Toilet training in a 3 storey home and stairs question.

I posted a few days ago and got a reply from a lady who also lives in a 3 storey home. I was just wanting to know how she did toilet training or if anyone else had some ideas for me to try.

Jax sleeps down stairs on a night in his open crate and sometimes goes toilet on his pad or the floor. Through the day he's upstairs with us and 8/10 times he will go on his pad. I take him downstairs while we have our tea and for a bit here and there so he is used to being downstairs.

I'm just struggling to work out how we go from upstairs to downstairs. Think it will be better when he is climbing the stairs himself and when we can take him out for walks. I'm not sure if I should be only 'letting' him pee/poo downstairs so he's only going in 1 place- would that help?

Also what age roughly should I introduce him to the stairs and what age can he climb up and down safely?

Thanks

hi lisa . i think wherever you are in your home you just have to watch for the signs that jax is needing the loo ie sniffing the floor . running in circles etc then put him on the paper . give loads and loads of praise and reward when he goes on the paper . eventually he will get the hang of it . i would keep the papers in one place tho . i think he will introduce himself to the stairs when he feels he is ready .

Hi Lisa here's your reply from Lynda, hope this helps, best watch for signs and putting him out every 30mins or so
https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t45986-not-drinking

Hi Lisa, yes it was me in the 3-storey house!

My pups have always slept either on the first floor, or on either my bed or my son's.

Firstly - the stairs. When they were tiny, they needed to be carried up and down as they just couldn't manage. Gradually, they managed to go upstairs on their own (with me hovering anxiously behind!) and a bit later conquered the trick of going downstairs on their own as well.

I've never used crates or puppy pads, I'm sure they are great innovations and it's great to hear Jax is doing so well with both. What I did was spread a thick layer of newspapers everywhere, and praise them everytime they "went" on the papers. I also carried them downstairs to the back garden after eating, drinking, or sleeping, or every hour or so in between. The word "outside!" in a cheerful voice was one of the first words they learned! If they weed or pood in the garden then my joy was unbounded, and the puppies knew it!

Gradually, the preferred places for evacuation inside the house became apparent, and the papers were restricted to those places - praise again when the papers were used, just silence and clearing up when "mistakes" happened (no telling off). The next stage was to move the papers nearer and nearer to the top of the first flight of stairs, and when the pup could negotiate stairs safely, to the bottom of the stairs, then by stages gradually towards the back door, which in summer was kept open all day. Together with the "outside!" command as before, the pups gradually learned that "outside!" was the place to go.

Having said that, I have to admit that my latest pup, my first male, is being more troublesome than my previous bitches in that even now, at nearly 2 years old, he will wee up against furniture when he can't be bothered to take himself off down 1 or 2 flights of stairs (I've never caught him at it, he's sneaky!)

It is harder work toilet training in a 3-storey house, no doubt about it. The distances to be covered and the effort of negotiating all those stairs, especially as a little pup when their needs are urgent, make "mistakes" more likely to happen.

I'd love to know how people who live in flats manage.

Anyway Lisa, you are doing fine - Jax is still a baby so don't expect miracles overnight, you'll get there! Do keep in touch.

Oh the joys of toilet training! We have literally just had a breakthrough yesterday at 15 weeks (to the day!).

We decided that puppy pads didn't suit us. So we approached it just by watching for the signs and whisking Gatsby straight outside to 'Poo corner' (a little fenced area with a gate and woodchip in the corner of our garden). Up until very recently, Gatsby would give little to no warning when he wanted to pee when he was awake and pottering about, so this was frustrating. But we were just consistent in treating and praising whenever he did it outside. Toilet training at this time of year is hard. Gatsby hates the rain and as a result, wouldn't follow me outside. He would pop his head out and decide that the carpet was much more convenient. Consistent treating and praise finally got him over this and yesterday was our first 100% accident free day, I cannot tell you how happy I am!

The night times have actually been much easier than the day, Gatsby sleeps in his crate downstairs (with the cat and the rabbit), I reduced the size using a divider to ensure he didn't decide to use one end of it as an en-suite. Then, my good lady and I would take it in turns to get up with him during the night. We wanted to avoid teaching him that he could whine to wake us whenever he wanted, so we set alarms at 2 hour intervals during the night to pre-empt his need to go toilet. Gradually as he learned to control his bladder, we would extend intervals bit by bit. So for example:
Week 1 -
Bedtime - 00:00 - 02:00 - 04:00 - 06:00 (I get up for work) - 08:00 (Breakfast/playtime)
Killer!
Week 2 got easier...
Bedtime - 00:00 - 03:00 - 06:00 - 08:00 Breakfast
We've now managed to edge it out so he will now sleep from 23:00 til 04:00, he then gets up with me at 6, goes out, comes upstairs and curls up with the missus until they get up around 9ish (lucky sods!).

It's a hard process and wont suit everyone but we thought it was worth it because we can totally trust that he wont 'go' in the house or his crate, he doesn't randomly whine for attention and nothing will get chewed aside from his toys.

Dogs are definitely harder to house train than Bitches, a couple of friends with bitches the same age are way ahead of us with toilet training, but we're catching up! There are plenty of methods for toilet training and I think I've probably read them all, this one worked for us (eventually), it's just about finding a method that is most convenient for you. I can imagine living in a 3 storey house only makes it more difficult! You'll be super fit running up and down all those stairs! Good luck!

I wouldnt praise him for going on the paper. You are basically just rewarding him for going to the toilet inside and it will make things much harder for you when you wqnt him to go outside! Do u have a secure garden? I have always toilet trained my dogs by taking them outside every single hour or after food, play etc. Use a trigger word. I say wee wee in a silly squeaky voice. Keep saying it until he goes and then say good boy. Good wee wee! The only way is to take him outside so often that he doesnt have a chance to wee inside. At night try and go down to him around 4am. Literally pop him out for a wee and you can go back to bed! The trigger word is so useful if its horrible outside or your in a rush!