Another rookie question! : )

769 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by nikelodeon79, Mar 16, 2009

esnvancouver

Discussion Starter · Mar 16, 2009

Hi, I posted that thread yesterday about going from paper to outside. I'm now trying to start the outdoor method from square one. It kind of sucks to "start again" but I think it will be for the better since I want him to go outside.

My question is this: From reading threads and articles I've read that lots of people don't like to use pee pads (like I used to use) for housetraining. It can be confusing for the dog. Well I have no problem moving away from that, but what do you do if you're out of the house for 2-4 hours?

I have one of those folding metal fences so I can leave him in our kitchen with his crate, some water and some toys. Before I would leave a pee pad in there as well, but now I don't want him to use that. What do people use? Do your puppies manage to hold it for 4 hours or so if needed?

My pup is about 12 weeks old and six pounds. He's a king charles cavalier X poodle.

This is all new to me, but we're trying to do the best possible things for him/us!

thanks!

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jesterjigger

· #2 · Mar 16, 2009

I'm going to be of no help, but I use puppy pads. My Papillon is 6 months old and has a pen with her bed, puppy pad, and water in it for bedtime or when we're going to be gone. As time has passed she almost never goes on the puppy pad in her pen. I think she likens the whole pen to her den and she really tries not to go in it. She makes it the whole night and generally the days we're gone from 9 am until 5 pm. Not always, but at least she has that option if she needs it.

When we're home she goes to the back door when she needs to go out. But she's never gone back into her pen to use a puppy pad even when we were home and she had the sometimes accident in the house.

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TooneyDogs

· #3 · Mar 16, 2009

Perhaps it would help to understand the usual potty schedules for dogs and then it might make some sense when it comes to housetraining. Adult dogs that are not trained to 'hold it' will go every 70-90 minutes....puppies are even more frequent (until about 6 months when their bladder muscles gain some strength) and that's why the "every hour" guideline for taking them out.
Sleep, the amount of water and the amount of exercise will all effect how often they have to go. Sleep slows down all the body functions so most puppies can go for several hours without having to go. Ideally, when you have to leave, you would like him to sleep. No water, no toys and nothing to disturb them..just sleep...I know, easier said than done.
We confined our pups to the laundry room....ceramic tile floor....easy cleanup and then worked diligently on the potty training when we were home.

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nikelodeon79

· #4 · Mar 16, 2009

I started with the pads too... but then stopped when I realized it was confusing to her, and (here's the biggest issue) Luna started shredding the pads. I don't think she was eating any of it, but it was probably only a matter of time before she did. Those pads are absorbent... meaning they SWELL when water hits time. Imagine what they could do inside a puppy's tummy...

So... that's my biggest reason for not using them.

Luna's a large breed puppy... so she didn't really have any problem holding it for 2 hours at 12 weeks old. Not sure how your pup would do, though... The "general rule" is that if the pup is 2 months old, they should be able to hold it for 2 hours. I don't think a small breed puppy could go for four hours, though, so I'd just put him in a larger, easy to clean area if you have to be gone longer than 2 hours.

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