I agree with Carolina Girl. Here's what we did in the middle of a cold November in Wisconsin.
Marci had been trained to use papers, and I just couldn't stand the thought of her going out in the wintry cold of Green Bay in November. But, I did talk to our trainer (almost on a daily basis), and she suggested that we start keeping the pee pee pad near the door that we wanted her to use. We let her use the pad for a day or two by the door, saying the words that we had agreed upon (pee pee or poo poo) when we saw her on the pad. We then moved the pad to just outside the door. When we saw her go toward the door (usually after a nap, snack or just coming out of her crate), we scooped her up, opened the door, placed her on the pad just outside the door, said the magic words, waited for her to do her business, then brought her back in-- praising her the whole time-- then gave her a treat. It only took a couple of days of this constant and consistent monitoring and behavior for her to get it. Did I mention that she was still less than 4 months old at the time. By the middle of December, all we had to do was open the door when she went to it, follow her outside, say those magic words-- instant reaction--, come inside and offer a treat. The quicker she went (especially in winter), the larger the treat once inside.
It's never to late to train--- as long as your behavior is just as consistent as what you want your little one's to be.
Pam |