HELP! :)

[mistydawn_67 0]

Hello everyone! I recently (July 13) got a 1 year old neutered male Shih Tzu due a family needing to rehome for health reasons. They said he was potty trained etc...

Well...he is not. He will go outside when I take him, but never asks to go out to potty.

I am not at home during the day to take him at regular intervals. So....

I think I should crate train..however we are gone from home for up to 9 hours a day at this time. There is not anyone who can take him out after say an hour of training etc...(we both work in another town)

What is a good reccomended schedule to start crate training him? I can't take him to work. I don't want to have him crated at night because I am thinking he needs the time with us to bond and learn we are going to be his new family. At the end of August, it will be much better..I will only be gone all day on Tuesday and Thursday, but home in the afternoon Monday, Wed, Friday.

I am feeling overwhelmed!! I am giving him treats when he poops or pees outside for me, I don't scold very hard for going indoors...should I be?? So much to learn with him!

[mel 251]

No please don't scold him when he has accidents. Until you can get him on a regular schedule it is going to be hard potty training him & since you are away 9 hours of the day that kind of makes it harder. But when your new schedule starts, hopefully things will get better. Mine still have accidents at times. I just clean it up and go on. But then again I don't have carpeted floors.

[mistydawn_67 0]

So if I crate him..1) is he too old to start? and 2) should I start at maybe an hour in the morning and increase it as I can?