[*Monster's Mum*]

Hi guys,

Firstly i just want to say I have found reading through old posts on this site really useful and informative so thanks everyone!! :wave:

But I have a few questions that need answering:

What in your opinion is the best method of toilet training? Crate training? Pads? Paper? Litter? I think I will try litter/puppy pads as i live in an apartment it isnt practical to keep going outside.

Does anyone know of any good dog training classes in the Nottingham area or even Midlands area?

Since I have a cat who likes his freedom to come in and out as he pleases do you think its better to put the pups bed in my room at night? Also what type of bed shall I get the puppy? Shall I make her travel crate her bed or get a 'traditional' bed? (I have both by the way)

Any help would be much appreciated! I want to be as prepared as possible for the little girl. (I still havent found one yet though! )

 

[Mia]

Hi and welcome :wave:
i started keeks on newspaper, i did mean to crate train her, but it actualy takes alot of discipline! and i cracked i kept taking keeks out of the crate lol. Now she goes outside.
Id probably say crate training is the most effective method. Also the breeder is likely to have got the puppies used to going either on paper litter or puppy pads (dont expect it to be ne where near trained mind you) so id use what ever the breeder used.
mia
x

 

[Cooper]

I completely endorse crate training, especially since you have a cat. I'm in a similar situation and my cat was here before my dog. OmaKitty sleeps with me (correction - I sleep with her) in bed and when Cooper came along, I made sure her routines were not disrupted to the best of my ability. Cooper sleeps in the living room (I guess you call it a drawing room over there though) in his crate and OmaKitty has the run of the house at night.

As far as a bed, get anything you want! The cushier, the better. Cooper sleeps on a basic cat bed with a foam structure, covered by that fuzzy white stuff that I can never remember the name of. They're supposedly washable but I can never get the cover back on right after washing, so I replace them about once every 6 months. There is also a bathroom rug on the bottom of the kennel that fits perfectly inside.

Cooper has a travel crate that is smaller than his sleeping crate. I just buckle that one in the front seat and he sits there when we go places. A lot of other folks have purse/carriers for their pups but Cooper won't get in one of those. When we spend the night out of town, I leave his sleeping crate at home and we use OmaKitty's travel crate, since it's larger than Coopers, to sleep in.

And as far as potty training, I would encourage you to train for outdoors but, until your pup is old enough to go outside, the method should be what suits you and the pup best. You may find it doesn't like litter as well as pads or vice versa, so that decision may be made for you. We used pads and gradually kicked Cooper outside - he took to it very quickly and wasn't hard to train at all.

As Mia said, it just takes loads of patience. I know I have bald spots on my head from pulling hair out but if you stick to it, whatever methods you choose will work.

If you do crate train though, you may consider doing one or all of the following: ask the breeder for a blanket or something with the mother's smell on it to put in the crate, get a wind-up alarm clock that ticks to put in the bedding and they now make different products that you warm up and slip into the puppy's bedding to keep them warm all night. Those things may cut down on crying and the other "tactics" the puppy will use to get you to pick it up.

Good luck in finding your baby and I am so glad you're doing research beforehand! You're gonna make a great chi Mom!