toilet training, house training puppies

472. Toilet Training 2 puppies at one time

2009-11-21T08:05:00.002+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

E-MAIL TO DR SING, JUL 19, 2009
On Sun, Jul 19, 2009 at 12:23 PM, <...@yahoo.com.sg> wrote:

Hi judy,

I hope this is not too much trouble for u. I recently bot 2 japanese spitz puppies. They are with me for 3 weeks now. The first 2 weeks, i admit i make some mistakes in the house breaking training.

Now i have confined the 2 puppies separately in 2 play pen. When the puppies are inside the play pen, they usually most of the time would pee n poo on the pee tray. When i open up the play pen to let them play hard, they would pee on other places. One pee very far, so i thought he prob couldnt find his way back. The other one pee abt 20 cm away from the pee tray. Why is it that when the play pen is opened up, they forgot where they shld pee just like how well behave they are when they are confined in the play pen.

Can u give me some advice as to what i shld do? I am so close to pulling out all my hair.

Thanks n regards
XXX
E-MAIL FROM DR SING, JUL 19, 2009

I am Dr Sing. Thank you for your e-mail.

1. In reply, I presume you have two puppies coming out of the 2 playpens at the same time.

2. The two are then given a much bigger area to play. They forget about their pee tray.

3. Ideally, you should permit one puppy to come out to an extended area which is around 2X the area of the playpen (e.g kitchen area). Open the playpen gate and monitor the puppy. If he goes to the pee tray, praise and give food treat. If he shows signs of wanting to pee, carry him quickly to the pee tray. Be observant.

4. The other puppy should be confined and not be seen by the other puppy while you train this one.
5. Repeat paragraph 3 with the other puppy.

6. In cases where there is only one puppy, it takes 2-4 weeks of confinement inside the playpen 90% of the time before they know that they must go to the pee tray to eliminate when they are let out of the playpen into a bigger area (not the whole apartment, just the kitchen or bathroom as an example). It is not just 1 week as that was what I presumed you did.

7. Therefore, go back to the basics as mentioned in paragraph 3.

Dear mr sing,

Thank you very much for your prompt reply. I really really appreciate it. I will listen to your advice and do as u said. I will definitely write back once the house breaking training is successful for the 2 puppies.

A big thank you.
XXX

On Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 3:50 PM, XXX wrote:
Hi dr sing,

I need more advice. One of the puppy behave really well when she is in her play pen. She poo n pee almost 95% on the pee tray. I followed your advice n give her a bigger area in the kitchen. I have a really big kitchen so i still hv to use the play pen to make the area only 2x the area of the playpen she is staying in. But she still doesnt know how to go to the pee tray to pee. But when i bring her back to her own play pen, she almost immediately pee n poo on the pee tray!
Why is that? What hv i done wrong? N what more shld i hv done?

The other puppy is hopeless. I didnt even wanna try the 2x play pen kitchen strategy on him. I think i need to confine him for another 1 or 2 weeks b4 i try the 2x play pen kitchen strategy. What do u think?

Sorry to bother u agn.

Pls advise me on this.

Regards

XXX
E-MAIL FROM DR SING, JUL 22, 2009

Hello
1. Start from the beginning again.
2. Confine the puppies for 2 weeks inside the playpen.
3. When you increase the area to 2X the area of the playpen initially, your puppy is "distracted" by your attention and forgets to go to the pee tray.

471. New puppy barks after midnight

2009-11-21T07:48:00.002+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

Toa Payoh Vets Clinical Research
Making veterinary surgery alive
to a veterinary student studying in Australia
using real case studies and pictures

Why does the new puppy bark after midnight?
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVS

First written: Oct 28, 2009
Updated: Nov 21, 2009 (3rd vaccination)

Case study:
Couple: Working husband and home-maker wife in her late 20s.
Miniature Dachshund, Male, 2 months, bought from the pet shop 3 days ago. I was consulted on blood appearing in the evening stools 3 evenings but not in the day stools. The puppy was fed 2 times a day as advised by the pet shop.

This case has two common complaints amongst new puppy owners, viz.:

1. Blood in stools. For the past 3 evenings, the puppy poops loose stools with blood seen but was otherwise healthy and active.

2. Barking at around 2 am - 3 am and then at 6 am.
"He is seeking attention," the young lady owner said. "We just ignored him and he would stop barking. Then at 6 am, he would bark. He wants to come out of his playpen to play.

Reality & Solutions
1. Blood in the stool. Usually due to stress (change of environment and feeding).

2. Feeding 2x a day is common recommendation by pet shop puppy sellers in Singapore. Less eating, less pooping as the puppy eats all food usually and then poops 2x/day, after eating, instead of many times. This puppy poops 2x/day.

3. "Seeking attention past midnight". Few puppy books mention about this behaviour. Actually, the puppy barks to ask the owner to change the soiled newspapers. In this case, the puppy was now restricted to a one-page width of the newspapers. He pees around every 2 hourly. He does not want to step on soiled papers but being confined in the playpen, he could only communicate with people by barking: "Please change soiled newspapers."

Solutions: Understanding canine behaviour --- All normal puppies want a clean area to eliminate and to sleep.

I propose that the owner spread 75% of the playpen flooring with newspapers at night, thus giving the puppy more clean papers and therefore no barking at 2am to 3am. 25% of the floor space is his bed towel space. The 2-month-old puppy has a weak bladder and pees every 2 hourly approximately. Will this work in practice? She will let me know when the puppy comes for his 3rd vaccination.

P.S
A pee pan with newspapers on top will be better as urine will not soil the marble floor of the living room. The puppy was not crated inside the kitchen as he barks for attention. So, the owner puts him in the living room. Ideally, the kitchen's ceramic tiled floor will be better for cleaning. Most Singapore condo kitchens barely have space for the cook and her assistant, so the puppy is housed in the living cum dining area.

UPDATE AT THE 3RD VACCINATION.
The puppy has grown up a lot and has no more blood in the stools. The young lady owner told me she had bought a grate + pee pan set which is the correct idea as the puppy was brought up on a grate + pee pan surface at the Singapore pet shop.

"Sometimes the puppy eliminates on the newspapers and sometimes in the grate + pee pan placed in the balcony", the tall and slim lady explained to me. I could see that the puppy was confused.

"Place the grate + pee pan inside the play pen (confined area). This will create less confusion during the toilet training the puppy."

Of course, this puppy will not be paper-trained, but be grate + pee pan trained in this situation.

Puppy toilet training by various new puppy owners as a research topic is a fascinating subject. I approach it like a mystery thriller if you are a reader of this genre. There is a mystery which puzzles the owner. However, the vet can't visit the scene of the crime, for practical purposes. So, he has to figure out and solve the mystery.

Toilet training solutions is an excellent means of of opening a communication channel with your new client. The vet needs to have some knowledge of puppy toilet training methods and most important, time. It takes up much time to talk about evacuation in a puppy as first-time owners are usually puzzled by the strange behaviour of the young one. Pee and poop anywhere and at any time. It is enough to pull one's hair out especially if there are two puppies. If a vet has 80 clients a day, it is extremely difficult to talk about bowel and bladder movements. His or her mind is just too tired and mechanical.

Updates are at www.toapayohvets.com

470. Car sickness in a puppy in Singapore

2009-11-19T05:03:00.001+08:00

Wednesday, Nov 18, 2009

I don't know whether the present crop of vets are trained in answering questions on puppy toilet training as every puppy home management and situation is not the same. I illustrate the following case of "a couple with child" as an example.

Puppy: Japanese Spitz, Male, 4 months
Seller: Commercial Breeder, Singapore-based. Purchased 3 days ago.
Buyer: Couple in their 40s. One 10-year-old child. Expatriate.
Equipment sold : Crate + grated floor + pee pan. Bed. "The puppy prefers the grated floor," the wife commented.

Consult: Vaccination voucher. 3rd vaccination.

Problems:
1. Car motion sickness. Puppy was fed. Vomited inside carrier bag in a taxi to Surgery.

What is the solution? Short trips and food treat as a possible solution.

1. No feeding before vehicle travel.
2. Short car rides e.g. 5 minutes. Give food treat at the end of travel.
Expat has no car as car ownership is very expensive in Singapore, so it is not a surprise that the expatriates have no car but live in a prime area.
3. Buses and subway travel - dogs are not permitted. I suggest putting puppy in a big lady's bag. Go up the bus. Alight after one bus-stop. Food treat after alighting. This may focus the puppy's mind on the treat. Repeat for 2 bus-stops and so on.
4. Tranquilisers. Available from the vet.

2. "Toilet training. How to do it?," the Asian wife wearing a hat with flowers asked me.

Here are my advices:

1. Do you want to paper-train the puppy or to use the floor grate method? Usually puppies from commercial breeders in Singapore are used to the floor grate method. The couple said that the puppy shreds newspapers instead of eliminating on them. "The puppy does not know what the newspapers are meant to eliminate," the husband concluded correctly.

1. History: The puppy had been crated and the breeder had sold the couple a crate with a floor grate + a pee pan below. However, no instructions or book on how to use it effectively.

2. Confine to the crate for 2 weeks most of the time. Feed the puppy outside the crate. Ensure he finishes his food within 10 minutes. If not, take away the bowl and put him back into the crate. He will poop within 15 minutes after eating as in most puppies not distracted. Water bottle hung on the crate or a water bowl.

3. Distraction means a child or adult petting him while he eats. The couple and child were guilty. So, the puppy poops at unknown times in the apartment. He was free to roam. So he pees and poops everywhere.

4. Location of crate. In the living area where he can see everybody, except the area where the couple has meals. The kitchen (recommended by me) is too small. This location is not conducive for toilet training as there are too many distractions. I suggested the bathroom for the puppy during meal times (breakfast and dinner). A bathroom with a baby gate will be ideal in this case during meal times to shut out distractions and for the puppy to poop.

5. "How about taking the puppy downstairs twice a day?" the husband was told by the breeder not to take the puppy outdoor till the 3rd vaccination. Yet this dog must socialise and be used to public noises and traffic at this age.

"This puppy can go outdoors provided he does not go to the areas where dogs have been, in case of parvoviral infections from other dog's stools. Parvoviruses do kill puppies. Take the puppy out after he has pooped. Normally, the puppy poops 2-4X at this age." The wife said 3X including overnight.

6. "This puppy pees too many times," the wife asked if there was a way to reduce the times. Pee will flow through the grated floor into the pee pan.

"At 4 months of age, the puppy pees around every 3 hours (N-1 formula where N=months). So, he will pee 8 times in 24 hours. This formula is a guideline. Control of the bladder muscle will take another 2-4 months."

Take away the water at 8 pm. I forgot to tell the lady as there were so many questions. It is best to get all advices written down. This will take a book to properly record everything.

7. Clean area (sleeping) and dirty area (elimination). The elimination area inside a crate will be distant from the clean area.
No normal puppy will eliminate on sleeping area or soiled elimination area. I advised prompt cleaning of the elimination area though the stools and urine usually fall through the grate. In this way, the puppy is encouraged to use the floor grate for elimination.

By week 2, let the puppy out into an extended area which may be 2-4X the floor area of the crate. The puppy should be jumping into the elimination area inside the crate to pee and poop. Eating, drinking and possible sleeping area will be outside the crate.

By week 3, the puppy is free to roam one or two rooms. All bedrooms are out of bounds.
By week 4, the puppy has been either floor grate trained or will be eliminating in one particular spot in the bathroom. Each puppy is different and so it is hard for me to predict.

Dr Sing's comments:
In conclusion, toilet training has to start immediately with a routine of feeding, drinking, exercise and food treats for successful performance. No distractions from children and adults during the first week or two. The wife said she will let me know the outcome.

