Updated: Jan 2
Sunday 1st January
Bedtime 9pm
Wake 8am
Number of times woken in the night 1 - 430am for pee and poop
Accidents indoors 1
Total accidents in doors 2
Well the New Year kicked off in the usual way for me, setting the tone for the year ahead. Before 11am I’d had a drama with my van while out walking the woofs, so come on 2023…I’m ready for you, my gloves are on!
What was really nice though is that while I was out with the other pups Ezee was just settled in her own company, choosing to play with her toys for the duration of the time I was out with the others.
Ezee isn’t always keen about having some time out in her pen in the living room but it does need to be done as I do have to get on with my day.
To help with this I ensure that Ezee has been fed, she has access to water in her pen, toys and chewies and that she has been played with indoors, done a little fun training for toys and of course the big one…has she had a number one and number two. If I know that she has had all her basic needs met then she will be in her pen. I have part of her pen covered over to create a lovely little den for her to feel safe, this is pretty much where all her toys are and her cosy bed (although she chooses to lie on the floor and not in the bed).
Of course she does have a small whinge, who wouldn’t but I need to encourage her to rest in her pen as well as outside of her pen. Usually after a few minutes she settles and either plays with a toy for a few minutes and then passes out into a gentle slumber, or she just passes out.
I can tell from the noises she makes what she is after. If she has little gentle noises then she’s trying to get some attention from me or the other dogs, and my dogs are pretty good most of the time and just ignore her, they do check she’s alright but then they just walk away and she sees them settle down. If her little noises are more whining than screaming I know she is going to settle down. However, if she is absolutely screaming and at the door of her pen I know that this is toilet time. So in comes the garden routine, outside and performance. Depending on what I’m up to she will either come back indoors into the pen or have some free time. I just depends what I’m up to when she lets me know clearly that she needs the bathroom. At a guess I’d say it was 50/50 on whether she goes back into her pen or gets some free time.
Again, keeping things simple for Ezee to understand helps her to know what is likely to happen next.
When it comes to house training I follow my own golden rules to avoid the golden puddles...of course we're not infallible so accidents will happen but NEVER scold your puppy for toileting indoors as its your fault for not watching their signs well enough.
Whenever Ezee stops doing ANYTHING...she goes into the garden for a couple of minutes.
Just a couple of minutes, if she doesn't perform then back indoors into her pen so if she does have an accident it's easy to clean up. When she leaves the pen...straight into the garden and repeat until she's been to the toilet. Depending on what I'm up to once she's been to the toilet she may have free access to the living room, but not the whole house as I need to keep an eye on her. If I cannot watch her...she's in her pen. If I don't...then she is likely to toilet indoors. Keep the guidelines simple and clear at all times and it'll be easy for Ezee to learn.
Using this method Ezee is already heading to the back door when I say "garden" she no longer needs to be carried (unless in the middle of the night) and she usually goes out and does her business and is back in within 60 seconds! PERFECT!