# Any helpful hints for toilet training??



## lyndsey (Aug 24, 2013)

Hi everyone & apologies in advance as I'm sure this has been asked a million times but...can anyone give me some tips for puppy toilet training? 

We picked up our gorgeous cockapoo puppy Ellie on Wednesday when she was exactly 9wks old. She's fab but I really don't know what I'm doing with the toilet training! I read that we should put her out at least every hour, after every sleep, after food & water & whenever she is sniffing around or going in circles. Since Wednesday I've spent almost all of my life in the garden with her! I'll take her out for a good 10-20 mins, she'll do nothing, I take her in & she'll promptly wee on the carpet! I've covered the wee areas of the carpet with stuff that's supposed to get rid of odour but I don't know what else to do. Do we just persevere with what we're doing & hope it will click or is there anything else I could try?

Thanks, Lyndsey


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Hi welcome! The toilet training will come.. You need to have a structured routine, going out every 40 minutes, after sleep, eating, playing. If you think she needs to go stay outside until she does then go crazy with the praise. Any accidents in doors, don't make a fuss at all, completely ignore it. Outdoors is when you go overboard with praise. It really works!


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## AliAlfie (Jul 29, 2013)

Hi and welcome.  It sounds as if you're doing everything right, I appreciate how frustrating it feels (we are going through this phase too, our boys are similar ages,) but as Ruth said, it will come, we just have to be patient.  Ruth also made the very good point of staying outside with Ellie until she actually DOES go and praise like mad. We've started shutting the door (to stop them going inside before doing their business,) and waiting outside with them until they go...just as well it's summer and we can make the most of the decent weather!!!


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## Sumes (Aug 3, 2013)

Hi, we've spent the last three weeks going through this with our boys and the only thing that works for us is religiously taking them out every 30-40 mins and waiting! The one day we thought they were getting it we slackened off with the routine and spent the next couple of days steam cleaning the floors! My wife even built a turfed area for the to toilet but, to be honest, we're just happy if they take it anywhere outside rather than in. 
The one positive is that they do sleep dry through the night between about 10.30 PM - 7.00 AM.
Good luck!


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## lyndsey (Aug 24, 2013)

Thanks Ruth. Would you stay outside for a long time? Sometimes it's upwards of 20 mins, she doesn't do anything so we come inside & then she wees. Is that par for the course?

Thanks


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## lyndsey (Aug 24, 2013)

Thanks everyone! I'll just persevere with what we're doing then  I was prepared for this being hard but must admit I'm finding it difficult. As long as we're on the right track, that's the main thing. And like you say, at least it's nice weather at the moment!


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

lyndsey said:


> Thanks Ruth. Would you stay outside for a long time? Sometimes it's upwards of 20 mins, she doesn't do anything so we come inside & then she wees. Is that par for the course?
> 
> Thanks


If you get into a routine, she will go almost as soon as you get out. I never initiate play outside until the toilet business is done. So what happens is we got out, I watch closely, as soon as there's increased sniffing and circling I give the command "toilet" and she goes - I go crazy with the praise then we have a play. If you go out especially to toilet, don't do anything until the toilet happens. If nothing happens within 15 minutes, go back inside - watch carefully in case she does start to show the signs. As soon as there's any sign, right back out. It sounds tedious but it's worth it!


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

Lyndsey you have my sympathies, Bonnie took forever! I ended up taking her out every half hour and if she even so much as sniffed the floor or carpet! As Ruth says using a command is very useful - I used the command 'get busy' when I took her outside and didn't play with her until she had been. When she did go I gave her a huge amount of praise then played with her. She got the message eventually! 

Also make sure you spray over every accident in the house so she doesn't associate your house with her toilet!


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## calli.h (Aug 29, 2011)

Hi, I do exactly the same as Ruth, no play at all when you take her outside to wee, I even walk away from her when she tries to sit on my feet! Then big fuss and treat ( her puppy biscuit) when she's done her wee/poo. Be vigilant in the house for any signs and take her out straight after food and sleeps. I stay out about 10 mins max if nothing or shes playing then back inside but watch like a hawk. It will come be patient they're clever little souls!!


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## SamRinde (Jun 10, 2013)

Don't be afraid of puppy bells. They work wonders for potty training!


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## Mazzapoo (Jul 28, 2013)

I found it useful to record toilet, meal and sleep times for the first couple of weeks and then I had a rough pattern to help me predict. Poppy seems to wee about every 4 hrs but more frequently in the evening when she's more excitable so that's when our accidents happen, only a few now though. If you're crating that helps too because they usually wee straight after they're out which gives you a great opportunity to praise and reward. To be honest it's a case of watching like a hawk to understand your dog's own signs and times I think. We seem to be having some success now after a few weeks of naming the action too, we use 'have a wee' and repeat it while she does one and then praise, so now sometimes she seems to wee on cue.....All your conversations will probably feature poo and wee (consistency and frequency) for quite a while!


