Toilet Training - Teaching Them To Ask To Go Outside?/

[ash1]

We got two pups on Saturday and so far toilet training is going really, really well - I take them outside frequently and keep repeating "go toilet, go toilet" until they relieve themselves, then heaps of praise. They've only had two accidents in their pen and that was overnight.

But how do I train them to ask to go outside? For the most part they seem to be holding on until they go outside (I take them outside on average every hour), but I'd like them to learn to let me know they need to go.

We've penned off a large room for them, as I don't want them free-ranging in the house at this stage. They will of course have free run of the house once they've matured a little bit and have learnt a few commands. For now they spend lots of playtime outside, then back in the pen until next play time. One in particular will whine and bark on ocassion to be let out of the pen, but it's hard to know if this is "let me out, I need to pee", or "let me out I want to come and play with you and the big dogs" - especially as he will often whine/bark very soon after being put back in the pen. I don't want to be inadvertantly training him to harrass me just for play time.

Or do I just keep going as I am and worry about the letting me know thing once they are "free-ranging" in the house? The pups are 11 weeks (3.5 months) and 22 weeks (5 months), ex shelter dogs.

Edited February 8, 2012 by ash1

[❤LovesPoodles❤]

I have a bell that I use with my poodle. But now she is getting older I can usually pick up when she needs to go, same with my husky she walks around everywhere and gives a look as if to say "let me outside" lol.

It's good that the puupies hold on though until you let them out

[ash1]

Oh, the bell's a great idea - that would be terrific if I could teach them how to use that, would mean I could hear it anywhere in the house.

Ummm, now how to teach them?

Do I ring it myself when I take them out? Put their paw on it before taking them out? Any advice would be great, thank you.

[❤LovesPoodles❤]

I put her paw on it to press it and say go toilet put her outside and then praised her a heap for doing it.

You can google it or search some threads pretty sure I saw a thread a little while ago about it

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Edited February 10, 2012 by krystal&coco

[ash1]

I put her paw on it to press it and say go toilet put her outside and then praised her a heap for doing it.

You can google it or search some threads pretty sure I saw a thread a little while ago about it

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Krystal&Coco, rushing off to buy a bell now!

[❤LovesPoodles❤]

Good luck :)

[suziwong66]

Oh, the bell's a great idea - that would be terrific if I could teach them how to use that, would mean I could hear it anywhere in the house.

Ummm, now how to teach them?

Do I ring it myself when I take them out? Put their paw on it before taking them out? Any advice would be great, thank you.

If you teach your pup to target your hand with their nose you can then transfer that behaviour (when established) to the bell then shape that behaviour each time you go out to toilet with pup. A clicker would be an excellent training tool.