469. Confusing the Golden Retriever puppy

2009-11-19T02:40:00.007+08:00

ONE OF 4 CASE STUDIES IS RECORDED HERE TO EDUCATE FIRST-TIME SINGAPORE PUPPY OWNERS ON THE USE OF THE FLOOR GRATE + PEE PAN IN TOILET TRAINING OF THE PUPPY

CASE STUDY 1: CONFUSING THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPY

From: <...@yahoo.com.sg>
Subject: Golden Retriever Training
To: judy@toapayohvets.com
Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 8:28 AM

Dear Dr Sing:

I sincerely hope you can provide me with your expert advise.

I got a Golden retriever puppy on last Sunday, 13 Dec 2008. It is of 3 months age. I placed it in a cage ( 4 sided chrome wire with a top and a wire grating below with a pee tray ). I placed it in my planter area in the kitchen. There is a toilet just 2 metres away. There, I placed newspaper on a separate pee-tray and placed the "urine-smell" chemical on it. My wife and I took turns and wake up twice during the night to bring it there to pee and poo. Meal times are at 7am and 7-8pm. Water bottle is removed at 11pm. After each meal, we bring the puppy there.

I am glad that within 2 days, by Tuesday, 16 Dec 2008, the puppy knows where to go to do its business.

PUPPY IS USED TO THIS ROUTINE FOR 2 DAYS. IT KNOWS THE TOILET LOCATION AND KNOWS WHAT TO DO. IT HAD POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT FROM YOU. THEN YOU START ANOTHER ROUTINE. YOU SHOULD HAVE GIVEN IT 2 WEEKS TO BE FULLY TRAINED BEFORE SWITCHING TO ANOTHER ROUTINE.

Then we bought a baby gate and sealed off a section of the kitchen ( The sealed area is for the puppy. The cage and toilet is there too. ) The questions are:
1) The puppy now does not want to go back to the cage to sleep. We need to "force" it back in. We still wake up to bring it to the toilet. Why does the puppy "hates" its cage now?

PUPPIES PREFER FREEDOM TO RUN AROUND. IT ASSOCIATES THE CAGE WITH BEING LOCKED UP AND NEGATIVE FEELINGS.

2) We intend to let the puppy free roam the sealed section and the cage unlocked. So it can walk around and go to the toilet by itself.

PUPPY WILL TAKE TIME TO GO TO THE PROPER TOILET LOCATION.

Now the puppy goes and tear the newspaper in the toilet and eats them. Is it safe? How can we make the puppy go to the toilet with the newspaper and not tear and eat them?

PAPER SHREDDING IS THE MOST COMMON COMPLAINT from puppy owners. There is nothing much you can do. Some owners do tape the newspapers to the floor, edges of pee pan etc. Not safe if the puppy eats lots of newspapers.

3) We noticed the puppy tends to step on its urine or poo if its not cleared immediately) and walks all over its area thus dirtying the area.

STEPPING ON STOOLS IS ANOTHER COMMON COMPLAINT from puppy owners. Possible cause could be insufficient space or that the puppy is not particularly clean due to previous confinement in the cages in the pet shop or breeder's place.

Thus, I removed the wire floor of the cage and placed it on top of the newspaper and pee-tray in the toilet and secured it with cable-tie (At least it will not step on its own urine. But if it steps on the poo, no choice). This is done as I do not want the puppy to tear and eat the newspaper.

ANOTHER NEW ROUTINE USING THE GRATE (WIRE FLOOR) SERVES TO CONFUSE THE PUPPY.

But worse off, it now refuse or "is scared" to go to the toilet to do its business.

PUPPY PROBABLY GETS SCOLDING/SPANKING FROM YOU when it does not step on the Grate to pee and poo. Grate may be too small, too dirty and does not feel right to the puppy.

I tried the same routine again, command it to go, coax it and praise it when its there but the puppy just refuse to do its business on top of the wire floor with both soiled and new newspaper below it with the pee-tray.

GRATE + PEE PAN METHOD you are using. First, you need to confine the puppy such that it has no space but to go to the grate to eliminate. A clean place to sleep and eat. I presume your puppy has a lot of space and so does not need to go to the grate to eliminate.

THE FLOOR OF THE KITCHEN AND NEARBY AREAS IS FULL OF SMELLS OF URINE AND POO. Did you manage to neutralise the smells? White vinegar: water 1:3 with a piece of cloth (not mop which is full of urine smells) to wipe whole floor. Mop needs to be free of urine smell if you want to use mop.

I experimented by removing the wire floor and it goes back to pee but now choose to poo on the kitchen tiles. Why does the puppy refuses just by adding the wire floor. Must I toilet-train it again?

THE GRATE (WIRE FLOOR) is NOT accepted by this puppy. I suspect it is too small, not frequently cleaned when soiled and the puppy does not know how to use it.

Too much space to roam around for the first 7 days and no ROUTINE for the first 7-14 days. You keep changing toilet location, toilet and sleeping areas and the puppy is just confused.

What are your recommendations? Your help is greatly appreciated. I look forward to yr earliest reply.

YES, YOU NEED TO START ALLOVER AGAIN. Confine for 14 days. Neutralise smells and a fixed routine. Not all puppies are comfortable with the grate and pee pan method. If you want to use the grate and pee pan method, put puppy in one area e.g. bathroom. Put urine smell into the pee pan. Other floor area has no urine or poo smell (not always possible). Floor area to sleep is restricted to a small area. Baby gate can be put outside bathroom door. After 14 days or less, let the puppy out to the kitchen (baby gate outside the kitchen door). Then more and more free areas as the puppy goes back to the bathroom grate. Obviously, you need to keep the soiled grate clean.

Unfortunately, the cleanliness of the puppy to sleep and eat in a clean area depends on its upbringing by the Seller. If it has been forced to sleep in dirt, it will step on poop. Generally, you will note that the puppy will prefer a clean sleeping and eating area and a toilet location further. However, if you give it a lot of space, it will eliminate anywhere except its eating and sleeping area.

Hope above suggestions help.

P.S

Case Study 1 is recorded here as a draft owing to lack of time. This case and the other 3 case studies of the floor grate + pee pan method are updated and are at:
http://www.bekindtopets.com/dogs/20081234Golden_Retriever_Toilet_Training_ToaPayohVets.htm

468. A talkative 4-year-old girl

2009-11-18T07:39:00.003+08:00

Most little girls don't talk much to the vet. What is there to talk about? But this little girl with porcelain fair complexion of a Caucasian and black eyes in an attractive oval-shaped fair was only 4 years old. She would chatter to me forever. "I can't stop her talking," Mum said. "You are fortunate to have such a daughter as 99% of the children are not so advanced in their social behaviour!" I congratulated the apparently stress-out and hectic parents of Chinese origin.

"How many teeth do you have?" I asked the little girl. She thought but could not anwser. "She can count up to 20 in English but not to that number in Mandarin," the mother said to me.

"How many teeth do you have?" I teased the little girl again to see how she would reply. "Many teeth," she said. That was excellent. I mean, adults will also not know the answer and you can't expect her to count her teeth deep inside the mouth.

"Our children grow up so fast," I said to the lucky parents. "When they are 20 years old, they don't talk much to the parents as their friends take over! As parents, we hope we have had brought them up well."

One aspect of training which I think is important is teaching the child to be frugal and save up for a rainy day. Honest money is hard earned but how many of the children in Singapore knows this.

Take Singapore undergraduates in Perth for example. How many of them will sacrifice their spare time to earn some money being a waiter or give tuition? To work their way through university? To be able to relate well to prospective clients who want tuition for their children. Do Caucasian parents in Australia bother to get tutors for their children? I was under the impression that they don't want to stress their children. "Be Happy, Don't Worry," is an Australian clause that seemed to have ingrained into my mind. After all, unemployed gets welfare and could surf all day at Bondi Beach.

So, it was a surprise to me to know that a Singaporean undergraduate was giving tuition to a Caucasian family during my visit to Perth's Murdoch University in October 2009. I got to meet this family as the father of the boy being tutored wanted a vet to check on his pregnant Golden Retriever and came over to where I stayed to invite me to see his dog. It was the same dog I had photographed at the park!

The dog was obviously pregnant based on her big swollen belly. I checked the dog on the floor for milk production and vaginal discharge as the dog was overall in good health. Copious production of white milk oozed out from her nipples but no vaginal discharge.

"When was the mating seen?" I asked. Its date was marked on the calender on the wall of this beautiful house with a swimming pool and big floor tiles. Most Australians
carpet the floors but this gentleman used floor tiles which are practical and easy to clean when one has big dogs.

"Based on the date of observed mating, the dog is 56 days pregnant," I said. "Pups should be due soon," I based on milk production as a sign of imminent birth. But I was mistaken. The pups were not born till another 7-10 days later and this was the 2nd time the dam had been pregnant.

"Can the male do it?" I asked. The male Golden Retriever was only 1 year old. He was slim and trim. Large breeds are said to mature slower than small breeds and to be fully grown at 1.5 years of age.

"Yes," the Australian man said. "We saw him doing it."

I had tea with him while the son got his tuition. "I had visited Singapore some 10 years back," the man said. "My tour guide pointed to the University and told us it has the highest suicide rate." I was surprised to hear this.

I did not ask what he thought of this Singaporean undergraduate who earned some money to defray his expenses. The Australian man said of him as I said my farewell, "... is a good boy." That compliment to me, as this boy's father, was brief but said much about the young adult's upbringing and maturity.

467. Toilet training cases highlighted by Daphne

2009-11-17T07:25:00.001+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore
Views from a young adult and intern, Daphne

Puppy Toilet Training Summary

1. Confinement - Confine your pup to a small area (with a puppy training pad and just enough space for it to eat and sleep – only allowed to come out to play for 10mins 3 times a day) for at least two weeks to ensure that it knows it has to poo and pee on the pad. Note down the timing that your pup usually poos and pees

To save cost:
• For the first week, use the disposable puppy training
• For the second and third week, place a piece of newspaper on top of the disposable pad
• Subsequently, you can just use newspaper once your pup knows that the newspaper is the place for it to poo and pee

2. Observation – By confining a pup to a small area, it may develop its favorite spot for pooing and peeing. Place newspaper at that spot for it to familiarize that newspaper is the place for it too poo and pee.

3. Routine – Once your pup is allowed to roam around the house, bring it to the designated area around the timing that it usually poos and pees or as and when sniffing or squatting is observed. Strict routine must be observed so as not to confuse the pup. Another alternative is to bring your pup out every evening for a walk so that it can poo and pee outside the house.

Point to note: Puppies usually poo within an hour after eating. Ensure that your pup eats within 15 minutes by removing the bowl after 15 minutes of feeding – even if your pup hasn’t eaten. This may sound cruel but it will teach it to eat within 15 minutes or she will not have any food to eat as well as give you an indication of when she might poo which makes toilet training easier.

4. Discipline - Firmly tell your pup 'NO' when it poos or pees at the wrong place. Bring it to the correct place (placed with a puppy training pad/newspaper) so that your pup will know where to go next time.

5. Disinfect – Disinfect the place immediately if your pup poos or pees at the wrong place. Use Vinegar:Water in 1:3 ratio to neutralize the smell.

6. Patience - Toilet training does not happen over night, it requires a lot of time and effort especially with the stress it has trying to adapt to the new environment.

7. Appraisal - Give it a treat when it does its business at the correct place

8. Interaction - Spend time playing with your pup so that it will slowly understand what you are trying to say. The more time you spend with your pup, the faster it will be toilet trained.

