Hi,
Me and partner got a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Rooney when he was about 2 months old. He is now 5 months old. We love him to bits. The problem is his house training has been having many ups and downs. We live in a flat which isnt on the ground floor, so we don't have a garden. After his jabs hes been going outside for about 6 weeks now. It was slow at first but then he started to learn. We would give him tons of praise and treats everytime he went toilet outside. We thought that he would gradually stop going inside, but it just seems to be going all wrong. Some times I've taken him out 3 time in 2 hours, and he does nothing, but when he comes back in he will poo straight away. Hes messing at night, and now he rarely goes toilet outside. Its hard as we don't have a garden to use to train him in, but he is a extremely happy and adored dog. Today has been a really bad day. He has done everything inside despite being taken outside 3 times. I love him to bits and we have considered getting rid of him because he doesn't seem to be learning but I don't think that I can, because everytime I talk about getting rid of him I start crying.
Can anybody give me some advice out there please as we really do want to keep Rooney.
Thanks

Rooneys Mum ;-)

Hi, not sure this will be much help, but here's my story...

I had a rescue dog who pooed and wee'd in the house every single night, he knew he'd done wrong, yet he still did it. I was told they wouldnt do their business in their beds, so we put him in the hallway at night time (small space, but big enough...) he didn't do a THING the next morning... we continued with this, untill we left him in the kitchen one night, and the next morning... he hadn't done anything in the kitchen either...

Would a puppy crate maybe help? And you say you take him out lots, do you take him for good runs, or just the odd toilet break? Just trying to build the pic up for someone that can help! good luck with it.

Hi,
Frustrating isn't it.

Ok,
Go right back to basics,outside every 1/2 hour to an hour,stay outside with him no matter how long it takes,praise reward when he performs in the right place.
It's not your dogs fault he isn't going in the correct place,consitancy is the key.It is more difficult toilet training a puppy when you don't have accesss to a garden but it can be done.

To even consider getting rid of a dog because you can't toilet train him is indicating to me lack of consistancy and training on your part not the dogs.
Pups can't hold themselves until they are around 5/6 months old.
Sorry if the last part is harsh it's not mean't to be offensive.
As a Breeder I would be horrified if one of my pups was to be considered for rehoming because of a problem which is easily solved with the correct training and consistancy.

Great advice from SallyAnne.
Be consistant - when I was toilet training my youngest I would have to stand outside for up to 45mins rain, wind and snow
She quickly caught on that she couldn't go back in until she 'performed'
At first I was spending more time stood outside than doing anything else

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A dog Possesses Beauty without Vanity,Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, And all the Virtues of Man without his Vices.

Thanks for the reply.
My boyfriend is getting a cage off his friend who he actually got Rooney off tomorrow. Is is a bit cruel to do this though? He's been babied a lot as im only 20 and my boyfriends 21 and we don't have any kids so hes had a lot of love, so im not sure how hes gonna react to this. How long do you think it will take for him to be fully house trained? Also he doesn't seem to like going toilet in the rain, is this normal?

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Aslong as you don't keep him in it for hours on ends then it's not no. Some puppys use it as a safety net, I know dogs that still used their crate as an adult (obviously a bigger crate lol) but they just went in and slept in it of their own accord

My dog never liked going out in the rain, had to MAKE him go outside, otherwise he'd have just stayed in where it was warm and dry

PS he's gorgeous!!!

He is gorgeous - love the pics.

If you are conistant it could be as little as 7 days - however more likely a few weeks.
I always said to my hubby, -the dogs don't have accidents we do, the only reason they've gone in doors is because we didn't take them out in time -

Spend some time getting him used to the crate, put his fav toy in there let him eat dinner in it etc, don't close the door until he is completely comfy, so that could take a couple of days or he may not mind straight away.

At first mine slept in their crates in my bedroom so I could hear if they needed to be taken out for the toilet, then once they were sleeping through I moved the crate to the lounge.

During the day take him out every hour and every time he wakes up, eats, finishes playing or he's sniffing and circling. AS he gets used to it you'll be able to take him out less often. Don't forget to stay outside until he performs and follow that with lots of praise, and reward him with a walk. If you take him straight back in when he goes he may work out going to the loo means the end of his walk, where as he'll want to go if he gets a fab little walk after.

Once he's got the idea he'll find away to let you know he needs to go, you just need to work out what that is

Re the rain, make rain fun, take treats and his fav toy and play in the rain, he'll soon learn to love the rain (or at least tolerate it)

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A dog Possesses Beauty without Vanity,Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, And all the Virtues of Man without his Vices.