[nash]

Hi all from sunny Wales UK . We are first time owners of a beautiful Labrador Puppy who we have called Chumley and like all newbies we have a few questions we would appreciate some help with if you dont mind. We have a largeish Kitchen diner which is joined to a conservatory which has a tiled floor so he has the run of those rooms with his bed in the Diner part.

Although I am up every two hours with him during the night our times dont seem to coinside . I take him out in the garden to do his stuff at midnight but he just doest want to go ...but then when i go back in around 2am he has done a wee and pooh inside and again i take him straight outside but with no result.

Also the whining at night ,....is it right just to try and ignore to see if he stops or to go have a look to make sure he doesnt want to go out ???.

When out in garden although we have tried to have him do his stuff in one particular place he doesnt seem to want to go there and does it in random places in the garden, should we be praising him for doing it outside or not because its not in the place we would like .

 

[rosemaryninja]

Get a crate and keep him in that crate at night. The crate should be only large enough for him to stand up and turn around in. Dogs have a natural instinct to keep their sleeping place clean, so when he's in the crate he will hold it if he can. That will solve the problem of your times not coinciding. You still have to wake up and take him out every two hours, but his crate should be clean and his bladder will be full when you get outside.

 

[Cracker]

Yes a crate is the solution to the in house weeing. He has too big a space right now and doesn't know 'inside' or 'outside' he only knows don't pee where I eat or sleep. Literally.

Also, when you take him out to go potty do you do it on a leash? If so it is much easier to train him to go in one spot. Leash him, go to the spot and then stand there...yep, just stand there, for as long as it takes. If after ten minutes he hasn't gone, back in the crate for another ten or fifteen minutes and then repeat. As SOON as he STARTS the squat, say your "cue" word (go potty, business, or whatever word you like) and then reward the business with a great yummy treat and some very effusive praise. Then and only then can you let him have play time or exploring time. No freedom unless he's done his business...this will help him "go' immediately upon going outside and also reinforces "this is where I go potty".

Keep a schedule of feedings, water, when he pees and poos etc on a chart in your kitchen. You will find with time that you will learn to predict when he has to go, which increases everyone's chances of success.
He will have to go: a few minutes after meals and water (likely ten to fifteen minutes after), immediately after play (even if he went before), as soon as he wakes up ...etc. When in doubt, take him out!

As for accidents. Don't punish him at all. Accidents are the people's fault, not the puppies. Just clean it up, make a note of it on the chart and keep on moving forward.

Oh, and Chumley is a wonderful name...I hope he lives up to his literary lineage and is a nicely behaved, mannerly young man. LOL.

 

[TxRider]

Chumley, what a great name for a lab...

I'll just second what others said, it's time for much patience now, it'll pay off later.

I would work on simply learning what outside is, and to "go" outside and not punish or yell at all.

You can teach a particular spot outside later.

 

[nash]

Thanks for help so far ...another thing has come to mind. When I do go to take him outside to do the deed I put his lead (leash) on but he just stands there rooted to the spot in the doorway of the conservatory..what do I do ..Dont want to drag him ...but also isnt carrying hime to the spot unhelpful in the long run as well ????

 

[rosemaryninja]

Have you tried coaxing him out with treats, praise, happy voice, toys, etc?

 

[emily445455]

First of all, congrats on your new puppy! I have two labs that I have raised/am raising.

Potty training takes a LONG time, be prepared to be cleaning up a lot of poop and pee for a long time. Buy lots of carpet cleaner and paper towels and keep them nearby!!!

Is your pup sleeping on the floor in the bedroom or in a crate? I let my dogs sleep on the floor next to me, and when they would whine I could simply just reach down and pet them and talk to them....that usually made them stop because they were comforted. If they sleep in a crate, put the crate by your bed for awhile, then move it out to where you want it after they are used to sleeping in it.

Dogs like to sniff and find the perfect spot to potty. IMO, you should just praise him for going outside period! Then after he's better potty trained, praise him for going in the garden. Dogs need a larger area to potty...they don't like to potty on top of existing potties..if that makes sense.

Good luck!!

Thanks for help so far ...another thing has come to mind. When I do go to take him outside to do the deed I put his lead (leash) on but he just stands there rooted to the spot in the doorway of the conservatory..what do I do ..Dont want to drag him ...but also isnt carrying hime to the spot unhelpful in the long run as well ????

Attach the leash and let him run around the house with it on. Puppies don't like leashes, and will stop and put their paws out if you just try to drag them on one. As he wears it around the house, he will step on it and get used to the tugging on his collar.

 

[MaddieTheDog]

When my dog whines, I ignore her-sometimes hard, I would tell her a couple of times to hush-and she eventually stopped. i know some who yell at their dogs-doesnt help, makes it worse. She normally whined on car trips because she hated being in her crate and wanted to be in between us.

Puppies will pee and poop inside after being taken out. They will just need some firm training. Is he normally potty trained? With my dog, she was trained when we got her, but we still were patient for awhile. We'd take her out immediately again and tell her potty. Of course, tons of praise when she does go. After awhile, she knew better, so if she did, she'd do it out of retaliation because we took a toy since she started eating it-and she'd sit in her crate for up to 5 minutes.

My dog never whines in the house unless we are behind a closed door. She perks up when we ask if she has to potty-and we do it at fairly regular times. She has always been really good about going outside (except a few times as a pup as mentioned above) so she could hold it a long time without going. We can leave her home without worry she'd go. If we're out longer periods, we put her in her crate because it's "her" territory and dogs wont pee in their crates.
We'd take her out and tell her to potty. She'd sniff and sniff and often times got distracted. We'd keep telling her over and over. However, we decided that wasnt effective. She'd just want to play or eat grass. We decided to just take her out, say it once, only correct her if she ate grass or chewed on her ball, and after five minutes, she comes in. If she didnt potty, she lost her chance and needs to wait until the next break. I wouldnt really recommend that for puppies in training, but she's over a year old now and this works out well.

 

[emily445455]

After awhile, she knew better, so if she did, she'd do it out of retaliation because we took a toy since she started eating it-and she'd sit in her crate for up to 5 minutes.

I disagree with using a crate for punishment....that may be why she whines while in the car in her crate....?

 

[MaddieTheDog]

No, that's not the reason. She whines because she wants to be closer to us and not stuck in her crate. She's only whined a couple of times. Usually is very calm and quiet in there and hops in with ease.

I've heard fors and against the use of a crate for "punishment". The crate is her safe haven, so she'll go in there for 'safety" if she feels scared (like a loud noise or something). She loves her crate. We had a good experience with it. With that and age, she hasn't gone potty in the house in months.