house training

[sweeps mum]

Our 6 month old puppy Sweep is doing very well with house training. When left in the day he is clean and dry and we only wake up to a puddle a few times a week now. When we are here he will run outside when he needs to go. I'm wondering what will happen in the winter when we would really prefer the door shut! A few times when he is in the living room he has walked to the door when it has been closed to as if to say let me out. I'm probably worrying unnecessarily but I wondered what other people find. I know a lot of dogs are reluctant to go outside in the rain but luckily Sweep doesn't seem bothered by rain. I don't really want to get him barking to go out. I know some dogs scratch at the door.                    

[PennyB]

Mine just whinge at you to go out if the door's shut or just sit by the door. I think as they get older they get better at letting you know what they want (well my two do or it that they've managed to train me to know!)                    

[Shirley]

Well I'm not really the best person to answer this as I class myself as a complete failure in toilet training department  :oops:     with one dog who took 9-10 months to house train and another who (fingers crossed that he doesn't let me down in the near future) is only just there at almost 8 months  :wink:, neither of whom have ever had the savvy to ask out.

I work for 3 1/2 hours in the morning and 1 1/2 hours in the afternoon and they are both clean when I'm out.  In between walks, when we're just at home I let them out every 2-3 hours for a run round the garden and to do the toilet and this seems to work fine.  On nice days though, I do as you do, and just leave the door open for them to come and go as they please.  More often than not if I'm not out, they won't stay out long - they just come in and sleep at my feet :roll:   :roll:

I've only ever had one dog before (OES) and he only barked about 3 times in his whole life I think - when he wanted in or out he scratched the door - not the best idea - I think there are still big gouge marks in the door at my dad's house 8 years later..........what can I say..he's not big on DIY    

I'm glad my two don't bark to get out, they bark for every other reason  :roll:  so that's quite enough barking but I do wish they'd whine or something.  

I've heard of people hanging something like a bell on the inside of the doorhandle and teaching the dog to push the bell with it's nose when it wants out.  May try that one day - lot of other doggy misdemeanours to sort out first though!!!    

Hope you find something that works for you.

Shirley                      

[Laura]

I taught Brogan to bark once if he needs to go outside - he has never been a barker though so hasn't back fired on us yet!!   6 months down the line - it is still working like a dream.

I hope to teach Bailey the same when he has fully grasped toilet training - we are getting there slowly but don't want to complicate it just yet :roll: .  Bailey is also mute most of the time - so hopefully it will work for him as well. You can teach a dog to ring a bell with his nose - an easy one to teach using clicker training - so I may go that route with both of mine before the winter starts again!! :wink: