How on earth can you train a grey to ask to go to the toilet!!

[Feefee147]

So we're three months tomorrow since our lovely big boy came to live with us. 

He's doing brilliantly and (slowly) mastering some commands. He's been superb with toilet training but.... (there's always a 'but'!) he doesn't actually ask to go.

He knows where to go, trots to the door, goes in the garden and waits cheerily for a treat for his endeavours. All great. However, he doesn't actually ask. He just quietly waits by the door.

Obviously if my partner or I spot him heading downstairs to the garden door its fine, but if we don't notice he does wait and then eventually leave a puddle by the door (rare but has happened). We're pretty vigilant but occasionally if we're working in separate rooms we assume the other has got it covered. I blame us rather than the dog, of course. 

He's not vocal at all - barked only a handful of times since we got him. He does whine when the doorbell goes so maybe I could use that somehow. I've also seen people saying they have put a bell by the door.... not sure I've got any hope of getting him to ring a bell :-)  

Any good suggestions?

Thank you

Fee 

[Remolacha]

If possible, get him on a schedule, so you go let him out a certain times rather than waiting for him to ask. One of my greys was like this, his “ask” was to go to the back door and whine very, very quietly. Like, you had to be standing right next to him to hear  Getting him on a schedule, worked around feeding times is best, helped, but I admit I eventually just got a dog door to make things easier on me. 

[ramonaghan]

Yep, a schedule works well. Sweep's "ask" is to simply walk up to us and stare, which is also code for "you gonna eat that?" and "pet me, please," so it's pretty subtle. She does know the word "potty" though, so if we ask if she wants to go potty and she play-bows, that's a yes. Perhaps you can teach him that word by naming it when you let him out and then at least you'll be able to confirm that's what he needs if he seems restless at all. You might be able to teach him a bell the same way, by ringing it only when he goes out and does his business, but other people will probably have better advice on that.

Edited May 7, 2020 by ramonaghan

[MaryJane]

Greyhounds are used to a schedule so, that tends to work best. Determine the times that work best for you and then start taking him out those times.

[MerseyGrey]

Routine! When things were normal Buddy would go at the same times everyday. We’re trying to stick to that even though hubby is at home all day and to be honest, even if he spends hours in the garden, Buddy tends not to go to the loo other than at his normal toilet times.
We discovered the ‘subtle’ ask to go outside early on, which was a glance over to us when he stood by the back door. He trained us very quickly to know what that meant when we ignored him, as he wandered off and we heard the sound of splashing fluid and arrived to a big puddle in the dining room. Buddy’s humans are not the quickest on the uptake, but once we’ve learned a lesson, it stays learned!

[Feefee147]

2 hours ago, Remolacha said:

If possible, get him on a schedule, so you go let him out a certain times rather than waiting for him to ask. One of my greys was like this, his “ask” was to go to the back door and whine very, very quietly. Like, you had to be standing right next to him to hear  Getting him on a schedule, worked around feeding times is best, helped, but I admit I eventually just got a dog door to make things easier on me. 

Sounds like Samson

I think we've got a fairly set schedule now, but he does seem to need the odd adhoc toilet trip. So maybe we do need to be a bit better with our timings. 

I love the idea of a dog door. He's a big lad though so I'm not sure that's an option, sadly. 

[Feefee147]

2 hours ago, ramonaghan said:

Yep, a schedule works well. Sweep's "ask" is to simply walk up to us and stare, which is also code for "you gonna eat that?" and "pet me, please," so it's pretty subtle. She does know the word "potty" though, so if we ask if she wants to go potty and she play-bows, that's a yes. Perhaps you can teach him that word by naming it when you let him out and then at least you'll be able to confirm that's what he needs if he seems restless at all. You might be able to teach him a bell the same way, by ringing it only when he goes out and does his business, but other people will probably have better advice on that.

Ahhh so staring is a normal greyhound thing? I've never know a dog to be so quiet and just look intently at whatever he wants, or stare at me if he has decided it is dinner time. Good to know that's a breed characteristic!

I'm getting used to it but any other dog would bark, whine loudly, paw..... 

We ask him if he wants to go to the toilet and he either follows us to the garden and goes, or lays down and sighs. So I think he grasps the word. I think all the comments have hit the nail on the head - we need to buck up our routine ideas a bit. 

Thank you :-) 

Edited May 7, 2020 by Feefee147

[Feefee147]

8 minutes ago, MerseyGrey said:

Routine! When things were normal Buddy would go at the same times everyday. We’re trying to stick to that even though hubby is at home all day and to be honest, even if he spends hours in the garden, Buddy tends not to go to the loo other than at his normal toilet times.
We discovered the ‘subtle’ ask to go outside early on, which was a glance over to us when he stood by the back door. He trained us very quickly to know what that meant when we ignored him, as he wandered off and we heard the sound of splashing fluid and arrived to a big puddle in the dining room. Buddy’s humans are not the quickest on the uptake, but once we’ve learned a lesson, it stays learned!

Haha sounds as though Buddy is training you well!

[Jerilyn]

The rule around here is, if the dog is standing up she needs something. 

[Remolacha]

1 hour ago, Feefee147 said:

Sounds like Samson

I think we've got a fairly set schedule now, but he does seem to need the odd adhoc toilet trip. So maybe we do need to be a bit better with our timings. 

I love the idea of a dog door. He's a big lad though so I'm not sure that's an option, sadly. 

There was already a dog door installed in the back door, but the previous owner “only” had Goldens, so it wasn’t tall enough, Fletcher was a big boy. I upgraded to the giant, or Wolfhound size, and all my greys but one have loved having it. Especially as they got older.

[FiveRoooooers]

23 minutes ago, Jerilyn said:

The rule around here is, if the dog is standing up she needs wants something. 

Fixed that for ya

All of the campers have learned to "Go Wee" and "Go Poop" and if they're in a meeting and ignoring me, a cheery "Get Busy" usually gets them motivated to go wee/poop. Out first am, after breakfast, again before I leave for work (pre-CRAP-19), when I get home (again, you know … lol), after dinner, before bed. That's their minimum schedule.

Your boy sounds like a lovely fellow!

[Feefee147]

2 hours ago, Jerilyn said:

The rule around here is, if the dog is standing up she needs something. 

Ha! I hear you! 😂