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Question

Please help! Our 13-week-old Dachshund uses the doggy door and heads outside for her toilet breaks perfectly well when we're at home but the moment we leave, she goes to the toilet inside. Why is she doing this? Our other dog is perfectly trained.
— Sue

Answer

For her to seemingly turn her back on all that she's learnt and do her business inside could easily drive you insane; but for two important factors here. First of all, she is still young. Most dogs don't really get the hang of toilet training until they're much older than 13 weeks of age. Secondly, it sounds to me like there's a reason for her hit and miss approach. And that reason just happens to be you.

You seem to be her "trigger" to get it right. But when you're not there she seems to lose her focus and be content to do her business wherever the urge hits her. So you need to try to retrain her without such a hands-on approach.

Knowing that she'll want to go to the toilet after meals and big sleeps, try and leave the room at these times and reappear only every couple of minutes. This training "from a distance" lets her know that unlike you, toilet training isn't something that comes and goes.

Rewards (like pats and treats) when she does get it right re-enforce the correct behaviour. Putting on a radio (preferably on a talkback station) also allows her to hear human voices and not feel so alone. Something that’s important at this early age.