333. American Cocker Spaniel and the playpen
Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore
As I had scribbled solutions to the paper-training situation of the Cocker Spaniel, I promised the lady owner that I would write a proper report and give to her.
It was a beautiful Friday afternoon. If I don't write immediately, I would not have time or remember the case although the scribbling on the envelope would remind me. My teenager son had lost his Identity card and his mum was more stressed. You would have thought that teenagers would induce less stress but the obsession with video gaming till 4 am, sleepy in classes, poor academic performance and complaints from teachers are great stresses for mothers who believe in academic excellence.
(Blog 332). http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2006/06/332-mothers-negative-mental-attitude.html
In the case of the American Cocker Spaniel, I could sense that it was quite stressful for the mother too. The puppy belonged to her daughter.
SITUATION
Two weeks had passed. The 3-month-old American Cocker Spaniel puppy was not paper-trained.
In the playpen, the right 2/3 marble flooring was covered by newspapers. Below the newspapers was a plastic sheet to prevent the urine from soiling the marble flooring.
In the left 1/3 floor, a towel bed was put on the top left corner. A water bowl was placed on the bottom left corner. I presumed the plastic sheet was below the towel and water bowl to protect the marble floor.
The puppy did not always sleep on the towel bed. Many towels were changed daily as he stepped and soiled the towels.
SOLUTIONS.
1. As there is a foreign domestic worker, the ideal solution would be CRATE TRAINING.
I did not have time to discuss this.
Basically, the puppy is kept in a crate such that he can only stand and sit. But not able to pee and poop. The maid takes the puppy out of the playpen every 2 hours and put him into a small area to pee and poop. Reward with treats and praises.
If there is no elimination, back to the crate and take out again every 2 hours. The time formula is N-1. N = age of puppy. At 3 months old, N-1 = 3-1 = 2 hours of urine holding. As the puppy grows older, it may be 3 hours. The formula is a guideline for crating the puppy not a rigid mathematical formula for success. No puppy should be crated more than 4 - 6 hours, depending on age.
With a fixed schedule of eating, drinking, peeing and pooping, the puppy would learn to hold his urine and poop till he goes to the newspapers. Newspapers would have the urine smell. Crate training method is excellent if you have the manpower and patience.
2. PLAYPEN
100% newspapers. Fixed schedule for eating. Water bottle at one end so that the puppy has access to the water anytime but not after 8 p.m.
Observe and record where and when the puppy pees and poops. Feed 2 times a day. Remove feed bowl after 10 - 15 minutes.
If the puppy is let out, only allow him in one room under supervision. Not allowed to roam the whole apartment.
Observe for signs of elimination (turning, sniffing). Carry him to newspapers (with urine smell) inside the playpen and say "Pee pee". Reward with treats and praises when he performs.
Preferably sleep near the puppy at night to watch for signs as the puppy may need to go to the toilet at 3 am. (Signs of whinning, restlessness).
BEHAVIOUR
The puppy is attracted by urine smell to go to the same spot for elimination. He also wants to sleep and eat in a clean area.
Neutralise all urine on the plastic sheet and playpen with white vinegar:water 1:2 or get a pee pan to protect the marble flooring. Put 2nd piece of soiled newspapers on pee pan as you need to change papers frequently.
A fixed schedule of feeding and playing.
FEEDING TWO TIMES PER DAY. No supper or extra food times. The puppy poops usually within 30 minutes of eating if there is no distraction of playing by children and others. Let him poop first before letting him out. Take away water after 8 pm to help the puppy to control his bladder.
PROFESSIONAL PUPPY TRAINERS - RESIDENTIAL TRAINING
There are such people providing residential toilet training of puppies. But due to parvoviral infections killing puppies, I would not advise puppies under my care to be toilet trained. Puppies normally have no protection till 2 weeks after the 3rd vaccination. Why take the risk?
In conclusion, confined area, fixed schedule for feeding and exercise, signs of elimination, positive reinforcement using treats and praises. Must have time to train puppies. Same as for teenagers. They just go in the wrong direction if adults don't have time or knowledge to train them. Puppies are easier to train than teenagers, I think.
Email to judy@toapayohvets.com if you have any queries. Each puppy is different. Sometimes, it is the lack of full time training, the lack of knowledge in toilet training or the intelligence of the puppy that affect early success.
With full-time training success in paper training is from 4 days to 4 weeks, in my survey of more than 300 puppy owners in this blog.
