# Toilet Training!



## Emma (Apr 29, 2011)

Ok so Maggie has been a Very slow learner when it comes to toilet training! She never seemed to pick up going on puppy pads, preferring to go at any point in the house! Everyone on here said to look for warning signs, but to this day she honestly doesnt have any, she just stops dead and goes. Even if this is while she is brining her ball back to you playing fetch she just stops dead and goes! If the girls got to go shes got to go! My friend has a lab about the same age, and when she had to go there was obvious increases in sniffing etc, so you knew she needed to go! With poos she has always been much better, and we only ever had a couple inside, thank goodness! lol!

Now she is 10months and i would say we have a 90% sucess rate at going outside, the problem now is her telling me when she has to go! We had noticed she likes to lie at the front door for a sleep, now it turns out we think this was her asking out, trouble is sometimes she just likes to sleep there too. Now I hear you all saying, this is good, this is what she should be doing etc. The problem is she sneeks off to the door without a sound! She is not a vocal dog and I can go wks without hearing her bark, and living in a flat I dont want to encourage it, but if im not on the ball then I miss this subtle signal. Its also hard to distinguish whether or not she is needing out or if she is just going out there for a wee sleep and some peace! 

Any hints or tips would be much appreciated. She really seems clever in every other way, and im not sure if its just me thats stupid! hehe! Maybe its just a case of giving it a bit more time. 

Emma x


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Reading your post has made me realise how lucky we've been with Lolly's house training which happened really quickly and at a young age. Out of curiosity, have you crate trained Maggie? I'm sure that helped Lolly massively and I know that's no help to you now but I'm just curious!

Have you thought of bell training? I know others on this forum use a bell. You hang one within dogs reach by the door and start off by ringing it every time you take her out to the toilet. Then hopefully Maggie will catch on and ring it herself to let you know. I'm sure others here will be able to give you more advice on that if you feel like trying it.


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## axl the cockerpoo (Sep 29, 2010)

sounds very much like Axl was, now he just he just waits until he goes out anyway. Never fusses to go outside.


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## Emma (Apr 29, 2011)

Hi Janet, no I didnt crate train Maggie, she slept in a puppy pen at night but that was all. She very quickly was dry through the night it was the rest of it that has been a struggle! Bell training might well be an idea. 
Emma x


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## katycat (Sep 30, 2011)

Griff uses his bell all the time now and it works a treat.


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## Emma (Apr 29, 2011)

How hard was it to get him to use it Kate? And what age was he when you started the training? Emma x


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## ilovelucy (Nov 19, 2011)

Lucy uses the bell too, and we LOVE it!! We started using it after we had her for about a month, so about 16 weeks. I just lifted her paw to the bells and made her ring it, while saying "outside!" and opened the door immediately. (We did this every single time we took her outside, which was every 2-3 hours) After a while she just started reaching up for the bells herself. (Took a week or 2 for her to learn) We didn't open the door unless she hit the bells. She now does it all the time, if she has to potty or just wants to go play. It's great for when we're in another room cause we can always hear the bells and don't have to worry about her having an accident cause we didn't see her go to the door. She has been doing it reliably for the past month or so, and has made everything so much easier. Definitely try it out!


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## Pepster (Jul 22, 2011)

Pepper knocks on the door when she wants to go out, or come in! Only thing is she knocks just to go out and mess about which is a pain as we are all now at her beck and call as we don't want to stop her if she needs the toilet, but I guess it's good that she's not going in the house anymore.


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## Emma (Apr 29, 2011)

Ok so I'm thinking the bells sound like the way to go. Where do I get them and what height do I hang them? Emma x


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## Dee123 (Aug 20, 2011)

I got a bell which isn't hung but just stays on the floor next to the door. Milo did not get the hang of it but then maybe he was too young. I will restart as it seems to work for some...


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## PipE (Aug 4, 2011)

Hi,
We have bells for Kipper too! They're brilliant as they have such a distinctive sound that you can't miss it. We too are at her beck and call as she does ring them to go out to play as well as for a wee!! 
She also has developed a knack for ringing them just as we've sat down to eat!! It's as though she's saying 'Well b* gger you lot, if you haven't got anything for me, I'm off out'!!!
We started training with them almost as soon as we got Kipper but I'm sure a clever Cockapoo would soon catch on!! In fact, I'm getting really fed up with opening the door for her to come back in, and she just stands and looks at me. so I'm going to start counting down from 5 (just like with training kids!!!) and shutting the door on 1 . Really just to see if she does catch on that if she's not in by 1 she's missed her chance!! Ummmm...will it work??!!

I can't remember where we got the bells but if you Google 'Poochie Bells' I'm sure you'll easily find them.

Good luck

Pip X


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

I'm sure you could pick up some bells at your local haberdashery dept and thread them onto some string. I've seen Christmas bauble bells heavily reduced in tesco at the mo. I'm sure something like that should work. Then maybe put a hook into the door or just next to the door to hang them from.


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## Cosharing (Jan 22, 2012)

*Toilet Training*

We crate trained Coco. He's 7 months. He NEVER goes in his crate. Typically he starts to stir when he has to go. I take him out and he handles his business immediately. Then he's allowed to roam the house. The key is timing. If he's been crated more than 4 hours, I always allow him to go outside before roaming the house. Otherwise, he may relieve himself in the house.


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## lisalooloo (Sep 30, 2011)

Both my mum and I got our bell from pets at home in the bird section. 

Lisa


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## Pollypiglet (Oct 22, 2011)

Hattie will go and lie by the back door sometimes to sleep but she gets put out anyway. She is now 4.5 months and touch wood seems to be almost there. Only time we have a leak is when over excited. I still put her out when she wakes up she sometimes just messes about in the garden but at least she has the chance. She can go 6hrs at night I always pop her out if I get up for a comfort break them we both get to have some quality sleep.


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## Emma (Apr 29, 2011)

Picked up a pack of bells today in the Christmas section at tesco. 6bells for 75p! So gonna buy some ribbon and get cracking. Emma x


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