[Seaside spoo]

I have not had a poodle in my life for several years or been on PF for several years. lol In the past we had a standard and a toy along with other breeds. I have done therapy work with some of my dogs. We are hoping to add a toy poodle to our family that will eventually be able to do therapy work. Although I did a lot of research finding my last toy poodle breeder, my dog developed a good deal of medical issues. I am interested in using Paul Redding in MD this time but his puppies will not be ready until December. I live in New England and wanted to know if anyone had any input about getting a puppy in the Winter or a puppy from Paul, for that matter. I am worried about potty training and social interaction during cold weather.

 

[EVpoodle]

Welcome back!
I had a spoo when I lived in North Dakota. My spoo did fine and even played outside in below zero temperatures during the winter with no problem. As long as I kept some fur on her she never got too cold, although I did have to get her doggy boots because she would get ice balls between her paw pads.
Sadly I don't know how a tpoo would fair versus a spoo would during the winter.
It does sound like it is warmer there than in ND.

Hope this helps with your search.

 

[twyla]

I got my toy boy December 16, 2017 he was 18 1/2 weeks old, I live in the northeast as well it was bitterly cold when I brought him home. I pee pad trained him, he is also trained to go outside as well. I live in a condo so there is no such thing as a quick jaunt out.

 

[Michigan Gal]

Where do elementary kids hang out after school. This is where I'd take the puppy. Fifteen minutes playing in the snow, then back in the car and home again.

A trip to the vet's office just to say hello, back in the car. A trip to a friend's house, back home again.

 

[Seaside spoo]

I got my toy boy December 16, 2017 he was 18 1/2 weeks old, I live in the northeast as well it was bitterly cold when I brought him home. I pee pad trained him, he is also trained to go outside as well. I live in a condo so there is no such thing as a quick jaunt out.

I have never trained a puppy to use a pee pad. Can they learn to do both? We have a yard and I want the puppy to eventually be able to go to the bathroom outside. It seems like a nice option for a winter puppy though.

 

[twyla]

Yes they can learn both. I treat the piddle pad same as house breaking you must bring them to the pad just like you would outside no free access in the house unless you have potty success.

 

[Dechi]

I don’t do winter puppies anymore. I wouldn’t see myself coaxing a puppy to do his business in -40C and 3 feet of snow.

I will have puppies as late as september, maybe october, and then in april through the summer.

I did it at least once because I didn’t have a choice but it’s a hassle to have to train them inside, then undo the training inside and let them outside. It’s doable though. Completely.

 

[Seaside spoo]

Where do elementary kids hang out after school. This is where I'd take the puppy. Fifteen minutes playing in the snow, then back in the car and home again.

A trip to the vet's office just to say hello, back in the car. A trip to a friend's house, back home again.

Great ideas, I didn't think about school playgrounds. Thanks

 

[Charmed]

Actually for socializing a pup you are better off going before school. Things are much more organized, kids are calmer, and more business-like. Pick a spot near a crossing guard, but not right on the street, or on a campus. Your pup will get plenty of attention. Later, when your pup is older, he may be ready for the wild afternoon antics that ensue with the ringing of the school release bell.

 

[Skylar]

There’s lots of stores that allow well behaved dogs to visit and they would welcome a puppy. Places like TJMax/Marshals/Home Goods, Nordstrom and Macy’s, Lowe’s and Home Depot and some clothing stores if they aren’t inside malls with no dog policies such as Talbots and LLBean etc. my local library and the post office and some other public spaces may also allow puppies. Ask ahead and let them know it’s a puppy. The stores you aren’t allowed are grocery stores and restaurants where food is being sold. However you could stand near a busy but sheltered entrance to a grocery store. Carry your puppy or keep it in a bag or dog stroller before it’s safely vaccinated.

Some dog training facilities have puppy socialization classes for very young puppies before they are fully vaccinated.

I never potty trained in winter but my dog doesn’t like snow getting trapped in her paws and she needs to sniff. When there’s a couple of inches or more of snow on the ground we shovel a “grassy knoll” and a path from the door.

 

[Poodlelvr]

Two of the five poodles I've owned have been winter babies. I gated off my kitchen and paper trained, later pee pad trained my dogs. I had no trouble switching to outdoors when warmer weather came. For socialization I signed up for puppy kindergarten. I didn't need help training my dog, but it was a great place for my pup to interact with dog lovers and their pups in a controlled environment. My dogs have been minis and toys who later learned to love snow.

