Doggie Doors - Bells & Crates...

[Apeke 4]

Ok...

so....

Now, I have successfully trained (and with little effort I might add) my two Pekes to potty outdoors, using the leash...

and had NO PROBS teaching them to use the Doggie Door after it got installed when we lived back in Arkasnas....

Then comes the Shih Tzu....

I have tried to doggie door train her.....NO!

I have tried leaving the dag gum door wide open for her to go out it at will.....NO!

I have tried penning her in a very small confined area......NO!

I am at my wits end.

My husband told her he hated her tonight...because she AGAIN peed on the floor in front of the bathroom door.

(hubby has a bad habit of not using his brain before his mouth)...

That broke my heart to hear those UGLY words....

However, I can relate to his frustration over this entire thing.

I hear SOOOOOO MANY different opinions and points of view, but ya'll, I am afraid if I keep trying so many different techniques,

it's gonna confuse the dog snot out of Suzie and I will never train her.

Sooooo...

What is the most COMMON - BEST USED - SUCCESSFUL method to date....?

The dog door?

The Potty Pad? <~~~ which I'm starting to lean towards trying, as she seems to like going indoors better than out

The Bells?

The Crate?

The Leash?

She does good a lot of the time when I am at work and come home to let her out.

However, there are also a lot of times when we go out..., she stands there...stares me down, comes back in and goes!

How long, if I confine train her, do I have to keep her penned up?

Like KC mentioned about Payslee...Suzie will potty..then I think, 'Oh Ok...Well she done her deed"

So, I will reward (after her treat of course) her by allowing her to be in the room with us and just simply be part of the family.

I am really growing increasingly worried ya'll that my hubby may end up making me give her up if this keeps up.

I can't lose her...

OMG..

It would kill me.

Shih Tzu's are darling babies, but if they are this hard to train and so stubborn, why do people prefer them?

I love my Suzie Boo to death, please don't get me wrong..

I am in love with her..

But my world has been turned upside down since she arrived and I am at my wits end.

She won't go outside if it's raining..God Forbid..

She won't go outside if there's dew on the grass..God Forbid..

She won't go outside if the fricggin' sun is shinning..God Forbid..

Now let it snow?

She'll spend all day in it and even poop on the white mound...GAWD!

[Tzu and Me 0]

I really feel for you sweety!

Sorry but I can't help tho. Just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you and I hope you can get her "sorted" out soon!

I think you need a hug or 2

:pray:

[little paws 0]

Dont give up,maybe she can since your and your husbands stress. They are stubborn and have a strong will, mine are trained to go outside, they have a doggie doorMy young one is 9 months and Im going threw some of what you been threw.

just dont give in I have stayed outside one hour waiting for her to do her thing, then i praise herand give her a treat, she is getting lots better, my two year old trained my easier, my chin was very quick to learn;

I have had differant toy breeds threw the years, and tzus are so human like they are wonderful, they sat in my lap and watch tv, with me and hubby, they seem to know everything im talking about.

Your baby is so beauitful, my 9 month old is black also. my 2 years old is white and gold.

she sleeps next to me sometimes on me, she lets me know when its time to eat and sleep.

maybe stick to one way of training,

they can be very smart they learn to play you, but maybe she can feel your husband anger towards her.

i m sorry this is long, I just know the love i feel for mine and i couldnt bare the thought of not having them, but my hubby loves them very much, please if you have to call a dog trainer for help,

I work at petsmart and our dog trainer is great, there is help out there, sandy

[FairyTail Josette 14]

Have a consistent plan of action. Consistency equals reliability. I think I would stay away from potty pads and take her outside to the same spot each time...after meals, naps, play sessions. Start a log of input (food/water) and output (pee/poo). This will give you a clearer picture of when she needs to go. When she goes outside, repeat your command as she's going. Eventually, she will go on command. No playtime, til she's went. If she doesn't go in 10 minutes, pick her up, go inside, confine or put her on a leash to trail you. Go out in another hour.

The training crate is most popular. She has to be confined or right with you at all times during this period. Start with a crate gradually. Toss some treats in there....then, feed her in there...the doors open....then, build up to shutting the door for a few minutes and working your way up in time. So, by the time you actually leave the house, she's used to it and not scared or feeling punished.

If she completely freaks out in the crate, confine her in a small area. Free run of the house is the biggest mistake right now.

Make sure all the odors are cleaned out of the carpet with an enzyme odor neutralizer, so she isn't drawn back to the same spots to go.

