 Trying something new for Mandi
When she was going in her crate-she didn't have any water in there with her. I of course, let her drink when she was out and would also let her outside to go before putting her back in there but sometimes (actually most of the time) she still would not be able to hold it for 4 hours.
I am trying something new now... I read on a site about giving them a place to go and not offering any other choice than going in the appropriate spot. I purchased a wire crate that is too big for her. It is probably about the size that one would buy for maybe a beagle or cocker spaniel or something that size. I think it said for a dog up to 30 pounds on the box. It came with a divider. I bent the divider in half and attached it in the crate leaving a small area in the back of the crate, a little larger area in the front of the crate. She can walk around the divider to get into the back area of the crate. In the back area I put a pee pad. In the front area I put some easily washed bedding. The reason I put the divider up is so she is less likely to just run around on the pee pad. She has to purposely walk around the divider to get back there to use the pad. I hope it will become obvious to her and not just me that the back area is the potty. So far today she has used the pad to pee on in the back of the crate and in the front she is laying. I put some water in the front area by her and her toys. I plan on feeding her in the front area. It is sorta like a small play den for her I suppose. She has enough room to move around a bit and a place to potty. The only problem that I can see is that she walks on the pee when she goes back in the back of the crate where the pee pad is and I don't want her to start getting stinky from the pee on her hair. Wow this is harder than training my kids!! |