h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I hesitate to put this here because it seems so ridiculous, but it does seem to work. I got this advice from a man who had had dogs for more than 60 years, and he swore by it.

When housetraining pups he kept a very close eye on them so he could take them outside the minute they started sniffing around and behaving as if...hummm, how to put this... they needed to lighten their load. When he couldn't watch them he kept them in a box so they wouldn't have an unforseen accident, as they will avoid messing up a confined space.

He fed the pups on a regular schedule and always took them outside immediately after. He waited til they took care of business before they went inside again. The absurd part was that if they didn't cooperate after a while, he would take a matchstick and insert it partially into their rectums to stimulate the bowel movement. (I know, might be better to use something else. Maybe the end of a Q-tip?) Anyway, his pups were always very quickly trained to need to go out after meals, and he almost never had accidents to clean up.

I don't believe this ever harmed the pups, though I could be mistaken. Just passing it along, for what it's worth.

This makes perfect sense. When the female dog is still breast feeding the pups in a litter, she stimulates them to expel by licking the area. I'm sure this stimulation probably recalls mom's tender loving care.

Might be difficult to explain to nosy neighbors, though.

i agree with your assessment of the matchstick-as-projectile, but the overall rationale reminds me of infant animal care when i volunteered in wildlife rehab: many mammal mothers use their tongues to stimulate defecation in their young, so when we cared for orphaned ones, a warm, moist washcloth or cotton swab soaked in hot water-- depending on the size of the infant-- was gently wiped (fore to aft)along the urethra/anus area. all i know is, i'd rather be treated to a gentle spongebath than get poked in the butt with a stick, and the golden rule applies to puppies, too.