JasperandAkira'smom 4 Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Are you walking her when you take her out? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sugar Daddy 35 Posted March 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 Just in the yard on the side of our home. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JasperandAkira'smom 4 Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 Mark try taking her for a walk around a block or two. Also when she does go try saying a key word while she is going like HURRY HURRY and this might help to let her know what you are wanting. How is she doing? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storyweaver 7 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Agreed with Nikki. It helps to walk them. You may also consider using a pet odor cleaner/remover (the one with enzymes) to clean out her crate. Even though the crate may look clean to you, she might still smell the odor from her own previous waste. Also when you take her out, try taking her to the same place where she had pottied before. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JasperandAkira'smom 4 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 How is it going Mark? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beau1124 2 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I agree with Nikki. A longer walk will help. Sometimes I have to be incredibly patient with Beau while he sniffs out "the perfect spot". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Seastar 44 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I get so impatient while they find the best spot. It's like they are prospecting for gold. I say, "Dang! It's just a place to poop!" But they ignore me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storyweaver 7 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Sometimes Theodore would sniff several areas. Then he would go back to the first area and potty there. I'm like: Why didn't you go there in the first place? But yes, sometimes they do take a looong time to find that spot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sugar Daddy 35 Posted March 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2012 No. Wife wants to get rid of her again. I believe we need to clean her cage better. I tried setting her cage on a wire mesh floor, whereas the elimination would fall through it to the floor, so she wouldn't lay in her elimination or worse, eat it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Luna 8,676 Posted March 11, 2012 Report Share Posted March 11, 2012 I am a big fan of coated wire floor grates, mostly because I am lazy at heart and hate cleaning out crates and cleaning up dogs! Each crate gets a pee pad under the grating and if there's an accident I just pull out the pee pad, spray and wipe down the crate and put another pad in. Result: clean puppy/dog and quickly-cleaned crate! It sounds to me as if your girl is just confused and doesn't understand exactly what you want from her. When potty-training, you have to be VERY consistent: set a schedule for going in-and-out of the crate and elimination. The second she "goes" (no matter how long it takes and if it's just a thimble-full) give her praise and your key phrase or word (at our house it''s "Good girl! XX goes potty outside!" with lots of loving). If caught going inside, puppy is scooped-up while saying, "NO! Bad XX!" and then carried to the appropriate place. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Yes, it's a lot of work. But our Tzu are worth every minute of it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luvmybabies 165 Posted March 12, 2012 Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 I'm thinking that you need to take a deep breath, sit back and really think about your behaviour. She must be so confused by now at all the ways you have tried that she doesn't know what you want by now. If you have a wire mesh floor then I would try Pam's method. If she does have an accident then you don't have to get so upset as it will fall through and she won't get dirty or eat it. You need to go to Walmart and get some puppy pee pads and then go to your pet store and get some stuff to eliminate the odour so she won't smell it in her crate and think it is okay to go there (ask pet store employees to help you select a good product). So start fresh with a method in mind and stick to it till you have success. Everyone is telling you to be consistent and that really is the key. You are not going to get success in a few days.....try a few weeks or you may have to do it a few months. Keep her crated until that day becomes a reality. Walking her really does help. You need to put together a plan. When you brought her home you must have realized that she would have to be housebroken. She deserves a good chance to figure it out. Be patient and it will happen. Another thing, you can't keep her crated 24/7.....give her breaks after she has been successful to play for a bit. If you are afraid to let her play inside then do it outside but keep her on a long line (purchase a very light nylon rope from your hardware store, maybe 50 feet or more and also ask them for a snap to put on each end so it is giant leash) so she does get exercise. Don't leave her unattended on this line though as any number or horrible things can happen. You could even use this line to give her more room to select the "perfect spot" where she wants to eliminate. Also, remember to use your words (I use pee, pee or poo, poo depending on what I