jealous Ramsey is toilet trained

lol yeah.
Im abit lucky with Ramsey because me and my gf work opposite shifts at work so there is always someone to walk Ramsey at anytime of the day. So it was easy for us but can be very hard for other people with work and that.

Jason wrote:Still tiolet training??

Well Ramsey has been completely trained since 4 months and that is through routine routine routine..
You then gradually make the gap between each walk to strengthen the bladder.. That my way anyway.

Thanks for rubbing that one in!!