Potty Training 12 Week Old Cairn Terrier

[Ozziesmom]

Hello. This is my first time posting. Just got my Cairn terrier. I've had him one week. He is 12 weeks old. I live in Florida, so I am trying to potty train him outside. I have a big backyard that's fenced in. The problem: It's been raining and the grass is wet and he does not like wet grass. I have a patio that's tiled and that's where he likes to go, on the tile! I don't think he has ever been outside before I got him. I am crating him at night and also during the day and that seems to be okay. He really does not go in the crate. He did the first two days, but beyond that he has not. He cannot make it the whole night in the crate, though. I put him to bed about 9:00 and then I wake up around 12:30 - 1:30 to let him him out, then I wake up at 6:00 to let him out again. It's hard trying to judge how often to let him out. Usually when I let him out at 6:00 a.m. he will go #2. Then when I feed him breakfast at around 6:30 I wait an hour to see if he has to go again and he doesn't. Should I be letting him out every one to two hours? I'm wondering if I should just get him used to walking on a leash around the neighborhood instead of just trying to roam the backyard and not really want to be walking on the grass. I know I'm just rambling on, but I'm trying to get all my thoughts down. Any input would certainly be appreciated!!!

[DeLaUK]

First of all I would be really careful about where your taking him outside, until he's had the full series of vaccines he's not protected against things like Parvo, Distemper etc.
It sounds like your both doing everything right with the crating, as a general guide puppies usually need to go to the bathroom just after waking up, just after feeding, just after playing/excitement and before you go to bed for the evening with a couple of times in between, at 12 weeks they can usually wait about 6 hours during the night and as they get older (providing there are no medical problems like bladder infections) they should be able to wait 8 hours or longer, its not good to make them wait too long but if you think about the average person works about 8 hours a day plus a bit of time getting to work and back and their adult dogs can wait.
As for getting him to go on the grass, a lot of dogs will not go on wet grass, one of mine wouldnt go outside at all if its wet unless I carried her out, what you could try is encouraging him to follow you onto the grass with a ball or toy, or even a little food treat (small fingernail sized pieces of chicken or something work well) make it fun for him and he might start to realize the grass, wet or dry is not a big deal, some dogs just really dont like the feel of it though (like mine) and you may need to have another area for him to go in. Once it dries out you might find he's okay on it.

[Ozziesmom]

Thanks so much for resonding. I am only taking him out in my yard. There are no other animals around. He's already had his first set of shots. The vet said it was okay that I do that. I will try taking a little toy to coax him into going onto the grass or a little treat. I'm home today working and just walking around the house and just "noticed" places that he tinkled on. Thank goodness it was on ceramic tile and not carpet!!!!!
I'm trying to keep him in the crate more and more because he has to get used to it and I'm just going to lose it! I can't be in five places at one time!!! It's just very hard trying to figure out when to take him out. Just when I think we are on a schedule, I find a "surprise"!!!! I know this takes a lot of patience, and he is well worth it. I was just making sure that I am doing everything I'm supposed to be doing. Again, thanks so much! Please feel free to add anything else you want to. Do you have a Cairn terrier?

[puttin510]

Good lord I just went thru all of that. My poodle did not want to go on the wet grass either. I just kept on bringing her out, telling her to go poopee. LOL. Boy there were some frustrating tiring days. Imagine trying to look happy when your soo darned tired. When your pup is not crated take him out every hour more if you think so. I tried the bell method off the bad, she did not catch on. At about 6 months she finally realized after me showing her the bell and saying excitedly do you want to go outside and jingling the bells. That is she thumps the bells she gets to go outside. She sometimes does it just to see whos walking down the street but 9 times out of 10 now she is serious about having to go to the bathroom.
You could try the tethering method if hes not crated always, that way you know where he is always. A six foot leash attached to you. I told my brother about that method and he was so happy it worked. We had many a accidents many but she's doing great now. If she has an accident, it is because I waited one twenty seconds to late.

[puttin510]

Thanks for the private message, I can't use that feature anymore. Terriers a fiesty little guys. They are tremendouly smart too. One other thing I also did was treat only when she did what she supposed to do. She learned quick when she did right. It will all come together. Just lots of watching and doing what your pups needs. Be on the watch always, if not you someone else in the home. You need to have a good rest sometimes. LOL

[Aqueous]

My first dog Max (a Cairn) never like to go out when it was wet. I had to actually go out in the rain with him to show him that it was ok and then he was fine. If you stick to your routine you should be fine. Cairn's can be stubborn (true to their terrier nature) but once you establish a rhythm it smooth sailing as I find they pick up on things pretty fast.

[Ozziesmom]

Yes, I am learning how to give treats and praises when they are well deserved!!!!

[Ozziesmom]

It was pouring in Florida for the past two days. Need I say more? I was standing in the rain with a golf umbrella with the two of us underneath it! If my neighbors didn't think I was a lunatic, I don't know what they were thinking!!!! This is my first experience with a Cairn. He is very smart, very persistent, very stubborn, all at 12 weeks!!!

[puttin510]

Its actually pretty funny, when they look up to you with their puzzled little faces as if to say, ok now who's the dingaling that thought of this idea. Standing in the rain. Not good. Come on lets get in the house. My pup came this past November. So we saw moisture alright.

[coppersmom]

Oh yeah. I've done the umbrella over me and the dogs. And in a happy voice tell them to hurry up! And at 4:30 in the morning too! If my weenie dogs hear it raining, they don't even wake me up! They'll just hide under the covers until I carry them out! And they are 8 and 9 years old.

I tried the ringing the bell thing too. Didn't work--but I think it's a great idea.

[Shineillusion]

One thing you'll probably notice; the same dog who is too precious to walk in the wet grass will gleefully splash in puddles, getting you wet at the same time, just because you don't want them to.