I have a new pup arriving this Wed. July 12. I feel lost over which housebreaking method will work best for me and my new girl. We have a house alarm set nightly, so letting the pup out at 1-2 hour intervals will present a problem. If I paper train in the beginning "puppy" stage, how difficult will it be to then train her to go outside later? It is only at night when this issue presents a problem. Any suggestions or advice?? :?
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Housebreaking: paper or grass??
- Thread starter QCS
- Start date
arasara
Well-known member
Hello QCS,
I just went through this potty training thing, so I will tell you which method has worked for me.
First of all, I learned off the bat that paper training was a bad idea. It stains things (like toys), it stinks, and it won't take very long for your pup to think of it as a toy. My trainer also pointed out that some time down the road if you find yourself reading a newspaper and set it on the ground to tend to something else, you might come back to find a puddle of wee in your newspaper. It's not the dog's fault, it was the way that he was trained.
Proper pads are a better choice for this reason. They also attract dogs to eliminate on the pad. Some have bad aims (lol,) but hey, at least they will try.
For Kosmo, I didn't use either. It was a lot faster for me to teach him only to eliminate outside. I took him out every half an hour when I was with him all the time. There were MANY times when he didn't eliminate, but when he did, I made a HUGE deal about it (treats, GOOD PUPPY!) and let him know that it was a good thing. As he got better at going outside, I would take him out less frequently. But it is a chore in the beginning.
The site mod on here has posted some wonderful information about potty training in the "caring for your Cavaier" section. Here's a link to that:
http://cavaliertalk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=75
Good luck with your puppy and let us know how it goes. Remember - patience is the MOST important thing.
I just went through this potty training thing, so I will tell you which method has worked for me.
First of all, I learned off the bat that paper training was a bad idea. It stains things (like toys), it stinks, and it won't take very long for your pup to think of it as a toy. My trainer also pointed out that some time down the road if you find yourself reading a newspaper and set it on the ground to tend to something else, you might come back to find a puddle of wee in your newspaper. It's not the dog's fault, it was the way that he was trained.
Proper pads are a better choice for this reason. They also attract dogs to eliminate on the pad. Some have bad aims (lol,) but hey, at least they will try.
For Kosmo, I didn't use either. It was a lot faster for me to teach him only to eliminate outside. I took him out every half an hour when I was with him all the time. There were MANY times when he didn't eliminate, but when he did, I made a HUGE deal about it (treats, GOOD PUPPY!) and let him know that it was a good thing. As he got better at going outside, I would take him out less frequently. But it is a chore in the beginning.
The site mod on here has posted some wonderful information about potty training in the "caring for your Cavaier" section. Here's a link to that:
http://cavaliertalk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=75
Good luck with your puppy and let us know how it goes. Remember - patience is the MOST important thing.
Thanks for the advice - it seems the general consensus that paper or potty pad training is least desirable of housebreaking methods. My only alternative would then be to crate her at night, which is what I will need to do I guess, until she's housebroken. Counting down to the big day!! (2 1/2 days!) 
brid kenny
Well-known member
potty training
Hi there,
Phoebe was sort of trained on paper by her breeder.
I used both methods at the same time. Outside for the most part but as I was working I had to leave her inside during the day and I also needed a goog night's sleep!!
There were plenty of accidents but for the most part she peed on the paper when she was supposed to and outside when she was supposed to.
You won't get perfection immediately. My sister kept telling me that it would take her a year and a half to get it fully right and she was right.
Maybe our dogs are a bit slow but they are little babies.
A lot of people told me to dip her nose in it and slap her but I just couldn't.
I'm at home for the summer as I'm a teacher and she has been absolutely perfect....so far!!
Good luck
Let us know how Wednesday goes....it is so exciting.
Brid.
Hi there,
Phoebe was sort of trained on paper by her breeder.
I used both methods at the same time. Outside for the most part but as I was working I had to leave her inside during the day and I also needed a goog night's sleep!!
