Toilet Training Problems Questions

Discussion in 'Tibetan Terrier' started by AlbaCherry, Jul 21, 2017.

  1. AlbaCherry

    AlbaCherry New Member

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    Toilet Training Problems

    Hi everyone, I hope someone can offer some advice.

    I have a 4 and a half month old Tibetan Terrier bitch. She left her breeder at 10 weeks of age (on the 20th of May) so I have had her 9 weeks. All in all she is a very pleasant natured little pup. She is learning fast and seems very smart. She has already learnt commands for sit, lie down, on, off, roll over, come, stay, leave (though she's not 100% with that one yet) and she waits for food/treats till I tell her she can have them. She hasn't got 100% recall yet but she is very good and i drop the lead a lot when we're out and her heel is really strong. She sometimes pulls on the lead on the way home but we're working on that. She is a fussy eater and doesn't eat straight away so I pick up the food as I have been trying to establish a timed feeding routine. She is confident and friendly with people and other dogs and not aggressive in the least. She is very happy with me taking food and treats from her and doesn't have a problem with me trimming her fringe, cleaning her ears/paws etc. She still likes chewing things and when excited she finds hands to nibble which I manage to stop by a loud clap/shout and if that doesn't work a 5 minute time out in the kitchen does the trick. She had an issue peeing and pooing when on a walk a few weeks ago but has got over that now and is comfortable going to the toilet away from her territory. She is very loving and enjoys cuddles and strokes. We have daily grooming sessions, sometimes she tries to eat the brush but I distract her with giving her something else to chew, and we have daily training sessions when I teach her tricks and discipline and she seems to love these sessions - because she gets treats for behaving!

    I'm explaining all this to give you an idea of her intelligence, character and temperament before appraising you of the problem! She poops twice or three times a day and ALWAYS outside. Overnight, she is in the kitchen in a small, confined area (like a crate but not a crate) and she has NO accidents. If she is not in the confined area overnight then she does have an accident, I think because she wanders around in the morning and it gets her bowels moving. During the day, I take her outside regularly and when she pees I give her lots of praise and a treat BUT she is still having accidents in the house, sometimes only about an hour after peeing when often she can last longer than that. She has peed in her bed a number of times as well as on the sofa when she escaped the kitchen - I think that was out of excitement. She has the occasional excited pee when greeting people. When she has an accident I shout 'no' loudly and pick her up and take her straight outside. I'm struggling because she doesn't seem to be understanding that it is wrong to pee inside. When I take her out I wonder if she is just peeing out of convenience rather than understanding that that is where she is meant to pee. Sometimes she has 'appeared' to go to the back door and scratch to get out when she has needed a poop but never for a wee, she just squats and leaves a puddle. I would have thought that at nearly 5 months of age she would have been house trained by now. There are times I rejoice because I think she has got it - for instance when she goes the second I take her outside as if she has been holding it in and waiting to get out, but then we have really bad days when she just pees right in front of me 5 minutes after coming inside. If I just need to be patient, that I am doing everything right and that she'll get it eventually, then fine, but I keep hearing about puppies that are house trained at 12-14 weeks and I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Also, she is generally kept in the kitchen or with me where I can see her - never has free run of the house.

    Thank you for reading! I hope someone can help!
    Thank you
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  3. Chris B

    Chris B Member

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    CaroleC likes this.
    She'll get there. Of course, some dogs are 'clean' early - some even when they come in from the breeders, but more often than not it takes time and patience for them to get the idea.

    Take her out after sleeping, eating, drinking, playing and once an hour in between. Praise when she goes in the right place and add a treat or a game (keep it varied so she never knows what reward is coming), just ignore and don't make a fuss when she has an accident and eventually it will 'click'.
  4. AlbaCherry

    AlbaCherry New Member

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    Thank you Chris, I'm ever hopeful that the 'click' will come soon so I'll just keep my fingers crossed. It's tricky when I end up in and out the garden for 10-15 minutes at a time on the hour mark when sometimes she doesn't pee for 3-4 hours and then the next minute she's peeing every hour! It doesn't seem consistent and while I give her so much of my time and enjoy every second with her, it is not practical to spend what can end up being half an hour out of every 2 wondering round the garden with her hoping she'll pee! (that's a combined time after spending 10 mins outside and then bringing her in when she doesn't pee and waiting 10 mins before taking her out again).

    Thank you, I will just have to be more patient and more hopeful!! ;)
  5. Chris B

    Chris B Member

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    Just a thought, but do you 'pester' her to go, ie hurry up, do a wee, that type of thing?

    It often stops them going so better instead just to wander around ignoring her until she squats then putting a name to it when she goes rather than trying to 'encourage'
  6. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    Pork1epe1 likes this.
    All that Chris says.
    Since I have started rehoming adult dogs, I have become a bell convert.
    I put a couple of medium sized cat bells on the dog's collar which provides an audible warning if they have woken up, or are mooching in corners. A little less stressful than having to constantly be on alert. If she gets to the stage of going to the door when she wants to pee, you can buy a belt of training bells, which hangs from the door, and they soon learn to nudge. Various prices, but mine were only about £3 on the net, - Google Dog House-training Bells. I only use half of my set as they are quite loud, and not very tuneful!
  7. AlbaCherry

    AlbaCherry New Member

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    Thanks Chris, all i say is wee-wee every now and again and then ignore her and let her wonder around sniffing. Other than saying wee-wee I don't say anything. Should I even be saying that though? Or just wait till she is doing the deed?
  8. AlbaCherry

    AlbaCherry New Member

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    Thanks Carole, yes I have heard of the bells - I'll look into it as it could certainly be an option. Thank you :)
  9. Chris B

    Chris B Member

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    GsdSlave likes this.
    No, you are teaching her to ignore the command. Wait until she is actually squatting to put a name to it. It's so hard not to say anything, particularly as you don't often realise you need the loo yourself until you are outside with the dog waiting for her to go, but the dog doesn't yet know what the command means so at best you are just distracting her from what you want to achieve
  10. AlbaCherry

    AlbaCherry New Member

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    Great advice. That makes total sense. Ha ha! Yes many times I've placed round the garden with her popping to go myself ! I'll go back to basics with her in the garden and wait a little longer before expecting her to have picked up the cue word. Thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it. It is great to get some assurance!!

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