[Casper]

Our puppy should be ready to come home around 22nd October I have been reading up on puppy care, training etc however I'm a bit confused as to what to do about toilet training?? I have purchased a medium sized crate as I would like puppy to be crate trained however I'm confused about if I should put down puppy pads in one half of the crate or not? The crate will be in the dinning room where my older dog sleeps. During the day(weather permitting) the back door will be open which leads into our garden and I'll be there to monitor him, it's night times that I'm confused about, If people didn't use puppy pads how did they manage during the night? Did you get up often during the night to let puppy out? I really want to try and avoid using puppy pads if I can so pup knows to go outside. Im off work at the moment( herniated disc, waiting on a spinal injection in November!) so I will be at home most of the time. I have seen a smaller crate advertised which will fit just a bed in and was wondering if it would be better to use a smaller one first with no room for puppy pads or use the medium sized crate and puppy pads!!! Oh it's all confusing!!!

 

[ali-s.j.]

I used pads, Izzy wet the first 2 nights she was home, but dry after that. I didn't want to get up to her in the night, and she had to learn (and be able to) hold on until morning. Dogs do not like to soil their bedding, but if they are too immature to control their bladder, and have nowhere to wee, they'll have no choice, which may be distressing for them. I know others get up and let the pups out, it's a choice, either way seems to work in the end

 

[cleo]

I think it depends on the dog and it might involve some trial and error. I was also confused about this with our puppy and so to begin with I put a puppy pad in the cage. However, on the first night she just shredded it and then she wasn't using it at all as she was holding her wees until I let her out in the morning. To begin with this was very early and as time went on it got later and later.

She also stredded the dog bed I got for her so I now use a towels in the cage and got rid of the puppy pads after day two I think and never used them again. I wasn't using puppy pads in the house either so I think she didn't have a clue what it was for.

So, I would just try a few things and see what works for your puppy. If you are using puppy pads in the house try and put one in. If not I wouldn't put one in.

Good luck...

 

[ali-s.j.]

Don't mean to confuse but I used pad in crate, not in house.

 

[S.Claire]

For the first couple of weeks I was going to bed at about 10pm/11pm and getting up again at about 5am to let him outside. Within this time he sometimes held on and on occasions did soil his crate (meaning he was desperate - poor lad). After this he didn't have any more accidents but I continued to get up at about 5am to let him out, then would put him straight back in and I would go back to sleep until 8am when I get up and let him out again. From about 12/13 weeks I now get up at about 6.30/7am to let him out (and I still get back into bed for another hour) - i like my sleep!! I haven't tried it yet but I reckon he could now hold it until 8am and he's just over 17 weeks now!

During the day when at home in the first couple of weeks with him, I did leave paper down for him but as he is with me constantly even at work, accidents rarely occurred as I would know to let him out every few hours. - Don't get me wrong, Nacho wasn't an angel, we did get poo's on carpets etc but he learnt quickly!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[Casper]

Thanks for all of your advice, I presume it's just going to be trial and error until we find our way. I can't even remember what we did with Bonnie( our 14 year old collie cross!!) I think she took to it straight away. Whilst in the crate at nights do you remove water??

 

[cleo]

oh yes, I remove water after about 7 when she has had tea and she doesn't have any more until the morning. She's 17 weeks and has just stopped weeing in her cage. I get her up at 7.00am and then go back to bed at weekends. However, I have found putting a rug over her cage helped greatly (advice from this website) as she often sound asleep when I get her up in the morning. I need to let her out at that time in weekday mornings so she has a decent amount of time out of the cage before going back in when we go to work. But this weekend I am going to listen out for when she wakes up and then let her out.

 

[Hfd]

Hi - Billy has been home 3.5 weeks and is 11 weeks old. We put a puppy pad in half the crate and his bedding in the other half. After the first couple of nights he has only rarely done a wee on the pad and just holds till around 7.30am. We will probably take the pad out after another couple of weeks.
By the way we have never come down to let him out and he didn't whine after a couple of nights.
Good luck.
x

 

[S.Claire]

Hi - Billy has been home 3.5 weeks and is 11 weeks old. We put a puppy pad in half the crate and his bedding in the other half. After the first couple of nights he has only rarely done a wee on the pad and just holds till around 7.30am. We will probably take the pad out after another couple of weeks.
By the way we have never come down to let him out and he didn't whine after a couple of nights.
Good luck.
x

What a little star! Obviously Billy has good bladder skills! Well done Billy!

 

[Hfd]

Oooo maybe I will have jinxed it now! x