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## Carly20 (Sep 4, 2013)

This is the part im dreading most the toilet training! i have all this to come


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Carly20 said:


> This is the part im dreading most the toilet training! i have all this to come


Try not to let it worry you. Your puppy will want to please you and with some clear direction will get the picture eventually. 

The thing with puppy toilet training is that you need to have a routine, go outside every 40 mins or so, after sleep, play, eating and when the puppy shows signs (sniffing and circling are usually main indicators). The main thing is for you not to get annoyed. Praise the good and ignore the accidents. If there's an accident, clean it up and move on. This time flies by and you will wonder in a few months where the time went. So enjoy your puppy and the toilet training, take accidents with a pinch of salt, clean up and move on.

It's such a fun time!


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## Lexi&Beemer (May 5, 2013)

RuthMill said:


> Try not to let it worry you. Your puppy will want to please you and with some clear direction will get the picture eventually.
> 
> The thing with puppy toilet training is that you need to have a routine, go outside every 40 mins or so, after sleep, play, eating and when the puppy shows signs (sniffing and circling are usually main indicators). The main thing is for you not to get annoyed. Praise the good and ignore the accidents. If there's an accident, clean it up and move on. This time flies by and you will wonder in a few months where the time went. So enjoy your puppy and the toilet training, take accidents with a pinch of salt, clean up and move on.
> 
> It's such a fun time!


So true. One of the reasons I got two at once was because I didn't want to go through the dreaded process of toilet training in just a short time. And despite it not being ideal, these two have figured it out and now what limits me is that I only have two hands to pet them at a time. But it works out. They learn. You learn more. In some ways I look back and think the vigilance of watching for a pee/poo accident made me learn about them even more. So now I know the difference between pee or poo circling which is even more distinguishable from sniffing to dig or sniffing because there is some crawly bug they want to go after or... Patience and persistence worked for us.


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## Carly20 (Sep 4, 2013)

RuthMill said:


> Try not to let it worry you. Your puppy will want to please you and with some clear direction will get the picture eventually.
> 
> The thing with puppy toilet training is that you need to have a routine, go outside every 40 mins or so, after sleep, play, eating and when the puppy shows signs (sniffing and circling are usually main indicators). The main thing is for you not to get annoyed. Praise the good and ignore the accidents. If there's an accident, clean it up and move on. This time flies by and you will wonder in a few months where the time went. So enjoy your puppy and the toilet training, take accidents with a pinch of salt, clean up and move on.
> 
> It's such a fun time!


Thanks Ruth for this you have made me feel a little bit better about it  
I'm not at all house proud haha so not worried about the accidents as much, I just want to do the best for her to be honest. I'm so excited but scared and nervous at the same time. 

I have taken a week off work to settle her in etc and then once I go back to work i am 9-5pm monday to friday but my grandma, sister and neighbour are going to go in throughout the day for me and let her out, play with her etc. Do you think this will be ok? 

xx


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Be relaxed, be patient - they are babies and accidents will happen. Be consistent.
Don't dispare if you have a bad day with lots of accidents, tomorrow may be better.
Combine toilet training with lead training. That way you can take your pup to the area of the garden where you want it to toilet in. Then just be patient. Praise is vital and an association with a word is great.
Keep a pair of crocs/ wellies by the back door and a rain coat and a torch... you do have to go out with your baby pup even if it is raining or dark.
Toilet training you second puppy is much easier as the first dog sets such a brilliant example.


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## Helsbelles (Jul 19, 2013)

I am going through this with Rosie now and found this thread really useful with all the tips ...was starting to despair too as I wait out for 20 mins sometimes and then she comes in and wees  but with these nuggets of wisdom I will wake up tomorrow looking forward to trying them out 

Pondering on whether to make some home made poochie bells too to try out? (but I'm thinking the kids will just find it highly amusing to keep ringing them!!)

Hope you are having more success with the house training now Lyndsey?


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

I had the luxury of bitter cold February weather to toilet train my dogs. It works like a charm, "we don't go back inside until you pee". Cockapoos are probably smart enough to learn the reverse when the weather is nice." As soon as I pee this nice time outdoors with my family will end, I wonder how long I can hold it?" I wonder if you kept them on a leash in one place until they peed and then let them off leash to play, with lots of praise too, it would give them more incentive? I always said "go pee" as they started to pee too, it is very convenient to have a dog who will pee on command sometimes.


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