Toilet training seems to have gone bad here

we are just desperate for some help now.

We have now had Betsy for about a month and we have really devoted a lot of time to making sure that we dont have any accidents in the house.

It went really well at the start but now its completely gone wrong.

She wont seem to go in the garden for either toilets nor on a walk. She will still (pretend) to wee on command in the garden and she knows that we are happy with her when she does go outside (which is rarer and rarer)

It has progressed to the stage where she is holding it until I have to go to the loo myself so I leave her for two seconds and she goes all over the kitchen floor.

Please help.

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xx Liz xx

Our new little puppy is a beautiful cross between a Springer and a Cocker, who was born on 18th June 2008. She is a bundle of joy and we want to give her a happy life. Any advice always appreciated :0)

Hi,

As Betsy has started to soil the kitchen floor it is really important that there is no lingering smell there to confuse her about it being a place where it is OK to go. Not knowing what your floor surface is and what you generally use as a cleaner the suggestions may be a bit vague. After you have mopped up, if you can use a dilute solution of bio washing powder/liquid that is very effective at eliminating odours - don't use a disinfectant with a pine smell as that sends out the wrong signals.

Then you need to sort out if there is any veterinary problem - urinary tract infection? is the pee dark and smelly? does it seem to hurt when she goes? Try to get a wee sample to take with you to the vet otherwise you'll be there all day waiting for her to go - you only need a few drops so slip a clean plastic box lid under her as she wees and then put it in a clean little jar.

If there is not a vet problem, she's either got a bit confused as to where is OK to go, the weather has been bad and she's trying it on, or it could be the start of separation anxiety - she goes when you pop to the loo. Back to the beginning again, every hour on the hour etc etc you've been there - try not to get worked up yourself as she will sense it.

Does Betsy have a crate? If so, are you getting her used to being in it alone and gradually increasing the time she is alone? I know she's a Sprocker but both Springers and Cockers are velcro dogs and want to be with you the whole time. I think gentle crate training and re-education for toilet training - you'll probably find it is just a phase she is going through and things will be fine again in a few days.

Sgurr

Thanks Sgurr

Have just gone back and done the floor again with bio washing powder as suggested.

All toilets seem absolutely normal so I really dont think its a poorly thing but will keep tabs on that.

Betsy has a crate and is totally happy to spend time in it. She is sleeping there now and has been for an hour.

Fortunately, I was able to "catch her" weeing in the kitchen today and got to to the right place before she had fully eliminated! Which has had a good effect and since then she has got back to going in the garden. Hopefully it was just a little blip.

Thanks for your advice. These boards are just so great - even just posting a thread about a problem helps me feel calmer and get on with coping with it better.

__________________
xx Liz xx

Our new little puppy is a beautiful cross between a Springer and a Cocker, who was born on 18th June 2008. She is a bundle of joy and we want to give her a happy life. Any advice always appreciated :0)

My puppy is nearly 10 weeks old and for the first week he was brilliant, going toilet on the trainning pads but now he seems to go where ever he likes!!
im hopeing he'll get back to doing it on the pads soon!!
is there anything i could do now or is it just because he is so young?

Thanks.

Training pads didn't work for us.

Through the day I was vigilant and took him outside. However night time I chose an area where he could toilet in the house like the kitchen, I placed newspapers down, he only pee'd a teaspoon I left that paper down. I know disgusting but it worked. If ever I missed him he would do it on the newspaper. Duke was fully house trained within a month.

We did have a lapse when the kittens arrived, we didn't realise until it was too late that he wouldn't leave the kittens long enough to relieve himself and he eventually relieved himself in the front room in total two pees and a poo.

Sue

I am now getting in to the habit of taking him in the garden 2/3 times a day and hes been doing stuff out there a few time, so the house is taking less of a battering now, haha!

At night hes pretty good and either doesnt even go toilet or does it on the pad. think its all just a learning thing! plus its a new home!