This might seem a bit of a strange question so here goes.
Alfie used to sleep in a crate and when he needed to go out in the night (on the rare occasion if he was a bit ill or just couldn't hold it any longer) he would move his cushion and scratch the crate bottom. This I could hear from upstairs. We have got rid of the crate, (sick of the sight of it, too big for kitchen). Alfie has a new bed and took to it immediately, was thrilled he coped without his crate so easily. However...........Alfie was ill this weekend (this is a regular occurence due to him eating bad things on walks and having sensitive tummy) I woke on two days running to find several (one day there was 7) piles of diaorreah on my kitchen floor
He had not bothered to tell me he needed to go out I would happily have got up several times in the night to let him out rather than face that in the morning.
During the day Alfie jumps up me and paws me to let me know he needs to go out, he has never barked or whined to indicate this need. It has worked fine until now. Now don't get me wrong he is brilliant during the night and has the bladder of an ox and generally waits until we are ready to come downstairs to him. But if he had still had his crate he would have scratched the bottom to let me know. We are going away in August, Alfie has been away for one night but with his crate, he will be away for 8 nights this time and no crate.
So....the question is, can I teach Alfie to bark or whine when he needs go to out day or night, anyone have any clues as to how I could do this. Getting a bit worried in case he has a stomach upset whilst we are away.