Attila almost potty trained?

[DemiSheep]

Well, we need some advice. Attila will be 6 months old tomorrow, and he'll be neutered in a week from tomorrow. We've gotten to a point with Attila, where he pretty much has no accidents inside the house. I would guess he's 80% potty trained, maybe more. The problem is we are taking him out in the morning when we get up, in the afternoon when we return home and then before bed. It seems he has gotten used to this routine. The problem is we would like him to let us know when he needs to go instead of us just taking him.

Recently we've been coming home and trying to wait till he tells us he needs to go, but he just doesn't seem to know how to. Sometimes he wont eat his dinner because he has to go potty and just won't tell us, like tonight. I came home, didn't take him out and gave him his food which he ate a small amount of when I gave it to him and then an hour and a half later, I went ahead and took him out because I knew he needed to go potty and that was keeping him from eating his food. Sure enough, I took him out, he did his stuff, brought him back and he finished his food.

I know we need to take him out in the morning, I'd say that's a given. But how do we get Attila to let us know he's gotta go? We thought about trying to use a Bell, but we don't want it to turn into a "butler service" as a forum member stated recently.

Thanks in advance.

[Hawkeye]

Attila is still pretty young to be telling you when he has to go potty, although that being said he may be telling you by his action of not eating. That may be your first signal. Just remember their signals are hard to see at first. Give him more time to mature for now and keep doing what you're doing - it is working.

Good luck next week with Attila's neuter. Let us know how it goes.

[KShep]

Well, we need some advice. Attila will be 6 months old tomorrow, and he'll be neutered in a week from tomorrow. We've gotten to a point with Attila, where he pretty much has no accidents inside the house. I would guess he's 80% potty trained, maybe more. The problem is we are taking him out in the morning when we get up, in the afternoon when we return home and then before bed. It seems he has gotten used to this routine. The problem is we would like him to let us know when he needs to go instead of us just taking him.

Recently we've been coming home and trying to wait till he tells us he needs to go, but he just doesn't seem to know how to. Sometimes he wont eat his dinner because he has to go potty and just won't tell us, like tonight. I came home, didn't take him out and gave him his food which he ate a small amount of when I gave it to him and then an hour and a half later, I went ahead and took him out because I knew he needed to go potty and that was keeping him from eating his food. Sure enough, I took him out, he did his stuff, brought him back and he finished his food.

I know we need to take him out in the morning, I'd say that's a given. But how do we get Attila to let us know he's gotta go? We thought about trying to use a Bell, but we don't want it to turn into a "butler service" as a forum member stated recently.

Thanks in advance.

I still love my bell. I was the one who said Ripley was using it as a butler pull! But my husband had a good solution for that. He just said to put her outside every time she rings it. She has to learn that "that" is what it means.

[Lynn in TN]

Kelly's signals to go out were hard to spot. She would just stare at us. It was hard to tell, so we decided for a few days that every time she would go anywhere near the door (Only the one we use to take her out to potty) we would take her out. She caught on to that fast. We then became a butler service for a few days. I would only take her out long enough to potty though. Meaning 5 minutes tops. ( I would put her in her crate if she didn't go( for about 15 minutes) I guess we have been very fortunate with this as she now will scratch at the door if she can't get our attention any other way. She scratched at a window the other day, sure enough she peed as soon as I put her on the ground that day. The only time she has peed in the house in the last month is the excited pee and she will do this even if she just went out to potty and only for 3 people. My 2 sons and my sister. Hopefully I haven't jinxed her progress.

[PeppersMom]

I have the same issue..Pippin wont ask to go out

[pindrop]

I think this is a normal trait for a Cairn from all I've read in the past. Layla is now over a year and for a long time she never signaled to go out. Lately, she will come to me and talk. I then ask her what it is she wants (and stand up to follow her) and she will lead me towards the door thereby letting me know she wants out. I try to ask her each time and set up some sort of communication - as there are other times she will want a treat or her water bowl is empty. I do encourage her, in this instance only, to talk. Perhaps upon your return from work you can ask Attila if he would like to go out then follow up with the leash - doing this every night will set up a routine and pretty soon he will catch on and realize he needs to ask. Good luck with the surgery next week and keep us posted on his recovery.

[kjwarnold]

They all have different signals to tell you when they want to go out. Our first Cairn, Willie, was pretty easy because he'd go to the door/hall and bark. Packy will usually just stare at me, but he's also been known to stand in the hall by the door or bark. Kirby is the hardest. He rarely tells us he needs to go out, but once in a while I'll see him standing in the hall and we'll take them both out. Usually Packy will tell us when Kirby needs to go out, which is funny, but true. He'll let us know and we'll take them out, then Packy will do absolutely nothing but Kirby will run right over and go. Thanks, Pack!

So I guess the message here is that you have to learn your dog's signals. They may be subtle, but they are usually there. Some people swear by bells, but you have to watch these tricky Cairns. They learn pretty fast that ringing the bell lets them go out and they don't always ring it for pottying; they ring it to go out and play. Sneaky, smart little dogs! Good luck!