Messing in the house

[sjptain]

I'm relaying the story on behalf of my wife as i work away from home on a rotational basis and we got a female Beagle puppy for her prior to my departure to keep her company.
Anyway, the puppy spends a good deal of the time outside in the garden with my wife, does it's toilet outside also, however upon coming back inside within 5 minutes has messed inside also.
I have advised my wife that before bringing her inside she take her to the part of the garden she does the toilet and try make her do toilet before coming inside. Sometimes this works, other times it doesn't, but she still comes back inside and messes the house. This stopped for a few weeks, then over the past couple of weeks the puppy has being going upstairs to mess there instead.

We are obviously missing out something fundamental in her training and looking for advice/guidance as to what we must do to change this habit.

Help please.

[kjd]

sjptain,

Exactly how much of a puppy is this puppy? When toilet training, the puppy should either be in a safe place or under constant observation. It sounds as if she goes when she feels the need. Most of the time, she is outside, so you feel she knows what is wanted -- but she doesn't!

Your wife may want to try confining her when they first return to the house while she, your wife, does whatever quick thing she needs to do without the puppy. Then take the puppy out and praise her if she does her duty, bringing her back into the house afterwards.

kjd

[sjptain]

sorry for delay in responding (i'm in the wilds of Russia here and internet is not exactly reliable).
How much a puppy - well we got her in early April of this year and were told she was 6 weeks old then (i have my doubts, i think she was younger as for the first few days she acted like she wasn't seeing us very well) so she is probably around 16/17wks by now.
I've downloaded the training guides from here and will give help my wife with training the puppy for the 2 weeks i'm at home.
will pass on your useful comments and tell her to make up the little cage we have and put her there first thing when she comes inside.
Thank you

[kjd]

Sounds as if you now have it under control. You know you have a puppy that hasn't been housetrained. You have the instructions and tools. You'll be helping your wife in the beginning, so it won't be a sudden burden on her. Good luck to all three of you. I think your puppy will very fast with such good owners. Then you'll have many years to enjoy one another!

[kjd]

Hi, sjptain!

How is the housetraining going with your puppy?

kjd