Another Toilet Training Thread!

[Cody]

Hi guys,

Just wanting a bit of advice about our little man Cody (I will get pictures on once I can find my camera cable!)

As some of you know we have had mess free nights in the crate Tues and Weds. Last night we decided to try something different..the way out kitchen is laid out we have a gap next to the units and against the wall that is just wide enough for his crate and because of the chimney breast there is about 2ft square space infront of the crate.

So we used a big piece of left-over worktop and made like a "pen" for him and put pupppy pads on the floor and tied his crate door so that it stayed open. It worked a treat and this morning when I came down for puppy breakfast his crate was clean but he had done a poop on the pads out of the way (dinner was late last night cause of visitors so I knew he'd need the loo in the night).

What I would like to know is, do you think this arrangement is a good idea? In the sense that Cody will learn that he can go to the toilet in the middle of the night if he wants to (in the right place of course) and could this make it difficult later on when we let him have more room? Will he learn not to hold it? Or will he still associate his crate with food and sleep and not go to the toilet in it regardless?

I ask this because at the moment I don't feel comfortable taking his outside as he has only just had his first injections and i'm paranoid so I know that in a few weeks i'll have to re-train him to go outside anyway but I would at least like the crate to remain the same so that he doesn't go in it at all, regardless of the time of day.

I hope you all understand my ramblings! Any help woud be greatly appreciated

[Guest]

I think you'll be creating problems for yourself at this stage. Right now, he needs to learn how to hold on a little, and if he has a play area to use, he'll just go whenever he wants.

It'll be a bit like a kenneled dog - they have their bed area and a small 'run' which is where they go to the toilet, but they are not house trained, they just go at their own convenience (excuse the pun!).

Once he's reasonably housetrained, with no accidents over night for about a month, then by all means give him that freedom of a play area. Then if he's desperate he can go, but he'll be more likely to wait until he can go out.

[Cody]

Thanks Caryll, I thought that might be the case. It was the OHs idea but I think he was just trying to make it easier for himself cause he begrudges getting up early but i've told him its a choice between looking after Cody for an hour or doing all the housework..he soon changed his mind then

I'll be home at lunch so i'll sort him out and put things back to the way they were. Its not like it was hard work if he had an accident anyway cause of the lamintate flooring in the kitchen.

On thing I have noticed though...we now have to keep his bed away from him. (Its a small, foam filled cushion) Every chance he gets he will wee on it. I have no idea what it is..its been washed numberous times and i've used the simple solution carpet stuff to get rid of the smell (to him) but he insists on weeing on it...any ideas on that one? Or does he just have a thing for foam

[Guest]

Foam is really difficult to clean properly, the smell of urine seems to get trapped in it. You might need to buy another one. Have you tried washing it in a biological washing powder, followed by another wash in non-biological? The biological will get rid of the smell, and the non-bio will get rid of the bio in case it causes any allergic reactions!

If there are any large dog or agricultural shows near you, you might be able to get a cheap one from there, they're often on special offer at the shows.

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