Whippet Help needed please

[Jackie G]

Hello to all! First time Whippet owner here. I have a beautiful entire 6 month old male. we are having a bit of an issue toilet training unfortunately as we used puppy pads in the kitchen (where he sleeps overnight). Most mornings (bar on about 3-4 occasions) we awake at about 07-07.30 to a pee and now more often than not a poo also. He goes out straight away and usually always does another pee and poo. He has an hour walk at 12.00 then about a 30 min one at 16/17. then goes out again at 21.30 for a quick pee and poo. During these times he asks to go out to the garden to relieve himself during the day. Just before we go to bed at about 22.30/23.00 he goes out for one last pee in the garden.
I use simple solution to clean up the mess in the morning, and every time he urinates or defecates on walks or in the garden I always give lots of praise.
He goes to doggy day care once a week and on the days he goes we usually don't have a mess to clean up the next morning.
He starts to wind down for the evening at about 20.00 so I'm wondering if this might be the problem..
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Amymay Again]

I'd set your alarm for 5.00am to let him out.

 

[lizziebell]

I'd set your alarm for 5.00am to let him out.

This ^^, then gradually increase the time by 5/10 minutes every few days. Although personally I’d crate at night and go back to square one with toilet training and NOT use training pads.

 

[Jackie G]

This ^^, then gradually increase the time by 5/10 minutes every few days. Although personally I’d crate at night and go back to square one with toilet training and NOT use training pads.

Thank you! Yes indeed. We threw out the pads about a month ago. Should never have used them He still goes in the precise spot we used to leave them.

 

[paisley]

Maybe check the surface of your floor to see if its absorbed some smell? Could he have a walk earlier in the day, before midday? The toileting opportunities are fine but I find mine needs longer opportunities to 'empty out' as it were. Without being too graphic, I would expect 2 poos and a 'squidger' (sorry!) on the morning walk with lots of pees, and I can be relatively confident he's comfy for the day. He's out at 6am (main walk) , again at 9am (5 mins), 4pm (main walk ) and 10 pm (5-10 mins). Its a routine he's fine with, and almost always still sleeping in his bed when I get home for 4pm.

 

[I'm Dun]

Wash everything with biological washing powder and warm water, then rinse off with clean water.

I've never had an issue house training mine, but I have them with me in the bed and get up in the night etc and have them house trained in a day or so. Puppy pads are always a bad idea. They make your dog think going to the toilet inside and on a pad if the right thing to do.

Your going to need to get up at 5.30ish and let him out. Once you've done that for a week or so you can slowly push it back later.

Or just take him upstairs and let him sleep with you.

And where are the photos? You cant talk about a whippet puppy and not provide photos!

 

[I'm Dun]

The routine for mine as adults is ridiculous. Get up around 10.30/11. Go for a wee, eat breakfast, back to bed. 1pm walk or out and about for a couple of hours usually doing several wees and poos, 3 to 4pm back to bed. 6pm small snack, a toilet break, then back to bed till 10.30 the next day. Sometimes one might get up at 8 or 9pm and I will send them out for a wee.

If I force them they will get up and go out at 11pm, but its like getting teenagers up. I have to pull the duvet off and threaten and bribe. I gave up doing it ages ago, its not worth the upset. They don't even wake up and rush out for a wee. They would rather eat first, but I stand firm and they go out for a wee as soon as they get up. Mine have all been the same. I swear they go into some sort of hibernation mode!

 

[Jackie G]

Maybe check the surface of your floor to see if its absorbed some smell? Could he have a walk earlier in the day, before midday? The toileting opportunities are fine but I find mine needs longer opportunities to 'empty out' as it were. Without being too graphic, I would expect 2 poos and a 'squidger' (sorry!) on the morning walk with lots of pees, and I can be relatively confident he's comfy for the day. He's out at 6am (main walk) , again at 9am (5 mins), 4pm (main walk ) and 10 pm (5-10 mins). Its a routine he's fine with, and almost always still sleeping in his bed when I get home for 4pm.

Thank you! I will try the extra walk. His poos are very squidy at the mo as he's a total piggy that scavenges like a starving dog on walks..

