Toilet training

What is the best ways to go about toilet t

What is the best way to go about toilet training? How long should it take?

It varies with different dogs. Some take a few weeks to grasp it; others take a few months. It also depends on how you do it.

Personally, I prefer the positive approach. When he urinates outside, give plenty of praise. After each meal and drink, as well as when you get up in the morning and before you go to bed, take him into the garden to pee.

If he shows signs of wanting to urinate, take him straight downstairs so that he will associate peeing with outdoors. Also remember to clean up any accidents inside thoroughly, as the scent can linger otherwise and he'll start to associate indoors with peeing.

The best way is to take your pup into the garden frequently - about every hour, plus after sleep, eating & play. Watch for telltale signs that he wants to go (circling/beginning to crouch etc). Use a 'trigger' word like "Weewee" or anything else you want & when he goes, give him plenty of praise.

If he has an accident indoors (and he will!), just ignore it & pop him outside so that he will associate going to the toilet with going outside. Clean up the accident without a fuss (don't tell him off - he doesn't know that it's wrong) with a cleaner that doesn't contain amonia - biological washing powder solution is good.

If you do that every time it shouldn't be long before he looks to go out.

Don't forget that a pup doesn't have full control of his bladder/bowels until about 6 months old, so can't always hold it in!

All dogs are different when it comes to toilet training...you need lots of patience

Make sure that you give a massive amount of praise when Bailey goes where hes supposed to go...so lots of belly rubs and treats. Use a firm 'no' when its somewhere wrong. He will soon learn, however pups dont have full control of their bladder until about 6 months so there will be accidents when he didnt mean too!

Try taking him to his toilet place after play time, sleep time and feed time.

Good luck

Thanks for all the great advice

Personally, I wouldn't use 'no' at all while he's still learning. I save the 'no' command for correcting something that he already knows he shouldn't do. Scolding while he's still learning a behaviour could confuse him and lead to bad associations.