Hey there!

[Selinaj]

Hi, I'm Selina and completely new to being a dog owner. I got my first puppy at the end of Oct 22 and we are both on a steep learning curve Hoping this community can help enrich our interaction and put my mind at ease that I'm not doing it all wrong.

 

[JoanneF]

Hi. Have you come across this thread yet? It has loads of helpful info, but don't let that stop you asking questions about anything you are struggling with, or sharing success stories too of course.

Useful Links & Recommended Reading

 

[JudyN]

Welcome! We'd love to hear more about your pup - what breed is he/she?

 

[Selinaj]

Thanks Joanna and Judy. He is a black Labradoodle. He has lots of energy but not uncontrollable which is good for me

 

[Selinaj]

I am struggling with a couple of things and I wonder if anyone can help. I bought my new puppy home at 10 weeks, had his 2nd vaccinations done at 11 weeks and kept him in (as instructed by the vet) for 1 week after. I have been using newspaper for his toilet that is by the back door while he was indoors.

Its now a few weeks since his vaccinations and I want him to start going toilet outside, however he has other ideas. I started taking him out this week and he has done a couple of wees, but mostly won't go toilet until I bring him in. He has even started holding it and will quickly crouch to pee when I go to pick him up.

I realise now that I could have let him out to toilet before his vaccinations but im now in a position where he won't toilet outside so I still have the newspaper down as he often silently goes to the back door to pee on his own without me noticing, especially when I'm working.

One other thing, I live in a first floor massionette so I have to take him downstairs to the garden to toilet and when we get there he is more concerned with eating leafs then going toilet.

I stand down there with him on a lead telling him to go toilet but he ignores me, usually by chewing the lead to pulling to play with grass etc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Selina

 

[JudyN]

This article on puppy training might help: House training

I'm not an expert, but a couple of thoughts...

What would he do if you remove the newspaper entirely - would he go to the back door and whine because it's not there? Or would he pee by the back door, or somewhere else, anyway? I'm wondering if you could put the paper outside the door but leave the door open so he can get to it, and if he then starts actually asking for you to open the door and get to the newspaper, you could gradually move it further and further away till it's in the garden... This would depend on the layout of the house, and you'd have to watch him like a hawk for a few days.

The more you can be outside with him, the more he'll need to toilet outside at some point, and then you can give him loads of praise and the BEST TREATS EVER.

 

[Selinaj]

I have been considering taking the newspaper away, but I'm worried he won't ask to go toilet and just go, but you have encouraged me to give it a go!

The layout is awkward to put it on the other side of the door as that is the stairwell but im going to see if I can make it work. And I have the good treats ready for when he does go outside!!

Any recommendations for an effective enzymatic cleaner?

 

[JudyN]

Any recommendations for an effective enzymatic cleaner?

No, sorry - it's a long time since my dog (now passed) was a pup and I was lucky in that he picked up where to toilet very quickly.

 

[Hemlock]

Try taking some newspaper out with you and put it on the grass for him.

 

[Selinaj]

Thanks, I'll see if this works

 

[JoPin]

Any recommendations for an effective enzymatic cleaner?

I usef this one which seems to work pretty well

 

[Selinaj]

Thanks Jo, I've got this one on the list. We are making progress with the potty training but still taking it one day at a time