Toilet Training - asking to go outside?

[elenaandivy]

Hello,

I am looking for some tips on how to encourage my 16 week old puppy to ask to go outside?
I have no doubt she knows she should go outside as she will always go right in front of the back door. She is crate trained and can hold it overnight from 10.30-6 (and has done so consistently for weeks).

Is it too late to introduce bells? Are there any other methods people recommend? Starting to get a bit disheartened as she is no trouble in any other aspect of her training but we can't seem to crack this.

Thank you

[Barry H]

First off, welcome to COL! 

Pups will only ask to go outside once they know they shouldn't go inside.  She's getting the idea, but the penny hasn't quite dropped yet, so I'd be straight back to toilet training basics.  If she's going right inside the back door, then it sounds like you're not around when she needs you to be.  Pups are pretty consistent, so keep a record of when she 'performs' outside and be more vigilant.  That and a lots of praise and patience should pay dividends. 

[elenaandivy]

Thank you for the reply.

I think we need to go back to basics. We have a back porch in a sense, so there is a door between the kitchen and the back door, and it is in this porch she is going as it is always left open. I am thinking of closing the kitchen door as it would give me a bit more chance of spotting her before it is too late, hopefully without adding too much confusion to her.

[Joules]

Tbh at 16 weeks, it sounds like she is doing great.   

It can take a long time for a pup to be fully clean in the house, let alone to ask to go out.  Agree with going back to basics, take her out every hour or so (and always after food or a nap) stay with her while she performs (you can add the cue word as she does it) and then praise like mad.

Pups can go backwards in summer when the door is open a lot - good idea to keep the door shut and actually take her out to wee and poo.  Don't expect her to get it overnight, it will all click in time with lots of praise, vigilance and patience from you 

[Bettylove]

Sidney is 19 weeks old. He is mostly toilet trained but only in this last week has he started to let us know- until then it was looking for his signs. We tried bells but he didn’t take to them- they were invaluable with our last two dogs. I think some of this is about being consistent and playing the long game. We knew Sidney usually had a wee in the house in the evening so was on hot alert. The last few nights he has sat in the living room door way looking at us as if to say ‘come on then take me for a wee’😂. We hadn’t changed anything but it was like something had clicked for him.