This is a specific conversation about Puppy training — the right tools from the start — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Moving house mid-toilet-training is one of the trickier situations to navigate — your puppy has learned a scent-based association with a spot that no longer exists, and now you need to build a brand new one from scratch in an unfamiliar garden. The good news is that 15 weeks is still very much within the prime learning window, so you're not fighting deeply ingrained habits. Before I point you toward anything, tell me a bit more: how long ago did you move, has your Sussex Spaniel been having accidents indoors at the new place, and do you have a specific outdoor spot in mind where you want them to go?
We moved about two weeks ago. She's been having quite a few accidents inside — she just seems confused about where she's supposed to go. I've picked a corner of the new garden but she just sniffs around and doesn't seem to connect it with toileting at all.
inparticular.ai
That confusion is completely normal — she's lost the scent cues she was relying on, and the new spot means nothing to her yet. Sussex Spaniels are sensitive, nose-driven dogs, so scent really is the shortcut here. The single most effective thing you can do right now is use an attractant spray on that chosen garden corner to give her a clear olfactory signal that says 'this is the toilet.' What I'd recommend is the NaturVet Potty Here Training Aid Spray — you spray it on the grass in your chosen spot before you take her out, and it mimics the scent that tells a dog another dog has toileted there. It cuts through the confusion and dramatically speeds up the process of building that new association. A couple of sprays on the patch, take her straight there on the lead, wait her out, and reward the moment she goes. Repeat consistently for a week and she'll start heading there herself. Are you currently keeping her on a lead when you take her outside, or letting her roam the garden freely?
I've been letting her roam freely, which probably isn't helping is it.
inparticular.ai
It's definitely working against you right now. When a puppy roams freely in a new garden, everything is interesting and the toilet urge gets distracted away — and then they come back inside and go on the floor because the moment has passed. Lead her on a short lead straight to the sprayed spot, stand still, give her a quiet chance to sniff and settle, and the moment she squats, mark it with a calm 'good girl' and a small treat. No lead-free garden time until after she's toileted — that freedom becomes the reward. Combine that with the NaturVet spray and you should see her start to click within about five to seven days. The spray is widely available on Amazon UK and isn't expensive — one bottle will easily last you through this reset period. Does she have a reasonably predictable schedule — after meals, after naps — that you're already working with, or is that a bit all over the place too?
Her schedule is fairly regular — after every meal and when she wakes up. I've just not been consistent about getting her straight outside because I assumed she'd signal first.
inparticular.ai
At 15 weeks, sussex spaniels especially won't signal reliably — they don't yet have the bladder awareness to know it's coming until it's almost too late. The schedule you described is perfect; you just need to act on it proactively rather than waiting for a sign. Pick her up or lead her out within two or three minutes of every meal and every wake-up, take her straight to the sprayed corner, and give her up to five minutes to go. If nothing happens, bring her back inside and keep a close eye on her for the next ten minutes. You've genuinely got everything in place — the right schedule, a chosen spot, and a willing puppy. The NaturVet spray is the missing piece to anchor the location for her nose. You'll be through this reset quickly.
That's really reassuring. I'll order the spray today and start the lead routine straightaway. Thank you.
inparticular.ai
You're in great shape — two weeks of confusion is nothing at her age and with a consistent routine behind you. Stick with the spray, the lead, and the proactive schedule for one week and I'd expect the accidents to drop off significantly. Good luck with the new house and with her — Sussex Spaniels are wonderful dogs once they settle.
