Musing on toilet training

[CorvusCorax]

Just a musing after reading lots of posts about dogs not staying clean overnight in recent months.

One night last week, my healthy young female, almost three years old, who had been fed five hours previously, did a number 2 after 30 MINUTES walking up and down our lane on a leash. And I wasn't in bed til after midnight as a result.

Some dogs just can't be let out in the back for five or ten minutes last thing at night, they need to move around properly and be in the right frame of mind for toileting. Mine is very easily distracted.

So if you think there's an issue...give your dogs a bit more of a chance. It's annoying and you'll get wet and knackered but for me it's the better option.

 

[MurphysMinder]

I don't walk mine, but I do go out in the garden with them and wait until they have done something. The young GSD is very frustrating as she skips around chasing moths, and now a bat has joined in the game so she will be sniffing for a spot and then launch herself in the air after them. The little ones aren't really a problem as they are boys so just constantly mark after each other

 

[Tiddlypom]

Whilst I agree, what I want to know is how can your puppy be nearly three?? Where did the time go?

Is it also more of a bitch thing, that the sniffs have to be exactly right to be able to perform?

 

[MuddyMonster]

Yes, completely agree.

My dog won't toilet unless one if us is standing next to him in the garden. It takes longer if it's windy, rainy or lots of distractions.

He usually decides he needs to go at a key point in whatever TV programme we are watching

But what's dog ownership if you're not in the garden in the dark wearing your PJs, fluffy slip on garden shoes balancing a golf umbrella and wine glass missing the big reveal of the murder mystery?

 

[AmyMay]

Is it also a more of a bitch thing, that the sniffs have to be exactly right to be able to perform?

Daisy takes ages for last pees. Circling, sniffing- find the exact right spot

And oh, yes @MuddyMonster she always wants to go out during he ‘big reveal’.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Yes, definitely a bitch thing. And I also have one who seems to know when it is reaching the reveal/cliff hanger in a programme and that is when he starts jumping up and down and telling me he absolutely has to go out NOW !

 

[MissTyc]

My terrier dog is easy - didn't really need toilet training and I can count his indoor errors on one hand.

My terrier bitch, however ... didn't see why indoors wasn't a suitable toilet for quite a long time; now (age 2.5yrs and no indoor accidents since she was 7 months), she still needs someone to stand with her outside, pref out out on a grass verge rather than the garden but garden can be acceptable as long as it's not raining. LED torch required if it's dark ... Full coat on in winter if it's cold or you can forget it, and you WILL be woken up by a crying dog at 2am (at which point, apparently, one can go outside wind rain or snow because one is desperate) ...

 

[skinnydipper]

Mine opens her bowels on a morning, either in the garden when she gets up or on the morning walk. She just nips out for a quick wee before bed. Thank you big girl.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Whilst I agree, what I want to know is how can your puppy be nearly three?? Where did the time go?

Is it also more of a bitch thing, that the sniffs have to be exactly right to be able to perform?

I don't know either! Luckily she hasn't really grown. Everyone takes the mickey out of my 'Chihuahua', but they can't tuck their big lumps under their arms when they're being arsey, or launch them over stiles out on a walk.

Definitely a bit of a culture shock with a female. The lads are a lot more laid back and obliging. She also must poop down some sort of slope or incline, never on the flat.

 

[blackcob]

Small one will go in the garden for his morning one, for which I am desperately thankful as I need those five minutes to have a cup of tea and contemplate my existence. However, under no circumstances will he go there in the evening and lo, if he is not walked I will be woken up at 3am by him sitting on my chest and squeaking.

I can count the number of wees the large one has ever done on walks on my fingers, she goes in the garden before and after, because *hYpErViGiLaNcE*. Thankfully she does poo slightly more readily.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I was up at 4.30 this morning, letting out the black bitch because apparently it was too wet last thing to do more than have a quick wee. It wasn't quite as wet at 4.30 but it was definitely raining and it took her ages to find the right spot and do what she needed to do. I stayed out with her, the other 2 came back in without us.
The older pair were the easiest pups we have ever had to housetrain, the brown one, who was 5 months old when she came to us was one of the most difficult. We think she had spent a lot of time in a crate and just got used to toileting wherever she was. She is crated here, overnight or when we are out but would just wee on the living room/ kitchen floor while playing, all bitches.

