Housetraining Class Sat at 3pm
 

I had posted this in the General Page but I think should have potsed here:


Gia has been very very difficult to house train, things were going well for the first couple of days but in the past week things have gotten out of hand. Things were working out pretty good the first few days until I had to end up taking her to the vet for her constipation (then the real Gia came out). I'm trying to train her on wee wee pads, I have the bottom of the closet cleared out and I have lined it with wee wee pads. She refuses to go there I also have a baby gate in front of my door so she can't leave the room. The closet door is always open for her to go in and out but she still insist on using potty everywhere else. I brought that potty training spray but it doesn't seem to work. I take her back to the potty area every hour or so to remind her. She has pooped in my bed, she pooped in my Mom's bed twice. I don't know what to do, I have moved the baby gate from in front of the door and put it in front of the closet while she's in the closet but she'll just cry cry cry. At night she'll sleep on her bed for a little while but in the middle of the night she'll wake up and cry cry cry,( that's how she ended up pooping on the bed because she can't get down by herself yet).I've also been cleaning up the stains with vinegar & water to take the scent out.


Anyway I'm thinking about signing Gia up for dog training classes (they come in house). Given that Gia has only been here 9 days I can understand if she has a mistake here & there but not all the time.

UPDATE.........Right now I have the entire bedroom lined with wee wee pads I think I have about 15 out right now just so she won't make a mistake on the floor. The trainer is coming Sat at 3pm for an hour, he's supposed to start the process of potty training and to give us some tips because obviously we're doing something wrong (BIG TIME). he's charging 60.00 for an hour (I know it's a lot) but we have to do something I don't want my husband make me give her away

$60 is a lot, but I think that's avg. for when they come to your house. We found one that is $70/hr, but we really don't need anyone to come to the house so we passed on it.

After you catch her pottying somewhere are you taking her to the pads? I feel bad for you, I would be soo fustrated! Good luck w/ this!

Like today I sat on the floor with her and every time I saw her squat and try to pee I would stop her and pick her up and put her on the wee wee pad. We went though this for about 3 hours (I kid you not) she became so stubborn that she would just sit on the wee wee pad and fall asleep for about 20 mins, then when she would wake up the same exact thing would happen all over again.

What if you try to train her outside? Maybe the pads just aren't for her:confused:

Also, I'm sure your already doing this, but incase not, have you been rewarding her when she does go on the pad? If you are, then I feel for you, like I said I would get too fustrated. Potty Training is difficult!

OK if you've only had Gia 9 days, then she is going to have many many mistakes. Yes all the time. Puppies don't automatically know where to go! They know they have to go about 10 seconds before it comes out. You're expecting too much. She needs to learn what to do.

Why do you have the bedroom lined with pads? Can't you confine her to somewhere with tile? Or better yet, try crate training? If you do it properly she will at least hold it (most of the time) until you let her out and carry her to the proper potty spot. At first that will be every 15 mins, then every 20, 30, 45 mins, etc. as she gets older.

What do you ultimately expect? Do you want a pee-pad trained dog or an outside trained dog?

DO NOT put her on the bed. If she can't get down and she has to go, she is going to go! Why should she hold it? She was crying to tell you she needed to go. If a little kid says "Mom I have to potty" and you don't take them to the bathroom, they will mess their pants. She CAN'T hold it. You need to take her out AT LEAST once, if not twice, in the middle of the night.

Training is a good idea because the trainer can set up a plan for you and make sure you are doing the right things. Be careful and make sure they are a positive trainer. Stay away from anyone who wants you to do a leash correction or alpha roll your dog. Look for someone who rewards good behavior with treats and ignores bad behavior. Beware that anyone can say they are a trainer. Good ones are out there but you have to be careful!

Here's 2 good books to read in the mean time. Check to see if your library has them. Power of Positive Dog Dog Training Positive Perspectives

Good post! I compeltly forgot about crate training, but yeah the pup should be kept in the crate at night. It will also help her learn to hold it longer.

She's not going to get it in 3 hours. More like 3 months. Calm down and take your time with this. She probably didn't understand what you wanted and was bored, so she fell asleep. Are you rewarding her when she does go on the pad? Is she food motivated? Loki will do anything for a treat. Last week I taught him to "wave". He probably thinks it's the stupidest thing in the whole world but he's thinking, "OK if I hold up my paw like this she gives me chicken. Whatever." So he does it.

The vet told me not to let her touch the ground outside until she has all of her shots because she will be prone to pick something up from other dogs walking in the same area. I live an apt so I don't have a backyard to train her in. Every time she goes I give her vanilla dog ice creme which she loves & goes crazy over.

