puppy training pads, yay or nay?

Only some, Aka...not dear little cocker spaniels [I still melt whenever I see a spaniel puppy and the urge is still there to have one again]. By the way, Aka, have you heard about that awful eventing accident at the weekend? My heart goes out to the young mans family .

Working dog breeds! Too clever by half.

The skirt swinging was a nuisance, but has stopped now. We dealt with it by standing still and making a sudden noise eg clap hands and say NO! Also kept a toy or chew constantly to hand to put between teeth being used in the wrong place. He does still have his 'mad half hour', generally early evening, and the only strategy with that is lots of chasing balls in the garden until he is exhausted.

Life is easier now he can start going for short walks and running about in the park, on the beach etc. He's a golden retriever aka big ball of fluff at the moment!

That bit about the newspaper made me giggle MrsJamJam. What "make" is Ouzo? Please do tell me about the teenage stage!! My little one is ruining all my skirts, as I wear long skirts, and she swings on them as I walk!! She has also bitten through the burglar alarm wire today (needless to say my OH was in charge of her at the time!!) but it needed tidying up anyway ;)

We got Ouzo at 6 weeks, which I know is too early, and the first couple of weeks were really hard work. Wee and poo at very frequent intervals. He is now 13 weeks and in tne last month we have had hardly any accidents indoors, and those were when we failed to pick up the signal that he wanted us to open tne door. Puppy pads were probably a waste of money, thougn I didn't want to teach him that newspaper was ok because I havea bad habit of putting the days paper down on tne floor after I've read it.

With hindsight, the really baby stage is very short and he is growing up remarkably quickly. Friends have said that at 6 months he will become a teenager and totallly disobedient. If that happens I'll warn you!

She has done amazingly well today Aka. She has gone out in to the garden of her own accord to wee, a couple of times, which is brilliant. She is a cheeky little thing but very quick on the uptake (I suspect that is the collie in her).

Oh bless her..I've just re-read your original post and she was only 7 weeks when you got her. That's rather young 8 weeks is more usual. If she is going overnight then wonderful, you are getting it right. Give her a few more weeks and she'll be sorted.

Yes it is Aka but she doesn't bother to look, she just squats and they carries on playing!! I think her little bladder is still very small, and I hope it improves as she grows. She can, however, go seven hours at night, and when she woke this morning the paper in her crate was dry, so we are getting there maybe. Maybe my expectations are too high.....

Is your back door open so she can take herself outside?

Thank you for all your advice. I am doing everything I should be doing regarding taking out after meals, every time she wakes etc etc but my problem is she wees once or twice an hour sometimes; so don't always catch her. Poohs is not a problem as she goes about half an hour after meals. I sound as if I am a bit fanatical about it, which is not the case, as I said, we have parquet flooring, I just would rather not find thee little wees in various places. If her bladder isn't yet big enough to control properly, I would rather she went in one place. Newspaper doesn't work, she ignores it.

I didn't use anything I took her out when she woke up and after meals They usually start sniffing and turn round and round when wanting a pooh Enjoy your little one My Penny cocker spaniel is 4 already

I agree with Nelliemoser about puppy pads joining the long list of expensive stuff available for our pups. Nanpug, I wouldn't use puppy pads or newspaper, as I feel you'd be training the dog that indoors can also be a toilet. Take your puppy out on the hour, within about 10 minutes of a feed, but also if you see her sniffing, circling etc. Stay with her, use the chosen magic words as soon as the dog starts to wee etc, then praise, and give a high value treat, like a tiny bit of cheese, cooked ham, chicken etc. My pup joined us last June, and I spent many a happy hour, in the garden, in my wellies, with an umbrella - it seemed to rain for ever last summer didn't it. Enjoy your puppy, what life affirming things they are. Oh, you can buy special deodorising sprays to use on an area the dog has used as a toilet indoors. It's said that if you get rid of the scent, the dog is less likely to use that spot again.

I suspect puppy pads are just a gimmick by manufactures to sell expensive stuff to pet owners.
Like Pampers promoting pull on pants for toilet training toddlers. They are useful for damage limitation in nearly dry children going somewhere special but generally just another way of selling products that are not really needed.

I would go for newspapers any time. Start with a large island then gradually reduce it, moving the wee area towards the door as you go and as Aka says, outside the door if pos. I had a lovely picture of you paddling a canoe over the used newspapers

Thanks Aka, that makes mores sense!! No, she is a collie lab cross. Pug is what I was called as a child, by my favourite uncle, because my nose turned up!!

PS is she a pug?

get your drift Nanapug but I've used both newspapers and puppy pads (was given some free) and didn't find much difference. The puppy pads look nicer than newspaper, but as all my dogs have been trained within a couple of weeks newspapers weren't down for long. While the nice weather lasts I'd put some newspaper outside your back door too and hopefully puppy will get the message.

Incidentally wishing you happy years ahead with your new addition.

That's not the most helpful advice I have had from you crazy ladies. Apparently the pads have some smell on them that makes them attracted to them. We have actually tried news paper (I have not come down the river without my paddle ladies ;)) but I wondered if the pads were more effective. When you seem to have things sussed, what do you feel?

I understand that The Financial Times is the most absorbent but I've never been able to afford it so wouldn't know for sure.

Who wouldn't?

They love pooing on the Daily Mail.

I'd go with newspaper too.

What's wrong with good old fashioned newspaper?

I did buy some puppy pads for Hattie when she was little but never used them. I think I assumed she'd probably just rip them up.