 

[oldandgold]

And usually they end up peeing in the spot that they first sniffed 20 minutes ago

 

[druid]

Most of mine go on command, thankfully none are too finicky about garden vs field vs on a walk as our routine isn't very routine so I need them to go when they get the oppertunity!

 

[Jenko109]

Mine go for their last wee at 8pm. They all go in the garden on command.

The whippet, who I absolutely spoilt rotten when he had meningitis, wakes up at 5am like clockwork every morning. He gets himself out of my bed and will sit on the stairs having a winge until I get up and let him out to the toilet.

As we often walk straight away at 5am after his toilet break, if I decide that actually I fancy a lay in and go back to bed for a while, he will hang over the back of the sofa and kick off until someone gives in and either walks him or gives him his breakfast

 

[Sparky Lily]

Our 3 have different times when they absolutely must go out of an evening - usually as others have said, at interesting points in a programme. We are so pleased with modern technology that lets us pause live TV.

 

[Boulty]

Probs gonna be crucified but I no longer force the hooligan to go out just before bed if he doesn’t want to. He was turning into a nightmare where he’d just run laps of the garden barking / sit or lie down in middle of lawn & refuse to move / would just hover next to back door.

He’s clean overnight & has the opportunity to ask to go out at any time in the evening. Occasionally if he sees me getting stuff ready for bed time & he wants to do something he asks but if he doesn’t then I don’t force him. He’s an odd, stubborn creature!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Mine are quite routine about things. They're female, and one is a bit more picky than the other, but both wee on command. Poo, not so much.

My most recent puppy (she's 9 months old now) was toilet trained quickly (got her at 8 weeks) and had very few accidents (can count them on one hand).

We were so dedicated though. Alternating nights sleeping on the sofa closest to the door. Getting up diligently throughout the night. Then we eventually moved into the bedroom (which was actually undergoing a remodel when we brought the pup home).

It's all about timing and awareness, really. You cannot be lazy or lax about it.

Yeah we lost sleep, but it was temporary.

It was also frigid in the middle of winter, so not ideal timing!

 

[Goldenstar]

My bitch is slightly different she is very private you know she going to go because she heads off in a very determined way and at home she goes in the same trees .
Away from home she is much easier and does not mind being watched .
Shes not good a peeing on the lead I am trying to crack that one .

 

[Nasicus]

The young GSD is very frustrating as she skips around chasing moths, and now a bat has joined in the game so she will be sniffing for a spot and then launch herself in the air after them.

That's literally what my 2yo Tibbie does
Right, going for a wee *sniff sniff sniff* OOH LOOK A MOTH!
Oi, go wee wees!
Oh right *sniff sniff* OOOH A BUG!
Repeat ad nauseum

 

[Xmasha]

If i have treats Stirling will wee on demand . Between 10 and 10.30 he will go out and do his jobs and then head straight to bed . Up at 7am, he now wants his breakfast first and then goes off for his morning wee and poop after that . Then he has his favourite spots for a wee on his morning walk . He cocks his leg now , but also does a weird pee while walk / sniff thing too .

 

[DabDab]

<whispers>
Dog flap

So yeah, my dogs just please themselves and go out whenever they fancy. The only service required from me in the garden is picking it up once a day. And tbh mostly they poo in their time outside the garden anyway, except for Phoebe who finishes breakfast and immediately goes out to poo every morning.