Thanks Erin for the post, I ultimately want her pad trained because it can get pretty cold up her in the winter plus I can't put her on the ground outside just yet not until she has all of her shoots. We tried the crate training but she will cry at the top of her lungs and believe me Gia has lungs. The other night we put her in there she cried for about 45 mins I took her out because I couldn't take anymore. I love her so much and I don't want to give her up
The trainer that's coming was referred to me by my girlfriend and her dog is like a genius, so hopefully we can make some progress. I'll try to crate train her for the reminder of the week

Has the dog ever been crated? Of course their not going to like it, but they get used to it. My boxer hated the crate when he was a younger puppy (he's 3yrs old now but he's still my puppy :p ) but now he tolerates it. He's fine in there, occasionally he'll whine. He knows when it's time to go in there, and when he goes in there hes quiet. At first though it was whining nonstop. You just have to ignore it until they learn to tolerate it.

Our apt is fully carpeted even the bathroom ,the only room that doesn't have carpet is the kitchen but it's to small for her to use that as the bathroom.

I'll try this tonight now I usually but her to sleep around 10 how often should I take her out of the crate? And when I take her out should I put her on the wee wee pad right away? Now if she gets stubborn and not want to go on the wee wee pad do I put her back in the crate?

I would try leaving her in the crate during the day, maybe first try like 30 mins, then an hour, just keep gradually making it a longer timespan. Also, before you go to bed make sure to let her out, and first thing when you wake up.

You should maybe start with putting her in the crate for 5 minutes. And stay near the crate so she can see you. Then after 5 minutes, take her out of the crate and give her a little treat. In a while, try again, this time leaving her in for 10 minutes, still staying near the crate. When that time is up, give her a treat. Repeat these same steps until she is in the crate for about 30 minutes. Then when you finish that set, do the same thing again but this time you don't stay near the crate.

I read that in a book that discussed crate training.

Very true. And make sure that you don't take her out when she's whining. Wait for her to stop for a few seconds. Soon you will learn the difference between "MOM I HAVE TO POTTY" and "DON'T LEAVE ME HERE" Loki did the same thing at first and now I just have to say "Crate" and he BOLTS to his crate and sits there and waits for his treat. Then he curls up and takes a nap. He also chews his Kongs in there. It's his little safe spot. He will go there when we have company or when he is tired. I even got him a little mattress and crate cover for it. Not until after he was fully crate trained though. He goes in there when we are not home or when he needs to be safe, like if we are cooking or mopping the floors or something.

It also helps to have a wire crate, not a plastic once. They can see out of the wire ones and don't feel so isolated. Also make sure it's not too big. Place a box or divider in the back of it. If you need to set a timer, do so. First let her out every 20 mins for a few weeks. Then every 30 mins as you see she can hold it longer. We got stuck at 30 mins for at least a month. Then by about 6 months old Loki could hold it about 2 hours. By 8 months he could go 4 hours. Now we don't typically leave him longer than 5 or 6, but I think he could go 8 hours in his crate if needed. Now, when he's NOT in his crate he asks to go out every 1-2 hours. So crate training is completely different than housetraining, but they complement one another. The crate training comes first.

Help Me Too! Please
 

OK I just ordered both books. I hope they come in before the van from the mental institution comes to get me. I've got the puppy pad about 3 feet in front of Little Bit's crate. When I take her out of the crate. I sit down on the floor, put her on the paper and she crawls up in my lap (sooo sweet), I put her back on the paper and she crawls back in my lap. This goes on forever until my attention wanders just a bit and she runs over & pees right in front of the chair where my husband sits (he's at work so its just an empty chair) I pick her up put her on the paper and then put her back in her crate. I can't give her a treat because she hasn't gone on the paper. Should I just put a pad right in front of my husband's chair with his feet in the middle of it when he's home? She loves her pads, she will take her food there & eat it, pile all her toys up on it & just generally make herself at home. The only thing she won't do on it is pee. Please help.

I know it's frustrating, but I think that Gia is so young, that maybe you might be expecting too much. Keep praising her and giving treats when she uses the pad (or goes outside) and she will catch on. Are you taking her out in the middle of the night? She may be crying to let you know she has to go. If she's on the bed and can't get down, she's probably crying because she has to go.

Best of luck to you.

I believe you are expecting too much too soon. Since your entire apt is carpeted, how about getting an x pen and putting a tarp under it. Put her food and bed and a pee pad in it.