9. Have fun!

Case Studies
1. http://toilettrainingpuppy2.blogspot.com/2007/07/1-success-story-how-to-paper-train-4.html
2. http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2005_09_18_archive.html
case 81
3. http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2005_08_28_archive.html
case 31
4. http://www.bekindtopets.com/dogs/20081234Golden_Retriever_Toilet_Training_ToaPayohVets.htm
5. http://toilettrainingpuppy2.blogspot.com/2008/05/toilet-training-adopt-basic-principles.html
6. http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2005_09_18_archive.html
case 83
7. http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html
case 234
8. http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2006_08_06_archive.html
case 364
9. http://maids-puppies.blogspot.com/2007/03/59-golden-retriever-puppy-pees-inside.html
10. http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2005/09/39-single-lady-and-her-shih-tzu.html

Interesting Case Studies
1. http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html
case 228
2. http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2006_03_26_archive.html
case 281
3. http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2007_06_24_archive.html
case 454

466. Retraining an adopted 9-year-old dog

2009-11-13T04:42:00.002+08:00

On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 9:41 AM, <...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Dear Dr. Sing;

I adopted a 9-year-old BorderCollie/Aussie mix from a family five weeks ago. She is a wonderful dog and easy to make her behave. However, she seems to only want to poo on lawn or cut grass. I have a large yard with a lot of brush in the back, and all gravel in the front. She doesn't seem to poo in the yard, but holds it until we go for walks at the park, which isn't every day. She pees anywhere just fine.

Can you give me some ideas on how to get her to do her business on other surfaces besides grass?

Sincerely,

Owner in Nevada

--- On Wed, 10/28/09, Kong Yuen Sing <99pups@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Kong Yuen Sing <99pups@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: re-train 9-year-old rescue dog

Dear ...

Thank you for e-mail. Your dog is conditioned (used) to poop on grass and therefore soft feel and smell of the grass are important factors for his elimination process. Now you need to replicate similar environment.

Please let me know if the following procedure works:

1. In your backyard, clear some area of brush (bushes?) to create a level patch for pooping. I presume you prefer your dog to use the backyard.
2 Create a level ground area 3X or more as a pooping ground.
3. Scatter some grass and soil (with poop smell) onto this flat ground area. You get such samples from his previous poop area in the park.
4. Bring your dog to this area. You need to know when your dog normally poops. Is it after meals, as for most dogs? Is it twice a day?
5. Say "poop here" or some firm commands.
6. Rewards (food treat and praises) on success.
7. You need to persevere and be patient. It may take 2 weeks on daily training. Training is never easy.
8. Pl let me know if this method is successful and e-mail me his picture for my record.

On Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 2:42 AM, <...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hello Dr. Sing,

I have had some success with your suggestion on how to get my new dog to poop on different surfaces. I have brought home her poop from the park whenever I could find it, and put it in my yard where I wanted her to go.

When I put it down, I call her over and say 'good girl, good poop' and so on. The first time, she acted ashamed so I have petted her and reassured her that it was okay. After that, she just looks at it and quickly turns away, but I saw her pooping in the back yard yesterday for the first time, so we have some success.

I want her to go in the front yard too, on the gravel, because sometimes the back is too muddy, but so far she hasn't done anything there. The poop I put out there is dry now so I may have to put fresher stuff there.

But she has recently developed bad breath and her poop is very smelly. Could this be from holding it? The poop I've seen is formed properly, a good color and texture, not hard like constipation. When I got her 8 weeks ago, she had been eating commercial food but I have converted her over to the fresh food that I also feed my other dog (raw meat and bones, potatoes, rice, cereal grains, and fermented vegetables that I make myself). She seems to be doing well on it. There was a 4-day period when we didn't go to the park that was about the same time her breath went bad. (Her teeth have been checked and are fine.)

Apart from the poop and bad breath issues, she is settling in well, has become more confident around me and my other dog, is accepting the rules, and so forth. She is a very nice dog in every way.

Thanks for your help.

Owner in Nevada

November 13, 2009
To: ...@yahoo.com>

It is a pleasure to get your feedback as I seldom get feedback from the time-pressed puppy owners of Singapore. There does not seem to be sufficient time here in busy Singapore. In reply:

1. Bad breath in newly adopted older dogs. In your case, possible causes are:
1.1 Gum ulcers and infections due to stress. You may dispute this "stress" issue as what is so stressful about a dog with no worldly problems as in people? Eat and sleep. How can that be stressful? Some dogs do get stressed by changes of environment and ownership and develop mouth ulcers.

Open the mouth and check. Has your vet examined the dog's mouth and submandibular glands?

1.2 High meat diet does cause bad-smelling stools. I have complaints from some puppy owners of commercial dog food causing bad-smelling stools. Such brands have higher percentage of meat. As for bad breath, it is possible too that your dog's stomach gas is passed out from the mouth or there is a stomach infection (gastritis due to stress possibly).
A course of antibiotics from your vet may resolve the problem.

1.3 Stool eating. If your dog enjoys eating his stools, the smell of breath will be that of his stools. You need to monitor this. He may eat stools in your absence.

2. Pooping in the frontyard gravel. The same principles of smell, oral command and praises you applied to training her to poop in the backyard apply. Initially, you may need to lay some grass patches on the gravel to simulate the "softness" of ground which the dog has had been used to. Choose a corner of the frontyard to be the elimination area. Otherwise the dog does it everywhere and you will be angry.

3. Is it possible for you to post a picture of the dog for case study recording purposes? Best wishes.

465. Midnight-barking of new puppy

2009-10-29T05:02:00.000+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
1. Two-month-old puppy and working husband
Oct 28, 2009

Case study:
Miniature Dachshund, Male, 2 months, bought from the pet shop 3 days ago. I was consulted on blood appearing in the evening stools 3 evenings but not in the day stools. The puppy was fed 2 times a day as advised by the pet shop.

This case has two common complaints amongst new puppy owners, viz.:

1. Blood in stools. For the past 3 evenings, the puppy poops loose stools with blood seen but was otherwise healthy and active.

2. Barking at around 2 am - 3 am and then at 6 am.
"He is seeking attention," the young lady owner said. "We just ignored him and he would stop barking. Then at 6 am, he would bark. He wants to come out of his playpen to play.

Reality & Solutions
1. Blood in the stool. Usually due to stress (change of environment and feeding).

2. Feeding 2x a day is common recommendation by pet shop puppy sellers in Singapore. Less eating, less pooping as the puppy eats all food usually and then poops 2x/day, after eating, instead of many times. This puppy poops 2x/day.

3. "Seeking attention past midnight". Few puppy books mention about this behaviour. Actually, the puppy barks to ask the owner to change the soiled newspapers. In this case, the puppy was now restricted to a one-page width of the newspapers. He pees around every 2 hourly. He does not want to step on soiled papers but being confined in the playpen, he could only communicate with people by barking: "Please change soiled newspapers."

Solutions: I propose that the owner spread 75% of the playpen flooring with newspapers at night, thus giving the puppy more clean papers and therefore no barking at 2am to 3am. 25% of the floor space is his bed towel space. The 2-month-old puppy has a weak bladder at this age and pees every 2 hourly approximately. Will this work in practice? She will let me know when the puppy comes for his 3rd vaccination in Nov 5, 2009.

464. Adult dog paper training

2009-10-26T05:35:00.005+08:00

Toilet Training an adult dog in Singapore

--- On Sun, 10/25/09, ...@hotmail.com> wrote:

From: ...@hotmail.com>
Subject: Paper Training 9 month-old whippet
To: drsing_98@yahoo.com
Date: Sunday, October 25, 2009, 1:14 PM

Dear Dr Sing,

i have a 9 month-old whippet puppy that stubbornly refuses to relieve and poo on newspaper, so it appears.

She has been previously trained to relieve and poo on 2 sheets of newspaper while she was staying at another caregiver's home. The newspapers were placed in the kitchen area. Due to some reasons, the family is unable to care for her anymore. So, she is currently at my home. I have a 7 year-old dog myself.

When she came over to my place, we laid out the newspaper in the kitchen area and showed her where it was placed. She looked, then ran away. In the very next instance, she peed elsewhere in the flat. we picked her up, chided her and showed her the right place to go, but to no avail. however, she has only peed and pooed at the right place the most 4 times over these past 3 weeks. on one occasion, she copied my dog

She was praised each time she relieved herself at the right place and chided when she did it at any other spot in the flat. She tends to relieve herself wherever she walks, when she feels the urge or when she is excited. She sniffs around a little, then walk away to another spot to pee or poo. I have walked her to the newspaper and pointed it out to her many times over. But she would walk away and relieve herself somewhere else moments later. only when i confine her that she would poo or pee, never both.

Can you advise me how I could retrain her to go on paper? I am at my wits' end, because I have tried every method that worked on my previous dogs but failed on her.

By the way, we bought her from the petshop when she was close to 7 months old.

With regards,
Name of owner

Re: Paper Training 9 month-old whippet
Sunday, October 25, 2009 9:33 PM
From:
This sender is DomainKeys verified
"David Sing"
View contact details
To: <...@hotmail.com>

Adult dogs are harder to paper train. In your case, I suspect that the other dog is a factor affecting her paper training as the urine scent from the other dog (despite you putting newspapers on the floor) had, based on your description, caused her to "urine mark" or seek new areas to pee and poop. No normal dogs like to eliminate on another dog's soiled area (although you have covered with newspapers).

I need to know more about her management.

How long is she with you since you took over from the care giver?
How many times you feed her?
Is water freely available?
What is her exercise routine? Does she go out?
How many times and when does she pee and when does she poo?
Is she doing urine-marking?
Does she pee when excited?
Is she on heat?
Is she having urinary tract infection or other infections?

In the meantime, try this:
1. Tether the whippet in an area with newspapers covering 100% of the area.
2. Use white vinegar at 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water to wipe the floor of the leashed area neutralise the urine smells of the other dog and this dog.
3. Keep the other dog away from her for the next 2-4 weeks (I don't know how you can do it).
4. Change soiled newspapers promptly.
5. Give firm commands: "Pee here" when you see possible signs of elimination if possible. Use your positive training of food treats rewards and praises on successful performance.
6. You need to tether for at least 2-4 weeks. Persevere and be consistent in your training. 7. A fixed feeding and exercise time table for the next 2-4 weeks.

Let me know if this helps.

--- On Mon, 10/26/09,

Subject: RE: Paper Training 9 month-old whippet
To: drsing_98@yahoo.com
Date: Monday, October 26, 2009, 9:37 AM

thank you for your prompt reply. really appreciate it.

my other dog pees and poo in the kitchen toilet while i am training her to go in the master bedroom toilet after the kitchen floor failed. the interesting point was once she copied the other dog and peed in the kitchen toilet straight after he did his. then she repeated it there once other. she was praised when we saw her go in the toilet. then she forgot.

Questions:

How long is she with you since you took over from the care giver?
- i have her for about 3 weeks now.

How many times you feed her?
- i feed her once in the morning

Is water freely available?
- yes

What is her exercise routine? Does she go out?
- once about 2 days or so. she does not pee much when she's out.

How many times and when does she pee and when does she poo?
- Peeing : 1x after waking, 1x halfway or after eating, 1x in the evening when i get home, sometimes out of the blue
- Pooing: 1x after waking, mostly again after eating

Is she doing urine-marking?
- no, she doesn't

Does she pee when excited?
- yes, most of the time. she only pees and poos when i get home, even though there are other people in the house throughout the day.
- poos when excited too. when she goes out, she will poo once she gets out of the house or car.

Is she on heat?
- no

Is she having urinary tract infection or other infections?
- not that i am aware of

As for your advice, do i keep her tethered the whole day? should feeding be done in the area as well?

REPLY Oct 27, 2009

Thank you for more information on the management of the Whippet.
1. It seems that your Whippet has this excitation or submissive urination behaviour. This is a difficult problem to resolve. Try not to greet her when you go home from work and let her gain self-confidence. This will take time.

2. As most dogs go to urine-scented area to eliminate, it is possible that your residence is full of urine smells. Therefore, your new Whippet pees here and there, puzzling you. You need to neutralise all areas promptly. This is one reason why pet owners who use pee pans so as not to soil the floor. The puppy then uses the pee pan to eliminate.

3. Tethering is a form of confinement and must be done 24 hours for the next 2-4 weeks. Feeding and water bowls are within that area. Newspapers cover the whole area and get reduced to the area where the dog eliminates. This takes time.