 

[blackcob]

I love the idea of a dog flap but a.) renting and b.) it’d also be burglar sized in this house

 

[Shady]

All newbie pups have been brought into home in summer. It makes everything much easier and quicker.
I'm lucky in that I just let the dogs out when I do last hay at 11.30, and they do what they want or don't want to do and then they come in and sleep all night. I get up at 6am most days and they can either get up and go out , or not , it's up to them. Breakfast at 7am and they are not allowed to play or run around as I am bloat aware ! , I then muck out and walk them for an hour or so mostly off lead. They will sometimes poo, sometimes not , but they'll both do a few wees en route. All very casual I guess ,but it works for them and us and they both know that if they feel iffy in the night they can bark and i'll get up straight away to let them out. It very very rarely happens and only if they've eaten something they shouldn't, like a lizard or plums / figs etc .

 

[Clodagh]

.

 

[misst]

Now both my dogs have "bedtime wees" on command - open garden door and off they go. If it is cold or raining door is then shut until both have performed (glass door and garden lights on). When Ruby was a pup however I spent hours in the pouring rain in garden shoes, huge coat (January) and an umbrella. She would wake at 2am until she was about 6 months old but stayed clean overnight in her crate. The day time was another matter. She was well over 9 months before she was 80% dry and about 18 months before I could trust her completely. She just wasn't bothered. I have never had a dog like her before she was so hard to house train.

 

[Moobli]

I know if my GSDs run out at night or first thing in the morning with all the sheepdogs that they will be so busy playing and stalking that they won’t empty themselves so I always make sure I take them for a walk on their own just for toileting purposes. They have the run of the house overnight and unless it’s extremely cold or inclement weather then the back door is always open anyhow (and they either bark at me or scratch the door to go out if they need to) so we never have accidents. It’s more for when I’m going to the beach or training and I’d like to empty themselves at home first.

 

[meggymoo]

Our last greyhound wanted her privacy when she went for a poo. Always went to a bush and stuck her head in it. Of course we couldn't possibly see her a$$e end sticking out could we!

 

[Clodagh]

Our last greyhound wanted her privacy when she went for a poo. Always went to a bush and stuck her head in it. Of course we couldn't possibly see her a$$e end sticking out could we!

Scout does that… a great poo emerging from nowhere.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I am sure that Greyhounds have second bladders, especially when it's raining!

I try to keep Ivy in a good routine of going out before bed time. With the rainy weather I am more insistent she go when it's not raining because I know when it is raining she will really go on strike, although I have in the past put both our raincoats on and gone out to wait her out when it was getting to desperate measures. In fairness to her we have had very few accidents since we have had her and the ones she did have were new environment related (including the very big poo on the very expensive rug at my in-laws the first Christmas we had Ivy, they are really not dog people at all so that she got away with that speaks to how much she has charmed them!)

Watching my dog do the 'where to go' dance is one of the most tedious things I can think of. I wonder what the criteria is for the 'right' spot and what makes her just about to go and then think 'oh no actually that's not the spot' better do the dance again.

 

[meggymoo]

I am sure that Greyhounds have second bladders, especially when it's raining!

I try to keep Ivy in a good routine of going out before bed time. With the rainy weather I am more insistent she go when it's not raining because I know when it is raining she will really go on strike, although I have in the past put both our raincoats on and gone out to wait her out when it was getting to desperate measures. In fairness to her we have had very few accidents since we have had her and the ones she did have were new environment related (including the very big poo on the very expensive rug at my in-laws the first Christmas we had Ivy, they are really not dog people at all so that she got away with that speaks to how much she has charmed them!)

Watching my dog do the 'where to go' dance is one of the most tedious things I can think of. I wonder what the criteria is for the 'right' spot and what makes her just about to go and then think 'oh no actually that's not the spot' better do the dance again.

Oh most definitely. Current one is good as gold telling me it’s time for a wee. Open the door for her - oh, it’s raining. False alarm! Back on her bed before I can even shut the door. Alternatively she is desperate to go, pleeeease mum hurry! But once out there, the urgency is forgotten as she sniffs every blade of grass. There are a lot of scents for her to investigate in our garden - 320 neighbourhood cats, foxes, deer, pheasants, hedgehogs, the odd stray sheep….! Oh yes, once I’m suitably frozen to the bone it’s back to the place she first thought of.


Edit: I may have exaggerated, but only very slightly, about the number of cats. The rest is true!