Help with Housebreaking in a flat.

Hiya

I'm looking for some hints/advice on housebreaking my 12 week old westie bitch, Juno.

Here's all the pertinent info.


- We got her at 11 weeks, so have had her for a week today.
- We live in a ground floor flat. We have a shared communal area, which is a small garden and bins etc. No other dogs use it but it is surrounded by other areas with loose gates etc that do have people with dogs living there.
- Theres a few doors and steps to navigate then a set to get down to the communal area (damn you Glasgow tenement!)
- My partner works from home and I'm really flexible so theres always someone around.

Due to her vaccinations and lack of private garden, we didn't have a choice but to whack the puppy pads down and monitor her peeing/pooing. We have a cage with bed inside that sits in the hallway and she loves it, constantly goes in there for a wee time out and sleeps 5-6 hours during the night easily (since we got her she's been super content at nighttime, I think as she was a bit older). In the past week, she's stopped peeing in the hall (it's all closed off so we leave the cage door open and put a pad down) and for the most part pees/poo's on the pads in the living room. We've got it down to a 2 pad area.

So far, I'm thinking, so good.

Now that she's allowed out I want to make sure that we can get into a routine of doing the business outside. This morning I took her out first thing with the puppy trainer spray and a pad. No joy. Not even a cursory 'alright Jen, i'll check the pad out'. Soon as we got back in, 20 odd minutes later...a massive pee on the pad.

I know this is early days but I'd like to hear of any tips, info or experiences re - doing the business outside for flat dwelling dog owners.

Sorry this is so long I've read that puppy pads are a bad idea and can see why this might be the case, but I couldn't think of any other option as to take her outside wouldn't have been great due to the vaccinations not kicking in until yesterday.


Thanks!

Jen

(ps....shes just adorable, and so clever! )

Edited - re-reading this I know it sounds like I want it to happen straight away, I'm not that daft Just looking to get a good starting point and be consistent.

I was in a very similar situation when I got Tilly, ground floor flat with small garden area, bins and car park etc. Toilet training her is similar to how you would if you had free accsess to a garden. She was taken out as much as possible. Sometimes she would go, sometimes she would come straight back in and pee on the puppy pad. But you just have to keep with it. I always had a pocket full of tasty treat and when ever she went outside she would get lots of praise and treats. If she went inside, just clear it up and say nothing. Take her out and regular times, after meals etc and in time they do learn that they are expected to go when out. Start using a command every time she goes out of the flat. Tilly will now wee and poo on command (comes in handy before car journys etc!) Keep with the treats and using a command and hopefully soon you'll be able to give the command while out and your pup will have learnt wats expected of her. Good luck!

I've toilet trained 2 dogs living on the 3rd floor of a converted old house.... to be honest it's no different than toilet training normally, with a garden, ( at least your'e on the ground floor, and won't need to rush down flights of stairs, with a puppy starting to poo and wee ) As Tillythe terrier said, take her out regularly (at least every 2-2.30hrs) with a pocket full of treats, when she goes outside treat and praise, and believe us she will soon get the idea, when she has an accident inside just clear it up, with no reaction to your pup. There will always be a few accidents in the next couple of months, and once she has the idea you will need to be super aware for the slightest signal from the dog, as they won't necessarily go to the door and whine... often the signs that they want to go are much more subtle, look out for sniffing and circling, wandering into another room, or just a step or two towards the front door.
Have fun with your pup

Thank you both - makes sense and I'll get right on it today!

I agree Ste, I've been looking out for signs and wee Juno is a bit of a sniffer so she tends to be a wee bit more subtle

Can I ask you both - do you recommend keeping pads down in the house in the meantime? Or is that defeating the purpose?

Thanks!

Jen

I did keep the pads down if the pup is using them. Then as accidents in the house start to become less, then remove them. If pup hasnt got the idea of going outside yet, its better to use them than have a pup messing all over your flat.

Makes total sense.

I've just read so so much and lots of people saying how terrible puppy pads are and that they shouldn't be part of housebreaking training?! I guess there are just so many methods.

Thanks so much for your info

I personally wouldn't use the pads, but at the same time I can't see that it would be a problem to use them.......... I would probably only use them if I couldn't take the pup out as regularly (eg, you need to go out, and leave her for longer) I would also make the good association greater when she goes outside, and less when she goes on the pad , eg a nice treat and lots of praise when she goes outside, and just a quick good girl, when she goes on the pad....
Good luck