E-MAIL OCT 27, 2009
From: ...@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: Paper Training 9 month-old whippet
To: drsing_98@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 9:47 AM
Prior to my other dog, we had my brother's Sheltie. But both dogs only eliminate in the bathroom. We also mop the floor with vinegar once every week.

Now, when I get home from work, I try my best to ignore her and pet my other dog, though not excessively. This is when she gets jealous and will also pee or poo wherever. Another point is she follows me wherever I go in the house. She is very attention-seeking in this aspect. Should I ignore her when she craves for my attention?

As I am rather busy this period, I plan to start the tethering only later next month. In the meantime, I have taken to putting her in the bathroom first thing in the morning, immediately after feeding, when i get home, after she drinks or eat. i hope it would do for now.

E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING, Oct 28, 2009
Tethering or confinement to a room, both with newspapers on the floor give the same outcome for paper training. Therefore it is OK. For attention-seeking dogs, my opinion is that you should not provoke jealousy by paying special attention to one dog. Sounds like "sibling rivalry" to me. You may need to be "assertive" and "authoritative" in your treatment of both dogs. I hope you know what I mean. Firm voice commands and actions. Easier said than done. It is hard to change one's personality but dogs look to you as the leader of the pack.

Updates are at www.toapayohvets.com

Le me know if you need more info

463. Mum learns to love the dog

2009-10-04T08:02:00.002+08:00

Sunday, Oct 4, 2009

Last day of the moon cake festival today. No more moon cakes on sale tomorrow. My wife's junior college classmate and her husband invited us for dinner. 5 couples and one lady separated from her husband sat comfortably in the round table chatting noisily about family and life.

32 years had passed. All the children are now young adults and are educated in the U.S or Australia. One of them is a spendthrift but money is not a scarce commodity in his family. 3 couples live in bungalows in prime districts 9, 10 and 11. Such bungalows now cost at least S$10-20 million.

Dog, Spitz, 2 years, neutered has been permitted to go upstairs and started pooping on the carpet. After dry cleaning, the dog continued to eliminate. What to do?

Mum had never wanted dogs. But the grown up children persuaded her to just visit a pet shop in Pasir Ris. The $2,500 Spitz puppy was so cute. The children wanted him. So, mum had to be flexible.

Too many advices from friends. Spray something onto the carpet. Remove the carpet.

My advice would be to supervise the dog closely and catch him before his elimination. Teach him not to do it. Give food treat rewards. "My son could do it," she complained about the husband who would be busy using computers. The dog would then eliminate on the carpet. Mum had to get the maid to get the carpet cleaned. The dog would do it again!

Just don't allow the dog upstairs for some time (Time-Out Methd) if he eliminates. In the end, I doubted she would find peace of mind.

462. Adult dog re-training to indoor elimination

2009-09-28T03:37:00.002+08:00

DRAFT

Suggestions may or may not work in your case.
1. You need many days to confine him in the bathroom for the whole day and night. Feeding and drinking inside this confined area or big crate but sleeping and eating areas are far from the elimination area. .
2. Put newspapers with his urine smell present in the newspapers at one corner. Or newspapers with the pieces of grass and soil in which he had peed.
3. Praise him when you see him eliminating on the papers. Give food treats.
4. It will take patience and perseverance on your part. It may take 14 days.
5. Pl let me know your success.

--- On Sun, 9/27/09, ...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Subject: RE: Toilet Training a 3 year-old Shih Tzu
To: drsing_98@yahoo.com
Cc: david@asiahomes.com
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2009, 12:14 PM

1 & 2. his water were freely available and he drinks about 200-300ml,and max. to 500ml per day.
3. We're staying in an apartment, like i said we used to trained him to pee & poo outside (meaning outside of our unit but still in that compound). Sometimes when we brought him out to somewhere with grass, he will sniff & eliminate more than usual.

Btw, i cant see any suggestion fm yr previous email nor other separated email as mentioned below. Pls resend if there's some error occurs.
Thanks.

Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:49:55 -0700
From: drsing_98@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Toilet Training a 3 year-old Shih Tzu

1. How many ml of water he drinks? Can you measure?
2. Is water freely available?
Here are my suggestions which may or may not work in your situation:
3. Does he eliminate on a certain outdoor area with grass?

--- On Sat, 9/26/09, ...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Subject: RE: Toilet Training a 3 year-old Shih Tzu
To: drsing_98@yahoo.com
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2009, 4:01 PM

Thanks Dr. Sing fr yr reply.

Yes, he's totally used to pee & poo outdoors. We've tried several ways to change his habit but eventually he refused to it.
We initially used to bring him out to poo & pee during morning before we go out to work and every evening after his meal (we only feed him once per day 6-8pm)
Please let me know if u wish to know any further of his habits.

Thanks heaps.

Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:11:10 -0700
From: drsing_98@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Toilet Training a 3 year-old Shih Tzu

Your adult dog is used to peeing and pooping outdoors. You need to change his habit to eliminate indoors gradually. Please let me know his routine of feeding, drinking and exercise and also:
1. When he goes outdoors to eliminate?

--- On Fri, 9/25/09, ...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Subject: Toilet Training a 3 year-old Shih Tzu
To: drsing@toapayohvets.com, judy@toapayohvets.com
Date: Friday, September 25, 2009, 5:45 AM

Hi Dr. sing,

Ive came across your website to know about Toa Payoh Vets but unfortunately i was staying in Malaysia.
There's few questions that i would like to ask about my pet - a 3 year-old male Shih Tzu.

Initially my dog was trained to pee n poo outside of our apartment but due to some reasons we decided to re-train him to eliminate in the toilet. We'd tried to cover newspaper 100% inside the toilet, place another 2nd piece of paper (with urinate) and also some products like house breaking spray to be used. But my dog refused to pee or poo after meal (we only feed once per day). We tried to cover with baby gate as well so that he wasn't afraid of being alone inside the toilet. And it's more than 48 hours he dont pee or poo.

Btw, my dog has a very good temper. He does not bark even if we kept him inside the toilet for more than 6 hours. So my questions are, how long we should take him out again to pee and poo if he insist not to do his business inside the toilet? And how long the duration takes to train a 3 year-old dog? Is there any other options or tips of training him to pee inside the toilet?

Thanks alot in advance and looking fwd to hear fm you soon.

461. Two-hourly toilet training - pup

2009-09-18T07:20:00.004+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

--- On Thu, 9/17/09, ...@gmail.com> wrote:

Subject: Toilet Training our New Pup
To: judy@toapayohvets.com
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2009, 3:30 AM

Dear Dr Sing

I read with great interest your website and your wealth of knowledge around toilet training pups - thanks so much for sharing.

We are getting a PWD Pup next week from Australia. He is 12 weeks old and one of our first priorities is to toilet train him, as we live in a condo. We are personally not in favor of the pee tray and wanted to know if there is any problem with taking the pup down to pee every 2 hours or so? We realise this will be hard on us initially, but feel that it might be worthwhile to invest in this time upfront, so that he learns to eliminate outside the house, over time. I would love to have your opinion on this.

Secondly, can you advise on where we can purchase the wire pup pens that you have shown on your web site? I feel it's a better option that gating as we can move the pen wherever we want.

Look forward to hearing from you and thanks again!

Name of owner

E-MAIL REPLY

Thank you for email. In reply, taking out the pup 2 hourly is in theory, a good idea. But can you really wake up past midnight to do it for 7 nights or more? This is when most owners can't wake up. If you can, it may work. No water after 8 pm is a tip. Sleep next to the pup (pup in playpen) for the 7 nights and bring the pup to the toilet when you observe signs of elimination. In this way, you will note when the pup needs to eliminate. It may not be exactly 2 hourly. Using the guide of N-1 where N-months in age of the pup, a 3-month old
is, in theory, going to need to pee 2 hourly. This is just a guide and not a scientific formula.

Playpens can be bought at most pet shops selling pups in Singapore. Tel 62543326 and leave your tel with Mr Saw so that we can phone you regarding the name of pet shop we vaccinate the pups if you want to buy a particular type of playpen.

P.S What is a "PWP" pup

--- On Thu, 9/17/09, ...@gmail.com> wrote:

Subject: Re: Toilet Training our New Pup
To: "David Sing"
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2009, 11:34 PM

Thank you Mr Sing for your reply. We were not sure of the confusion we might cause the pup with paper training and taking him every two hours!

A PWD is a Portuguese Water Dog.

Thanks again for your help - much appreciated.

E-MAIL REPLY

Once you have a routine of feeding, exercise and going out for elimination every 2-3 hours,, the normal average pup of 3-4 months of age learns very fast (7-14 days). Of course you need to provide positive reinforcement training, using oral command, food treats and lots of praises on success. And knowing the signs of elimination.

460. Draft - puppy toilet training emails.

2009-04-25T07:32:00.003+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

DRAFT
Common problems encountered by puppy owners.
The case of whining at night is resolved by giving the puppy more space to sleep, far away from the pee and poop area. In this way, the puppy needs not bother the owner to wake up to change her confined playpen area (soiled by pee). Puppies naturally want a clean place to sleep and some do make a lot of noises after midnight to "call" the owner to come and change the soiled papers or wash the pee pan. Some owners do not know that is the reason but scolds the puppy.

Apr 30, 2009
To: "David Sing"

Hi David,

Thank you for your help so far.
I modified your suggestions :)
At night, we shifted the puppy to the kitchen with a bigger area (using the makeshift play pen).
After the second night, she knew where to pee and poo at the pee pan without whining and disturbing our sleep :)
We also tried to feed her earlier like 8 plus at night to minimise her poo in the middle of the night.
Once again, thank you for your help.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: David Sing
To: Owner
Sent: Saturday, 25 April 2009 7:14:19
Subject: Re: paper training. After midnight whine

1. In most cases, if the puppy whines after midnight e.g. 2-4 am, she wants the soiled pee pan to be cleaned. Many owners think the puppy is seeking attention and scolds her.
2. The only solution I can think of is to get up and do it for the first few nights.
3. The other solution I was telling you is to place the puppy in a small room e.g. bathroom and open one side of the playpen. Cover the floor of the bathroom with newspapers. The puppy can then go to the newspapers to pee.

In addition, no more drinking after 8 pm so as to help the puppy in toilet-training past midnight.

4. Pl confirm that you use a pee pan + grill (grate) which is placed inside the playpen. Can you e-mail to me 3 pictures of the housing and pee pan + grill for your puppy?

Reply from Dr Sing Apr 25, 2009

1. In most cases, if the puppy whines after midnight e.g. 2-4 am, she wants the soiled pee pan to be cleaned. Many owners think the puppy is seeking attention and scolds her.
2. The only solution I can think of is to get up and do it for the first few nights.
3. The other solution I was telling you is to place the puppy in a small room e.g. bathroom and open one side of the playpen. Cover the floor of the bathroom with newspapers. The puppy can then go to the newspapers to pee.

In addition, no more drinking after 8 pm so as to help the puppy in toilet-training past midnight.

4. Pl confirm that you use a pee pan + grill (grate) which is placed inside the playpen. Can you e-mail to me 3 pictures of the housing and pee pan + grill for your puppy?

Subject: Re: paper training
To: "David Sing"
Date: Friday, April 24, 2009, 12:19 AM

Hi David,

The puppy is able to go to the pee pan with grill to pee successfully.
No, we keep the puppy in the play pen at night. We let her out to play in the evening time though.
However, the puppy will whine and whine at night for us to clear her grill after she poo.
These few nights she was also very whiny at night.
Even after clearing the poo, she demanded our attention.
Is there a way from preventing the puppy from disrupting our sleep?
We thought we already solved the problem after the initial few nights of whining.
Bella (puppy) started the whining again........

Rgds,
XXX

From: David Sing
To: XXX
Sent: Wednesday, 22 April 2009 7:22:33
Subject: Re: paper training

1. Yes, it is possible for the puppy to pee on the pee pan if it will do it.
2. If you feel it is dirty, you may need to buy a pee pan with grate and train the puppy to step onto the grate and pee on it.
3. Did you put the puppy in the toiilet. Then you open the playpen at night and let the puppy come out to pee?

