Confused first time dog owner!
 

Hello everybody!

I have searched the forums here on Yorkietalk as well as numerous other sites and I am utterly confused! I want to potty train my little baby but unsure of how to go about it.

The thing is, in Sweden (where I'm from btw) I've known many people with dogs and they always started taking their puppies out to pee right away. But from what I can read online it seems like a big risk to take your puppy outside before it's had all his shots? Never ever heard anyone mention this while living in Sweden. In fact, when I asked about pee pads on a Swedish forum, people called me an idiot and told me to give back my pup and get a plushie instead...Not very helpful!

I live in France now and I got my puppy Ean two days ago. He's 9 weeks old, the breeder said that she started letting the pups out in her backyard to pee and play at 8 weeks old so, I quote, 'There's no reason not to take him outside for walks and pee/poo'. But she lives in the middle of nowhere! There's literally several kilometers to the nearest neighbor. I however, live in central Paris!

I want Ean to learn do to his business outside, and I've heard that it can be hard to switch from pee pads to going outside. Is it really as dangerous as people say to take your pup outside before it's had all his shots?

Ean has had his first set of shots already, I'm going to the vet on the 9th Dec for his second round, according to the breeder he should have his third and last on the 9th Jan. I don't know if this differs from country to country.

So yeah, basically, what I would like to know is if I can start taking him outside already or if I should focus on pee pad training him and then switch to taking him outside come January? Any and all advice is welcome :)

This is my current routine (only had him for two days so I'm open to changes and advice on this):

First off, I free feed him. I haven't yet taken him outside, I work from home so I'm with him all the time and he's been pretty good at going in the box (I have a kitty box lined with pee pads for him). He has had a few accidents, usually while playing, and probably my fault for not staying close enough to his box. He wakes up at 4am every morning, wines a bit and I show him to the box where he does his business and then goes back to sleep. Sometimes when I see that he needs to go, I put him just next to the box, if he doesn't enter and instead starts squatting on the floor, I lift him up and put him in. Sometimes this works and he goes and I praise him and all that. But sometimes when I put him in he just start playing and ripping at the pee pads or wining and trying to get out of the box, just to pee on the floor instead...not sure what that is about? Sometimes he also goes in the box and start playing and rough housing in there, I usually take him out of there when he does that because I don't want him to associate the box to playing instead of peeing...

So yeah, please help me out here, I want him to learn to go outside but I won't do anything that could risk his health! Only had him two days and he's already my everything! Very confusing how people in Sweden and France seems to think it's ridiculous to even consider pee pads, while people on numerous sites says it's really dangerous to bring your pup outside...not sure what to think! o.o

Thanks!

First, welcome to Yorkietalk! And congrats on your new puppy! I would discuss taking my pup out with my vet if I were you. I know in my area, as I live in the country, there is different animals in and out of the yard. I wouldn't chance it by letting the puppy out without shots. I know nothing about your area so I think your vet would be the best place to go to for advice. Maybe others on here can advise also. As far as the puppy pads, my Mikki uses both pads and goes outside to potty. So I think it is very doable to get your puppy to potty outside later. I didn't get my girls at the puppy stage. Again, I am hoping someone can give you a little more information.

My first yorkie was pad trained so I kept her in until she got all her shots. My Vet told me it was best. He said especially don't take her into a Pet Smart or any pet store.

Hello and welcome!

I think the danger of bringing your puppy outside is if you bring him in an area where other dogs may have been that haven't had their shots, or other wild animals that could have rabies, etc. But if you have an enclosed yard at your house where you know other animals can't get in, then I would consider it safe to bring him outside. Otherwise I would just to the pads in the box. In fact I did the same, pads in a cat box. When mine was a pup she would also play with the pads. You just have to take them away and say no. There is also a thing that is called a pad holder that basically looks like a frame that clicks the pad down and holds it in place. That way he can't play with it. pee pad holder - Google Search
Maybe you might be able to find something like this in France, or have one shipped there? These are pretty helpful.

Another tip is to have your pup's harness on all the time (make sure it's a comfy one) and tie his leash to your belt, that way he can't wander too far from you. If he seems to need to go, you will notice the signs. Sniffing, trotting around, or wanting to get away.

As for feeding, personally I like to feed on a schedule. That way I can kind of guess when it's time for them to go. Young puppies usually should eat about 4-5 small meals a day. My dog is now almost 6 years and I still break up her food into three small meals a day.

