how long did it take you to toilet train your puppy and what technique did you use?

Answer 1

It usually takes me a couple of weeks to house train a dog.

My definition of house trained is when the dog

a) knows it is supposed to urinate and defecate outside
and
b) the dog has learned some way of letting me know when it needs to go outside.

The technique involves anticipating your dogs needs and taking him outside at the right time - when waking, after playing, after eating.

It also involves watching your puppy and learning his body language - you can tell when they want to 'go' if you look properly.

You need to be really enthusiastic with praise when they get it right.

You need to ignore the occasional mess - apart from cleaning it up of course - using a de-odouriser specially for dog urine etc.

When your puppy is sniffing all around the garden and you just know it will do it eventually, try not to babble at it - just be quiet and when the pup obliges praise it in the act.

As the human you have to take responsibility for teaching your dog what you want it to do.

A dog's idea of toilet training is simple - one doesn't do it in or near one's bed. That means if your puppy makes a mess anywhere in your house apart from near his bed, according to dog rules he is being good.

He should not therefore be yelled at, smacked or in any other way punished. He should simply be shown kindly and consistently what we humans want him to do.

All my puppies have learned slightly different ways of leting me know when they want the door opened for them. Some nudge my arm, some stare at me, one used to tap the glass door, another skipped back and forward, one rattled the door handle.

I've never attempted to teach any of them how to communicate what they want but they all, once they were sure that they were supposed to go outside, taught me how to get up and let them out.

Answer 2

I think crate training is the method of choice. The problem with the 'moving the newspaper closer to the back door' or similar idea is that from the start you have the puppy 'going' in the house. Avoid this; it is confusing. Also, the pads with the scent on them are a bad idea. A dog will smell it from some distance, and if you take it outside scent is likely to remain in the house. Avoid. I use crate training, combined with a clearly marked, dedicated area of the garden for toileting. The crate should be large enough for the puppy to stand and move around comfortably, but not so large that it can toilet at one end and sleep at the other. Instinctively, he will not want to soil his sleeping area. Use the crate from day 1. Do not push the puppy in, but encourage him by placing toys and treats inside, and praising him for going in there. Puppies quickly learn to love their den. The toilet area is in a corner of the garden, is fenced off with an entrance, and is covered in bark chippings. This clearly designates to the dog that this is the toilet. Take him out at least once an hour during the day, before and after meals, and befroe and after play. I add the command 'better go now!' Reward him for going in the right place. I have had few 'accidents' using this method. If you see toileting behaviour, take the pup immediately to the toilet. If he is already going when you see him, clap your hands to interrupt and quickly take him outside. If the puppy starts to bark in the night, take him to the toilet. This teaches them that all barking accomplishes is a trip to the toilet, and if he really needs to go, he should bark! Clean any house spills with a didicated pet-odour remover. Normal household products will leave behind a scent that, while undetectable by humans, will encourage the pup to go there again. Train your pup to toilet on any surface while out and about, so that he goes on command whenever you need him to. Finally, a puppy cannot be expected to hold on. Him toileting in the house is never his fault, it is yours! Never punish him for toileting in the wrong place, or you will end up with a 'secret' toileter, as he will not want to go in front of you. Rubbing the nose in it or whatever other idiotic practice people might tell you, accomplishes nothing. Once the dog has toileted, he will not associate you rubbing his nose in it 5 minutes later. Plus, this is barbaric. If you do all these things, you might be able to avoid ever having an accident. I have done this with puppies. It is much easier and better to train that going outside is a good thing, then that going inside is a bad thing.

Answer 3

About two days. Except you don't really toilet train a puppy, you just make sure it never needs to go so bad it pees/poos in the house. Take it to wherever it's allowed to pee/poo after every meal, after sleeping, after playing and anytime you see it doing that sniffing, circling, "I'm about to go" action - watch your puppy and you'll know what I mean! Give it lots of praise when it performs in the right place, but NEVER tell it off or, the ultimate no-no, rub it's nose in it, if it has an accident. If the puppy is scolded it won't cure it of accidents (they can't control their bodily functions when they're tiny), but it will make the puppy scared of peeing/pooing when you're around which is great when you're standing in the garden on a dark winter's night in the rain waiting for the puppy to do it's business!

Just move the puppy aside and clean up using a strong smelling (though non-toxic) cleaning agent to mask the smell of whatever the puppy did so that it doesn't act as a trigger later on.

Persevere, be patient, and remember your puppy is a BABY! There are bound to be accidents but hey, how big a problem is it to clear up a few little messages compared to the lifetime of loyalty and companionship you're going to get from your dog?

Answer 4

It depends on the breed, some are slower than others, basically Ginger has given you the right answer, plus you need a playpen or crate to prevent accidents because dogs won't go in their bed.
Go to puppy classes, and hers a web address where you can get more info.

The basic idea is that the pup doesn't know its way around your home and that you have to show the pup where you want it to go; then you reward if for going there.
Remember that even after the pup has cottoned on it may have trouble getting there in time until it has learned to hold on, so be patient and take them to the dog toilet area frequently.
Never punish a dog for going in the wrong place. They don't understand that you mean 'not there'.