From: XXX
Subject: Re: paper training
To: "David Sing"
Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 2:24 AM

Hi David,

Thank you for your suggestion.
The puppy learnt pretty fast.
Now it is pretty ok at night except in the morning, when she demands to be let out.
It's pretty understandable since she is in the play pen for hours at night.
We think it's prety dirty for her to step on the newspapers overnight though.
Can we put a pee tray on top the newspapers area?
Is it possible for the puppy to pee on the pee tray?

Rgds,
XXX

From: David Sing
To: XXX
Sent: Wednesday, 15 April 2009 8:12:35
Subject: Re: paper training

Your puppy makes a lot of noises after midnight to tell you to change soiled newspapers as he has a very clean personality. You are correct in understanding what he wants. This is quite a common situation encountered by other puppy owners.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Get up and change the papers for the next few nights and thereby paper-training the puppy faster.

2. Don't get up. The puppy will stop after some nights. But you may see the puppy's foot with stools and urine

3. My advices which may of use to you and which may not, depending on the puppy's personality:

Give the puppy a bigger space (not being confined in the playpen) past midnight. For example, a bathroom with newspapers all over the floor for the first 7-14 days and a baby gate.

The playpen with newspapers (and puppy urine smell, place 2nd piece of soiled newspaper) is left open (3 sides standing, one panel taken off). Some puppies are smart enough to go inside the playpen to pee and poop and sleep outside (esp. if there is a towel or bed and if they don't chew them).

3.1 No water after 8 p.m. Get the puppy to pee by command before your bedtime (I presume it will be 11 pm). Say "Pee here". If successful, give praise and food treat. Clear up the soiled papers.

Let me know if this method works. Persevere. Don't expect instant results.

From: XXX
Subject: Re: paper training
To: "David Sing"
Date: Monday, April 13, 2009, 2:08 AM

Hi David,

I am following the advice from the website.

1) Setting up a playpen with newspapers all over it. Trying to keep her there for 2 weeks to paper train her. But we let her out to play when we can monitor all her movements. She will always attempt to pee and poo outside the playpen.
2) The puppy is with us for 2 nights only at the moment. We are trying to feed her three times a day but timing is not fixed yet.
3) Supposed to be 6 weeks old but based on description from book, it should be only 5 weeks old.

Rgds,
XXX

From: David Sing
To: XXX
Sent: Monday, 13 April 2009 7:20:25
Subject: Re: paper training

Thank you for email.
1. Which method of paper training are you using. Pl describe.
2. What is your routine time for feeding and drinking?
3. How old is the puppy?

--- On Sun, 4/12/09, Darren Lee wrote:

From: XXX Dog Owner
Subject: paper training
To: judy@toapayohvets.com
Date: Sunday, April 12, 2009, 5:07 PM

Hi Judy,

I am currently using your method to paper train my puppy. However, the puppy will make lots of noise in the middle of the night for us to clear the soiled papers. However, as we are holding day jobs, can we only clean the soiled papers in the morning? As the puppy tend to whine a few times in the night.

Rgds,
XXX

459. Toilet-training OLDER DOGS - a 2-year-old Maltese

2009-04-25T07:26:00.004+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

DRAFT
Common problems faced by any dog owner WITH an adult non-neutered male and solutions
A real-case study.

Saturday, May 9, 2009 10:32 PM
From:
This sender is DomainKeys verified
"David Sing"
View contact details
To: XXX

Thank you for your email. You are very patient with the grown up dog and takes a lot of time to train him with lots of love and positive reinforcement training.

Yes, your male dog is urine-marking. This is a natural behaviour. He should have been neutered at 6 months of age to prevent this behaviour. Neutering now will help but the success rate is not as high, according to some of my dog owners.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO URINE MARKING PROBLEMS:
1. Confine to crate at all times for 2-4 weeks except when you are able to supervise him at all times (see paragraph 4).
2. Neuter him.
3. Allow him to come out of the crate before breakfast, lunch and dinner. But bring him outdoors to pee and urine mark.
4. Neutralise "urination" areas with white vinegar:water 1:3 with piece of cloth a few times esp. vertical areas with urine marking.
5. Allow him out of the crate when you are at home and able to supervise him closely in case he wants to urine-mark.
6. This routine gives him a chance to urine-mark outdoors e.g. tree trunks and not make your apartment smelly. It is not a good community advice from me. It is best to neuter the dog to reduce the anti-social behaviour of urine-marking although it is not a guarantee. In most cases, with my suggested routine mentioned above, the dog stops urine-marking inside the apartment.

7. So far, I have one case. The owner of a male 1.5-year-old Miniature Schnauzer with a similar challenge as yours. Her teenaged daughter was against neutering and therefore the male dog urine-marked all over the apartment, causing considerable distress to the mum.

The modern Singapore mum does pamper the progeny and therefore the maid has to clean up everytime the male Schnauzer urine-marks. He even did it on the carpet. The dog came in for vaccination and I got to know that the mum was living with this problem for the past 1 year. The teenaged daughter seemed to understand the mum's distress during our discussion. She reluctantly agreed to neutering which she considered as "cruel" and did some research on the internet as regards vasectomy and phoned me. I told her that vasectomy would not resolve this urine-marking problem.

The dog was neutered. I kept the dog in Toa Payoh Vets for 10 days while she got her maid to neutralise the apartment. At Toa Payoh Vets, we took the dog outdoors 3 times a day, after meals. He controlled his bladder till he was outdoors. The owner continued the same routine of outdoor exercise 3x/day and confinement in a crate (or balcony) when not supervised. For the past month, there has been no urine-marking inside the apartment. The mum was so happy. It is very difficult to remove urine smells from carpets and that was what was distressing her so much.

I hope the info helps.

From: XXX
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 6:08 PM
To: 'drsing@toapayohvets.com'
Cc: 'judy@toapayohvets.com'
Subject: 459. Toilet-training OLDER DOGS - a 2-year-old Maltese (http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/2009/04/459-toilet-training-older-dogs-2-year.html)

Dear Dr. Kong,

If you remember, I wrote to you some time back on April 24 about certain issues with regards to toilet-training my 2 year old newly adopted maltese. You very kindly gave me some advice! Thanx for that ! :)

Meanwhile, there are some developments that I wanted to update you about & ask for further advice.
I have also attached some images to this e-mail so that you can see our current kitchen that we are placing DDD, our maltese in.

In my previous e-mail, I indicated that he seemed to know how to go to pee on the newspaper that I've placed in the kitchen toilet.
At times, there were 3-4 accidents when we let him outside the kitchen area into the living room or dining areas whereby we were not observant enough to catch him in time to bring him to the kitchen toilet area. But surprisingly, there were also 2-3 other times whereby he actually walked into the kitchen toilet from wherever else he was in the house to pee on the paper! So, it seemed like things were improving.

However, in the last 4 days, things suddenly seem to have taken for the worse.
Previously, when we leave him in the kitchen during our working hours 8a.m. - 6.30p.m. & at night when we sleep between 10.30p.m. - 6.30a.m.; he will always pee on the kitchen toilet newspaper. As of Tuesday , 5 May 2009, he started peeing at 4 different spots around the kitchen! Near the wall ledges & even the fridge corner. What's causing this behaviour? Is it because he is not fully toilet-trained or is he doing it on purpose? He is currently not sterilized. Is this causing him to "mark territory" as some people call it?

Given this situation, does it mean that I should go back to your initial instructions of teaching him from scratch?
i.e. confining him in just the small kitchen toilet area.

As of now, during DDD's time alone, we place him in Kitchen areas II & III. When we are home, we will extend the space to Kitchen area I & then from 8p.m. - 10.30p.m., he's allowed to roam the living room & my study room.

My parents & I have actually been using negative reinforcement upon advice from other dog owners.
i.e. whenever he peed in a wrong spot, we'll bring him there, let him smell the area & spank his backside with our hands 2x, saying no at the same time. But immediately after, we'll then guide him to the kitchen toilet newspaper & say "pee here" & "good boy", cuddling him a little there at the same time.

RE: Newly Adopted 2- year old Maltese
Friday, April 24, 2009 11:24 PM
From:
"David Sing"
View contact details
To: Owner XXX

See reply below.

--- On Thu, 4/23/09, XXX wrote:

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2009, 2:56 AM

Dear Dr. Kong,

Appreciate your e-mail.

Can I get your advice based on my schedule & how things have been for the last week.

Date of Adoption: 11th April 2009
Age: 2 year old Maltese, Male, Not Neutered

I've been keeping DDD in the kitchen with the newspaper on a pee pad nearer the other end just outside the toilet. I'm usually away from home from 8a.m. - 7.30p.m. Afterwhich I'll let him out to roam the house & follow me. At night I'll put him away in the kitchen again from 11.30p.m. - 7.15a.m. Between 7.15 - 8a.m. before I leave house, I'll play & cuddle him a little whilst preparing myself for work. He's been great so far!!! Knows how to pee on the newspaper but because he's left alone during the day without any change in newspapers, there was one time he accidentally stepped on his poo poo. Other times, he mis-aimed & poo poo is either on the floor right next to the pee pad, or there's a small puddle of pee on the floor instead. How do I handle & prevent this situation?

HE WANTS TO AVOID THE SOILED PAPERS WHICH ARE NOT REPLACED DUE TO YOUR ABSENCE FROM HOME (YOU ARE WORKING). TO YOU HE HAS "MIS-AIMED".

SOLUTIONS:
1. A friend comes to your house to replace the soiled papers with new ones at e.g. lunch-time.
2. PLACE NEWSPAPERS IN 3 OR 4 SPOTS IN THE KITCHEN SO THAT HE HAS A NEW TOILET-AREA. SOME OWNERS DO THAT. ARE YOU DOING IT?
3. JUST COVER THE KITCHEN FLOOR WITH NEWSPAPERS EXCEPT HIS SLEEPING AND EATING AREA.

Another enquiry is that ever since he's been staying with me, every night when he's placed in the kitchen, he whines & scratches the kitchen door. I have yet to get a baby gate.

PUPPY MAY BE SUFFERING FROM SEPARATION ANXIETY AS HE CAN SEE YOU. THEREFORE SCRATCHES DOOR TILL IT IS DAMAGED. BEST YOU GET A BABY GATE OR PUT A HIGH FENCING USING PLAYPEN PANELS. THE PUPPY IS A SOCIAL ANIMAL AND SHOULD BE HAPPY JUST TO SEE YOU BEHIND THE BABY GATE.

Things got worse last night when my parents came back. Bailey had to re-adjust to new-comers in the house & he refused to go into the kitchen. Even my usual method of throwing treats to one corner of the kitchen to distract him to go & stay in the kitchen didn't work this time. I had to chase him round the house for a while before being able to carry him into the kitchen.
NO OTHER WAY THAN TO CATCH HIM AND CARRY HIM TO THE KITCHEN. HE JUST DOES NOT WANT TO BE FENCED UP OR LOCKED UP. THAT IS WHY HE REFUSES TO GO TO THE KITCHEN DESPITE FOOD TREATS ETC. HE IS GROWING UP AND BECOMING WISER TO YOUR 'MANIPULATIONS'.

NO, I DOUBT HE WILL BE SCARED SINCE YOU DON'T PHYSICALLY HIT HIM LIKE SOME PUPPY OWNERS. YOU MAY NEED TO BE MORE COMMANDING TO GAIN HIS RESPECT. I GUESS YOU ARE MORE A FRIEND THAN A PACK LEADER TO HIM. SO HE BEHAVES BY NOT LISTENING TO YOUR GENTLE FRIENDLY TONES.

Is this the right way? Is he scared of me unduly? Cos i dont' want that to be the case :( :(

Please advice.
Thanx!!!!!!