want) so she will get to know what she is to do. Dogs do not come to you understanding English. When she finishes tell her what a good girl she is and pull out the treat you keep in your pocket for this moment and give it to her. Praise and reward!! Others have tried another method of tying the dog to your waist with a leash so she is always with you and you will get to know her signals of when she needs to go out. You could do this in the house after her bathroom break outside so you will know if she needs to go out again. Then rush her back outside so she has success. I know this sounds like a lot of work but she is worth it. I beg of you to take the time to train her properly as the shelters are full of dogs whose owners didn't know that dogs have to be housebroken. Please explain all this to your wife so she will understand your little dog too and realize the puppy is actually the same as a baby who is learning how to potty. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FuzzyPants 2 Posted March 12, 2012 Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 (edited) No. Wife wants to get rid of her again. Have you considered rehoming your wife? Kidding. Seriously, look up training vids on youtube (I like kikopup) and check out Ian Dunbar's site, dogstardaily.com, for help housebreaking your poor pup. Kikopup and dogstardaily helped me out a lot with various training issues. Edited March 12, 2012 by FuzzyPants Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sugar Daddy 35 Posted March 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 Thanks for the encouraging words. So you like the wire mesh? I actually took it off today, thinking it wasn't staying clean enough, and she was smelling it and eliminating. Today was a better day! It started out with prayer. I brought this up in my Sunday School class, and we felt if we asked God for help, he would be concerned about his animals! She has pooped and peed mostly outside today. I have tried to stick to a routine, but has been difficult when you have four people trying to repeat the same routine. I can tell you that it hasn't been happening. I'm not about to get rid of her, so don't be concerned about that. Should I put the wire mesh on the bottom of the crate again? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luvmybabies 165 Posted March 12, 2012 Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 If four people are tryng to housebreak her, stop that. You should be the one trainer. If you can't be there then have a fall back person to hand the task to. It works much better if one person does all the training till she has learned whatever behaviour you are training her for. Once she is thoroughly trained then others can let her out to do her business. As I stated before make a plan (using all the bits of advice from here and other sites people have directed you to) and once you have figured out what you need to do commence with your plan and stick to it till you have success. I'm really glad to hear that you have no intention of getting rid of her. Good luck in your training. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JasperandAkira'smom 4 Posted March 12, 2012 Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 I will be praying for your training also Mark. God does care about what we care about and He will help you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beau1124 2 Posted March 12, 2012 Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 I'm really glad to hear that you aren't going to get rid of her either! I can't improve on ANYTHING Joyce said. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ParadiseTzu 11,275 Posted March 12, 2012 Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 (edited) I just wanted to wish you the best of luck and Joyce said it very well. I can see that you care very much about your furbaby and I know housetraining is very difficult. I have always had outside dogs and thought there was no way I could do it. I actually got mine as a 12 week old puppy and thought "oh, what have I done". I have raised 3 kids and it took a long time with each of them so I went into the dog housebreaking thinking I would just do it the same way. Keep her close to me and take her frequently, thankfully it actually worked much better than potty training the kids did. It just takes lots of patience and dont worry too much about it while keeping at it. I also recommend you are the one that trains with a backup when you cant be there. Edited March 12, 2012 by ParadiseTzu Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Luna 8,676 Posted March 12, 2012 Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 This is what we have: http://www.cherrybrook.com/index.cfm/a/cat...est_Floor_Grids If the grating is smaller feces are likely to just get stuck in it, which makes it harder to clean. