Training

Hi all,

We just got ourselves a King Cahrles pup. Shes 11 weeks old now... and gorgeous !!

We're having difficulty toilet training her and was looking for some advice. Its too cold to have her outside so while we're at work we'll be leaving her in the kitchen. We want her to do her business in a certain corner but shes having none of it. We've stood with her on her lead trying to get her to go waiting to give her a treat but so far no good. We'd then put her in her crate for 20 mins and try again but shes having none of it. As soon as shes allowed wander on her own she'll go. Any suggestions ?

Also, she keeps biting at the ends of everyones trousers. I know pups like to chew but i don't want to get her into this habit.

Thanks !

We'd love to see photos of her! :flwr:

Just so you know, cavaliers should never, ever be left outside, no matter how nice the weather is!

We used a 30 inch tall x-pen http://www.sitstay.com/store/equip/xpens.shtml with newspaper and wee wee pads on the floor to keep our puppy confined to a smaller area in the kitchen while we were at work.

We put her crate (with the door removed and a nice soft crate pad) in the x-pen for her to sleep in. She had her kong toys and a bowl of water in the x-pen, too.

Then we took turns coming home at lunch time to take her outside for potty and to feed her. Your puppy will need 3 meals a day for several months.

Before long your puppy will stop making messes on the wee pads when she can finally hold it long enough. (typically 1 hour for each month of age + one more hour.)

Do you have a little dog jacket or sweater for her to wear outside to go potty if it's very cold?

I crate train my dogs. This is a good way for them to learn not to go where they eat or sleep. If you take her out on leash, go to the same place all the time. Use the same words. Bring the treat outside with you so you can treat immediately.

We use a bell on our door. Every time we take Libby out we ring the bell and say let's go out.

I don't particularly care for the pee pads or paper, because of a previous dog we owned. I train to go outside only.

Keep her on a schedule too. This means feeding at the same times each day. This way you can start to pick up on her routines. So you will know what she has to do each time you take her out. If she doesn't go, back to the crate for 10mins and try again. Most pups will go 10mins after they eat.

Libby is not 100% reliable yet, if she gets out of our sight, but she is doing really great. We have trained our yellow lab with the bell also.

Just some ideas to consider! Good luck!

Please do not crate train your puppy if you cannot be there, for example if you are at work all day.

I wouldn't recommend leaving a puppy in a crate for hours on end while you are at work. That is too difficult for the puppy. That is why I suggested the x-pen set up.

This type of training will work, and it is easier for the puppy, who cannot be expected to hold it for more than a very short time.

Ideally it would be good to have someone come in twice to take your puppy outside to go, and hopefully you can come home at lunchtime to take her out.

Thanks for the replies everyone. A quick update. We bought some of the pee pads and since yesterday Holly is using them thankfully However she won't poop on them, only pee ? Also she only pees on them when theres someone in the kitchen with her, as she gets a treat when she uses them. At night she still pees on the floor ??

We're going to be going back to work this week but there will be people popping in to let her out for a run and feed her. This is the main reason we didn't want to crate train her. Would the X Pen not be too confined seeing as shes used to having the run of the kitchen ?

Have put some pics here

If she is this young, using an xpen is probbaly a good idea as too much freedom makes housetraining harder -- it is just one giant area for her to pee randomly in. Also be sure you are cleaning up every accident with either a specially made enzymatic solution or a weak solution of *billogical* washing powder in wtare. If you just wash with other cleaners she can still smell the spot and will go.

I'd recommend ordering Shirlee Kalstone's Housetraining a dog in 7 days from Amazon.co.uk as it gives lots of model schedules and techniques.

Keep in mind that most puppies need to be trained to use the pads. Your pup is only a baby with a tiny attention span and you will need to work with consistent praise and rewards (never punish!) to get her to associate relieving herself with using the pads.

PS: There's also a hint within your post: don't let her ever wander on her own, ever; especially not from room to room. When not alseep she needs to always be on your lap, crated, at arm's reach, tethered to you by a lead tied to a belt loop. And watched like a hawk; never out of your eye. Housetraining is challenging, frustrating at times, and requires consistentcy but gradually, it will happen. You also can only housetrain one room at a time -- it will take a few months for her to even begin to understand that the whole house is off limits for relieving herself.

If you search the board on 'housetraining' you'll find lots of advice too!

Karlin,

Do you know where i'd pick up an X Pen in Dublin ?

Thanks !