We have been sitting a 3 month old golden retriever puppy for a week now. But we could use some tips. He almost only poops and pees in the house. For example, this morning we went for 2 walks of about 15 minutes (8am and 12pm) and for the rest he is in the garden with us. When we went in to make lunch, he went to poop inside, while he had the option to poop outside all morning. If he does his business outside, we praise him for it to encourage him to do it outside. The first few days we thought he would have to get used to us, but nothing has changed so far.
Does anyone have any tips to tackle this? The Sit will last another 2.5 weeks and it is not really a pleasant prospect to continue this way.
To be honest, it must be some emergency for an owner to leave a puppy in this crucial phase of bonding and training. Puppies often need to go after play, sleep and food. As it is, I think the owner should be the closest to give advice and instructions on what routines the puppy is used to and that a sitter should follow in the training.
I’ve had a few litters of pups. If a puppy come from a serious breeder and the training has continued, at 3,5 months most of the job is normally done. As you describe it I’m not so sure the puppy is used to doing no 2 outside? If you follow the WG description?
That being said, for many dogs it is necessary with a longer walk to do business. This has to do with bodily functions and bowel movement when exercising. This is true also for people .
My dog goes when we follow routines. Walk morning, afternoon and evening, a good walk after eating. If in garden this doesn’t happen. We must do a walk.
Unfortunately, this is becoming more prevalent where we see more home owners leave a puppy who hasn’t been fully trained or on the opposite end of the spectrum, an older dog who can’t really control their bladder functions.
This is a big reason why we stopped watching puppies and older animals because home owners just assume that we will step in and continue the training, pick up the poop/urine in the house, etc.
With that said, since the puppy does not seem to be trained at all… our recommendation is treat them like a baby. Follow them around. Any time they look like they will squat, raise a leg, start scratching the carpet sniffing, pacing around the house, go to random rooms in the house: pick them up and put them outside. Stay out there with them and see if they go. If they do, then reward them as soon as possible with a treat and a “good boy/girl”. It will take a few days of this, but they should start to get the message. It is more time consuming and more annoying that you would have to do this, but they clearly haven’t been trained to go outside. Puppies (same with kittens) have to go more frequently because their bodies are growing faster and metabolizing faster than mid-age dogs. You can’t just expect him to go at 8, 12, 4, 8. Our experience, it is more like every 1-2 hours until they are fully trained to NOT go in the house and learn to hold their bladder.
If they smell food, this might make them want to poop. Take them outside. If they eat or drink water, take them outside. Most dogs (mid-age or older) usually poop about 20-30 minutes after they eat (assuming they are healthy and normal GI tracts). Puppies might need to go 5 minutes after they eat. It is really just a game of watching, observing and noticing the behaviors.
If you do see them go and can’t catch them inside in time and they do go, firmly go to the spot where they went and say “No.” No treats, no rewards, nothing around this time that they went. You don’t want them thinking they will get a treat if they go in the house. Spray the area with cleaner and lay paper towels on it to soak up and leave it there. The dog needs to see that the area is covered and smells like a cleaner. If you just pick it up and act like it is no big deal - the dog will think it is no big deal. They are smart creatures…just need to be properly trained.
Best of luck and maybe no more puppies. We know it is hard because they are so cute (especially Goldens!)
Will just add - dogs will go again where they have previously gone. So important to clean. Not just pick up. We usually wash properly and wipe over after with a little white vinegar in water (or spray from pet shop).
Some also have the dog in leash indoor to be sure to detect it before they go. Many will give signs for instance as @Couple_travels_fulltime says or the dog will start sniffing the floor and go in circles.
@Barry, wow that sounds unpleasant. Did the housesit listing and Welcome Guide provide appropriate & sufficient information in regards the puppy?
Any pet owner leaving a young animal with a housesitter strikes us as questionable conduct.
We have only housesit for one puppy - a surprise after accepting the listing. We were keen to complete the housesit as great location. Mercifully the puppy was toilet trained and proved easier than we feared - indeed a lovely little dog.
In regards your question, encourage an open and honest conversation with the Pet Parent. Surely Pet Parent is motivated to progress toilet training. Perhaps there are puppy classes or other training tools that could be a win-win, given context.
Also, encourage reach out to THS MS. Possible that they have related guidance. Can only imagine that it’s not the first time.
Ultimately this may be a learning experience. From THS Forum, we’ve read of various challenges and observed that some veteran housesitters simply decline sits if a range of features are involved (one being puppies).
This sit is a red flag to begin with. Anyone who gets a puppy and then is willing to leave them with a sitter in this manner and at that age is super suspect. I also agree with @Garfield in that had this dog come from a reputable/ethical breeder, the work to housebreak should already be almost done.
I agree with others though…basics are that if they have gone someplace before, they will 99% go there again.
A few things I would do:
clean up the space they are currently using very well
Create a really solid schedule with ample opportunities for the puppy to go out (you are effectively potty training their dog for them and the next 2.5 weeks is well within the critical learning period for this.) any time you do something with that puppy, the next thing should basically be a potty break…after food, after play, after nap time, repeat repeat, repeat.
Stay outside until the dog does go and when they do, massive celebration for a job well done
Personally, I would also limit the dog’s access to area of the house so there aren’t opportunities for them to go in other places. A puppy that young should pretty much be monitored all the time anyway and when not actively monitored, they should be some place secure so as not to have an opportunity to practice undesirable behaviours.
Some great advice here but I can only reiterate shock that the owners have left a puppy so young with sitters - how long before your arrival was the sit listed? I would be unlikely to take on a puppy younger than 12 months nor, as has been mentioned, an old dog.
Good luck with the rest of the sit, you must be a dream for the owners who should have sought paid sitters.
I was fortunate enough to welcome a 9 week puppy in the spring, and I read quite a bit about how to housebreak them. A couple of things that I learned:
it’s better to bring them back to the same spot outside to pee and poo because the smells will trigger the need to go again. You need to wait until they do it.
you should bring them out 5 to 10 minutes after they eat, plus at regular intervals. Go to the spot and say “pee, poo”.
if they’re outside in the garden all excited running around and playing, that’s what’s occupying their brain, not the bathroom needs.
In a way you have to teach them to respond to that the command; just like a small child they may not be aware that they need to go, they don’t necessarily feel the pressure building in the bladder or tummy… and then it’s too late.
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