We have a chihuahua that we got at 12 weeks of age, we have had her for about 3 months. In the beginning she did very well potty training, going outside & then on a pad if she was inside. the last few weeks however she will go outside but then when you bring her in she is going inside within 5-10 minutes of coming in (sometimes on a pad sometimes not) I know she has a small bladder (she is less than 2lbs & wont be much bigger) but I dont understand why she is going almost immediately after coming inside! & it wouldnt be so bad if she were always using a pad but shes not (even though I keep a clean one out, if I see that it has been soiled I change it)
we use treats for when she is good & goes outside, but I just dont know what to do about this, I need to nip it in the bud before it gets worse I'm just not sure how,
we do take her out regularly when she wakes, after she eats & about every 2 hours in between. but she will still come inside & go or try to go on the carpet!
#1 - If you are training her to go outside, stop trying to train her to go on a pad inside. That is confusing. As for going as soon as she comes in, maybe she needs to be crated so she won't do that. And, once they go inside they will keep trying to go there until the smell is completely gone. It takes consistency and a lot of time with a puppy.
Something that we have done with our dogs to go along with all the other posters, is to take her outside and tell her something like "go potty". Our dog has become so accustomed to hearing that when he goes out that he sometimes can't go unless we tell him. That way she knows what she is out there doing. I agree too, get rid of the pads. You don't want her going in the house, it is too confusing. The crates work well too. They don't like having to do their business in the areas in which they sleep. She needs the redirections now, otherwise it will be harder as she gets older.
You need to get rid of the pad in the house altogether now that you are taking her outside. You're sending mixed messages. Get some heavy duty cleaner and wash the floors to get rid of any scent of pee that may have imbeded into the floors. Shampoo carpets if necessary. They go where they smell it.
When you take her outside, designate a specific potty spot. You can buy a special chemical and put it on a rag in the place where you want her to go all the time, and take her there and wait until you see her do her business. DO NOT bring her back into the house until you see her do all of her business outside in her special spot.
Last, but not least, for the quickest results in potty training, use the "crate" method. If you aren't familiar with house breaking and training using a dog crate I highly suggest getting a book on the subject and read up fast and soon! She's getting up there in age and the bad habits will start to become the norm sooner than you can blink an eye.
If you don't use a crate, invest in baby gates to keep puppy off of tempting potty spots in the house- like carpeting.
See:
http://www.inch.com/~dogs/housebreaking.html
http://www.inch.com/~dogs/cratetraining.html
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/dog-supplies/housetraining/...
http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?af=type%3Ap...
http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?w=crate&...
I agree that you need to ditch the wee-wee pad altogether. In the process of house training, puppies learn to eliminate on certain substrates - so they learn that the only thing we pee on is grass outside, not grass, and papers inside, and pads inside, etc. It's too confusing and it needs to be more consistent that she needs to do her business outside 100% of the time. When she is outside, make sure she is actually going to the bathroom, don't assume she has if you just let her out and she comes back to the door a minute later. Reward her for going outside, and when she is in, either have her in a crate that she would sleep in, or have her on a short leash attached to you at all times. The crate should be just big enough that she can stand up and turn around but not so big that she can pee at one end and sleep at the other. Puppies usually try very hard not to soil where they sleep. Keeping her on a short leash inside will allow you to correct her if she starts to "go" where she shouldn't - if she does, tell her NO very firmly, and immediately take her back outside again. She may not have anything more to do, but at least you are reinforcing where she is supposed to go. Do not rub her nose in her mess, this is dangerous and teaches the puppy nothing. If you do not catch her in the act and only find the messes after the fact, you cannot discipline her for it. She will not remember what she did, she will only get confused - corrections need to be done immediately to have the best effect. Make sure you are thoroughly cleaning up the spots where she goes with a product designed to get urine odor out, like Nature's Miracle - still being able to smell any part of the urine can trigger puppies to go there again.