Vicki, many Maltese, Poodles, Yorkies, and Bichons are hard to train, too. Some take longer than others. I know when we work outside the home, it's a lot more challenging to get them into a routine, but, it can be done. I think you may have to sit your hubby down and have a heart to heart talk with him. He really needs to be on board too, as you need his help while you're at work and he's home alone with her. Maybe, if he sees her important this is to you, he'll become more involved.

Good luck! Hey Suzie.....come on over....you're signing up for.....POTTY BOOT CAMP.

[kcsheperd 13]

I'm with ya sister! Pandora took FOREVER to train..she came from the pound when she wsa 9 months old and she just used my house as her toilet..The ONE thing that made the biggest difference for her and potty training was Walking everyday.. I know it sounds crazy, but I almost think she was peeing out of irritation of me not being there with her, and out of BOREDOM..So when we started walking everyday, and rollerblading it was like she was too tired to put fourth the effor of peeing in my house! She pee'd so many times on the walk, and was just SPENT by the time we got home. So now, even though its freezing balls here we still go out everyday and walk..Rally loves it, and so does Payslee..it doesn't stop her from peeing on my bed..YET..but I'm hopeful it will help me with the times I am Not around..

Hang in there.. Suzie is a cherub, and the reason we love shih-tzu's is because they make us laugh..Like the camera thing you were talking about, most dogs don't do stuff like that..but they are clowns! I read in a book one time that our dogs will learn what makes us laugh (like Payslee carrying around her own bowl) and they will do it more because they know it makes us happy! She'll get it..Remember I think she h& Payslee, and my Pandora were sent here to teach us

P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E.. lol

[Seastar 44]

We are all crazy people! Our little dogs act like 2 year olds--won't potty right, either eat everything in sight or are picky as heck, love the taste of poop, booby trap our houses with piles and puddles, have issues with eyes, ears, livers, teeth, insist on sleeping in the bed with us and hog the best spots.

And we are totally sold on this as the sweetest, cutest, best breed on the planet. WE ARE ALL NUTS! :D

[steph 0]

Sorry you are having so much problems. I use to put puppy diapers on the girls and keep a good eye on them. Take her out if she looks like she is getting ready to go. I also use puppy pads. They potty mainly outside. Also I use confinement as a tool to potty training. I have had sucess with all 4. Good luck to you. HTH.

[Stacey 7]

How long, if I confine train her, do I have to keep her penned up?

Until she learns to go outside.... she wont hold it forever regardless

Put her in her crate for sleeps even if you have to, then get up take her out, she no pee put her in her crate, feed her in her crate, 30 mins later, take her out again, she no pee, put her in her crate, try again 30 mins after, they no pee put her in her crate and USE THE DIVIDER! This way she has less chance of pee/poo on herself.

The only time she gets to run loose in the house for a bit is if she successfully potties outside.

IT MAY SEEM HARSH (dont give in to her eyes and let her by with anything), AND IT PROBABLY IS BUT IF YOU DONT DO IT NOW YOU'LL NEVER NIP THIS IN THE BUD.

And no not all tzu's are stubborn and not all tzu are hard to train. But you must not give not an inch, Remember you are the pack leader you must tell them where to go.

She must also learn to go in the rain, the dew and anything else that might come along. You'll end up wet, soaked, frustrated from having to stand there like a damn idiot but you need to do this now.

This also means taking her out on a lead and walking her to make her go. No doggy door, no just send her out by herself, you stand there with her until she goes. And after 15 mins she dont go, bring her back in put her in the crate and do it again in 30 mins.

Oh yeah buy treats that she dearly loves and begs for but only give them to her when she does go and have a big damn party when she does do it. She will catch on, I PROMISE!

And if she dont, bring her to me, ill potty train her.

Edited January 21, 2009 by Stacey

[Tearstone 0]

Don't let your fuzzy get free reign of the house. I've been putting Izzy through a puppy boot camp, where she is either in the crate or she is contained on a tile floor with a baby gate in the laundry room/bar area of the house. We haven't had any accidents since the first day. For the time being, she's going to have to deal with living like a gerbil or guinea pig. Anytime I take her out I hold her the whole time or put her back in the baby gated area.

The hardest part is all the barking and whining. It tears your heart out but you just have to apply some tough love.

I will say from a man's point of view, at the point he's saying he "hates" something, he's not too far off for resenting you for not having more control over a dog that he's already done with.

Edited January 21, 2009 by Tearstone

[Apeke 4]

Don't let your fuzzy get free reign of the house. I've been putting Izzy through a puppy boot camp, where she is either in the crate or she is contained on a tile floor with a baby gate in the laundry room/bar area of the house. We haven't had any accidents since the first day. For the time being, she's going to have to deal with living like a gerbil or guinea pig. Anytime I take her out I hold her the whole time or put her back in the baby gated area.

