Telling me she wants to go out?

[Lawty]

Cilla is nearly 6 months and although she is doing really well with her toileting, after a difficult start she won't indicate that she wants to go out. If the weather is nice she will take herself out or she will stand at the door but if you're not just near to see at the time she will just wee or poo there and then. Will she just learn to bark eventually to tell me? When will that be? She barks between 5.45am and 6.30am each morning when she 's in her crate to tell us she needs to go out but not during the day. Anyone got any experience?

[tigs71]

Mason is 2 next month and he still doesn't tell me when he wants to go out.  He is always out plenty of times in the daytime but at night I have to wait for the very subtle glances to know that he wants to go out. He still doesn't bark in the mornings he waits for one of us to go down to him.

[Nicola]

None of mine bark or make any noise to say they need to go out and Tilly's 5 and a half, Rodaidh's 3 and a half and Caoimhe's 15 months. The only time they may whine is if they've got an upset stomach and need out desperately in the middle of the night but otherwise they just wait until I let them out - I know their 'timetable'. Sometimes if they need to go in between times they might go and hover around at the front door and Caoimhe does still have the occasional accident if she doesn't get out on time but she won't make any noise, she's not been the easiest nut to crack regarding housetraining though Generally though as they get older they get much more regular (and better at holding it!) and you'll get to know when she needs to go out whether or not she learns to tell you. 

[mattys mum]

Similar to you - Matty doesnt bark or give any signal to go that is obvious when he needs the toilet. he always wees everytime we go into the garden (even if I went in every 30 secs he would squat).  If he wants to go and we havent noticed he too does his business at the door but luckily its not too often.

[Sarah1985]

I imagine his previous experiences have led him to believe that standing at the door is enough to get let out when not in his crate. If you've seen him at the door previously and opened it he'll have learnt that thats all you require from him in order to get let out. You need to train him to notify you in another way.

You can buy doggy door bells where he can press a button which will make a noise to notify you or you can train him to bark to be let out. All you need to do to do this is make up his dinner and let him watch you put it outside. Close the door and wait. He'll get fustrated at not being able to get to his dinner so will throw a bit of a strop and will try various behaviours to get the door opened for him. As soon as he make any kind of noise open the door. Over a few days he'll learn that he needs to make a noise to get you to open the door for him.
If he struggles to apply this theory to toileting put his dinner outside but covered or high up so he cant get to it as soon as he runs out. Do the usual routine and When he barks or wines to be let out go outside with him and take him to his toilet area and then wait. Once he been, reward him by giving him his dinner. After a few days he'll be barking, weeing and looking for his dinner.

However Ill warn you that whenever hes hungry you may find hes at the door barking.  For this reason Ive not done this with my dogs. Like Nicola I just get to know their routines and let them out at set points throughout the day.

[johndoran]

Bonnie Boo never barks to be let out, she will go to the back door and tap it with her paws so even if its a false alarm i always let her out. During the night if she whines then i know she is desperate so get up and let her out. I cant really remember when she got to this position it just sort of evolved as she got older.So I'm sure in time it will all come together but I think its just reading the signs really

[Mrs B]

Like some of the others have said I have got to know Cinders' routine for toilet duties (especially poops).  She will normally tap at the conservatory door to go out (can sometimes be a false alarm and just an excuse to go out and chase anything that moves in the garden - but we don't take any chances!!), but if we are all in the living room she will sit staring at you (eyes really wide open) to get your attention, if that doesn't work she walks backwards until she virtually hits the tv stand again still staring at either me or hubby.  When she manages to catch our eye she gives a little woof woof (as if to say come on I need to go out!!!).  Cockers are all quirky in their own little way and I love reading how other peoples dogs react to different situations or circumstances!!

[supergirl]

None of mine "say" anything and I have to admit I just regularly let them out.  If they're desperate then they will whine - Roly in particular has recently had an upset stomach and was very clear about waking me up and asking to go out.  Sometimes they will run backwards and forwards to and from the back door.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Same as others here. If you're worried about it, you could try crating her for short periods during the day when you're not watching her?

Dave (cocker) never asks to go out but my Weimaraner will. It's generally only when she has an upset stomach or she thinks there might be a bit of hunting to be had in the garden Then she'll glare at me and circle by the door or kick it to get my attention, I didn't teach her that though that's just her. My last cocker didn't ask to go out either.

[elaine.e]

I leave the back door open all day in good weather and my 2 come and go as they please. If the back door is closed I make sure that I open it and encourage them to go out at regular intervals. If I forget or if one of them needs to go urgently they will come and sit in front of me and then trot to the back door, repeating that if I don't take the hint the first time. I haven't taught them to do that but they've just sort of realised that's how to tell me they need out.

Hopefully Cilla will pick up on something like that soon.

[Jessie_Pup]

Neither of mine whine or bark. Jessie walks to the living room door stand still, turns and stares at you.  Dylan bless him sits and looks at you as if to say "come on then". 

[Poppypuppy09]

Neither of my girls "ask" to go out.....Poppy will sometimes come into the living room and give me "the look"    but rarely!

Bonnie Boo never barks to be let out, she will go to the back door and tap it with her paws so even if its a false alarm i always let her out. During the night if she whines then i know she is desperate so get up and let her out. I cant really remember when she got to this position it just sort of evolved as she got older.So I'm sure in time it will all come together but I think its just reading the signs really

Tis the same for us too....