The same would happen with my puppy! He was abused from the place I adopted him from (they even made me go to court!). Anyhow; the puppy pee pads won't tell a dog anything, like others say; it just allows them to go inside. I use to take my dog out almost every hour, even every 30 minutes when I was at home. It took the longest time, but he go it. Your dog needs to know the word "no" and "potty outside". Going outside enough times a day (every hour if possible) is a good thing. Also; my dog never liked his crate. He would make himself pee, poop, or throw-up in there and get upset. Anyhow; best word of advice is 'time'. It's going to take time. She is 12 weeks old, so she is still young, she will learn!
As for getting out stains, that can be a nightmare! I've tried everything. The vinegar is a good suggestion. Resolve has a pet product out for carpet stains. Works good if you let it sit in the stain for a while.
Forgot to add; if you see her preparing herself to go pee on the carpet, pick her up and take her outside right there and then! She probably won't pee while she is being carried and you just might catch her in time to put her on the grass. Keep walking her and don't leave her outside (not sure if you or not) by herself. Tell her over and over on your walks; "Go pee pee...Pee pee outside or potty outside.".
Good luck!!!
1. crate training... Not to be used for discipline. Puppies should have boundaries when you are gone and at bed time. This also gives them a sense of their own place.
2. no piddle pads
3. "Go Potty" command... No play until job(s) are done.
4. Clean up accidents with vinegar and make sure she is there with you. Let her sniff the vinegar on the rag... every time! Consistency is key... dogs hate the smell of vinegar and it shows that you will not allow her scent on your floors.
Good luck!
I think the pee pads inside the house are confusing. We have 3 large dogs and the key for us potty training was to always give them the command when we took them outside to "Go Potty" and second, when the dogs were loose in the house it was important that we keep a watchful eye on them at all times. I would catch them in the act at home, scoop them up and say NO NO NO and immediately carry them to the grass outside to finish their business. After a couple of times correcting they got it. If we could not keep a watchful eye on them in the house then they had to either be in a crate or in the yard. I think when dogs are given too much unattended freedom in the house they then develop the habit of pottying in the house and it's harder to break them. Hang in there!
You have to be sure to give her a "command" to use the bathroom. You can't just let her outside for a short time and call her back in. That won't work. Since she is still so young and training, you should take her out on a leash, walk her a bit, give her whatever command you decide to use (we use "hurry up" for our dog), let her potty, praise her, and THEN you can let her run around off leash or bring her in.
You cannot just let her out, expect that she will go b/c she has the opportunity to do so, and then complain if she pees when she comes back inside.
I don't know if there is a physical reason with smaller dogs, but I have NEVER used a piddle pad. I think they just confuse the entire thing for the dogs. I don't want to teach my dog that it is "ok" to go potty inside EVER. And we didn't. We have a German Shepherd and she will NOT go in the house unless she has some sort of illness where it is beyond her ability to hold it until she can get outside. Even when she needs to throw up, she will go to the door or come get one of us and let us know she needs out. And rarely has she thrown up inside...but is relieved to be let out when she is feeling that way.
Good luck. Use your leash and teach her a specific command to do what you want her to do. Be sure to praise for it.
Take her to the vet. When an animal's bathroom habits change, it can be a sign of illness, like a bladder or urinary tract infection. If she gets a clean bill of health, they make all natural sprays available that will deter her from going on the carpet. Potty training is a tough one. Stick it out if you can. Good luck!
I will only add that I had to give my dogs more time outside. I learned I couldn't bring them in immediately after one pee. There was usually another pee or two while they were sniffing around. I used the piddle pads briefly, but only put one by the door in case I didn't get there in time. Once they knew to go outside, though, the pad disappeared. My dogs were also crate trained.
Good advice below. Also take her out on a leash and no play time until after she goes. If you go out and nothing after a couple minutes inside, wait. 30 to 60 seconds and back outside. Do play, etc after she goes so she doesn't think she has to go in as soon as she is done, that will teach some dogs to hold it to extend outside time with you. Also you may want to have her vet checked just incase.
Take her out on a leash and ditch the pads.
They teach her to go in the house.
When you bring her inside, keep her on the leash and clip her to your belt ,that way she's right THERE. and you know when she tries to go in the house and you can tell her NO and take her out immediately.