There were plenty of accidents but for the most part she peed on the paper when she was supposed to and outside when she was supposed to.
You won't get perfection immediately. My sister kept telling me that it would take her a year and a half to get it fully right and she was right.
Maybe our dogs are a bit slow but they are little babies.
A lot of people told me to dip her nose in it and slap her but I just couldn't.
I'm at home for the summer as I'm a teacher and she has been absolutely perfect....so far!!
Good luck
Let us know how Wednesday goes....it is so exciting.
Brid.
Charleen
Well-known member
Both of my dogs (they are a year apart in age) went through a period of regression too. At about 18 months to 2 years old, they had a few accidents in the house. I called it the terrible twos. Anyway, I just had to watch them real carefully and make sure they went to the bathroom outside and then I praised them. So don't be surprised if you need to do a little repeat housebreaking training at some later date.
Maxxs_Mummy
Well-known member
Re: potty training
The people who told me to do that were the ones I told they shouldn't even think about having a dog, Brid.
Tbh, I have had more problems with Rescue dogs peeing in the house than I ever did with Maxx as a pup. His breeder was wonderful and had started training the pups to go outside as soon as she could. we just used to make sure he went out immediately after eating, waking, playing and circling etc. I think in the time we've had him (he's almost 7 & we had him at 15 weeks) he's only ever had 2 or 3 pees in the house.
Charlie, however, is 2 and came to us in November. He was still peeing in the house until a few weeks ago and was a nightmare to train. He'd come in from the garden and stand in front of us and pee on our rug!
I think I cracked it by staying out there and making sure he went at least twice before letting him in. Now it's summer, the door is almost always left open and he trots in and out at will. i'm dreading the winter though, just in case we get a repeat performance - he's not the shrpest knife in the drawer :lol:
brid kenny said:
The people who told me to do that were the ones I told they shouldn't even think about having a dog, Brid.
Tbh, I have had more problems with Rescue dogs peeing in the house than I ever did with Maxx as a pup. His breeder was wonderful and had started training the pups to go outside as soon as she could. we just used to make sure he went out immediately after eating, waking, playing and circling etc. I think in the time we've had him (he's almost 7 & we had him at 15 weeks) he's only ever had 2 or 3 pees in the house.
Charlie, however, is 2 and came to us in November. He was still peeing in the house until a few weeks ago and was a nightmare to train. He'd come in from the garden and stand in front of us and pee on our rug!
I think I cracked it by staying out there and making sure he went at least twice before letting him in. Now it's summer, the door is almost always left open and he trots in and out at will. i'm dreading the winter though, just in case we get a repeat performance - he's not the shrpest knife in the drawer :lol:
Maxxs_Mummy
Well-known member
OK then, if it were me here's what I would do....
Have her go outside during the day - some people have trained their dogs to ring bells when they want to go out. But in the night, is her crate big enough for a pad? If it is, then put the pad as far away from where she sleeps as possible & let her use that. If she asks to go out though, then get up and let her out.
I've never crated my dogs so I can't really give much info on crating at night. I have however, been really pleased when they have barked to ask to go out for a pee or a poop. Much better than going in the house
I'm never very impressed when Maxx asks to go out and just wants to sniff the night air at 3am though :roll: :lol:
Have her go outside during the day - some people have trained their dogs to ring bells when they want to go out. But in the night, is her crate big enough for a pad? If it is, then put the pad as far away from where she sleeps as possible & let her use that. If she asks to go out though, then get up and let her out.
I've never crated my dogs so I can't really give much info on crating at night. I have however, been really pleased when they have barked to ask to go out for a pee or a poop. Much better than going in the house
I'm never very impressed when Maxx asks to go out and just wants to sniff the night air at 3am though :roll: :lol:
Maxxs_Mummy
Well-known member
She is delicious btw, a real cutie :flwr: