Toilet training-----------Help!!!!!

[eihpos]

My 10 week old springer spaniel seems quite intelligent in many ways, but can't seem to grasp toilet rules. Has anyone got any tried and tested ideas??
We go out as soon as she wakens, after food but most times nature seems to call just when I am not looking!!
Any ideas will be appreciated.
Thanks

[leelapops]

Hi eihpos, hope you're well (loo issues aside!)

You are going about it the right way, more experienced dog owners than me could probably suggest other ideas too for you. I just wanted to say that t 10 weeks she is very young, and accidents are definitely going to happen. You say she is bright so she will soon pick up on the loo thing, it just takes time.

Make the most of the joys of puppy ownership!

x

[lankeela]

I would put paper down near the door, so she has somewhere to go when she needs to. Take her out regularly not just when she wakes up, but after playing for about ten minutes then whip her out quick and if she goes make lots of fuss of her, praising and fussing. Its better to take her out more often even if she doesn't need to go.

Perhaps you could rig up some sort of enclosure (puppy pen) for her to play in with paper down at one end. I always use a large cage which they can use to play in, eat in and sleep in, and take them out when I can give them my full attention.

As leelapops said, 10 weeks is very young to expect her to be housetrained.

[orange-gnome]

Its clearly up to opinion but mine is that you shouldnt encourage them to pee on paper as you are essentially allowing them to pee inside the house and this way will take longer for them to realise that actually you dont want them to relieve themselves indoors.
My puppy (third dog) is 19 weeks old and toilet trained but even at this age she just doesn't have the physical capacity to hold it in for long periods of time...say over night. Because I never allowed her to go inside the house she has the general gist of it at about 12 weeks and after that we have only had a few accidents and mostly at night.

You are doing the right thing by taking her out after meals and waking up but its important to let her out in the garden at regular intervals in between these times.
I also use a crate which has been fantastic, she originally ate and slept in there all the time which makes it then like her own little den and dogs naturally don't want to pee where they sleep but of course you cant shut her in there all the time but good for night times. My puppy now eats with the other dogs in their eating area which is much more natural for her.
Remember also not to make a big deal about her going inside, if you catch her then just calmly put her outside while you clean it up, its best to ignore behaviour that you dont want and praise good behaviour. Negative attention is still attention and puppies all want that.

Like the others have said, 10 weeks is still very young so be patient and she'll get there. Good luck : )

[Bellringer]

Keep putting her out as you are. If she starts to perform tell her to "Be quick" or some such phrase. If she does her duty give her loads of praise. If you keep using your chosen phrase you can get her to go almost on request. Don't know how old she was when you started but 10 weeks is a bit soon to expect her to be house trained, but keep at it.
Happy springing.

[riapnash]

Congrats on your new pup! All the advice given is exactly the same as I would have said. I go along with the comment on using newspaper, that I didn't use for my 2 dogs. The puppy training pads you can get though are a good idea as they contain a scent that attracts the dog to the pad. It's a case of loads of patience really - I took on a 4 year old rescue doberman back in April who still has the odd accident. She was abused and starved - any loud noise or raised voice will cause her to have an accident, so a bucket and mop is permanently in the kitchen for now but we will get there.