UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE: VIDEO Advice: Transitioning Puppy Pads to Outdoor Potty Training on 10 month old doodle

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Need some advice, outlook, difficulty, etc in this situation

Here is the history:

Ten month old Doodle, trained to potty on pads while the owner is not home.  The owner is rarely home.

Never been in a crate or crate trained.

Understands the very basic of commands but that is in a   foreign language ( Chinese)

If you were taking this dog into your home how would you go about immediately changing things?  Especially the potty situation.

We use bells here.

Would you put pads by the door then work your way outside?

Do dogs who use pads often go inside on other things?

I have no idea what to expect!  NONE

Other suggestions.

Here she is.  She is well behaved.  Soft.  Trained.  She is fine.  Thank  you for the advice.

We have decided to start fresh with training.   So far-Perfect

SHE May Be Spud's actual Sibling.  Same breeder  address.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Um, does this mean Spud is getting a sibling?

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

?????????????????????? my eyebrows are raised! Who is this other doodle you speak of????????????

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Okay you two.  NO!  But this woman needs my help--for now.   So I am asking advice. I need to be able to help this baby and I have no idea except how to hug the dog and give it love.   But I need some advice.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My head and heart hurt just thinking about this poor 10-month-old doodle baby who is stuck there with an inexperienced owner who is rarely home and expects him to relieve himself indoors, which is completely contrary to his nature.

Everything I have ever read about paper training (same thing, pads, paper) says you pick one method and stick with it, either inside or outside, that it is very difficult to housebreak (meaning you don't "go" indoors, ever) an older dog who has been paper-trained, and that indoor pottying should be reserved for toy dogs.

I'd start housebreaking as if it was an 8 week-old puppy who just left the breeder's and has never pottied outdoors.

 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Thank you so much Karen.  I had thought this was what I might expect.

This woman is very nice. She knows this is not right for her girl.  She also wants to give her a better life than what the puppy has now.  She has reached out to me for over a month for help.   I have tried to get her help--to keep her dog by suggesting daycare, DRC, and DK or any other help I can give.

She bravely, but painfully, has reached this conclusion for this dog.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh dear. About to run out BBL.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Thank you, Andrea.  Good advice

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

I don't understand.... why have a dog if you are hardly ever home???  If I got a dog at 10 months old I would start to train to go outside.  But as you said "owner hardly ever home" so how can they expect the poor baby to learn.  As we all know it takes time, understanding and the eagerness to want to teach your dog.  I just don't get the fact that someone has a dog and is hardly ever home !!!  Joanne... this poor baby needs to be in a different home - sorry but I am thinking of the poor dog.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

She realizes this is not a good thing.  She loves this dog.  She has had many offers to take this girl, but refuses to just hand her over to anyone.  She is also increasing hours.

I don't know the whole story.  There is a language barrier but it is my understanding she loves the dog, her children love the dog, but the dog is lonely and needs more.  Deserves more.  So she is trying to do the right thing

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Well at least you are there to help Joanne.  But sometimes people have to put their feelings aside and realize what is best for the dog.  I know that soooo many people purchase dogs not having a clue as to the time and care needed to properly take care of them.   Can you talk her into giving the dog up?  maybe make her realize that she needs to put the dogs needs before her feelings?  Maybe suggest if they want a pet get a pet that does not require lots of training like a fish or something. 

 

When I had my first dog a Shih Tzu, I paper trained her (this was years ago), I lived in a apartment complex. Daisy did great, when she was about a year old, I was home on disability from surgery and decided to train her to go outside, it took her all but 2 days to get the idea, so it can be done.

 

Keep us posted Joanne and good luck.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Wow Barbara.  So there is  hope.  I hope I have good luck with this one.  I'll keep you informed.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Many, many years ago when we were potty training our first dog we used newspapers.  That was what the breeder did  and so that's the way we started. We kept the papers in the kitchen right by the back door and then every time we saw her go to the paper we quickly took her outside to "go".  I think it took about a week or two.  For some reason back then people didn't use crates.  In retrospect it seems like the papers were irrelevant, but that was what she was used to, so we had to transition.