Bladder Control

[zimzimma13]

Hi! We'd love some advice. We have a three year old male cairn terrier, Zuri. We've had him since he was 4 months old and we've never really had any potty training issues. For the last couple years we've sent him to a mid-day doggie daycare playgroup, which allowed him to play and have a bathroom break mid-day. However they're now discontinuing his playgroup (I know, we sound a bit crazy), we're going to double up his full days during the week but we're wondering a couple things:

1. We're gone for about ten hours a day, if we left him home two days per week without a bathroom break mid-day - could he make it? Would he be uncomfortable at all? I've never really left him alone that long. I should note that he's not crated and has full run of the house, but we are on the third floor so he can't just run out in the backyard.

2. As an alternative I would love to provide him with pee pads in the kitchen in case he needs to go. Any suggestions on how to train a dog that has never used a pee pad? We tried that indoor grass patch once and his afraid of it.

How do I teach an 'old' dog some new tricks?

[cairnrescueleague]

Is it possible to hire a mid-day dog walker?

[Idaho Cairns]

Our dogs have lasted around ten hours at night when we have gone to bed early and awakened late but we haven't, as I recall, left them for ten hours.

However, they regularly go six to eight hours during the day when we have plans--if we are going to be gone longer--we have our neighbor come and let them out--she is a dog owner and we return the favor with her dogs when she is gone. Is that possible for you?

[Kit'sOwner]

Only advice I can offer is that my 16 month old Cairn is crated for about 8-9 hours overnight without needing to go out (unless she hears something going on in the backyard that sounds like fun - but it's not a need for potty). During the day, if my husband is working evenings, she is crated for 5 hours until he wakes up - and again, she's fine. If we're both working days, I come home for lunch to let the dogs out - again, after about 5 hours.

I would look into crates over pee pads.

[Dempsy's Mom]

If it was Dempsy there would be no pee pad left. I know where you're coming from, if he would use a peepee pad that would be great, but I would crate also. I guess you will just have to have a trial and error session. Good luck.

[sanford]

Any suggestions on how to train a dog that has never used a pee pad?

I've never used pee pads, but as far as I know, some of them are scented with an attractant, to encourage the dog's interest. I've also seen a spray sold in some larger pet supply shops that is used for the same purpose.

[Sue G]

I posted on another thread that Ozzy regularily holds it for 11 hours or so. Even on the long days, he's not in a big hurry to get outside and will usually play around for a bit before relieving himself. Now maybe I'm lucky, but I would say you might have a good chance that Zuri can hold it longer than you think. I would NOT use puppy pads. Ozzy was originally trained to puppy pads by his former owner, and I think it created more problems than anything. I would maybe start by confining to the kitchen or bathroom, and if he's accident free for a week or so you're probably safe.

[louzingit]

Baby Fly is almost 9 months. She hasn't had an accident except for 'happy pee', and that is just a dribble, since she was about 6 months. She didn't have many for the 2 months before that. Just a few, and they were probably not her fault.

Recently we've started leaving her out of her crate with run of the house when we're out.(We do close the bedroom and library doors) In the beginning we left her for only an hour or so. Now we're up to 9 hours without an accident. She's usually sleeping just inside the back door when we get home. The door she knows we'll come through. I take her out after a tummy rub and a cuddle.

After reading here I taught her to 'go' on command. I say, "Baby Fly GO!" and she does. Mostly. ha

I know. Not the best choice of a 'word' to train her. We have to be careful now to follow the word 'go' with 'for a walk' or 'for a ride' when we are not talking about doing her business.

[Tracy A.]

After reading here I taught her to 'go' on command. I say, "Baby Fly GO!" and she does. Mostly. ha

I know. Not the best choice of a 'word' to train her. We have to be careful now to follow the word 'go' with 'for a walk' or 'for a ride' when we are not talking about doing her business.

Yikes!