Little Frenchie

[Charlie92]

Hi just introducing myself.. I’m Charlie..
I have a beautiful 18 week old frenchie Called buddy.
Here for some advice as in the current situation during all the covid-19 carrying on, it’s not ideal to have a trainer in.
My first question is on toilet training. I live in a flat so I have no garden to just quickly nip on to, we have puppy mats down which he uses to pee on in the kitchen but we’re struggling to get him to take himself there when he needs to go he just wee’s on the spot (he’s also started ripping them up quite often) Can anyone shed any light on the best way for toilet training the little terror lol we take him out 3-4 times a day, should I be taking him out more?
Thanks

 

[JoanneF]

Do you have a balcony in your flat?

 

[JBP]

With all my pups on the hour every hour during daytime and evenings, a quick dash pup in hand from the living room through the kitchen to the back door across a concrete yard to the grass, exhausting, it was especially frustrating for my wife whilst watching a film at night, most time after a sniff around and loads of encouragement Wee's wee's, lucky I don't have any neighbors, most times they didn't even want a wee, but the routine seemed to work, sometime jut a dribble, then back inside and guess what a puddle haha. in the first couple of months I watch them like a hawk, getting to notice the signs, and then it's done, Jess and Bryn when in the house in the evenings always go to the back door and I know what they want. One thing I have also noticed feeding a raw diet they drink far less water than with dried food~ less in less out. I understand and appreciate the difficulties living in a flat, but the regular routine of taken to the mat will click with him eventually. All the best to you.

 

[JBP]

Forgot to say I know this might sound gross but don't be quick to change the mat for a new one, I always have taken them to the same spot, the smell can be the trigger, just looking out at the garden now definitely Jess goes to that spot hence yellow grass, good job I'm a perfectionist with my lawn.

 

[Charlie92]

Yeah we have a balcony, he does sometimes take himself off to the balcony door to poop so I think he’s getting something stuck in his brain about going outside for that bit, it’s just the peeing .. and thanks, il keep at it

 

[Ari_RR]

I would say - need to be proactive in establishing the pattern of never peeing inside the apartment.
Grab him and run to the balcony many times during the day, and during the night too. He goes - great, big celebration, fireworks, balloons, treats, etc. He doesn't - fine. Next cycle won't be far off.
IMHO - there is no better way. Forget mats in the kitchen or anywhere else inside. Just make sure you take him out (out to the balcony, or really out to the street) often enough, and this little problem will be taken care of.

 

[JoanneF]

Great you have a balcony - use that for ”outside”. If you wish, you could get a large shallow tray (as big as you can) with turf.

Toilet training happens when two things come together - the ABILITY to hold the toilet, along with the DESIRE to hold it in order to earn the reward for doing so.

Ideally you want him to not be in a position where he needs to toilet before you have him outdoors, so that every toilet is outside - as far as possible, there will be accidents! So set him up to succeed by taking him out even more than he needs; for example every 45 minutes to an hour and always after sleeping, eating, playing. The time between a puppy realising they need to toilet, and being unable to hold that toilet, is zero. So your aim is to have him outside before he can't help himself.

When he toilets outdoors make a huge fuss (never mind the neighbours, act like outdoor toileting is the best thing you have ever seen) and reward him with a high value treat. Do that immediately, don't make him come to you for the treat so he is clear that it's for toileting and not for coming to you. The idea is that he eventually wants to earn the treat enough to hold the toilet until he is outside - once he is physically able to control his toileting obviously.

As he is actually performing the toilet you can introduce words he can associate with it (like 'do weewee' and 'busy busy') that later when he is reliably trained you can use these to tell him when you want him to toilet.

If you take him out and he doesn't toilet after five minutes, bring him in but don't take your eyes off him. Any hint of a toilet inside, scoop him up and get him out fast. If he doesn't try to toilet indoors (great!) take him out a second time and repeat until you do get outside toilets. You need the outside toilet to happen SO that you can reward SO that he learns.

If he has an accident inside don't react at all. If you get annoyed he may learn to fear your reaction and avoid you if he needs to toilet (by going off and toileting out of sight) - the opposite of what you want. Dogs cant make the distinction between you being annoyed at him TOILETING, as opposed to toileting INDOORS. Take a rolled up newspaper and hit yourself over the head for not having taken him outside in time. Not when he is there though in case you scare him. Then clean the area with an enzymatic cleaner to remove any trace of smell that might attract him back to the spot.

Indoors if you see him circling or scratching the floor, that can sometimes precede toileting so get him out fast.

Overnight he is unlikely to be able to control his toilet as his little bladder and bowel are underdeveloped and not strong enough to hold all night so set your alarm to take him out at least once if not twice during the night.

I really don't like puppy pads - they give mixed messages about whether it's ok to toilet indoors and confuse the puppy.

 

[Charlie92]

Thankyou that’s really helpful. I would like to scratch the puppy mats all together as well tbf. I’m not expecting miracles as he is still only a baby but hopefully this will be progress for him and also me. First time puppy mummy so it’s all new for us hopefully it will come together in time before the real baby arrives! thanks a bunch