 

[Jackie G]

Wash everything with biological washing powder and warm water, then rinse off with clean water.

I've never had an issue house training mine, but I have them with me in the bed and get up in the night etc and have them house trained in a day or so. Puppy pads are always a bad idea. They make your dog think going to the toilet inside and on a pad if the right thing to do.

Your going to need to get up at 5.30ish and let him out. Once you've done that for a week or so you can slowly push it back later.

Or just take him upstairs and let him sleep with you.

And where are the photos? You cant talk about a whippet puppy and not provide photos!

Thank you! Here is the man himself, Fox

 

[Jackie G]

I'd set your alarm for 5.00am to let him out.

thank you!

 

[I'm Dun]

Just because I think its funny, heres my older boy Floyd, checking there's no food or treats before declining to get up. Once they get to about 2yrs old this is what they are like

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=8953521511393467

 

[I'm Dun]

I cant find the video but theres one where I wanted to go for a walk, they did not and I pulled the duvet off them while begging them to PLEASE GET UP!! Its like having teenage sloths as pets

 

[Teaselmeg]

Is he happy being left at night, or does he worry a little ?

 

[Jackie G]

Is he happy being left at night, or does he worry a little ?

he got the routine down of moving from his bed in the living room, to his bed in the kitchen at night quite quickly. Then when he was teething he wasn't happy about it at all. WE had a good few nights of howling and barking. After he got the routine down very well and takes himself off to bed when asked. Having him upstairs is not an option (husband) but once he is fully toilet trained we will be happy for him to sleep in the living room overnight. I would do it now, but we had a dog sitter over once who fell asleep, and Fox went to pee and poo in the kitchen. So I don't want to reinforce that if that makes sense.

 

[Teaselmeg]

he got the routine down of moving from his bed in the living room, to his bed in the kitchen at night quite quickly. Then when he was teething he wasn't happy about it at all. WE had a good few nights of howling and barking. After he got the routine down very well and takes himself off to bed when asked. Having him upstairs is not an option (husband) but once he is fully toilet trained we will be happy for him to sleep in the living room overnight. I would do it now, but we had a dog sitter over once who fell asleep, and Fox went to pee and poo in the kitchen. So I don't want to reinforce that if that makes sense.

Separation anxiety is a well known reason for dogs on their own toileting at night. You might find that a few weeks of having him in the bedroom will settle him down, as he will feel safer and then you can slowly, gradually move his bed downstairs and to where you want him to sleep.

 

[CorvusCorax]

My dog needs a good run/an actual walk before having a poo, not a bimble round the garden.

Also check where/in what circumstances he is going when at daycare, if it is indoors/a covered area, the first experience of the pads combined with that and the fact that he is not 'confined' will make him think it is OK just to go wherever, which is not his fault.

 

[Jackie G]

Separation anxiety is a well known reason for dogs on their own toileting at night. You might find that a few weeks of having him in the bedroom will settle him down, as he will feel safer and then you can slowly, gradually move his bed downstairs and to where you want him to sleep.

thank you , I will certainly try this if the early morning wake ups don't seem to work.

 

[Jackie G]

My dog needs a good run/an actual walk before having a poo, not a bimble round the garden.

Also check where/in what circumstances he is going when at daycare, if it is indoors/a covered area, the first experience of the pads combined with that and the fact that he is not 'confined' will make him think it is OK just to go wherever, which is not his fault.

Thank you. His day care is totally outdoors.

 

[misst]

He's gorgeous!
If it is any consolation one of my terriers took 9 months to be reliable. I've housetrained plenty but she was just not too bothered and is a bit of a scatty character even now. I had her crated next to the bed at night so she would stir and it would wake us up. Once she was out of the crate she slept on the bed but would wake us up. Our problem wasn't night time but was afternoons. They are all different but I would second getting up earlier or having him upstairs so you know the minute he stirs. Ruby didn't go right through the night for at least 6 months so if she had been downstairs we wouldn't have known she needed to go.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I don't think the puppy pads are the problem, I've used them for 4 pups with no problem
Ours were crated overnight (no dogs upstairs here) in pairs. The Rotts were brought up wholly indoors at the breeders and the Labs, who were the easiest pups ever to housetrain, had free access to the breeder's garden.
What time does he have his last meal in the evening? That might have a bearing on when he needs to poo in the morning.

