Too late/too old to inform me she needs out?

Is there a way to teach a dog to show you she needs out. I've had my bitch for 5 months and she was approx 6-12 months old then. She's had a couple of accidents and I haven't known beforehand she needed out.

This morning before 6am I woke up, she had been out the room, she sleeps in my bedroom. She then came and sat up straight on my pillow staring straight ahead. She then got down and went out the room. We've just moved house and she sometimes goes and sleeps on the couch in the livingroom. The next thing was I could hear her boaking, so I got up. She was sick on the floor a couple of times. Wiped it up, went to the livingroom to discover a huge big pile of poo in the middle of the floor. Tried not to think she probably did that before sitting on my pillow.

It's not a big problem to me, I'll just clean it up but wouldn't like to think that she might be distressed before doing it, knowing that she shouldn't do it in the house so wondered if there was a way of teaching her to let me know if she really needs out.

I've never had a puppy or toilet trained one so have no way of knowing if they can be taught this or if it comes natural to some.

I think it comes natural to some, but some of mine were slow to pick it up, and I see questions where a dog doesn't pick it up. I discuss it in my standard housebreaking advice. I can paste in what I suggest for you to try.

By the time most dogs are about 3 months old, they have figured out that if they go to the door and stand, you will let them out. The praise slowly shifts to going to the door. Some people hang a bell there for the dog to paw. If your dog doesn't figure this out, try praising it and putting it out if it even gets near the door. When you catch it in the act, give it a sharp ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and take it out. Clean up accidents promptly. I mostly keep the little puppies out of the carpeted rooms. Still I need the can of carpet foam sometimes. First blot up all the urine you can with a dry towel. Keep moving it and stepping on it until a fresh area stays dry. A couple big putty knives work well on bowel movements. Just slide one under it while holding it with the other. This gets it up with a minimum of pushing it down into the carpet. This works with even relatively soft ones, vomit, dirt from over turned house plants, or anything else from solids to thick liquids. Finish up with a good shot of carpet foam. Note, do not let the puppy lick up the carpet foam. Once the dog is reliably housebroken, your carpet may need a good steam cleaning.

Figured the cleaning instructions might help too.

Think when she came & sat on your pillow she was trying to tell you she wanted out/to be sick

You havent had her long & had a house move - all traumatic.

My advice is to back to basics. After every meal, when she wakens, and every couple of hours take her out into the garden. Its important you go with her & STAY with her. Use a toilet word. We use "wee wees" and for the bigger job "do more". Guide dogs are taught "Be Busy". Use whatever suits you. At first because shes a bit older you will need to be patient until she catches on what you want her to do. Immediately she does something tell her what a good girl she is, be lavish with your praise. Shes did the most exciting thing ever!! Either
have a quick play or take her indoors & treat - cube chicken cheese etc

Once she realises what its all about she should be able to
make you understand her needs better. For the next number of months i would make it my biz to take her out very frequently. It helps to create your bond as well.

Our eldest girl when she wants out will come & stand in front of you looking intently at you - sounds a bit like your pup. Our middle dog will do same but does few steps back & fro the door. Our youngest goes to the door, theyre all
different. You will get to recognise the signs

This was my immediate thought too....

I too have heard about great results with hanging some bells on the door... start by pawing them yourself everytime you let your pup out, she'll soon start to associate the bells with going out, and will learn to paw them herself when she needs out... just google "puppy bell" and you'll see the kind of bells already on the market, but of course you can simply make a little bunch of bells yourself.....

thats when she told youi bless her!

Thanks for the replies. I guessed later that the sitting on my pillow was for a reason. At the time I wondered what she was up to as she was sitting up straight staring straight ahead not even looking at me.

We go out a lot during the day, sometimes when I'm going somewhere and at least 3 times for walks to the park with her so the few accidents have been mainly during the night

I was awake one morning when she gently licked my face, so got up and took her out but if I hadn't been awake that wouldn't have woken me and I wasn't sure if that's why she was doing it.

I'll see about a bell, or maybe a bomb would be better to waken me up but I'll take note of any 'strange' behaviour and take her out just in case. I don't like to think of her getting upset at having to do it in the house.

This house has varnised floorboards so it was a doddle to wipe up, so much easier than from a carpet. I reckon she ate something in the park which upset her stomach.

Thanks again for all the tips, will print them out and keep them handy.

Hi Trisha you could teach your dog to ring a bell by the door but you wouldn't hear her is you were upstairs.

It sounds as though she had an upset tummy and was trying to tell you she needed to go out. If she comes to you and behaves differently /gets up and goes out of the room when she would normally be sleeping I would give her the benefit of the doubt and take her out.