Answer 5

it took me a week. And the best way is crate training. Buy a crate and crate your dog whenever you cannot watch him, while you're at work, cooking or in the bathroom. Dogs do not like to potty where they have to sleep. Then every time you let your pooch out take him outside to relieve himself, do not come back in until he has done so. Renforce this good habit by telling him "good potty" or any other word you wish to use for this act. make sure lots of hugs and petting to let him know he did good. Also bear in mind puppies will need to relieve themselves after playing too. Never rub you pups nose in his mess this solves nothing and may make your pup ill. Also if he has an accident try to remain calm, if you get angry he will become anxious.

If you live in an aprtement i would also suggest doggy diapers they can be bought online. so after letting pooch out of crate put on diaper till you can get him outside.

Oh and final thought, if poochy has already relieved himself on your carpet or floor DO NOT use normal household cleaners, they do no remove the scent for your animal, they actually make that spot more attractive to them, i would suggest a trip to petsmart and buy a bottle of animal stain and odor remover, its the only thing that really removes the smell.

Good luck!

Answer 6

4 DAYS.
She was only 10 weeks old when we got her.

From the day you bring the dog home.....take it outside to the area where you want to potty every couple hours or so. We crate trained our dog, so at night, we would need to get up a couple times and let her out to try and potty.

If she potties while you are outside with her.....then praise her and give her a treat. If she potties inside, walk over and clean it up. DO NOT say "bad dog" or rub their nose in it. Don't even look at her. It hurts them more for you to ignor them than it does to scold them. To them BAD attention is still attention. Ignoring them really hurts their feelings.

They are like children when they are puppies, you need to keep a CONSTANT eye on them.

You can tell if they need to potty, they will start sniffing the floor in the house kinda wandering around smelling without a purpose. That's your clue to go outside. SAY GO POTTY....then when she does...give her praise and a treat.

Good luck!

Answer 7

My puppies are usually well-trained in a few weeks. I don't know that i have a "method", per se, I just take them out constantly. After they eat or drink, after they play, as soon as they wake up, if they start to sniff around, if they start to walk funny, if they look at you funny, just before bed, and even during the night. And then, I take them out once in-between all of these "set" times... *heh*

Never yell at them for going on the floor. Just get them outside and clean it up quickly and quietly. Do not make them afraid of going to the bathroom in front of you, or they will still go in the house, just where you can't find it. Never, ever rub their noses in it. That will make the puppy confused and afraid of you...

Every time you take them out, keep them there until they do go, and then praise the cheeze whiz out of them! It can take a while, and they will have accidents once in a while. That just happens. Be patient, and take them out as often as you are able.

Crates can be very helpful as well. They also keep your pet safe (and your carpets and furniture) while you have to be away. They really will learn to keep their sleeping area clean... Others will be along with good advice. Good luck to you!

Answer 8

I takes about 3 to 4 weeks to potty train a puppy. First, take him out a whole lot consistantly. Every time you take him out, wait until he finally goes and then praise him EVERY time. When you catch him going in the house, pick him up and scold him. Make him watch you clean up the miss using vinegar. After you clean it up, put a drop of Tabasco sauce on your finger, and rub it on the puppy's gums. Take him immediately outside, and wait until he goes outside and praise him. It doesn't take very many times of the Tabasco sauce before they learn. Also, put you puppy in a pet taxi at night and while your gone. This will teach him to hold it. This has worked for all 4 of my dogs. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 9

I used the crate training method. When I bought my dog she came with her own doggy crate. The breader said to leave her in the crate, except when you are playing with her, paying attention to her or feeding her. When you take her out immediately take her outside and wait for her to potty. When she does, give her lots of praise. After she was used to the routine. (a couple of days) I took her out and told her to go potty each time and really praised her.

Now we are a Delta Dog Thearapy Team and visit librarys, hospitals, and assisted living facilities. Whenever we are in a location where I want her to 'go' or we are taking a break, I can just tell her to go potty and she does.

I was told this method works, and it really does. We still have her crate although she isn't in it much, except when the grandkids come over, and she wants to hide!

I also take the crate on trips and if I leave her with someone to dog sit. That way she always as her home with her.

Answer 10

Two nights of training... I picked my pup up from his trip crosscountry kansas to ma. within 3 hrs of him arriving to the store, we went home I brought him right outside to the toilet area, we went through the same door each time we went out, I would give him water every hour or so,1/3 cup, never left it down for him. the first night I took his leash and hooked it to the crate, I slept on the couch, set my alarm for every two hours, took him outside each time to the same spot, praised him when he went, all this took was two nights. It was rough getting through the day, but I would nap with him just like I did with my son when he was a baby, and it was so worth it.. My 3 yr old Chesapeake Bay Retreiver, my 11 yr old son and I are a very happy family now, lookin for another pup to start over again Good Luck