Morning Potty

[ccbloom 1]

Frankie's been doing pretty well for a 12 wk old with the potty training since we got him last week. We've had 2 pee accidents and 2 poop accidents, but that's pretty successful in my book for a new little guy. He's chosen one spot outside our door to use as his bathroom, right in a little area that's all mulch, and that's perfectly fine with me.

Our issue is morning potty. He holds it all night for about 6 hours in his crate (or at least I think he does since his bed isn't wet nor does it smell like pee), I take him out first thing and he doesn't go. He plops down on the ground and lays there, goes over to the door to scratch to go in, or he won't even follow me outside. Sometimes when I'm outside and I'm calling him to come out, he sits in the doorway and bats his paw at me, the little brat!

I show him his potty area, tell him to go potty...for at least 25 minutes...nothing! I've tried bringing him in to play for a few minutes and eat/drink and then taking him out 15 minutes later...nothing! He finally went an hour after waking this morning. He got up from my feet and started just running crazy around the house, so I knew that was a cue. I picked him up and brought him out and he pooped in his little area. No idea if he peed too, but he went right back to the door to go in. So either he did pee or doesn't have to because he's refused to go in if he wasn't done in the past.

I'm really, really trying to do the right thing with potty training. I was really young when I had gotten my last dog, and because my training wasn't the greatest, we dealt with potty issues for 13 years, and I'm NOT doing that again.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I work from home and I'm home a good deal of every day, so I have the time to train him properly...it's just patience that I need :)

[Seastar 44]

If he isn't leashed, try that. Leash him and walk him so he can find some interesting smells. Then give a tasty treat as soon as he pees.

[ccbloom 1]

Ah yes, the treat right after...didn't even think of that!!! Will also give the leash a try since it will be good practice because he really doesn't love it yet. Thanks for the suggestions :)

[Chloe'sMom 0]

Chloe has a bladder of steel.

Her breeder had her almost fully pad trained at 12 weeks, but we decided to take her outside because she was eating her poop.

The first day of potty training (with a crate) she did not pee for 15 hours and did not poop for 29 hours! I was scared, but the vet said she was fine. She is just stubborn and thought it was wrong to go outside.

Now, we give her a treat as she is going.

And, we play outside for about five minutes after. My last dog associated potty with being brought back inside. He would not go while we were out because he wanted to stay longer!! Then, as soon as we brought him in, he made piddle on the floor!

The other thing we are doing is using Poochie Bells! She has rung them once already, and we have only had them a week!

Good luck!

[ccbloom 1]

Chloe's Mom - That's great to hear! I feel like I'm making the poor little guy hold his pee because he doesn't know that it's ok to go outside or something.

This morning was more successful. He held his pee overnight in the crate for 6 hours and did a lot of pee outside just a couple minutes after we went out. I started "loading" the clicker yesterday and have started incorporating treats and a click with his pee, so hopefully things start being more consistent...or is that just wishful thinking? My biggest issue with my stubborn pug was that we'd take him out to pee, stand there or walk with him and he wouldn't go. As soon as we got back in the house, he'd flood the floor...and I am NOT going through that again.

[Seastar 44]

Pugs! Naughty naughty. The clicker and treats should work just fine. Best of luck.

[Chloe'sMom 0]

It is amazing how stubborn a puppy can be.

Clickers are great tools for training, and Shih Tzu can be pretty smart (although they act like goof balls). He should catch on pretty quick.

Best of Luck!