House/toilet training a pup

[shivvy]

We have a 5 month old pup which we got from the rescue centre. I know that I need to be patient about house/toilet trining her but I was wondering if there is anything else I can do to improve the current sitaution.
I am taking her outside to go to the loo approx every 2 hours which works well and prevents her piddling in the house however she doesnt appear to be learning that she needs to start going to the door or otherwise indicating if/when she needs to go to the loo.
What can I do to encourage this further?

Also, although the peeing part is going ok, she doesn't seem to get the same ideas about her poos - is there any reason this should be different?

[jules77]

You may already be doing all these things, and as you have taken her in later than most puppies go to their new homes, it is possibly going to take longer to train your and yes you need losts of patience. Let her out every time you think about it and more. If she is constantly getting the chance of going outside, she is less likely to relieve herself in the house. Always give lots of praise every time she goes outside.

Watch her like a hawk. Everytime she has an accident you should say 'no' and take her outside, even though she has just been, you are just reinforcing the fact that this is where she should go. Be consistent, It may seem hard at first but you will be glad you persevere when you can leave your dog at home and not worry about coming home to ruined carpet. Lots and lots of praise when she gets it right. You may want to use a word association when you take her outside like 'wee wee' time, or whatever you chose to use, and she should then associate the word with the behaviour in the right place.

If she is still weeing and pooing in the house and you are taking her out every 2 hours, perhaps you should reduce this to every 1 hour. As a general rule, when she wakes up, after food and in between. It is easier with females as you can see them stooping, try housetraining a male that just stands and does it. Stay with her until she relieves herself and give her lots of praise. You will get there eventually.

[Illyria54]

I agree with giving her a command each time, my 4 dogs pee on command and even now as I am about to go to bed, not always the same time each night, I say in a high pitched voice 'want to go wee wee's?' and they all run to the back door and then out for a wee, my hubby can't quite get the pitch right but they understand him as well lol. My point is that it works and each time your pup performs outside give lots of calm praise, but it takes time, she needs to go out after eating drinking and playing as would a very young pup and also in between times as well, make sure you keep her outside long enough to see if she wants a poo as well even walk around the garden with her which is what I do and it just might stimulate her to do everything required.
Have lots of fun with your new dog.

[shivvy]

Thanks jules and illyria.
I should have mentioned that I am using a command when she pees so that she will eventually associate the the command with the action of doing a pee. Plus she is no longer peeing in the house (the 2 hourly trips seem to work for her)
My concerns are that
1) she doesn't seem to be getting any closer to indicating when she needs out to go to the loo.
2) she very rarely poos outside. I could be out with her for half an hour with no poo but within 2-3 minutes of being in the house she will poo.