Warm Regards,

XXX

-----Original Message-----
From: Kong Yuen Sing [mailto:99pups@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 7:23 PM
To: XXX
Subject: Re: Newly Adopted 2- year old Maltese

Thank you for your email.

As each dog behaves differently, I can only propose the following which may be suitable as your dog is mature and almost paper-trained:

1. Keep dog in toilet for 2-4 weeks but with a baby gate so that he can see you.
2. Place newspapers 100% on floor.
3. Place dog's urine smell on newspapers (use 2nd piece of newspaper with urine).
4. Observe the location where the dog pees and poops (usually away from sleeping area).
5. Reduce the papered area by 50% gradually over 1-2 weeks such that his toilet location is the newspaper.
6. Say "pee here" (on newspapers) and give food treats on success (if you are around). Persevere.
7. Change soiled papers promptly.
8. Open the baby gate but not to give the dog excessive area. Increase the area of freedom by a room and monitor. If dog goes to paper by himself, you give praise and food treats. Persevere.
9. Neutralise "accident" areas of peeing with white vinegar:water 1:3
8. Let me know how long you will take to succeed.

On 4/13/09, Dog Owner XXX wrote:

Dear Dr. Kong Sing,

I came across your blog http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/ through google & was wondering whether I can e-mail you for some advice.

I've just adopted a 2-year old Maltese on Saturday afternoon & he's been with me for 2 nights.
Previous owner caged him up for almost a year with hardly any run-around play time because of certain circumstances. He's kinda paper-trained. But what I would like to do is to get him used to his new environment whereby he does it in the toilet instead, but still on paper.

Is it the right way to train him if I were to confine him in just the toilet area with the paper within? Food & water to place on another side.

Warm Regards,

XXX

458. How to stop the male dog from urine-marking inside the apartment?

2009-04-21T13:45:00.005+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

HOW TO STOP YOUR ADULT MALE DOG FROM URINE-MARKING INSIDE THE APARTMENT
Tuesday, April 21, 2009

On March 31, 2009, the 1.5-year-old Miniature Schnauzer was neutered. He stayed 10 days at Toa Payoh Vets so that we could condition and train him to pee and poop outdoors as he had vigorously urine-marked the apartment at home. The mother was at a loss as to what to do. So I proposed re-training him to eliminate outdoors by confinement in the crate while not being exercised 3 times/day.

In the meantime, the mother would neutralise all the urine smells at home. At the end of 10 days, the dog would go home but be crated for 1 month while being exercised outdoors 3 times/day as at Toa Payoh Vets.

Picture is at: http://www.asiahomes.com/singaporerealty/0607hunting_bigdining.htm

The mum came today to get the neuter and the microchip certificates to renew his dog licence at the Post Office.

"How's the dog nowadays?" I asked the mum.

"He is doing well and does not pee indoors anymore as he is outdoors 3x/day," the mum said. "I needed to ask where he vomited yesterday and on the day he came home. On the day he came home, the cause could be due to the car ride, but last week he vomited once again."

"Did your daughter bring him downstairs?" I asked.

"No," the mother said. "She's busy at school. The maid did it."

"Most likely the dog had eaten grass or something in the grass outdoors," I guessed. "Ask the maid."

The mother nodded her head.

"He is a lucky dog," I said. "Usually other dogs go outdoors 2x/day or less."

The mum was happy anyway. I continued, "After one month, let the dog wander around the house in between his outings per day and see what happens. If he does not urine-mark inside the apartment, it will be considered a great success."

457. Puppy cries for clean newspaper after midnight

2009-04-15T08:14:00.003+08:00

From: Subject: paper training
To: judy@toapayohvets.com
Date: Sunday, April 12, 2009, 5:07 PM

Hi Judy,

I am currently using your method to paper train my puppy. However, the puppy will make lots of noise in the middle of the night for us to clear the soiled papers. However, as we are holding day jobs, can we only clean the soiled papers in the morning? As the puppy tend to whine a few times in the night.

Rgds,
Name of Owner

From: David Sing
Sent: Monday, 13 April 2009 7:20:25
Subject: Re: paper training

Thank you for email.
1. Which method of paper training are you using. Pl describe.
2. What is your routine time for feeding and drinking?
3. How old is the puppy?

--- On Mon, 4/13/09, Darren Lee wrote:

From: Dog Owner
Subject: Re: paper training
To: "David Sing"
Date: Monday, April 13, 2009, 2:08 AM

Hi David,

I am following the advice from the website.

1) Setting up a playpen with newspapers all over it. Trying to keep her there for 2 weeks to paper train her. But we let her out to play when we can monitor all her movements. She will always attempt to pee and poo outside the playpen.
2) The puppy is with us for 2 nights only at the moment. We are trying to feed her three times a day but timing is not fixed yet.
3) Supposed to be 6 weeks old but based on description from book, it should be only 5 weeks old.

Rgds,
Name of Owner

4/15/2009 reply

Your puppy makes a lot of noises after midnight to tell you to change soiled newspapers as he has a very clean personality. You are correct in understanding what he wants. This is quite a common situation encountered by other puppy owners.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Get up and change the papers for the next few nights and thereby paper-training the puppy faster.

2. Don't get up. The puppy will stop after some nights. But you may see the puppy's foot with stools and urine

3. My advices which may of use to you and which may not, depending on the puppy's personality:

Give the puppy a bigger space (not being confined in the playpen) past midnight. For example, a bathroom with newspapers all over the floor for the first 7-14 days and a baby gate.

The playpen with newspapers (and puppy urine smell, place 2nd piece of soiled newspaper) is left open (3 sides standing, one panel taken off). Some puppies are smart enough to go inside the playpen to pee and poop and sleep outside (esp. if there is a towel or bed and if they don't chew them).

3.1 No water after 8 p.m. Get the puppy to pee by command before your bedtime (I presume it will be 11 pm). Say "Pee here". If successful, give praise and food treat. Clear up the soiled papers.

Let me know if this method works. Persevere. Don't expect instant results.

456. Paper-training inside toilet for 2-year-old Maltese

2009-04-15T07:57:00.002+08:00

On 4/13/09, e-mail from dog owner:

Dear Dr. Kong Sing,

I came across your blog http://puppytoilettraining.blogspot.com/ through google & was wondering whether I can e-mail you for some advice.

I've just adopted a 2-year old Maltese on Saturday afternoon & he's been with me for 2 nights.
Previous owner caged him up for almost a year with hardly any run-around play time because of certain circumstances. He's kinda paper-trained. But what I would like to do is to get him used to his new environment whereby he does it in the toilet instead, but still on paper.

Is it the right way to train him if I were to confine him in just the toilet area with the paper within? Food & water to place on another side.

Warm Regards,
Name of Owner

E-mail reply

Newly Adopted 2- year old Maltese
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 11:23 AM

Thank you for your email.

As each dog behaves differently, I can only propose the following which may be suitable as your dog is mature and almost paper-trained:

1. Keep dog in toilet for 2-4 weeks but with a baby gate so that he can see you.
2. Place newspapers 100% on floor.
3. Place dog's urine smell on newspapers (use 2nd piece of newspaper with urine).
4. Observe the location where the dog pees and poops (usually away from sleeping area).
5. Reduce the papered area by 50% gradually over 1-2 weeks such that his toilet location is the newspaper.
6. Say "pee here" (on newspapers) and give food treats on success (if you are around). Persevere.
7. Change soiled papers promptly.
8. Open the baby gate but not to give the dog excessive area. Increase the area of freedom by a room and monitor. If dog goes to paper by himself, you give praise and food treats. Persevere.
9. Neutralise "accident" areas of peeing with white vinegar:water 1:3
8. Let me know how long you will take to succeed.

455. Pet Shop Operator Advices 2 weeks indoor - landed property

2009-04-01T06:57:00.001+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

Toilet Training American Cocker in a landed propertyThursday, March 26, 2009 6:57 AM
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Kong Yuen Sing" <99pups@gmail.com>Add sender to ContactsTo: david@asiahomes.com, david@toapayohvets.comPet shop seller advised strictly to keep the American Cocker puppy inside the house till 2 weeks after the 3rd vaccination. Husband was not too happy with the puppy eliminating all over the living and dining room.

"Did the pet shop advise buying a crate to confine the puppy?" I asked.
"Yes," the wife said. "But we don't want to cage the puppy. We want the puppy to eliminate in the garden. That was what our previous dogs did."

"The reason is that the pet shop seller does not want the puppy to die from parvoviral infections as the shop gets the blame. In the garden your dog may meet other stray dogs at the gate or other dogs." I explained the rationale.

It was already 2 weeks. The commercial liquid sprayed onto the newspapers to entice the puppy to pee on the papers did not work. The puppy just shred the papers.

"You are anti-dog", the wife remarked.
"No, I am not," the husband replied, shaking his grey-haired head.

"Please understand that some spouses can't stand the smell of dogs, especially pee and poop," I explained. "Some wives of vets I know don't even want to go near a pig farm as it is so smelly to their noses. There are such wives who prohibit keeping of dogs in the apartment."

"Why do they marry vets?" the wife has the stereotypical veterinarian's spouse who must love animals to marry one.

"I guess it is fate," I said. "Just like why you marry your husband who is not so happy with this puppy."

To change the topic quickly so as not to pour oil onto fire, I said, "The puppy can be permitted to go to the garden as the other dog is vaccinated yearly and there are no stray dogs around. In that way, this puppy can learn from the older one and will eliminate naturally in the garden."

This puppy came for the 3rd vaccination as it had a free vaccination voucher from the pet shop. Well, his ear edges are scaly but there were no crusts as in scabies. His neck is reddened due to scratching. I advised an anti-fungal cleaning shampoo for a week and clipping of the long ear hairs. Wait and see for one week. If no more scratching, there would not be a need for a review.

455. Pet Shop Advice to keep puppy indoors when there is a garden

2009-03-27T06:42:00.003+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

Pet shop seller advised strictly to keep the American Cocker puppy inside the house till 2 weeks after the 3rd vaccination. Husband was not too happy with the puppy eliminating all over the living and dining room.

"Did the pet shop advise buying a crate to confine the puppy?" I asked.
"Yes," the wife said. "But we don't want to cage the puppy. We want the puppy to eliminate in the garden. That was what our previous dogs did."

"The reason is that the pet shop seller does not want the puppy to die from parvoviral infections as the shop gets the blame. In the garden your dog may meet other stray dogs at the gate or other dogs." I explained the rationale.

It was already 2 weeks. The commercial liquid sprayed onto the newspapers to entice the puppy to pee on the papers did not work. The puppy just shred the papers.

"You are anti-dog", the wife remarked.
"No, I am not," the husband replied, shaking his grey-haired head.

"Please understand that some spouses can't stand the smell of dogs, especially pee and poop," I explained. "Some wives of vets I know don't even want to go near a pig farm as it is so smelly to their noses. There are such wives who prohibit keeping of dogs in the apartment."

"Why do they marry vets?" the wife has the stereotypical veterinarian's spouse who must love animals to marry one.

"I guess it is fate," I said. "Just like why you marry your husband who is not so happy with this puppy."

To change the topic quickly so as not to pour oil onto fire, I said, "The puppy can be permitted to go to the garden as the other dog is vaccinated yearly and there are no stray dogs around. In that way, this puppy can learn from the older one and will eliminate naturally in the garden."

This puppy came for the 3rd vaccination as it had a free vaccination voucher from the pet shop. Well, his ear edges are scaly but there were no crusts as in scabies. His neck is reddened due to scratching. I advised an anti-fungal cleaning shampoo for a week and clipping of the long ear hairs. Wait and see for one week. If no more scratching, there would not be a need for a review.

