15 week puppy advice

[Deleted User]

Congratulations on the new puppy... it's harder having a puppy than a baby I think!

I had thought of clicker train ing him, at what point do you click? whilst he's weeing I guess? Do you always give him a treat?

I did think of taking his cushion out of his bed, but his crate hasn't got a base on as such, just holes like the rest iykwim? and i dont think he'd find it comfy

SL x

hayley11

Oh right, Paddy hasn't got one of those crate, it's more like a big carrier, he's tiny so it's plenty big enough for him. Can see why you'd need to keep the bed in for one of those crates. Shame you have to keep washing it though.

With the clicker training, first of all you have to make him understand that it's a good thing when you click. I put a few treats on the floor and each time he picked one up, I clicked. Didn't take him long to realise the clicker meant something good. When he goes to the toilet outside, I wait til he's finished then click straight away and give him a treat (don't click while he's going or he might stop part way through because he wants the treat ) At the moment I give him a treat every time because we've only been doing it a few days but after a while they say to give treats at random.

If you google clicker training or go on to youtube, there are loads of guides and videos to get you started.

It is hard work having a puppy, when he's out of his crate, I have to watch him every second! He's more than worth all the hard work though

[Deleted User]

Looks like clicker training sounds like a good idea. I had heard of it but wasn't really sure how effective it is, but from what you've said, it's worth a try.:D

SL x

Raksha

Clicker training is imensly effective if you get the timing of the click right.

[Deleted User]

Raksha wrote: »

Clicker training is imensly effective if you get the timing of the click right.

Best not let the kids do it them LOL... Does the timing have to be just after the good act then (ie weeing outside, sitting etc??) I'm going to do some reading tomorrow on it

SL x

Hollypolly

My springer is two tomorrow and my third dog and has been so hard to toilet train. I gave up ready books and listening to friends on how perfect their puppy was.

I used a small crate (which increased in size as she did) as dogs never mess in there beds, not my springer!!!

She would go outside with the other dogs and come back in an wee on the floor.

So I would take her out and stand there until she went and reward her when she did good.Make a big fuss of her when she was clean in her crate. Get up at silly times to catch her before she went etc and slowly she got better but it took time.

It can be hard but sometimes you have to take a different journey together, mine I lost sleep! but still love her to bits.

Raksha

Sallylizzie wrote: »

Best not let the kids do it them LOL... Does the timing have to be just after the good act then (ie weeing outside, sitting etc??) I'm going to do some reading tomorrow on it

SL x

Some kids can actually be very good at it. When I was training owners to clicker train, we used to do a 'dry run' - game like 'hot and cold' which we used to play at childrens parties when I was a kid. Think of something you want your 'pretend dog' to do within the room, using the equipment in the room (choose something fairly simple like sit on a chair to start with). When ever the 'pretend dog' makes a move towards acheiving your aim, say 'yes' in a smiley voice. If they do something that's not a step towards it, say 'no'. Can you see how the wrong timing can give the wrong signal?

The 'click' should come at the moment the dog does the right thing or something close to it (this is called shaping). If you click after the dog has finished weeing, they think it's stopping weeing that they are getting rewarded for, and learn to stop mid stream (and then go inside and find they need to go again). One of the classic mistakes people make when toilet training is to do this, and then take the dog indoors for a treat. This teaches to dog to squat, maybe pee a bit, then stop to be praised, go inside for a treat, and then need to wee again (owner usually says 'you can't possibly want to go again........)..

hayley11

Raksha wrote: »

The 'click' should come at the moment the dog does the right thing or something close to it (this is called shaping). If you click after the dog has finished weeing, they think it's stopping weeing that they are getting rewarded for, and learn to stop mid stream (and then go inside and find they need to go again). One of the classic mistakes people make when toilet training is to do this, and then take the dog indoors for a treat. This teaches to dog to squat, maybe pee a bit, then stop to be praised, go inside for a treat, and then need to wee again (owner usually says 'you can't possibly want to go again........)..

Hmm not sure I agree with this. We've been doing the click after he has finished doing his business and then give the treat outside, it's working fine too, he's doing brilliantly with his toilet training now.

I read online that clicking part way through will make them stop because they'll want the treat.

I suppose either way could work though and either way could have them stopping for the treat. Guess you just have to see what works for your dog.

[Deleted User]

Who'd have thought there were so many techniques, I've read so much but there still so many variations of each technique. I got up 3 times last night with Dash (I didn't set the alarm, he just made me aware he was awake) and losing sleep in the short term is fine, but long term Arrgghhh! I really hope he starts going through the night soon.

On the plus side, we've not had a wet bed since the weekend and thats always good. Whats even better is we've only had one accident in the house and that was my fault for not getting my shoes on quickly enough, when he needs to go he needs to go NOW lol.

SL x

Raksha

hayley11 wrote: »

Hmm not sure I agree with this. We've been doing the click after he has finished doing his business and then give the treat outside, it's working fine too, he's doing brilliantly with his toilet training now.

I read online that clicking part way through will make them stop because they'll want the treat.

I suppose either way could work though and either way could have them stopping for the treat. Guess you just have to see what works for your dog.

When clicker training you click at the start of the behaviour to start with, then gradually delay the click until the dog is completing the behaviour to achieve the click. (You can almost see it in their eyes saying 'I'm doing a great sit, now come on, click!') This is called 'shaping'. Some dogs do, like yours, 'get it' straight away, others need a little longer.