Need help about toilet training

Hello guys.

Just bought myself a 7-week's old Beagle puppy couple days ago and even this is my second dog (first one was older when i got it) will definetely need help from profesionals who i hope to find here.

Anyway, first question is a standard one. Due to the fact that she only had one vaccination she won't be allowed to go outside for a nother month or so. Which means that she does everything at home now. We are using training pads and puppy is making a big progress - peed there three out of last four times. Every time she does it there we praise her a lot. Problem is with pooing. She only wants to do it on the carpet and its full of wet marks now. How to gradually teach her to do it on the pad as well? What is the best taktique?

Also, we are not a big fans of cage idea so i made a cartoon box she cannot get out of. Half of it is her bed and other half is a pad she already used. We keep her inside over the night next to our bed in the bedroom. It was her first night inside and we have a problem. In the middle of the night she started to cry a lot (even if she did before as well, this time was really loud). So i took her out for minute and she peed/pooed on the carpet straight away. So, the problem is that she doesn't want too poo inside her box. How do we train her? Just ignore her crying and she will do it as will have no other choice? Or maybe we should consider cage?

Very appreciate your answers in advance

P.S. When does puppy stops crying over the nights as it gets louder

I'm no expert I'm afraid, but here goes..

Why would you want her to pooh in her box? You need to be reinforcing the idea that she should be toileting in a specific place. Puppies are taught by their mothers not to toilet where they eat and sleep, and some dogs (one of mine included) won't even toilet in the garden because it's too close to the house.

When she cries in the night, she's probably asking to toilet. Carry her (don't let her walk) to the pad, and as she toilets give her a command and praise her lots. Go straight back to bed with her, pop her in her box and leave her be.
This will reinforce her toilet training, but will also help to teach her that crying in the night doesn't get any other attention.

If, during the day, she circles and starts to squat to pooh, pick her up and take her straight to the designated toilet area. Don't pull or drag her, as she may continue to toilet as she goes - the motion of picking up generally causes them to stop, and then they can continue when you put them down (you might need to wait for a few minutes before she carries on).

Do you have any kind of yard or garden that is free of other dogs? If you do, then personally, I would do toilet training straight outside and begin as you mean to go on. I know some people have difficulties weaning pups off pads. Clean any accidents on the carpet with a paste of biological washing powder and water - the enzymes in the powder break down the smell of it completely, so your pup won't smell the area and associate it with toileting.

I always begin socialisation with my pups as soon as they have their first vaccination. We carry them almost everywhere - to the stables with us, into town, to the train station. Anywhere they may have to go as grown ups. But do be careful to keep them off the floor, and not to bring them into contact with unknown dogs that may not be vaccinated.

As for the crate... what is it that you don't like about them? I feel that a crate would be more suitable than a box (my pup chews cardboard) so you may find that she finds an escape route, especially as she gets bigger. Crates are not cages - they should be a safe haven for your dog, and somewhere that you can keep your pup (and your home) safe if you can't be there to supervise. You need to build up time in the crate gradually, and reinforce it with positive experiences (treats, toys, etc) before you start closing the door.

Ultimately, it's your call, but I fail to see the difference between using a crate and putting her in a box - both are to keep her in a place that you know is safe and that she cannot wander and possibly do herself (and your home) some damage in the night while you're sleeping.

Good luck with her

Wow, thanks a lot for a very informative and quick answer! I will definetely will be taking her out over the night when she cries a lot and get her on the pud so she can do everything she wants before getting back to her place. Also we don't have private garden (unfortunately) and our one open for every single cat in the area. Which means she will have to learn how to use puds and then be re-trained to go outside. It won't be easy but cannot see other choice at the moment.

Also i just spoke to my wife and i think you right and we will get crate for her. We planned to use high boxes for a while and then get her a bed, but now i think it worth getting one crate where she will feel secure and at home when she needs it (as she cannot get in her box any time she wants)

Once again - many thanks!!!

Congrats on the puppy, my OH is mad about beagles!

The whole reason a cage works with house trainning is that a pup won't want to soil there own bed. So it seems your pup may view the box as his bed and doesn't want to mess it up. we treated out girl like a baby and had a few weeks of getting up a lot in the night to take her outside. We treated the whole of the house as a no toliet area as she wasn't paper trained when we got her. That way there was no confusion about where she was meant to go . .

Just seen this and it sums up pretty much what i wanted to say so . . . . What she said!