454. Mar 2009 Draft. New puppy toilet training queries

2009-03-24T07:23:00.002+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

MAR 2009. DRAFT COPY. TO REVISE LATER TO SUMMARISE. E-mail has questions most new puppy owners encounter. Many of the over 500 owners in my survey mention that their puppies take at least 2 months or longer before they know where they are supposed to pee and poop. Others mention 7 days in paper-training success. There is much variation as methods and tools used vary widely

Re: Re: Maltese misses the tray
Sunday, March 22, 2009 2:50 AM
From: XXX

To:
"David Sing"
Thank you Dr Sing. He still misses pees on the edge so not quite on the pee tray. We will be taking him out this week for the first. He has had his 3 jabs already. Pretty soon we will be neutering him what is a good age for that? he is 4 months now.I appreciate all the advice. Dogs can be lots of work but they are a joy to have around.
cheers
XXX

From: David Sing
To: XXX
Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2009 6:19:40 AM
Subject: Maltese misses the tray

Thank you for email.
1. I presume your Maltese did not miss the tray for the last few days. Pl let me know if I am incorrect.
2. However, you changed his routine by bringing him to the groomers. Therefore, he did not do what you want.
3. Persevere in your training. It is not so easy for some dogs.
4. Privacy. Yes, some owners report that their dogs don't like being seen to pee or poop.
5. If the problem is not submission or excitation urination, you are progressing to your goals. You just need to persevere. I don't think that your puppy is suffering from ADD but then I can be mistaken.
6. You may pick up some tips from this case. See:
http://www.toapayohvets.com/sinpets/20090321Toilet_Training_Paper_Two_Dogs_ToaPayohVets.htm

Best wishes

Subject: Re: Re: Maltese misses the tray
To: "David Sing"
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009, 2:46 AM

Thanks Dr Sing, we have tried getting him to pee on the tray by guiding him there. we also tell him that its bad to pee on the side. both of us are rather strong personalities. he seems okay for the last few days with no new changes in our behavior or routine. he did pee on the floor in his toilet after we brought him back from the groomers.
he seems to only do his business after we shut the gate and we are not looking. usually doesn't do it when the gate is open even when we are not looking -- guess he is just too eager to get out.
so what can we do about his ADD?

From: David Sing
To: XXX
Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 8:47:53 AM
Subject: RE: Re: Maltese misses the tray

You may be right about distraction or ADD.
Try:
1. Put the puppy onto the pee tray and give command "pee here".
2. When you put him in after playing, give the command "pee here." It may work after some time. Praise and food treat on success. Persevere as first few X may not work.
3. Can it be "submissive urination or excitation urination"? That may explain why he "pees" off target. Is one of you or both quite "forceful" in your personality?

Subject: RE: Re: Maltese misses the tray
To: "David Sing"
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2009, 1:27 AM

Thanks dr sing. You are right the puppy is clean. We clean the tray daily and replace the pee pad. After which we wipe the floor clean with the blue odor removal that is offered at the pet stores. I wonder if the puppy has ADD and he really cant focus or he is too eager to come out. Back to cleanliness though, the puppy resumes peeing correctly after he is in his room for a while. what else can we try. He made the same mistake again last night after we let him out and played with him. Thanks a bunch. XXX

David Sing wrote:
> Hi 1. Thank you for your info and pictures. Pl correct me if I misunderstand. What you are interested is that the Maltese "misses the tray" after being let out to play. I will focus on this aspect in my reply. I suspect you have a very clean puppy. Most likely reason is that the puppy "smells" the tray and finds it to be "not clean". How often do you wash your tray and the surrounding area? Some puppies are so clean that they will try to avoid "soiled" tray later in the day, as apparently, in your case. Try white vinegar:water at 1:3 to wash the tray and toilet floor the next 7 days before putting the puppy in and let me know. If this is successful, other owners will benefit. Best wishes.

From: XXX Subject: Re: Maltese misses the tray To: "David Sing"
Date: Monday, March 16, 2009, 11:37 PM

Dr Sing, The puppy generally sleeps thru the morning. when I wake up, I clean up his poo if there is any. he poos quite a bit and it is usually on target in the tray -- usually once after breakfast (around 1030 ~11) and then in the after noon or in the evening. Mostly after dinner. he poos around 4 ~ 5 times a day. he pees alot more and I am not surprised since he drinks a lot of water. he is usually on target about
> 60% of the time when he pees but when we take him out of the toilet (he is caged in as you can see in the pictures) and plays out for about 1 ~ 2 hours he tends to make mistakes when we take him in. the toilet is at the back of the kitchen. meal routine -- breakfast 10.30 ~ 11.00 / dinner 6.30~ 7.00 night time -- he
> is let into the cage at 9pm. he won't be let out until 10.30 the next day for breakfast. play time (out time from the cage) 6~9 pm. rest of the time he is in the toilet. he gets let out for a short time during breakfast. but since I work and my wife works from home. we try not to disturb him during the day and keep to the routine. eventually we want him to have free roam of the house but we need to ensure that he can go on his own. thanks for your help XXX

From: David Sing To: XXX
Hi
1. If your concern is that the Maltese pees "off target" - not directly onto the pee tray (or newspapers in the case of paper-training), this is one of the most common complaints. What type of pee tray are you using? Pl send me 3 pictures of the pee tray and the toilet location so that I can advise further. 2. What is the routine for this puppy every day as regards sleeping area, exercise, eating, drinking times?

Mon, 3/16/09, From: XXX Subject: Maltese misses the tray To: judy@toapayohvets.com Date: Monday, March 16, 2009, 11:08 AM

Hi Judy, I have been reading your blog and have gotten some good pointers. We have a 4 month old maltese. he has been confine in the kitchen toilet for the last 5 weeks since we brought him home. initially he was doing well and peeing on the pee tray with the occasional mistake. with that in mind we let him out and trusted that he would go into his toilet on his own when needed. this he did for 3 days. after that he made some mistakes outside when we let him out. now we have resorted to taking him in to the toilet and let him pee. but he doesn't do it in front of
> us. once when we
> are out of sight he would pee just on the edge of the tray and onto the floor. we still confine him in the toilet and let him out after dinner for about
> 2~3hours. pees on the tray most of the time. he makes the mistakes mostly after we have taken him out and bring him back in. we want him to be able to roam the house freely, what can we do? Thanks for you help. cheers XXX

452. Paper-Training Queries from a Shih Tzu puppy owner

2009-03-16T05:02:00.005+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

From:
Subject: Shih Tzu Training
To: drsing@pacific.net.sg
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2009, 1:08 PM

Hello Dr. Sing,

I have recently bought a Shih Tzu 4 months old name "Wang" from a pet farm and I am still trying hard toilet training Wang.
I put Wang inside the playpen with 2 pee trays and his toys.
Wang will pee and poo on his pee tray while in playpen but when I bring him out to play, with playpen open up one side, he still pee in the house.

SUGGESTED SOLUTION: You expect the Shih Tzu to go to the pee tray when he is taken out to play. But he does not do it. This is a very common complaint. The most likely reasons are:

1.Insufficient confinement time inside the playpen. I don't know how long your have the puppy from the pet farm before letting him loose in the house.
I advise 2-4 weeks confinement inside the playpen.

2. Extend the freedom area outside the playpen area by 2-3 x, not letting the puppy out to run around the whole living, dining, bedroom and kitchen area for the first 2-4 weeks. Let him out to play for 5-10 minutes/outing in a small area (e.g. kitchen) instead of running in the whole house/apartment. Give treats and praises if he goes to the pee tray. Give a command e.g "Pee here" when you place the puppy on the pee tray.

3. Watch for signs of elimination. It is easier said than done for some active puppies. When the puppy sniffs the floor or squats or turns around, quickly pick him up and put him onto the pee tray. Treats and praises for successful performance. Now, most owners do not monitor the puppy closely. Or the puppy has so much space to run around madly. Therefore, accidents happen and the owner gets angry. In any case, don't expect the puppy to learn within 1-2 days. Patience and perseverance are required in training any young dog.

Neutralise the urine smell of "accidents" with white vinegar:water 1:3 or with your floor cleaners.

4. FURTHER SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS TO YOUR QUESTIONS BELOW.
I wanted to train him outdoor but he doesn't want to walk with the leash on.

Some puppies resist the leash at the beginning. Give a motivation for him to be leashed. For example, before eating, give a command "Sit". Then leash him before allowing him to eat. Or give a treat (like going out to play or play) after he accepts the leash.

I can't train him on newspaper because he shred everything up.

A very common complaint amongst puppy owners. Taping the papers onto the pee tray may be one tedious solution. To paper-train the puppy, you need to put papers 100% inside the playpen and start reducing the papered area if your puppy pees in one corner. Even if he shreds the papers, do not make a fuss. Just change the papers quietly. Some owners have no patience and therefore it is not easy to paper-train some active paper-shredders. Some puppies shred papers out of fun and boredom.

Whenever I let him out to play, he will start running everywhere and biting cloths (eg. floor mats). He gets so excited running and biting.
How can I make him listen to commands?

Probably your voice is not "commanding" enough. The puppy just ignores you and does not accept you as an "alpha - pack leader". It is difficult for many ladies as they don't "shout" at puppies. So the puppy takes advantage and chases the owner, nips her ankles (she screams) and play catching.

Suggested solution: Some owners use a rolled up newspaper to hit the floor if the puppy misbehaves and give training commands in firm tones. Others give food treats and praises. Much depends on the personalities of the puppy.

How can I stop him from biting and running?
TIME OUT SOLUTION? Confine him inside the playpen and keep him isolated from the fun when he does not behave.

How can I stop him from shredding newspaper?
See answer above.

Please give some advise on these.
Thanks.

462. HIGH floor level crate + pee pan OK for Silkie Terrier

2009-01-27T16:38:00.003+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

[http://www.toapayohvets.com]
"Don't tell him," the pet shop girl said. "Otherwise he will record your experiences." I was vaccinating the puppies on this Wednesday and in between the lull period, spoke to one of the dog owners.

Thin lady studying in the polytechnic.
Silkie Terrier 3-4 monthss.

"Can he jump into the high crate when he was a 3-month old puppy?"

"Yes."

"How do you paper-train?" I asked.

"Put newspapers on top of the floor grate. Tell him to pee there. Soon the dog knew how to do.

"Any spanking?" I asked.

"Yes," the young lady said that it took many times to monitor and train the puppy to go to the paper which is placed on top of the floor grate. In many cases, the floor grate is not covered by newspapers as the puppy is supposed to pee through the grate and not dirty his paws. But this will not lead to paper-training.

She showed me a mobile phone clip of the crate with newspapers and the puppy escaping out of the open top of the crate by climbing over. Some owners put two ropes or poles across the top to prevent such escapes.

Paper-training will be considered a success if the lady puts the papers outside the crate and the puppy eliminates on it later. Presently, the Silkie climbs up into the crate to do it.

HIGH Floor Crate + Pee Pan. This particular crate has at least 6 inches of height from floor grate to pee pan level. It is meant for longer-legged dogs as small ones like the Yorkshire or Pom can't hop into it. It is one of the configurations sold at certain pet shops in Singapore. A ramp is sometimes used by owners who had bought this crate to enable the short-legged Chihuahua to climb into it. However the puppy may refuse to climb into it.

461. Crate & pee pan toilet training v. paper training

2009-01-10T10:41:00.004+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

A FEEDBACK FROM A NEW PUPPY OWNER
RECEIVED IN JAN 10, 2009

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Your Blog: Crate + Pee Pan bought by the puppy owner. Not possible to paper-train this way...
Friday, January 9, 2009 3:15 PM
From:
"<....@hotmail.com>
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To:
judy@toapayohvets.com

Dear Judy,

I just wanted to say "THANK YOU":-D

I came across your blog via google.com, I was so confused about training. I just purchased a puppy last Saturday as well as a crate with pee/poop tray. Then I had a dog trainer to come the following Tuesday.

It was a disaster! I had been advised by the pet farm that the puppy must be confided to his crate most of the times, but the trainer said to choose an area, put down newspapers, and leave the crate door open. In the end, the puppy only shredded the paper and relieved himself near my washing machine or dryer!

I decided to place the puppy back into his crate and take him out only 3x a day for 5-10 min plays, like the pet farm advised.