Not sure what the trainer is going to accomplish in an hour, she may not even have to potty in the hour that he is there. House training takes many many many months. It is usually a gradual thing, does not happen in an hour or a day or a week or a month.

I'd call and cancel the trainer and spend my money on an x pen.

She has no clue what you want her to do on the pad. if she doesn't go within 2 to 3 minutes then let it go for another 10 and try again. You can even leash her to you so she cannot wander off.

Anytime you are not able to give her 100% of yhour attention, she should be confined to a small area like an x pen or a crate. I personally do not like crates except at night, but a lot of people swear by them.

Are you introducing a go potty command? We use 'go toilet',but it can be anything-a friend uses' quickly'. Say it whenever you want her to go and praise,praise!
It takes many months to toilet train! My pup is 9 months and pretty good -unless its raining! But we still find the odd 'present'. Persevere..the x-pen was our item of choice for when I couldn't watch her.It was in the kitchen,so she didn't feel isolated,but I have a large kitchen.The tarp. in the x-pen with a pad,sounds like a good idea. Good luck.

We trained Baby Blessing to use the pee pads. When we first got her we placed the pee pad at one end of her porta crib, her blankie and water at the other end, we would always take her out after she ate or drank cause she would usely do her jobs then and there on the pee pad, then at first it was short play time, gradually increasing the time she could be out and about and at the same time we confined her to a small area while I was there and then put her back in the crib, this was on going for awhile but she learnt to use the pads. I gradually let her have a bit more freedom by allowing a larger area for her to be out. She does great, I have one pee pad at the end of the living room and one at the other end of the house so she knows they are there and will run to them. I guess I must admit that we are the ones doing great cause we still really keep a close eye on her where abouts as she is still quite young. Very interesting with her, she is everywhere through out the house but never gets on the furniture, we put her in bed with us but she won't jump off, she just never learned too and she always turns around for us to pick her up and put her down. I am kinda glad cause I worried many a times with Cassie that she would get hurt she would fly off the top of the sofa :( we held our breath many a time. in my opinion I really don't think it is a good idea to put the pads all over the area as you mentioned that you are doing. Also praise is so important, they love to be praised when they go potty or whatever they have done that is pleasing to you.Your baby will learn, it takes a lot of patience and yes a lot of time in training them. How old is your little one? I would love to train ours to go outdoors but we live in the mountains and even though we have a beautiful lawn the wild rabbits love it too :( however this is working out fine for us. Baby Blessing is so funny though she has now decided when she uses her pee pad in the crib, she folds it up like as if say, gone and done it so get this out of here. She sometimes even runs to her crib and barks to use the pad, she just turned ten months today. I know you are going to enjoy your baby so much just keep working with her, you have many wonderful times ahead together. I find myself now sometimes spelling to hubby when I don't want her to know what I am saying, LOL. Gee, does anyone else do that? LOL.
Patti and Jack and Baby Blessing

Thank You guys for all the wonderful support, the trainer came on Wednesday and he basically developed a schedule for us to be able to pinpoint when she has to go potty. Gia now eats three times a day rather than leaving her food out all day (8:30 -8:20, 12:30-1:00, 5:30-6:00) with this schedule we can now know within about an hour after she eats she going to have to go so now we know o take her to her potty area. At night we put her to sleep at 10 so her last potty time is at 9:30 we put her in her potty area for 30 minutes just so she has the opportunity to go before the night. Once we put her in her crate she usually sleeps during the night and wakes up around 7am to use the potty. things are going better but Ms.Gia is still stubborn she'll hold it while we have her in her potty area and then will wait until we take her out because she doesn't want to go but then soon as she's out then will go on the carpet. She pooped on my mom's bed again this morning I guess I took her out of her potty area too soon. Hopefully we'll see changes soon. I know I'm expecting a lot of her, but I think Gia kind of knows where she's supposed to go she just doesn't want to go there. the trainer explained to me that yorkies are very stubborn and sometimes you have to show them who's the boss (not by hitting or yelling) but by constant reassurance,disiciple, and crate training. He said when she goes potty in the wrong place to put her in her carte for about 5 minutes while I clean up the mess & talk to her tell her where she's supposed to go & not sound happy (but don't yell). What do you guys think? Was he worth the 60 bucks?

They say that when they smell around before going potty, is that they are looking for a spot they have gone potty before.

So, yes I would put a wee wee pad on all her favorite potty spots.

Also, you can try dabbing some of her pee on a wee wee pad, so she can sell her pee there and pee there again.

My Buffy will not pee on a pad that has more then 2 pees on it already..lol

If all fails, she can come and pee in my house all she wants. Just PM Me!...LOL;)