As I had scribbled solutions to the paper-training situation of the Cocker Spaniel, I promised the lady owner that I would write a proper report and give to her.
It was a beautiful Friday afternoon. If I don't write immediately, I would not have time or remember the case although the scribbling on the envelope would remind me. My teenager son had lost his Identity card and his mum was more stressed. You would have thought that teenagers would induce less stress but the obsession with video gaming till 4 am, sleepy in classes, poor academic performance and complaints from teachers are great stresses for mothers who believe in academic excellence.
(Blog 332). http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2006/06/332-mothers-negative-mental-attitude.html
In the case of the American Cocker Spaniel, I could sense that it was quite stressful for the mother too. The puppy belonged to her daughter.
SITUATION
Two weeks had passed. The 3-month-old American Cocker Spaniel puppy was not paper-trained.
In the playpen, the right 2/3 marble flooring was covered by newspapers. Below the newspapers was a plastic sheet to prevent the urine from soiling the marble flooring.
In the left 1/3 floor, a towel bed was put on the top left corner. A water bowl was placed on the bottom left corner. I presumed the plastic sheet was below the towel and water bowl to protect the marble floor.
The puppy did not always sleep on the towel bed. Many towels were changed daily as he stepped and soiled the towels.
SOLUTIONS.
1. As there is a foreign domestic worker, the ideal solution would be CRATE TRAINING.
I did not have time to discuss this.
Basically, the puppy is kept in a crate such that he can only stand and sit. But not able to pee and poop. The maid takes the puppy out of the playpen every 2 hours and put him into a small area to pee and poop. Reward with treats and praises.
If there is no elimination, back to the crate and take out again every 2 hours. The time formula is N-1. N = age of puppy. At 3 months old, N-1 = 3-1 = 2 hours of urine holding. As the puppy grows older, it may be 3 hours. The formula is a guideline for crating the puppy not a rigid mathematical formula for success. No puppy should be crated more than 4 - 6 hours, depending on age.
With a fixed schedule of eating, drinking, peeing and pooping, the puppy would learn to hold his urine and poop till he goes to the newspapers. Newspapers would have the urine smell. Crate training method is excellent if you have the manpower and patience.
2. PLAYPEN
100% newspapers. Fixed schedule for eating. Water bottle at one end so that the puppy has access to the water anytime but not after 8 p.m.
Observe and record where and when the puppy pees and poops. Feed 2 times a day. Remove feed bowl after 10 - 15 minutes.
If the puppy is let out, only allow him in one room under supervision. Not allowed to roam the whole apartment.
Observe for signs of elimination (turning, sniffing). Carry him to newspapers (with urine smell) inside the playpen and say "Pee pee". Reward with treats and praises when he performs.
Preferably sleep near the puppy at night to watch for signs as the puppy may need to go to the toilet at 3 am. (Signs of whinning, restlessness).
BEHAVIOUR
The puppy is attracted by urine smell to go to the same spot for elimination. He also wants to sleep and eat in a clean area.
Neutralise all urine on the plastic sheet and playpen with white vinegar:water 1:2 or get a pee pan to protect the marble flooring. Put 2nd piece of soiled newspapers on pee pan as you need to change papers frequently.
A fixed schedule of feeding and playing.
FEEDING TWO TIMES PER DAY. No supper or extra food times. The puppy poops usually within 30 minutes of eating if there is no distraction of playing by children and others. Let him poop first before letting him out. Take away water after 8 pm to help the puppy to control his bladder.
PROFESSIONAL PUPPY TRAINERS - RESIDENTIAL TRAINING
There are such people providing residential toilet training of puppies. But due to parvoviral infections killing puppies, I would not advise puppies under my care to be toilet trained. Puppies normally have no protection till 2 weeks after the 3rd vaccination. Why take the risk?
In conclusion, confined area, fixed schedule for feeding and exercise, signs of elimination, positive reinforcement using treats and praises. Must have time to train puppies. Same as for teenagers. They just go in the wrong direction if adults don't have time or knowledge to train them. Puppies are easier to train than teenagers, I think.
Email to judy@toapayohvets.com if you have any queries. Each puppy is different. Sometimes, it is the lack of full time training, the lack of knowledge in toilet training or the intelligence of the puppy that affect early success.
With full-time training success in paper training is from 4 days to 4 weeks, in my survey of more than 300 puppy owners in this blog.
posted by Photography by Sing Kong Yuen | 6:15 PM
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