Good luck, and don't get too upset that other people are giving you a hard time about the pads. Not every forum is for everyone. You have to find the one that you are comfortable with. Hopefully you will like it here and stick around. :)

First I agree with talking with your vet about the relative safety or dangers of exercising and allowing your puppy to go outside. Each country could have slightly different vaccination protocols that hopefully reflect the health risks of that country.

So many ppl have so many different opinions about the use of peepads. You just need to do what is right by your dog, given your living environment.

I have been a few times to Paris, a beautiful city, and very urban. You certainly can peepad train inside and then train to go outside, especially if the risks of being walked in the urban environment are high, given he has not had all his shots.

Once your puppy has had all his shots, then a measured exposure to the outside environment is a great beginning of socialization and training.

Mine start to go outside to potty at weaning time temp. and weather permitting. Til they have gotten all their puppy shots they don't touch any surface outside other than my yard or parents yard. I have never used wee wee pads with a healthy dog ever and nor will I.

As for your feeding question:
My Blazer is just shy of 6 months old now. When I first brought him home I was free feeding to an extent. I would give him his entire daily allowance in the morning and watched to see when he ate, when he pooped, and how much he ate. He had himself on a natural schedule so when he started to eat all of his food by lunch time I changed his feedings to three times a day. This has been working really well, though now he only picks at his evening kibble (he just finished a growth spurt, I think!)

Thanks : ) Yeah I called my vet and asked and she said that usually people never ask her this but that if I'm really worried I should just refrain from taking him out until he's had his shots and that it shouldn't be a problem to teach him to go outside after being pad trained :)

Thanks I'll keep that in mind ^^ I have taken Ean outside now but only in his carrier or in my arms, never in any crowded areas and haven't put him down on the ground to prevent him from licking or sniffing anything that could get him sick :) I had to actually ask a group of teenage girls not to touch him when they saw me and asked if they could pet him, I felt horrible and really rude, but I don't know what they might have on their hands and Ean always gives kisses to anyone and everyone :P

Thanks : )

Unfortunately in my building there's no enclosed yard and there are lost of dogs on my street, as well as pigeons (anyone who has been to Paris knows that it's the city of pigeons) and homeless cats...so after talking to my vet and reading all the replies here on Yorkietalk I decided to hold off on taking him for walks until he's had his shots.

I do take him outside but only in his carrier or in my arms, I want him to be accustomed to being out in the streets and all the noises etc that this entails, wouldn't want him to be scared when I can finally take him out for real :)

Thanks for the tip about the pad holder, I'll definitely look into that!

Ean is doing really well with the pads, haven't had any accidents in two whole days now!

I haven't been able to find a harness that fits Ean yet, he's just too tiny! Although he has grown noticeably bigger since i brought him home :)

Even though I free feed him he's kind of on a self made schedule, he eats 4 times a day usually around the same times, so it's not too difficult to anticipate when he needs to go!

Thanks for replying :) Finally I've decided not to take him outside until he's had all his shots, better safe than sorry!

Yeah Paris really is beautiful, but it can be a real headache living here, I guess I just don't have the French mentality :P Also I'm a neat freak, and I just can't get over how filthy this city is, and how nobody seems to be bothered by this at all! :P

How come you are against pee pads? I'm new to pads, never heard of it until I got Ean, like I said in my first post, in Sweden we don't have pee pads.

But seeing as I live on a street where there's lots of other dogs, pigeons, and homeless cats, and I don't have an enclosed yard, I really don't feel safe letting him out :/ So I've decided to stick with pee pad training him until he's had all his shots! Fortunately we are moving to a smaller city outside Paris soon, we won't have a yard there either, but a bigger apartment and much much cleaner environment with access to nature and things that'll make Eans future walks much more enjoyable and safe :)

That's kind of how I was doing it too, I started out just like you and put his entire daily allowance out for him, he would eat breakfast and lunch with gusto, but then towards the afternoon he didn't seem interested in eating at all and I had to hand feed him. So I started putting just a little in his bowl and then fill it up when he'd ate it all, I think the kibble maybe became a bit dry or tasteless staying out too long or something. Now he eats four times a day always around the same time, so I know when to refill his bowl so the kibble doesn't 'go bad' :) Funny how they make their own little routines like that ^^ After eating he always go to nap for like 15-30min and when he wakes up he goes toilet and then it's all play! He'll run around like a maniac playing with anything and anyone in sight for like 45 minutes and then cuddle up to nap again!