Question
I have a 7 month Sheltie pup who is on the last hurdle for toilet training. After some great advice here he's dry all day, and can if he chooses to hold himself for a very long time (even with the opportunity to go.)
However overnight is becoming a bit of an issue, he can hold overnight because for the past few weeks about 50% of the time he'll have a dry night, leaving no mess on the kitchen floor. The rest of the time he'll both poo/pee and if he does he gets no fuss in the morning, gets put outside if it's not raining whilst I clean up, and only after about 15minutes do we fuss him. If he's dry, he gets loads of morning fuss.
We have noticed the past few nights in a row he's been messy my neighbour has left her house (waking all of us sometimes) at about 4:30am, we usually get up at 6.
So we think that if he's woken up early he'll go to the toilet, but we've no real way to know if hes awake because what wakes him doesn't always wake us. He's not crate trained and his 'bedroom' is the kitchen.
He goes out in the morning, the afternoon, for his 8pm walk, then has a chance right before bed at 9:30pm. He will always pee on his evening walk, most of the time poo as well.
I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to keep him dry overnight?
Answer
I think this is a case of habit/routine
With our new dog she pee'd in the kitchen one night. She now get's put into the Garden every eve before we go to bed and isn't allowed into the house until she's at least pee'd. She get's got the idea pretty quick and now it's just a 5 min run/pee before bed. She hasn't messed in the night since.
The rest of the time he'll both poo/pee and if he does he gets no fuss in the morning
Telling your dog off (or withholding as your doing) after the fact isn't very productive. Dog's don't think like Humans. They have no way to relate the withholding to the fact. As far as they are concerned the fact happened ages ago and they won't understand why your doing what your doing. Unless it happens in front of you and you get the opportunity to reprimand the dog immediately your wasting your time.
Answered By - user2801