# Help please - toilet training!



## Chin85 (Aug 6, 2017)

Hi everyone
This is my first post here but have been browsing for some time. THis is an incredible site and the help you've all given has been invaluable. 

I was looking for some help with our 11 week old Cockapoo (Marley). She is jet black and F1. Definitely the star of the show and gets a ridiculous amount of attention in the park, on the high street etc. She is gorgeous. 

We have had her a week and 7 out of 10 times she will go outside to pee or poop. We encourage this when she is out by saying 'go we wee' and majority of times she does it. Naturally there have been some accidents with several pees in the kitchen that are our fault as we missed the signals. 

Anyway my issue is she has NEVER used a pee pad as her default go to was to use grass (thanks to the breeder!). 
We are starting to leave her alone for a couple of hours during the day in her crate and playpen but with this she can't always hold herself and there are accidents happening in the pen. 

We have put puppy pads down but she seems to think they are a chew toy and tries even chomping at them or picking them up and dragging across the kitchen. We have tried to call her over and give the command 'go wee wee' on the pad but no luck. 

Any tips please on how we can introduce her to the pads? One part of me is reluctant to do so as I feel it's a step backwards if the majority of time she is going outside however I feel terrible that if she is alone she is confused about how to do her business and it just ends up all over the playpen 

Many thanks all, appreciated!!

James (and Marley)


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## Chin85 (Aug 6, 2017)

Forgot to add we are trying to introduce the pads when she is home with us (rather than when she is alone)


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## cfriend (Dec 22, 2016)

Phewww from what I've gathered from this forum and other places is puppy pads generally confuse a puppy and it will be very hard to train them to not pee in the house once they've gotten used to the pads. From my own experience our puppy was trained to use pads by her breeder and we had a very hard time to get her to pee outside. If there is anything way that you can leave her alone for a shorter period of time so you can ditch the pads? Otherwise I would suggest to crate train if she isn't already. Most dogs won't pee in their sleep area so she'll probably be able to hold it in a bit longer...


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Sounds like an excellent breeder to have done the work so her default is grass. Pee pads would be a backwards step so I would ditch them and accept that accidents whilst you are out are inevitable while pup is learning and will reduce as they get older and develop more control.

I would not confine to a crate to try to stop peeing to be honest - they are babies and if they need to go they need to go, better to clean the kitchen floor than have to clean the crate and wash a puppy


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## cfriend (Dec 22, 2016)

I think you misunderstood my suggestion. I would never crate my puppy beyond the point of how long they can be expected to hold it in for a given age. Crate training can be a valuable tool for house training though.


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## LuckyCockapoo (May 29, 2017)

I think you've been lucky with the grass. House training Lucky was a breeze due to the same thing. He just naturally went on grass and only elsewhere in desperation - I.e. usually my fault. 

I also had pads when he was in a pen and he just slept on them or chewed them so I abandoned that. I used to have an old duvet under the pen so anything he did in there was easy to clean. He never actually did any mess in the pen though. 

I was fortunate than I rarely had to leave him for long so never came home to a mess. If I were you I'd just keep doing what you're doing. Try to create a timing habit for wees, make sure she can't damage anything if she has an accident, and try not to leave her too long. Sounds like you're v well on the road though. I'd rather be in your position than someone trying to change a habit from pads to the garden.


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## Marley&Me (Jul 19, 2017)

hi all - James (and Marley) here
i thought i'd make a new account with a bit more of a puppy friendly username 

just to update you that we have taken the decision to keep the pads away from Marley and carry on just cleaning up accidents whilst she is going out in the garden for the majority of the time. 

thanks for the help!


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## Kopa (Aug 17, 2017)

Yet another phase that gets under every persons skin. You take your cute puppy outside to do his or her business but after an hour, no luck. The second you enter the house they begin to defecate on your beautiful carpet. How about that new fancy electronic device that you have to toss in the garbage because that fluffy ball decided to use the cable as a chew toy. This can really push people over the edge no matter how adorable thing is.

House training your puppy is about consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement. The goal is to instill good habits and build a loving bond with your pet. All dogs become conditioned never to eliminate in their dens. From two to four months of age, most pups pick up on the concept of housebreaking and crate training quite easily since it is part of their natural programming. This is another phase that will take around 6 months to master.
*
Potty Training Tips:*

*Game Face After Feeding –* Five to 30 minutes after the puppy eats, it will want to defecate. So with a consistent eating schedule, and your attention to the clock, your puppy can maintain regular trips outside.

*Hourly Rotation – * If you can, take the puppy outside every hour to the same patch of grass and wait for him to pee/poop. Its imperative that you act super excited and give them a treat right after they do their thing. This will teach them that going out side is a good thing and they will learn that going to this spot means bathroom time.

*Puppy Pads – *Use the same hourly rotation on the puppy pads and reward good behavior.

*Look For Signs – * Get ready to spring into action when the he begins to sniff the ground and roaming around in circles. Once they start the look for their spot, say a command like “Go Potty” and reward good behavior.

*Positive Reinforcement –* Keep in mind that this is frustrating work. Always use positive reinforcement and a firm “NO!” or “Bad Dog” when they go in the wrong place. Never shove your dogs face in the poop or pee because it will only confuse them. If you come home to an accident DO NOT GET MAD!!!!!! Dogs think in the moment so you getting angry will only teach the puppy that getting excited when you come home is bad behavior. Accept your loss and move on.


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## Kopa (Aug 17, 2017)

Yet another phase that gets under every persons skin. You take your cute puppy outside to do his or her business but after an hour, no luck. The second you enter the house they begin to defecate on your beautiful carpet. How about that new fancy electronic device that you have to toss in the garbage because that fluffy ball decided to use the cable as a chew toy. This can really push people over the edge no matter how adorable thing is.

House training your puppy is about consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement. The goal is to instill good habits and build a loving bond with your pet. All dogs become conditioned never to eliminate in their dens. From two to four months of age, most pups pick up on the concept of housebreaking and crate training quite easily since it is part of their natural programming. This is another phase that will take around 6 months to master.
*
Potty Training Tips:*

*Game Face After Feeding –* Five to 30 minutes after the puppy eats, it will want to defecate. So with a consistent eating schedule, and your attention to the clock, your puppy can maintain regular trips outside.

*Hourly Rotation – * If you can, take the puppy outside every hour to the same patch of grass and wait for him to pee/poop. Its imperative that you act super excited and give them a treat right after they do their thing. This will teach them that going out side is a good thing and they will learn that going to this spot means bathroom time.

*Puppy Pads – *Use the same hourly rotation on the puppy pads and reward good behavior.

*Look For Signs – * Get ready to spring into action when the he begins to sniff the ground and roaming around in circles. Once they start the look for their spot, say a command like “Go Potty” and reward good behavior.

*Positive Reinforcement –* Keep in mind that this is frustrating work. Always use positive reinforcement and a firm “NO!” or “Bad Dog” when they go in the wrong place. Never shove your dogs face in the poop or pee because it will only confuse them. If you come home to an accident DO NOT GET MAD!!!!!! Dogs think in the moment so you getting angry will only teach the puppy that getting excited when you come home is bad behavior. Accept your loss and move on.


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