Couple of questions??

Sorry...I feel like i'm asking so many questions, but the thing is.....I know we're all on here for basically the same reason....coz we Luuuuuurrrrrv our Staffys.......and you are all so great at answering them I have plenty more questions still to come, but am trying not to bombard you all

1) Just wondering what is your preferred method of training....using treats, clicker, NO treats just praise etc....

2) How is best to toilet train my 4 mnth pup Roxy at night time? ( she did have 5 great dry/mess free n ights in a row but then fell off the rails again. [an outline of her evening schedule-I take her outside for the toilet before taking her to her bedroom....A.K.A the laundry and telling her "time for bed" "good-night". In with her, she has her bed, her floppy bunny soft toy to snuggle up to her water-bowl and newspaper on the floor. She is put to bed usually around 10.30pm and I'm up at 6.30am to see what presents she's left for me to deal with ] Any advice or suggestions would be great.

Don't worry the more questions the better With training I only used praise, only for the reason treats seem to upset her stomach but whatever works best for Roxy really. With the toilet training, she'll get it, as you said she has already had 5 nights in a row. You may want to take her water up over night and maybe taking her out again before bed, as late as you can, its frustrating but she'll get there.

I use treats for training (because Dempsey is too thick for anything else, and LOVES his food), but I used just praise with my previous dogs. It's really whatever works best with each individual.

As to toilet training, I'd take up the water overnight - the more she drinks, the more she'll pee (obvious, but true!). I would also not put newspaper down, as she will be used to going on it. If you remove it, she won't be reminded/tempted to use it!

She's still very young & it'll come in time. Bandit was house trained (apart from the odd rare accident) by the time he was 3 months old, Dempsey was around 9 months old (I think) before I could honestly say he was fully house trained!

Caryll wrote:I use treats for training (because Dempsey is too thick for anything else, and LOVES his food), but I used just praise with my previous dogs. It's really whatever works best with each individual.

As to toilet training, I'd take up the water overnight - the more she drinks, the more she'll pee (obvious, but true!). I would also not put newspaper down, as she will be used to going on it. If you remove it, she won't be reminded/tempted to use it!

She's still very young & it'll come in time. Bandit was house trained (apart from the odd rare accident) by the time he was 3 months old, Dempsey was around 9 months old (I think) before I could honestly say he was fully house trained!

Since we bought her home as a teenie-tiny thing we have used treats which worked a "treat" but due to some bad behaviours I had an animal behaviourist to my home (while she's young and more easily guided) who prefers not to use treats, so we've cut treats out for training and find it's a bit more of a struggle, but we'll get there.

She's great during the day with the toilet (have'nt had any puppy-puddles inside for a couple of weeks) it's just during the night that she "goes" while inside. I did think about removing her water overnight but am just cocerned if it's a warm night she may need a drink (it can get quite warm here in Aus) Now that the weather is starting to cool down I might give it a go and see if it helps, and then by the time the warmer weather comes around again she should be well and truly trained and hopefully will be able to hold it til morning even with her water bowl down during the night.

What I did with Dempsey is I got up at 4am every morning (my husband is on permanent early shift, so it's regular thing) and let him out to relieve himself & have a drink if he needed one, but I didn't have water in the crate. The other reason for no water in the crate is because he's a clumsy oaf & would almost certainly have spilt the whole damn lot all over his bed!

Yes we have been having hot weather here (yuk) but you could just put a couple of ice cubes in Roxy's bowl for overnight.. just enough to wet her whistle if she gets thirsty at night ( I remember seeing that on Its Me Or The Dog)
At her age she would only have a little bladder ,bless her.. with time she should be able to hang on over night...

I had the same problem with billy at night in his cage, and I asked the question on here about toilet training. I did what i was advised to do, took out the newspaper and so far all the nights have been dry. We take him out in the garden last thing and say toilet time, then he goes.

I use praise all the time, but not always with a treat.
I use ice-cubes in the summer months in her water bowl in her crate and in her bowl outside.

I use treat and praise, fingers crossed x clyde has mastered toilet training 90ish% , i say that because last monday i had a visiter and it throught him out his routine, and he has an accident ( but i doi expect he will have many more. He sleeps in his cage at night, with only his bed in it, and he keeps all in till morning ).
can i just ask what to you clean roxys accidents up with??? I used bleach because discentfectant and amonia in it when atracts doggys you urine on it. This could make quite a big difference (if this is where you are going wrong) xx

She must've sensed I had asked a question about it. She was dry and mess-free this morning. Keep up the good work Rox

Sandra, i was told to use either Biozet laundry powder or vinegar to clean up any messes.

Loopy wrote:She must've sensed I had asked a question about it. She was dry and mess-free this morning. Keep up the good work Rox

Sandra, i was told to use either Biozet laundry powder or vinegar to clean up any messes.

Well lets hope so

I use toy training (if that makes sence lol) Ty loves his toys and finds a tug on a rope or a throw of a ball much more of a reward than a treat x