 

[mary2e]

I got my toy in February and he was already pad and outdoor trained and he used both.

First I kept the pad in near the door to go outside, but then I decided to set up a bathroom in the garage. I purchased one of those plastic washing machine bottoms that catch water and put his pad in the middle of it. I also put bells on the door to the garage. It took about 2-3 days for him to get the message that he had to ring to get access to the bathroom.

He's not liking all this heat, so for the last couple of weeks he's barely gone outside unless it's early or late.

He still goes either in the garage or outdoors - where ever we take him.

 

[Seaside spoo]

Two of the five poodles I've owned have been winter babies. I gated off my kitchen and paper trained, later pee pad trained my dogs. I had no trouble switching to outdoors when warmer weather came. For socialization I signed up for puppy kindergarten. I didn't need help training my dog, but it was a great place for my pup to interact with dog lovers and their pups in a controlled environment. My dogs have been minis and toys who later learned to love snow.

This is so good to hear that there is hope! We live on Cape Cod so I assume we have similar weather. I would love to be able to use both pee pads and outside with the puppy in the Winter then switch to outside only when the weather warms up. My kitchen does not have a door to the back yard so people said it would be very difficult teaching the puppy to also go outside. I really appreciate the advice.

 

[Seaside spoo]

I got my toy in February and he was already pad and outdoor trained and he used both.

First I kept the pad in near the door to go outside, but then I decided to set up a bathroom in the garage. I purchased one of those plastic washing machine bottoms that catch water and put his pad in the middle of it. I also put bells on the door to the garage. It took about 2-3 days for him to get the message that he had to ring to get access to the bathroom.

He's not liking all this heat, so for the last couple of weeks he's barely gone outside unless it's early or late.

He still goes either in the garage or outdoors - where ever we take him.

I never thought of putting anything in the garage but that is a great idea. Was your toy still a young pup when you got it? I don't think I can begin to hope that a 10 week old toy would be slightly potty trained. It's good to hear that your dog is ok with using both though. Thanks

 

[Michigan Gal]

When I was a kid, back in the olden days, puppies were almost always paper trained. This was a great boon to apartment dwellers who might have trouble getting a puppy outside soon enough. They always transitioned to grass. When you gotta go,... you gotta go..

I haven't done this, but read about it. Cover a baby playpen with newspapers. Put the puppy in the playpen. He will choose to do his business in one corner and continue to use that corner. Once established, put newspaper only in the corner he uses. I don't know how many times he has to use the newspaper, but he will gravitate to it whenever he needs to potty. At that time you can put the newspaper on a washable floor.

You also bring a piece of newspaper with you to the spot you want him to use, usually beside a tree or bushes. Play with him and keep him near the spot until he is emptied. The newspaper piece then gets smaller and smaller and then you don't need it anymore.

I don't like having them go in the garage because I have had fosters who relieve themselves in my garage. They think cement is a potty. Granted, they were from questionable homes.

 

[mary2e]

I never thought of putting anything in the garage but that is a great idea. Was your toy still a young pup when you got it? I don't think I can begin to hope that a 10 week old toy would be slightly potty trained. It's good to hear that your dog is ok with using both though. Thanks

Actually, he was a bit over a year. He came to us from the breeder pad AND outdoor trained. We initially set up pads in the kitchen near the slider and also gated off the stairs so he could go on a pad outdoors. We trained him to ring a bell when he wanted to go out.

I then decided I was tired of cleaning up the floor and set up the "bathroom" in the garage.

I purchased one of those 36x36 washing machine bottoms that most people use to catch any drips their machine may make and put a pad in the center of it. This was to catch anything he might miss. We also put some inexpensive vinyl flooring under that, just in case he missed the container. Bells were put on the door to the garage.

It took about 2 days of ringing the bells when we took him to the garage for him to "get" it. It has worked beautifully. If we walk him outside or even let him into the backyard, he'll go there. If we don't let him out, he comes from where ever he is and rings the bells to go to the garage.

It has been so successful, we have the same setup at my dad's - since he's older and can't possibly walk him all the time if we leave him there.