Toilet Training - how long should i expect?

[Toast]

My rottie pup is 8 weeks, we've had her since tuesday and shes already dry overnight and sleeping from about 11pm until about 7:30am.
Shes sleeping in her crate in the bedroom for the time being but will go downstairs as soon as shes a little more settled in.
I usually launch myself out of bed in the morning at the first sign of her waking, she's very good and will cry to let me know she wants to go to the toilet.
When in the kitchen she will sit at the door and ask to go out, but if we go in the living room we've not quite grasped that we cant wee or poo in there and i always leave the door open so that she can leave the room and go to the back door.
I will as a rule of thumb take her out and plonk her on the lawn every half hour or so or if shes sniffing the floor looking like she wants to go. She is also rewarded with lots of praise and a little piece of puppy sausage when she goes outside and reprimand with a firm no when she has accidents in the house. Am i doing everything right? This is my first puppy and i want to be sure we're getting it right for her sake and ours!
And how long should i expect it to take roughly before shes fully trained? or is that a how long is a piece of string question?

 

[CorvusCorax]

It is indeed a piece of string question she's still very young and doing very well - think how long it takes a human child to learn to stay dry overnight. I would not reprimand when she goes inside - it's an accident, not intentional and it can teach pups to be sneaky - IE they will still go in the house, but just try to hide it from you, if you see a puppy starting to go I would just rush them out with the wee command or distract them and make a big game of going outside quick.

Bear in mind her access to food and drink and and timings of eating and drinking and if the living room is a problem perhaps curtail her space in there with a baby gate or pen until you have it cracked.

 

[Toast]

Thanks cave canem! I have this afternoon actually decided to allow her only in the kitchen where there's no carpet as the house is rented! If I catch her if she tries to wee in the house I do rush her out and praise when she then goes in the garden. She's pretty good when in the kitchen, if she does wee anywhere it's normally right in front of the door. I'm hoping she'll catch on quickly haha!

 

[Dobiegirl]

OP she is doing really well and confining her in the kitchen behind a baby gate is the ideal solution imo. Be prepared though as she is young like young children she can lapse but keep calm and carry on as you are and it will pass. A couple of members on this forum who bred puppies had them all house trained before they left for their new homes so maybe your breeder did the same with your pup.

I cant believe youve come on this forum without a photo of your pup, you do know its the law dont you.

 

[Star_Chaser]

shes doing fabulous. Have you thought of introducing a key word when she does go? It really helps later on when you want them to go to the loo for any reason. We use Be Quick but that comes with its problems so pick a word that you know you won't use for something else

 

[POLLDARK]

To put it in perspective. Dogs do not take anywhere near as long to toilet train as a Human Being & some men are very difficult to house train.

 

[krlyr]

The only thing I would change is to not reprimand her for toileting inside. Imagine how small her bladder is and how short her gut is - if she toilets inside despite being offered toilet breaks, it's probably because she has to go right now rather than out of choice, and I think it's unfair to punish a dog for their natural bodily functions. Even if she has some element of control, at 8 weeks her attention span will be very short and she won't click onto the idea of toilet training instantly.
Also by telling a dog off for toileting inside you run the risk of a dog who eats their poo (to 'hide' it and prevent a telling off) or who won't toilet infront of you for fear of being told off for it.
If she toilets inside then I'd just rush her outside to give her a chance to finish off her business (and reward her if she does) and clean up the mess without a word.

But other than that, you're doing pretty much exactly what I did with my GSD pup. I found that by offering her tons of toileting opportunities, she rarely had any accidents indoors so didn't get into the habit of 'going' in the house. I continued this through the night too - a rota of offering toilet breaks every 2 hours (on-lead so she knew they were toilet breaks, not playtime) for the first few weeks, it was tough but I think it sped the whole process up by weeks because she pretty much didn't get the chance to practice toileting indoors at all.

We also did the command thing horseloaner mentions, ours was to repeat the word "well done" (as for general praise we used "good girl") so in the future we could tell her to "do a well done" as a cue for "toilet if you need to". We picked something non-bodily function related so that we weren't embarrassed to repeat it in the earshot of neighbours or the general public!

 

[Toast]

Thanks everyone! Will take on board the advice re reprimanding when she has accidents in the house. I'm also looking into getting a baby gate.
Re the keyword, we generally use 'weewee' and I do tell her she's a good girl as soon as she goes to wee on the lawn.
I'll post a few pics when I'm home from work this evening!

 

[TiaPony]

I've got an 9week old collie who I've had nearly 2 weeks and she is pretty much toilet trained. The only time she slips up is when I'm not quick enough to open the door for her. They catch on remarkably quick. Agree with other posters that it is pointless reprimanding her. Hope you're having fun with your new arrival!

 

[Echo24]

I wouldn't tell her off for going to toilet in the house as she's still very young. If she was 6 months and you know she's clean in the house then that's a different matter.

If she's used to going out the kitchen door to go to the toilet then she won't associate going out the patio door from the lounge which could be why you're having accidents.

Sounds like she's doing very well though. Just make sure you look out for sudden changes behaviour which might mean she needs to go out. You'll notice she happily plays with her toys and suddenly stops to sniff the floor. Consistency is generally the key at the age to getting them house trained

 

[CAYLA]

Don't leave the door open carpeted areas are always the last to remain un puppy pood on
Rotts are very quick to toilet train, very clean as a breed in general.
If you want to teach her not to pass in the living room and give her some aids in order to communicate with you try the following, I would close the door when she is in there with you and place pads/paper at the door (im literally talking 1 sheet of paper of 1 pad, however DO NOT LET her pass motions on them (this is not the objective here) otherwise she will just pass on the pads (not what you want), this is to encourage her to GO to the door (hence giving her a cue/aid) and you, to get up and open the door as she is headed for the aids! paper/pad Open the door and let her follow you straight to the back door. This is one of the simplest ways to teach them to (go to a door) and give a command "you want a wee wee" as you go