 

[Jackie G]

He's gorgeous!
If it is any consolation one of my terriers took 9 months to be reliable. I've housetrained plenty but she was just not too bothered and is a bit of a scatty character even now. I had her crated next to the bed at night so she would stir and it would wake us up. Once she was out of the crate she slept on the bed but would wake us up. Our problem wasn't night time but was afternoons. They are all different but I would second getting up earlier or having him upstairs so you know the minute he stirs. Ruby didn't go right through the night for at least 6 months so if she had been downstairs we wouldn't have known she needed to go.

thank you definitely a consolation.

 

[Jackie G]

I don't think the puppy pads are the problem, I've used them for 4 pups with no problem
Ours were crated overnight (no dogs upstairs here) in pairs. The Rotts were brought up wholly indoors at the breeders and the Labs, who were the easiest pups ever to housetrain, had free access to the breeder's garden.
What time does he have his last meal in the evening? That might have a bearing on when he needs to poo in the morning.

he eats at about 17:00ish most days.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

he eats at about 17:00ish most days.

I doubt it's that then. Ours have their last meal just before bedtime. How many meals does he have per day? At 6 months I would expect him to have at least 3 meals, could he be having too big a meal and struggling to digest that?

 

[Jackie G]

I doubt it's that then. Ours have their last meal just before bedtime. How many meals does he have per day? At 6 months I would expect him to have at least 3 meals, could he be having too big a meal and struggling to digest that?

he has breakfast straight after his morning walk, then some food during the 1200 walk as training with the rest put in his bowl, then again at 1700 ish. But we should be dropping one of the feeds soon right and switching to twice a day?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

he has breakfast straight after his morning walk, then some food during the 1200 walk as training with the rest put in his bowl, then again at 1700 ish. But we should be dropping one of the feeds soon right and switching to twice a day?

Not necessarily, it depends on the dog. We always fed the Rotts 3 equal-sized meals per day, to avoid bloat, so the Labs ate with the 1 remaining Rott when we got them and now they are the adults still have 3 meals per day, which suits the younger, bigger Lab, as she has the hungry gene and would eat all day if allowed to.

 

[I'm Dun]

My older boy who is practically perfect in every way and therefore indulged and spoit rotten, sometimes gets up at 1 or 2 am and wanders into the kitchen for a midnight snack. I leave grain free dry food down just for this purpose. Its never made a difference. I would be shocked if this is due to the timing of food.

Hes not waking up cold is he? The nights are pretty cold still and 4/5/6am can be totally freezing.

 

[skinnydipper]

he has breakfast straight after his morning walk

To reduce the risk of bloat/GDV in deep chested breeds, try and leave at least half an hour after exercise before feeding and no vigorous exercise for 2 hours following a meal.

 

[Esmae]

My older whippet wasn't happy to go all night until he was 3. He was fine in a crate overnight and then the penny finally seemed to drop and he is spotless now without the crate. Younger dog was fine within about a month of coming home, but then he didn't have a disruptive start like the older fellow. He is a nervous chap and insecure hence the problem we had. A crate is a good thing if you make all cosy and covered like his den. They rarely wet or foul their bed. He looks gorgeous. Good luck with him.

 

[neddy man]

Ours eats at 7:30am-- noon-- and 4pm we used to feed at 6pm and she didn't always poo at 11pm before we went to bed and couldn't hold herself till morning, bringing the evening feedtime to 4pm she would empty herself at 11 at night so no sleep time poos or pees, I appreciate 4pm might not be possible but try feeding his last meal as early as possible it may help with the overnight problem.

 

[Jackie G]

My older boy who is practically perfect in every way and therefore indulged and spoit rotten, sometimes gets up at 1 or 2 am and wanders into the kitchen for a midnight snack. I leave grain free dry food down just for this purpose. Its never made a difference. I would be shocked if this is due to the timing of food.

Hes not waking up cold is he? The nights are pretty cold still and 4/5/6am can be totally freezing.

He’s super snug in an open crate with a mattress and an anti anxiety bed topped with a huge blanket