Housetraining a Beagle

mountainofdebt

Has anyone got any tips on housetraining a 3 month old beagle pup?

We've had him for 3 weeks so I know its early days but it seems in respect of his peeing, we're going backwards and not forwards.

For example, before I put him in his crate this morning, I put him on his training pad, he didn't go so into the crate he went where promptly went! Again, even if the back door is open he seems to go where ever he is at the time.

He's been eating dry food so has always had access to water - would it be a better idea to give it to him moist and restrict his water - having said that though we have a pond so he can get at water anytime when he's out the back.

Any tips would be gratefully received.

Youdontseeme

Training pads, IMO are a waste of time and a lot of faff.

Out in the garden (on a lead if needs be) every 30 mins, yes its boring, yes its inconvient but yes it works!

When you see him go give praise and add a command ie. do biz, go pee pee, hrry up its bloody cold.............whatever you prefer.

May take a while but a lot easier than doing that moving pads towards the door faff.

Dont restrict water, the amount perhaps, but not the water.

Good luck!

JemJam

I's say it depends if you have a doggy door really?? With my beagle I used the training pads for a while and moved them closer and closer to the back door, and literally put one outside the doggy door in the garden which she used, then i stopped using them! As above, lots of praise and ooh ahh's whatever you want to associate toileting with for them, treats if you get get to them in time too! She has had one or two accidents indoors (blatantly being a little !!!!!! in my opinion except for one time when she was genuinely ill), but always by the back door, and it was when the weather was really really bad here so think she was jsut freaked out.

I dont think the puppy pads were a waste of time though a lot of people do, but I do think their effectiveness depends on whether you have a doggy door or if you have to let them out yourself.

But make sure you clean the area they have toileted indoors as they will smell it and think its the place to be! Bio washing powder did the trick for us, read it online somewhere!

JemJam

Also we never changed the feeding / water, didn't see the point, everyone needs to pee!!!

jetta_wales

Have you tried the toilet training aid spray? You spray it where you want them to wee and when they smell it they want to cover with their own scent so they pee all over it. I think that's why it works, but either way it definitely does work as our two and our pups would always have a wee when they smelt it somewhere.

I'd also concur with the repetitive trips outside every hour then every two then every three and so on. If any accident happen then go back a step and close the gap again. Yes it's effort but the best training methods usually are.

suki1964

The only way to train a pup is by not allowing them to fail which means access all the time to where you want them to toilet. For most of us that's taking the pup outside every hour ( or less depending on pup) and staying outside till pup has peed. Whilst it's in mid flow give it a word like wee wee. Keep repeating this word whilst pup is going and pup will soon recognize it as a trigger word and will learn to go on command. As soon as pup has been - loads of praise and I mean loads of excited praise

You praise the good and ignore the bad. Pups have a in built need to please so they soon learn

Closed crating is going to ensure pup fails so training will take longer

You need to rethink "puppy training". It's more that you as a family learn to read your pups signals and anticipate it's needs before accidents happen

Mupette

A lot of time and a lot of patience.

Rinse and repeat.

I know it has been said before but really its the time and patience and praise with dogs..

Even giving a treat for doing it in the right place, although if you have access to a back garden, forget the puppy pads.. teaching them to pee on something that won't be there for long when you want them to go outside.

10.30 12.30 at night or later depends when i go to bed, I'm in the back garden with Perry saying "wee wees" and if he's having a bark at neightbours dog whilst frantically digging through the fence, I'll be there in my dressing gown,

I still have puppy pads and use them for under the dogs feeding area to keep floor clean (pup is a bit of a messy eater) and one currently in kitteh cage under her bed and toilet.. just for soaking up.. But she is as clean as anything and has never missed the loo.

vroombroom

Beagles are so much fun, I grew up with them, deff one of my fave breeds:rotfl:
Just wanted to wish you luck, you're going to need it :rotfl::A

dianadoesnt

suki1964 wrote: »

The only way to train a pup is by not allowing them to fail which means access all the time to where you want them to toilet. For most of us that's taking the pup outside every hour ( or less depending on pup) and staying outside till pup has peed. Whilst it's in mid flow give it a word like wee wee. Keep repeating this word whilst pup is going and pup will soon recognize it as a trigger word and will learn to go on command. As soon as pup has been - loads of praise and I mean loads of excited praise

You praise the good and ignore the bad. Pups have a in built need to please so they soon learn

Closed crating is going to ensure pup fails so training will take longer

You need to rethink "puppy training". It's more that you as a family learn to read your pups signals and anticipate it's needs before accidents happen

Very good advice. I hate the idea of using crates for house training-a horrible concept from the USA. Crates have their uses (i.e in the car, staying with friends or in hotels, to protect your dogs from evil visiting children etc)
If your beagle is food orientated, then a really tasty treat (i.e chicken) is very good-give it to him/her as soon as s/he has 'been' with lots of praise. In time, your beagle will run out to do his/her 'business' in anticipation of the treat.
It takes a lot of time and patience to house train a puppy, but done properly you will never have an accident in the house (unless your dog is ill, of course)
I also dont like dog doors as due to the dog having constant access to the garden, s/he is never truly housetrained as s/he never learns to 'hold it'.
I have a lab and he is typically greedy-he would do anything for food. I dont know much about beagles, but if s/he isnt motivated by food, how about a favourite toy (kept away from the dog to make it desirable and 'special') that s/he is given after peeing/pooping?

The very best of luck!
Diana

jetta_wales

I hate crates too, we used a big pen when it was necessary but I do not like crates.

mountainofdebt

Thanks Guys

I think I'm coming around to the idea that training pads are a waste of time (he seems to ignore it on the way out !)

I know that its going to take a while (can remember toilet training Junior,lol) but have quickly learnt his trigger times - when he wakes up and when he gets excited (thanks OH!) - and take appropriate action. The weird thing is, is that he has only ever soiled in the house twice since we had him - once was the first night and the second when the kitchen door was shut and his barking was ignored (well we thought he was being 'needy' again - lesson learnt there!) As I said I can cope with wee - I don't think I could cope with soiling on a regular basis though.

He is very food orientated ......so I think I'll have to stock up on doggy treats !