New puppie -- have a question

[Vanman]

Hi there.

I have a new baby he's a 7 week old poodle-bichon mix.

The question I have is regarding potty-training. I live in Northern Ontario and its quite cold these days. A handful of friends and family have told me to keep him indoors until the weather warms up and the other half say get him out now or i'll simply be training him to pee in the house.

Im pretty confused and look forward to any suggestions/advice.

Thanks in advance.

[Iggette]

Personally I would have him in a sweater for sure, and being the suck I am Iwould carry him outside and put him down to do his business and back in you go, back to the warmth. I would be afraid of the same (training it to piddle in the house)
But this little guy needs to be warm 7 weeks is very young to be away from mom....brrrrrrr
How far north?

[Carina]

I'm thinking there are two different reasons people are giving you advice not to let your pup outside.
1: It is not a good idea to let such a young pup outside where other dogs have been, because there are a number of communicable diseases that can be caught by sniffing poop, etc, in a pup who has not been vaccinated nor is still with the mother long enough to acquire natural immunity.
However, as long as you are careful not to let him come in contact with other dogs' poops, this isn't a concern!
2: It's "too cold" for puppies.
I'm not sure how cold it is where you are....if you make being outside to do his business a fast, fun affair, then it probably isn't a concern either...so I would say he's a tough little pup, get him outside to do what he needs to!

From what I read, it's certainly possible to transition from paper-training to outside training, but takes a lot longer because you have to teach your pup one thing, then make him re-learn what you taught him in the first place.
I know some people with small dogs shovel a snow-free space right outside for their dogs.

[Lucky Rescue]

If the temps there are anything like they are here, in the -25 degree range, I certainly wouldn't be taking a 7 week old, very small breed puppy outside.

I would train him on papers for now, and start taking him out when he's older and the weather is warmer. It will take longer to housetrain this way, but there really isn't much choice.

[mona_b]

Originally Posted by LuckyRescue

If the temps there are anything like they are here, in the -25 degree range, I certainly wouldn't be taking a 7 week old, very small breed puppy outside

I have to agree.Especially if your temps are the same as we are having.It's just to cold to take a pup that age out in the cold.

All my dogs were paper trained.I actually had no problems house training them.I just took away more of the paper gradually till there was none.It worked like a charm....

[Karin]

What everyone else said.

Also, right now it does not matter where you live ...unless you are sipping a Margarita under a palm tree on a tropical beach somewhere, it's going down to 19 degrees tonight in Florida and no dog should be outside from here north! Especially a puppy. Good luck on paper training and patience is the key. You can work on outside training later.

[Carina]

Well, I don't know how cold it is where Vanman is....
But if 19 degrees (hey that is warm!!) is too cold for a puppy, then no puppy in the Eastern/Midwestern/Rocky mountain states would get potty trained outside (without training pads) for about 7 months out of every year!
And that is totally not the case....most puppies in the US get potty trained the conventional way - take em out, quick, do your business, GOOD PUPPY! - back inside. No big deal.
I've raised several puppies living in Colorado & Michigan both, and they had no problem going outside long enough to do their business.
Or does everyone in Canada paper train puppies in spring & winter?

[Vanman]

It's been about -30C here for what seems like an eternity.

the forecast isnt looking any better either.

thanks for the comments so far.

[Carina]

Originally Posted by Vanman

It's been about -30C here for what seems like an eternity.

OK, I just did the conversion....holy mackerel, that is cold! -17F.....you have my permission to ignore my last post, then.

[Karin]

All I can say is ...Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!






*Could say more but that is not allowed*

My heater is not working up to snuff so to speak...it's freakin' cold here and the temp is dropping rapidly. If it holds , pooch couch potato & I will stay put, my neighbor offered for us to move on over for the night if needed.
I do understand somewhat of what everyone goes through with normal weather up north, but we are not acclimated to this stuff...tomorrow the high will be 57 degrees, lows around 34, thats better....I'm shivering now...this ain't right.(southernese). We'll be camping in the front of the house & close off the back. Ciara-couch, (already claimed)..me, floor...already claimed with pillows & blankies. *did I say blankies again?*
No snow, but it is said if we had the moisture, we would really be miserable.
Ugh.

[glasslass]

Unless you want a pupsicle, I'd keep him inside and train him on puppy pads or newspapers. A poodle is not meant to be in that climate. They're meant to be pampered little housedogs that are easy to train. In the Spring, he'll prove it. My little guy sleeps under a down comforter in Calif! In the morning, he walks carefully along the mowing strip because he doesn't like his feet to get wet and cold.

[Vanman]

I crate him at night and he whines all night. I assume that will not go on forever?

[glasslass]

Just tuck him in next to you and it'll stop immediately!

[Lucky Rescue]

I crate him at night and he whines all night. I assume that will not go on forever?

A tiny young puppy needs to come out to pee/poop during the night, maybe a couple of times. I assume you're doing that?

Keep his crate next to your bed, so you can soothe him when he cries and so he can hear and smell you near him.