The hardest part is all the barking and whining. It tears your heart out but you just have to apply some tough love.

I will say from a man's point of view, at the point he's saying he "hates" something, he's not too far off for resenting you for not having more control over a dog that he's already done with.

I understand what your saying here...but my hubby is no less at fault in this than I am to take such an attitude against me or Suzie..

He is alone with her from 3PM until 9PM while I am at work, Thursday through Monday. I have Tues. and Wed. off currently while on light duty due to an injury to my shoulder.

And I try to stress to him that he needs to follow htrough with her while I'm away. I have busted my hump to try and get Suzie on a feeding schedule and stay on top of her potty habits, etc...but when he lacks to follow through on his end while I am not here, he has only himself to blame in that area.

Many a nights I have come home to her wandering around the house, un attentended and he's all wrapped up on the PC not paying a bit of attention to her.

I ask him, when she ate..."4 hours ago" - Did she go potty? "I DUNNO" Hello? What do you mean you don't know..didn't you take her out?

He opens the back door and lets her out then disappears and leaves the door open.

I stand on the porch and encourage her by repeating to her..'Go Potty Suzie..hurry up..Go Potty..Hurry Up'

I just wish he'd back me up and help me on this more.

To have the audacity to act towards her pottying in the house the way he does.

I get frustrated with her yea, but not for lack of effort working with her...

I am basically the only trying here...

Edited January 21, 2009 by Apeke

[kcsheperd 13]

See.. thats why I'm not married! J/J.. Men want things to happen instantly.. and they usually don't. He loves her..but its funny because my dad is the same way he will wait till my mom comes home and say "Junior pooped in the living room".. she says "Ok".. he says, "Well aren't you going to clean it up?"...WHAT! YOU GO CLEAN IT UP! He's your dog too! Its just funny, because when they are being all sweet and good they claim them..and then when they are naughty and peeing..they are like, "You wanna know what your dog did?".. hahaha!

[Stacey 7]

then tell him about it, tell him well i try and try but I GET SET BACK BECAUSE YOU DONT FOLLOW THRU WHEN IM GONE!

So when you get set back thats that much more tme and effor that takes to properly do it.

If he isnt gonna be consisitent then tell him she will never beeeee potty trained!

All partys must play a key part when you have working folk in the house!

MEN, they set me off sometimes....

[Apeke 4]

then tell him about it, tell him well i try and try but I GET SET BACK BECAUSE YOU DONT FOLLOW THRU WHEN IM GONE!

So when you get set back thats that much more tme and effor that takes to properly do it.

If he isnt gonna be consisitent then tell him she will never beeeee potty trained!

All partys must play a key part when you have working folk in the house!

MEN, they set me off sometimes....

I have....

He apologizes, says he'll start helping out..then he lets his words fade like his farts... :P

[My2Cuties 0]

I have had 3 Shih tzus and they have all been super easy to potty train. I dont believe that its the breed. My first Shih Tzu was my husbands family dog, his mom said that she learned quickly to go out. But i really do believe they are all individuals and some just train quicker then others.

Dixie learned to go outside within the first 2 weeks of having her at the age of 12 wks. but she still had accidents once in a while for the first year.

Molly i trained to go on the pee pads because its winter here and just to cold right now to train her to go outside imo. She learned within the first couple of days to go on the pad at 8 weeks old but she still once in a while has an accident. I have wood and tile floors. I had to remove all of my rugs because i think she was confusing them as a pad. So far she is doing really well i would say 95% of the time.

I only work 3 days a week so i think that by me being home with Molly and constantly reinforcing her is a big factor.

Have you thought of maybe trying the doggy diapers for when she is out with you during family time? That way if she has an accident, its not on your carpet.

I agree with Stacey, you both have to be consistent in whatever training technique you use. Otherwise it will confuse her on whats to be expected of her.

Poor Suzie, :P

Edited January 21, 2009 by Tammyblue

[MaryBebo 3]

You know I am sitting here and something came to mind. I have kids & grand's as some of you do too. Now my son was easy to potty train but my DD she was trying..... But She did get it but it took alot longer than just a few months it took a yr before she could sleep at night without pull ups. She would kill me if she knew I was talking about this...lol. But where I am going with this is we think these little pups are suppose to get it in just a few weeks if not days. Cricket will be 6 mo on the 22nd and she is doing really well. She does have some mishaps but it is usually me not paying attention. Now our kids CAN talk & tell us in words that we understand, but our pups are sending signals in their own way. I gotta say I think alot of them really learn fast but it's in months old and not 3 yrs old as our kids are So we don't give up on our kids and we shouldn't give up on our pups and just not stress so much and they might get it if we lighten up on them.