Does vet bed slow down house training?

[Merlinpoppy]

I thought we were doing quite well with the house training but it seems that he is weeing in his bed.  I only know because i caught him in the act.  His bed is still dry and im assuming thats because its vet bed.  Any advice?

[jaybee]

Is this during the day or night time?

Are you using a crate too?

[Merlinpoppy]

Yes we use a crate because i though it helped training.  He only is in his crate when hes having a sleep or needs a timeout cos hes getting too hyper and bitey.  The thing i dont understand is that at night he whines to go out and when i take him out he does the toilet.  Im just wondering if i should take away the vet bed for now.

[jaybee]

I have never had a vet bed so i don't really know what they're like, but if he is weeing on it you need to get it clean to take the scent away, or he will associate it with that and think it is a place to toilet. Can you wash them? It might be an idea to remove it from the crate until you have cleaned it. The first night Bingley came home he messed his crate (he had an upset tummy) and in the end I threw everything that was in there. Biological washing liquid is your best bet I think.

Be careful using his crate as a time out space, it might confuse his connection with the crate as a safe haven.

[jessandme]

Vet bed is excellent stuff, it is easy to wash, quick to dry, lasts for years.  Wash with bio laundry stuff of course.  Also, wipe out the tray of the crate with something like Simple Solution hard surface cleaner to remove all odours which make your little one more likely to pick that spot again.  You want to have a couple of pieces of vetbed, one in the crate and one in the wash, usual arrangement. 

As has been said, using the crate as timeout is not a good idea.  It needs to be your pups special place with only good associations.  You should be feeding him in there, and hiding little treats/toys in there for him to discover.  It should never be used for punishment/timeout.

You say that you don't understand, at night he whines to go out and when you take him out he does his toilet.  I am not clear what is wrong here? 

I am also not clear why you are considering taking away his bed.

Your pup will not willingly soil his bed.  But he is only little, and cannot physically hang on for long.  Watch the body language, there will always be a signal that he needs to go - the nose goes down and briefly sniffs the ground, and then you need to act very quickly, you have just seconds to pick him up and take him outside.  Then lots of praise when he toilets, and use your cue word too of course.

[Tiger]

Monty did that twice but only on the vet bed I put down in the kitchen. Once we washed it and carried on with the positive reinforcement outside he's only had two accidents in the last month!

I'd just take it as an accident and carry on with the positives when he goes in the right place. You can normally tell if there has been a wet spot if you turn the vet bed upside down and see a water mark underneath.

[Merlinpoppy]

When i say i use it as a time out i mean when he gets very bitey and hyper it means hes over tired so putting him in his bed makes him calm down and he falls asleep almost instantly.  I am not using it for punishment and he only gets his fav toy when hes in his crate so he is very happy to spend time in there.  Mostly his crate door is open and he will sometimes take himself to his bed.  I have 2 vet beds, 1 for washing and 1 for using.  I take him out every 20-30 mins. 

[Bluebell]

Is the bottom of the crate made of plastic or metal?
I find that moisture can form under the bedding with the metal trays, where the body warmth, meets the cold metal tray Just a thought 

[jaybee]

If he's been toileting in there a while without you noticing, it will take some time to break the association of that place with toileting i'd imagine. Now you know he has done it, you can go ahead and clean it up, and just try and be extra vigilent and consistent. Good luck

[Merlinpoppy]

Its plastic and i saw him squat and pee so no doubt.  Will just need to keep doing what we are doing and hope that the praise he gets for doing it outside will make him save his pee up for praise

[Neon]

Hi Chris

Firstly, he won't "save" his wees especially to get praise or a treat.  Do you have a special word that you use when puppy is doing his wees?  I took Toby outside every 20 mins or so, told him "toilet" as he was doing his wee, then he had his treat and loads of praise.  The treat and the praise (I kept saying good boy in a high pitched voice) is telling him he has done something right. It wasn't long before Toby would wee to command (for example, when I took him out at night for his last wee I would say "toilet" and he relieved himself, knowing what the word meant).  Take him outside frequently and use your word as he is actually weeing and he will soon understand what he needs to do and where to do it.

Secondly, vet bed is fantastic stuff.  It is designed to stay dry on the top, fleecy part.  Toby can lie on it while he's soaking wet but it stays dry on top as all the moisture soaks through to the bottom.  

You will need a good cleaner to wash the bedding he has wee'd on and to give his crate a good clean as well, otherwise he will smell the scent and keep doing his wee's there.  Pets at Home sell "Simple Solution" which really is magic in a bottle.  Amazon sell it a little more cheaply I think.

Toilet training seems to take forever but with persistence and praise you will get there, promise.  

[SophieBlueRoanLover]

I use a vetbed and also have a towel on top (plus a snugglepuppy), which he likes as it's nesting material. He's only weeed a couple of times, early on, and I washed the vetbed immediately. I'd stick with it. Mine now actually goes to the door or barks to go out (12.5 weeks) although he still has the odd wee on the floor!