Help with indoor wee wee's pleeeeease!

Goodevenin dog lovers!

We have a new springer spaniel pup, called Bob, he's almost 9 weeks. He's such a dear little thing, very clever and picking things up quickly.

BUT! I could do with some advice/reassurance/spare kitchen roll....please! Been reading so much from the forums on here, and using lots of your tips and tricks already.

Ok so Bob has had access to the garden since wednesday when he arrived, almost all of the time. (we're damp and freezing! ) We've so far been praising and rewarding every outdoor 'business' and watching him so as we don't miss the moment. It's been going well, he does it, and even runs over afterwards for his reward. But he's also doing lots of wee indoors, sometimes 4 in an hour...and immediately after coming in from the garden!!!! I've become the crazy woman wielding antiseptic spray and kithen roll and sighing constantly! Indoor wee's we ignore, and quickly place him in the garden and reinforce 'wee wee' and show empty hands to him, as in NO TREAT MISTER!

He does seem to understand, and holds it all night in his crate, any advice? He's such a poppet, but I wonder if I should be being firmer now with the indoor business and telling him no?

Sounds as though you are on the right lines do you take him out after food/sleep/play/visitors arriving any excitement and every hour? Also you need to watch him like a hawk for the signs of circling and sniffing/stooping . What are you using to clean up after his accidents? A normal antiseptic spray won't get rid of the smell and the dog will want to mark the same places he has already been to the loo!!! You can get the solution that works by breaking down the enzymes in the wee/poo from any pet shop or i have heard that using biological washing powder dissolved in really hot water does the same. Give it time he's still so young and it's great he's clean at night already Afew more weeks and you should have cracked it good luck.

With regard to the being firm when he goes indoors if you see him in the process of going to the loo, i would say a loud "no !"to try and get him to realise thats not what you do, but never scold a dog after the event as they won't have a clue why they are in trouble !!!

Just looking at your post again,you have only had him a few days, some pups cotton on this quickly (my first beagle did) the 2nd took ages but most take a good deal longer an average for the dogs i foster(mainly pups or a year, but have lived outside) is 2 weeks, i think it's sorted let my eye off the ball and then they have accidents again most are sorted by 3/4 weeks. Also are you in the garden too much as he won;t learn to hold it if he's out weeing all the time!! Start off every hour and then stretch it out by half an hour extra and so on unless its obvious he needs to go

I would actually advise against this. Bob needs to learn to go outside to pee, so he needs to learn what outside is. If he has permanent access then to him, it's nothing more than another room in the house - albeit slightly colder and with a funny "carpet"! I would keep the door shut and just take him out as frequently as he needs to (well, slightly more frequently than you think he needs to, to make sure you catch him before he "bursts") and make sure you're out there with him, giving him lots and lots of praise.
If you do catch him weeing indoors then just ignore it and pick him up and pop him outside to finish, if you can.

Agree with making a difference between outside and inside, my friend let her dog run in and out and it took him a year to be housetrained

Also do not punish or use harch words if you catch them in the act - just makes them hide from you
Ignore in the house - praise outside

and I am afraid get used to accidents - just now pup really only knows they need to pee - when they have to go!! They dont have that much control or warning themselves so mistakes will happen

Ah ha! Thanks for your replies everyone! It does make sense to close the door...I suppose he won't know the difference will he if we're practically living out there!? Doh...will try that today!

Keeping the door shut so they don't have access to the outside unless you let them out is a very good idea. I had probs with my greyhound doing massive wees in the house for a few months then someone said about not leaving the door open all the time and now she's so much better!! In fact apart from the first few days she hasn't had an accident in the house at all.

Mine was doing this at first, now she is great and don't do it any more, mine used to do it if she was left alone for too long but i think she got used to it because we make her stay in the house a lot of the time and make sure she goes straight out in the garden when she has eaten or been sleeping, i tell her its time to go and do her business and she goes and does it no questions asked, its just a case of drumming it into them constantly, you need into this habit quickly because otherwise they will think it is normal and ok to wee in the house.

A much better day today! Only 2 indoor wee wee's

Thanks all! You've saved poor Bob from wearing huggies nappies! haha (and my sanity!) I think we'll be on the right track now xx