1. Signs of elimination

Can you draw the pictures in the scenario below?


FIRST 2 WEEKS IN THE NEW HOME. Small breed puppy in the Singapore apartment. Dr Sing's case files of toilet training research from 2003 - 2007.

1. Picture 1. Young working couple at the vet's consultation room. Puppy on the table. Man carries laptop, handphone on ear, lady in office suit, bag.

"Doc, it is easier for you to say 'monitor closely for signs of elimination like sniffing, turning, squatting'," the young couple said. "The puppy just squatted and peed before I can carry him to the toilet area!"

"You were watching TV? The puppy was free to roam in the living and dining area."


2. Picture 2. Vet (Dr Sing) said "PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS help in toilet training the puppy faster. For the first 2 weeks in the new home, it is important that the owner spend time with the puppy after work to toilet train him."

Picture 3. Vet says: This includes waking up past midnight to change the soiled newspapers.

Picture 4. Vet says: "Closely monitoring the puppy's signs of elimination. No TV watching for the time you are playing with the puppy near its toilet area.

Picture 5. Owner says: "What to we look for?"

Pictures 6 - 13 .
VISUAL SIGNS OF ELIMINATION.
6. Puppy is suddenly quiet.
7. Puppy sniffs the floor (nose down onto the ground).
8. Puppy turns to look for a spot to eliminate.
9. Puppy squatting.
10. Puppy squats and poops. Eats poo.
11. Squats and pees.
12 Owner shouts loudly "NO!!." Shit half way stuck in the anus.
13. Owner raises his hand to spank the puppy. Puppy frighten of owner. Runs under bed.

14. Puppy dares not shit in front of the owner. Owner says "Pee pee" but nothing comes out. When owner goes away, the puppy pees.

15. Frightened puppy poops under the dining table. Owner steps onto it.

16. Frightened puppy pees behind the sofa. Owner's friends smells urine. Complains.

17. Puppy "eats the stool" to get rid of the evidence.

18. SOUNDS OF ELIMINATION

Clock shows past midnight. Owner sleeping. Puppy in the crate, barks, scratches sides of crate desperately, whining. Now 1 am and 4 am.

Picture 18 shows "thoughts of puppy inside the wire crate -- Owner , please change change soiled newspapers in the playpen. Owner continues sleeping. Puppy steps on shit. Owner cursing about dirty puppy. Mother complains "Needs to bathe it everyday many times".

Picture 19 shows "thoughts of puppy inside the playpen -- Owner , please change change soiled newspapers in the playpen. Owner continues sleeping. Puppy steps on shit. Owner cursing about dirty puppy. Needs to bathe it everyday many times.

Picture 20. Puppy in owner's bedroom, below his bed. Puppy whines, paws at sleepy owner to go to the toilet. Owner sleeps. Next day, owner steps onto "shit" beside his bed.

Picture 21. Vets says: "Correct thing to do: Owner wakes up on hearing barking and change the soiled newspapers without talking to the puppy. Goes to sleep.

FREEDOM TO ROAM THE APARTMENT.

Picture 22. Owner (NS man in army uniform) feels that it is cruel to "cage" the puppy. Let it roam everywhere on first 2 days. Pee puddles everywhere. Shit in all bedrooms and living room. Family members step onto shit or pee. Mother very upset. She has to clean up.

Picture 23. Vet says: "Confine to a tiled area like the common bathroom or kitchen. Baby gate so that the puppy can see people as he is a social animal. 2-3 weeks if owner is working.

Picture 24. Vets says: "Crate training. Every 3 hours, take the puppy from the crate to the toilet area. e.g. puppy training pad on pee pan, newspapers with urine smell at edge on the pee pan, toilet floor.

Picture 25. Vet says: Leash the puppy to the window grille. Papers around.

CONCLUSION:

Picture 26. Vet says: "The apartment is like a football field to the puppy. So he can't find his toilet area. He cannot control his bladder and bowel at this age of 3-4 months. So he pees and poos anywhere.

The owner must also confine the puppy to a small area when playing with him so that he can carry the puppy to the toilet area. If he is in a big area and watching TV, he is too far away to watch for signs of elimination.

Picture 27. Owner asks: How long to confine him?

Vet says:
Picture 28. "2-3 weeks strictly confined to a room or leashed."

Picture 29. "1 week if you are full-time training the puppy. Monitor for signs. Schedule of exercise, eating, pooping after eating before playing. Sleeps beside the puppy to hear whining.

Friends very impressed with this career girl who took 1 week's leave full time with the puppy. "1 week to paper-train your Miniature Schnauzer? How you do it"