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NancyR 1 Posted March 13, 2012 Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 My baby is 12 weeks old and when I can't be watching her very closely, she hangs out in her pen. Below are two pictures. The "fence" is a fisher price child's play yard that I had laying around from my old daycare business. I put it in the kitchen as it is the warmest room in the house with tile floor. Her crate is inside the pen at one end and I keep a pee pad in the other. I also keep a pee pad in my foyer so that when we are in the living room in the evenings and I don't notice she needs to go, she runs over and uses the pad. I know her "pooping" schedule and she is very regular which makes it easier. She hasn't pooped in the house in several weeks! It's a pain, but I actually take her out every hour when I am home. She always runs out, squats and pees (whether anyting actually comes out, I don't know but she does the action). My kids think I'm crazy but it works. I don't have the issue with too many people wanting to help house break her ... my kids only take her out under death threats from me and well, my hubby has taken her out once in 5 weeks! I got her when she was 7 weeks old and at first she had no idea and was pottying anywhere she felt like it ... the kids dirty laundry on the floor, any rug she could find, the hardwood floors ... pretty much anywhere she shouldn't have gone. She quickly learned to use the pad. My ultimate goal is to have her using the great outdoors for her bathroom habits and we are well on our way. Yesterday she actually was sitting by the door barking that she wanted to go outside (twice!)! My biggest problem is that I'm gone about 7 hours during the day -- now at 12 weeks, she seems to use the pee pad only once during that time. Sometime in the near future I hope to breakdown the pen and have her in the crate during the day. I just feel bad that she won't be able to last the entire 7 hours without pottying. Keep trying and I do believe that consistency is key. Roxy has come along way in 5 weeks and I believe your baby will get the hang of it once she has a set schedule. When your daughter was small she was probably on a schedule ... puppies are the same (only easier!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sugar Daddy 35 Posted March 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 I agree w/ the one trainer. The problem with me is that I work 12 hour shift work, switching from days to nights. My wife drives a school bus, so there are times when it's up to my 13 yr old to take care of her. I'd like to think he his doing a good job, but if it interferes with his xbox, he's probably not watching the dog. She's getting better, and we're trying the bell at the door. She hasn't picked up the bell thing yet, but when she has had a poop accident, she has left it at the back door, where we take her out to potty. Is the wire floor recommended by y'all? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bearbearlove 0 Posted March 13, 2012 Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 (edited) I agree w/ the one trainer. The problem with me is that I work 12 hour shift work, switching from days to nights. My wife drives a school bus, so there are times when it's up to my 13 yr old to take care of her. I'd like to think he his doing a good job, but if it interferes with his xbox, he's probably not watching the dog. She's getting better, and we're trying the bell at the door. She hasn't picked up the bell thing yet, but when she has had a poop accident, she has left it at the back door, where we take her out to potty. Is the wire floor recommended by y'all? I wouldnt use a wire floor. I got my shihtzu from the shelter(no where near housebroken)and shes not a puppy so I had to start from the begining with her. I used almost the same thing as the person above did,a pen,crate and pee pads . And im still working on it cause everynow and then she will potty near the door ,but its getting better Edited March 13, 2012 by bearbearlove Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sugar Daddy 35 Posted March 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Fed her at 5:45am. Took her out at 6, 6:30, 7:00,7:45. Nothing. Poops in her crate at 7:55. This is frustrating. She is a stealth eliminator. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mel 251 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Fed her at 5:45am. Took her out at 6, 6:30, 7:00,7:45. Nothing. Poops in her crate at 7:55. This is frustrating. She is a stealth eliminator. All dogs are different. It took my dog Miracle almost a year to get potty trained. My other dog Buddy, about a month. He caught on really quick. I remember being at work and Miracle (around 12 weeks) pooped in his crate and my mom called me at work and asked could I come home and clean it up? I said mom I'll get him cleaned up when I get off. Once he pooped in his water dish (gross). I went to water bottles after that. It never upset me when he had accidents in his crate or on the floor. I just cleaned it up and went on. Now he was never allowed on the bed, sofa's etc so we never had an accident like that. Your pup will catch on. Don't give up. I'm sure she's a sweetie. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sugar Daddy 35 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 If she's meant to be, we're going to need lots of prayers. She just peed all over our microfiber couch. She's five months old and gives us no sign whatsoever that she needs to pottie! How in the world can you get a dog to tell you they need to go? This is very frustrating for us. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luvmybabies 165 Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Why was she on your couch? Almost everyone has told you to keep her crated or in a pen and take her out and straight back unless you feel you can trust her to be out to play a bit.....with you keeping an eagle eye on her! You have to build on her successes not her mistakes. As I said before it is like potty training a child only it is actually easier if you follow a plan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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