I just couldn't take the soiled, back balcony floor anymore. However, he is just happy to be back inside the apartment, with the rest of us instead of the back balcony.

Thanks again.

Sincerely yours,
L

COMMENTS BY DR SING

1. Confinement in a small space (e.g. crate + pee pan) for the first 14 days is necessary to train the puppy.

2. The dog trainer advised a bigger space using newspapers and leaving the crate door open. This is not good advice as the puppy is not so easily "paper-trained" by this way.

The new puppy is does not know that he is supposed to pee on the newspapers. Probably there is no urine smell on the newspapers. The puppy shreds the newspapers (common complaint in paper training). He eliminates near the washer and dryer and probably dislikes going back to the crate as he associates it with imprisonment.

3. Seller (pet farm) has trained the puppy to pee and poop inside the crate and pee pan. The puppy associates the feel of the crate with elimination. Therefore, the Buyer is wise to adopt the recommendations of the Seller. Take the puppy out 3X/day for 5-10 minutes to play and confine him. This sounds cruel but is important in the first 7-14 days.

4. Playing with the puppy prevents him sleeping too much during the daytime and helps in making the puppy used to people and the surroundings.

5. After 7-28 days and a set routine, the puppy may be taken out in a bigger space (increase area of freedom by 100%) and closely supervised. If he goes back to the crate to pee and poop, then, he has been "crate" trained.

Increase the area to roam over the next 4 weeks and in the end, this puppy will use the crate as its toilet and sleeps outside the crate.

6. As to paper-training the puppy, it will be another method. Definitely the crate and pee pan housing is not meant for paper-training.

P.S Some owners put papers on top of the floor grate, thereby paper-training the puppy. In such cases, a playpen will be most appropriate.

460. Paper-training a Chow Chow puppy

2008-09-18T06:52:00.001+08:00

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

TOILET TRAINING SOLUTIONS: Chow Chow, Female, 2.5 months, apartment

Complaint:
50% success as the Chow Chow pees on newspapers in the pee pan when confined in the kitchen. She sleeps there. However, she will not poo in the pee pan or in the kitchen for some time after eating. When released to the living room or a spare bedroom, she poops. Why can't she poop on the newspapers on the pee pan and in the kitchen? Mum had to follow the puppy with newspapers in an attempt to get her to poop on newspapers. If newspapers are put over the poop areas in the living room or spare bedroom, the puppy pees onto the papers only.

Discussion:
1. Insufficient toilet area. Pee pan was too small for the fast growing Chow Chow. Its width is twice the body width of the Chow Chow (observed from above).

2. The soiled newspapers were not promptly changed. So she did not poop onto the soiled papers and now is used to pooping on tiled floors.

3. The dry kitchen is small and the sleeping area and den for the growing Chow Chow appears to be small. So the Chow Chow does not want to poop on the floor since she sleeps there. She controls her bowel till being released by the owners out of the kitchen to the living room. The owners wait for over an hour and let her out. So she goes to the living area or spare bedroom to poop. Now she is conditioned and used to pooping on the floor tiles. Therefore, it is difficult to re-train her to poop onto newspapers. Carrying newspapers to catch her poop while she is passing stools will not train her to be paper-trained as she does not associate this act with what the mother wants.

4. Signs of elimination. Owners not around sometimes, so they did not carry the Chow Chow to the newspapers in the pee pan to poop. When the mum is around, she holds the newspapers to catch the poop. This is an incorrect way of paper-training.

Solutions:
For the next 2 - 4 weeks, confine the Chow Chow inside the spare bathroom with the fence barrier at the door entrance. Do not shut the door. Pee pan with newspapers at one corner. Chow Chow will have no choice but to poop on the tiled floor at one corner and sleep at the other end.

Try covering floor 100% with newspapers if you wish to try paper-training the Chow Chow to poop on papers. Reduce the papered area to the location where the Chow Chow poops. After 2-4 weeks, allow the puppy freedom when she is 100% paper-trained.

JAN 20, 2009
Chow Chow came onto heat. Refused to use the pee pan now, according to an e-mail from the owner.

459. Crate + Pee Pan bought by the puppy owner. Not possible to paper-train this way.

2008-09-15T05:40:00.001+08:00

Case study:
The first-time puppy owner is sold a Crate + Pee Pan but actually wants to paper-train the puppy. So, can he do it or not? The answer is No.

UPDATED INFO AT:
http://www.toapayohvets.com/sinpets/
20080921Toilet_Training_Puppies_Singapore_ToaPayohVets.htm

E-mail to Dr Sing
Fri, 9/12/08, <...@singnet.com.sg> wrote:

Subject: Toilet train a dog
To: judy@toapayohvets.com

Dear Judy,

I bought a Cavalier King Charles for 10 days. I wish to toilet train my dog using newspaper. I wish to get a book in regards to toilet training my dog using newspaper.

I bought a cage that came with a plastic pan under it, I lay newspaper under it, on the pan. The dog eats, sleeps, drinks and eliminates inside the cage - it was recommended by the pet seller. However, quite a few books that I read did not recommend this.

These books indicate that we should not mix the dog's den, sleeping place with their pooping and urinating place. I wish to get the book and also need your advice.

E-mail reply from Dr Sing
Sep 14, 2008

As the book on toilet training for Singapore puppy owners by Dr Sing is out of print, the following is the reply:

1. To paper train your puppy, you need to confine him for the first 2-4 weeks.

2. History of his toilet habits. You ought to find out what the breeder has been doing to paper-train him. Has he been staying in the crate + pee pan? Or in a play pen?

If yes, is he successfully peeing and pooping in one area and sleeping in another? Did you observe him? If not, you will not know.

If he has just arrived at the puppy seller's place, he may not be doing what I describe. Some puppies just can't do it. But most will be able to pee and poop as far away from their crate as possible.

3. Assuming you have not observed his previous toilet habits, then you have to start new. There are 2 layouts commonly used by Singapore's puppy owners:

3.1 Playpen.

A Playpen is basically 4 panels of fencing to confine the puppy. Newspapers cover 100% of the flooring for the first week. You will see that the puppy will eliminate in one corner, usually the back half. Gradually reduce the paper cover till the puppy just eliminate onto the newspapers.

Around 2 weeks later, take away the play pen. Allow the puppy inside a confined area e.g. the kitchen for the next week or two. The kitchen entrance is shut by a baby-gate or panel of fences so that the puppy cannot run free to all over the apartment.

The puppy should run back to the papers to eliminate. After week 2-4, let the puppy out to the living room and observe that he goes to the papers to eliminate. If not, confine him back to the kitchen area and start again.
Confine him in a playpen with 4 panels of fences. That is my recommended advice for first-time puppy owners in Singapore.

Cover the floor with newspapers 100%. Put the water bottle at the left front. Feed bowl to be given to the puppy during feed times 2-3X per day. Let the puppy eat within 10 minutes and remove the feed bowl. Or feed the puppy in a confined area outside his playpen.

His sleeping area is the left half of the playpen. His toilet area will likely be the right half, in most cases.

Paper-shredding. Some puppies shred newspapers and step all over the stools on the first few days. You need to be patient and change the papers as frequently as you can, without shouting or beating the puppy. If nobody is at home, it cannot be done till after work. Some owners tape the edges of the papers.

3.2 Crate and Pee Pan. The following pictures show the crate and pee pan sets usually sold by various pet shops and breeders for first-time puppy owners in Singapore.

Not possible to shred newspapers and therefore dirty himself unlike the situation of being housed in a Playpen. In addition, the floor tiles of the apartment does not get stained by puppy's pee and poo as the Pee Pan catches the waste. The water bowl should be in the front left half in this Crate + Pee Pan set. Otherwise the puppy eliminates in the front half area and steps on the stools while greeting the owner.

Puppy stools may drop into the Pee Pan preventing some puppies from eating stools and their paws from soiled by stepping on stools. In this picture, the puppy will eliminate on the left half of the Crate and keep his drinking and eating and sleeping area clean.

Puppy's paws are much cleaner using the Crate + Pee Pan set as the puppy pees a lot of times and the urine flows down into the Pee Pan. Stools are removed by the owner immediately and the soiled floor area is cleaned up fast.
The same layout and general advices given for the Play pen applies to the Crate and Pee pan.

In this case, the puppy lies on the wire flooring (floor grate). He is likely to pee and poop far away from his sleeping and eating area. Now, some puppies are very active, e.g. Jack Russells.

Positioning of the water and feed bowls.
If you put his feed bowl or water bowl (assuming you don't use water bottle or feed him outside the crate) in the back half of the crate, you will expect the puppy to pee and poop on the front half. Therefore, the puppy steps on his stools when he runs to greet you.

The newspapers on the pee pan is meant to absorb the urine and therefore is of not much use in paper training the puppy using this method.

Various outcomes of toilet training from reports by Singapore puppy owners.

However, some puppies, after 2-4 weeks of inside the Crate and Pee pan, can just walk onto the newspapers (urine smell of puppy) now placed on the pee pan and just eliminate him there. The Crate is then kept away.

Other puppies happily run inside the Crate to eliminate. The owner just remove the stools and clean up the floor grate. Otherwise the puppy refuses to get inside to eliminate.

Yet there are puppies that sleep inside the Crate and will never eliminate there. There is such a variety of cleanliness personalities that it is hard to say how your Cavalier King Charles will react to the Crate + Pee Pan set.

The advantages of the Crate + Pee Pan is that the puppy's paws are dry and cleaner than using the Playpen type of housing. Many owners still have to wash the paws of the puppies at least once a day but they don't need to see dirtied paws smelling of stools. Some stools may drop into the Pee Pan through the floor grate but this is rare.

4. Remember: It takes 2-4 weeks of confinement to be successful. It is not possible to provide you the various scenarios as this takes a lot of time.

5. I have recorded real case studies of toilet training by Singapore owners in in: www.bekindtopets.com. Goto: Dr Sing's Toilet-Training Cases for first-time puppy owners.

About 600 cases of toilet training are in my blog and you may have to read through to find out which scenario is appropriate for your case. Many owners read through and discover for themselves what they have had missed doing by reading what others have or have not done during toilet-training. The blogs are:
Toilet-training your first Singapore puppy (introduction by Dr Sing)

First Toilet-training Research blog

Second Toilet-training Research Blog

Third Toilet-training Research blog

The Crate & Pee Pan set sold to you by the Puppy Seller is one of the two housing layouts frequently recommended by the Singapore pet shop and Puppy Sellers. Unless your crate (cage) is extremely small, it does work to train your Cavalier King Charles very well on the floor grate which is the wire flooring. Below the wire flooring is the pee pan. On the pee pan, the Puppy Seller recommended that you put the newspaper.
But what you want is to paper-train your puppy. Therefore, the set you purchased is not appropriate for paper-training as the puppy has no direct contact with newspapers.

The playpen, confinement to a small room, area fenced up or tethering your puppy to a small area are 4 of the methods you need to do paper-training. The Crate + Pee Pan set is not suitable.

More details are in the blogs mentioned above.

In addition, success depends on time spent, patience, perseverance and the use of food treats and praises as motivational factors. I have owners who tell me that their new puppies just go to the newspapers or grate + pee pan to eliminate on the first day. "Such intelligent puppies," the owners said.

Some owners shake their heads and after 2 months post-purchase, the puppy is still not toilet-trained. In such cases, the owners are usually both working couples with no time to confine or train the puppy during the most important first 2-4 weeks after purchase.

I hope this feedback helps. Let me know your progress and e-mail me judy@toapayohvets.com if you have more queries.

E-mail to Dr Sing
On Sun, 9/14/08, <...@singnet.com.sg> wrote:

Dear Dr Sing

Thank You! Very much. I appreciate the information given to you by me.

Thanks
Regards

Name of owner

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

UPDATED INFO AT:
http://www.toapayohvets.com/sinpets/
20080921Toilet_Training_Puppies_Singapore_ToaPayohVets.htm