Should I train my dog to go Indoors

[maamaakrystal 3]

Alright, so our little shih tzu, Supernova, has been with us since late Nov and was a year in October. He's still having pottying issues. I've put him on a leash to keep him near at times and that works but when I let him roam more we get accidents. He'll do go for a couple days accident free and then have 1-2 accident/day including occasional poop. He also tends to be pretty consistent about limiting his accidents to the upstairs bathroom lately. He hasn't figured out how to tell me when he needs to go out (or I miss the signs).

My big question is should I or should I not train him to use potty pads and/or doggy litter box? One issue is that he does like to eat his poop. Another is that my hubby is not too keen on the idea although we already have 2 cats with litter boxes. My concern is not only that accidents are driving me crazy but I worry about what we will do if when we go out of town. We travel 4-5x/year either for a couple days or even up to 2 weeks (and our timeshare doesn't accept dogs as of now and sometimes we go overseas). We have a friend that will house sit but he works for a living and would be gone probably 8-10 hours/day (I'm home during the day and have yet to have left the dog more than 4 hours and I feel guilty when I do since I have to crate him). Right now we have to crate him when away and I'm not interested in doing that for like 2 weeks while we are on vacation.

Any opinions? Any experience?

Regards,

Krystal

[tzuhouse 4]

Krystal, I don't remember how old Nova is, but it does take a long time for them to be really reliable....many times upwards of a year even. I keep mine confined (well a VERY large area) and don't let them roam the house or I am apt to find an accident...so I "just don't go there". But puppies need time and consistency. I would say if you have started with outdoor training, then stick with it. Try to watch for the signs and don't give him too much space in which to have an accident. You might try the "poochie bells" on your door and EVERY time you take him out, take his paw and tap the bells and say "wanna go outside?"...he will eventually connect the need to go outside...tap the bells. It will NOT happen overnight, but most often, especially when you start them out young, they will get it.

Good luck and just be patient....as a puppy....when ya gotta go, ya just gotta go...so it is up to us to recognize that BEFORE they do....and eventually they will "get it".

[maamaakrystal 3]

He's just over a year. We got him from a family that didn't have time for him. They said he wasn't reliable with not going in the house but I got the impression that they didn't do much to train him. Also put bells on the doors but just jingle it as I go out with him. I'll have to try using his paw to jingle it.

Thanks.

Krystal