I don't leave water in the crate with my pup, Yogi, when he goes in it to sleep, as inevitably he knocks it over and drenches his bed. He has access to fresh, clean water all day and at night, up until around 10pm when he goes to bed. He comes out of his crate at around 5am-6am and then again has access to water, the same as the other dogs. I have found no problem with this and certainly don't consider it to be cruel.

Yes patience and consistency are definitely the key to house training. Make sure you are taking your puppy out after food, as soon as he wakes up and also every hour or so throughout the day. Stay with your pup until he toilets and then lavish him with praise. You will get there eventually

Hi

I agree with the above that pup should have access to drinking water - can't believe the vets advise this .... outrageous!

My current lad who's just turned two, his first night with us we took him to bed. He slept through till 6 am. and on awakening took him straight out for a pee, no cries, no widdles nothing. Fortunately when I've had pups I've been able to spend the time with them, and house training generally only takes a few days ..... but you do get accidents for a few weeks. I generally encourage them out every hour or so, so as they associate widdling with outside on the grass. And newspaper at the back door for only when we can't quite make it in time.

I have never done the newspaper thing.. I think its too confusing for the pups.. teaching them to do it in one place then teaching them to do it in another...

I am sure I read somewhere he was only 6wks..He is still soo soo young..time and patience

I wouldn't take a pups water up although i have heard it often reccomended to aid toilet training. Personally i feel that a pup's bladder will get larger eventually and then they will be able to last longer, taking thier water up does mean that their bladder won't be full but it doesn't mean that they have that control.....so you are really just skirting round the issue.

If you continue with loads of praise when the pup goes in the right place, taking them out on the hour, every hour, when they have woken up, after a game, after they have eaten and after visitors arrive as well as anytime you find them sniffing and circling the floor.........you can't go wrong really!

Some pups take longer than others to gain full control over their bladder, but removing their water seems unneccesary to me......imagine if you couldn't ask for a drink and someone else was in complete control of the drinks in the house!

I think it is an out dated view.

Exactly what I've always done. never had a problem with it and certainly don't consider it cruel. My dogs also know if they whinge or whine in the night I always go and investigate.

Moobli, I got coupe cups for kaos and tegan's crate when they were pups,, they are a god send That said, I was never really up at 5.00am in the morning lol

You can also get bowls that click onto the crates.

I honestly can't believe a VET has said this??? I would NEVER deprive my dogs of clean fresh drinking water, even at puppy stage!

As Moobli has said, you must think toilet for your pup everytime he wakes up or has eaten and he'll soon get the message.

Even now, with fully grown dogs, one of us has to get up during the night coz the dog wants a wee, and quite honestly, it's part of dog ownership! You'll have the very same thing when he gets to old age, they just can't hold it like younger dogs can, and even then, lots of them need to go out in the night it's just part of the package when taking on any dog or buying a puppy.

I've been lucky of late, we've always had a puppy when we had an existing dog around and they always did the job for me, i.e. toilet trained them, but of course I had to do a lot myself in the early stages. I've never used the paper idea either, I've never needed to. When a puppy has woken me up in the night, and am always MORE than happy to let him/her out coz it means they know they shouldn't do it indoors! Good luck, but I would think again about taking that water away!

I also don't agree with removing water, all mine have access to water 24/7. My pup (who is still crated if we are out of the house) has a bowl which clips on to the side of his crate.