Dog Community

Housebreaking when left alone

Posted : 8/10/2006 5:50:36 AM

My 10 week old Shih Tzu puppy is starting to get the hang of going outside to do his business. Crate training has worked very well thus far. I put the crate on a night stand so he's eye level with me and can see me, so he sleeps completely through the night although I hear him stir sometimes to chew on his favorite toy that I put inside with him.

This morning around 6:00am, he woke up and cried very softly. I thought to myself Could it be...? I lifted him out, put on his leash and took him outside. He squated right away and did his business. I was SO proud of him!

My question is - Today is my first day back to work (I took off several days to be with him since we took him home on Saturday to make sure he was eating and starting to adjust) and I may take a half day just so he gets used to being alone gradually - but it's inevitable that he will have an accident during this time. We've been very fortunate that he's been able to go outside without much fuss at all. He's only had maybe 3~4 "accidents" this week that he's been home.

Do you think that when he inevitably has an accident this morning or afternoon on the floor that this might confuse him? Do you think he might regress? I'm going to leave him in our kitchen in his puppy playpen since leaving him in a crate for several hours seems cruel to me. I don't think he should have to sit in his own mess if it's not his fault that he can't hold it that long. I've been taking him out every 2 hours from the time we wake up so he doesn't have an opportunity to do his business inside. I think that's worked well so far in addition to crating him periodically so he doesn't see it as confinement. I put him in there for naps, too.

Anyway, I'll be checking this when I get to work. A 'half day' is from 9~12 and a full day for me is from 9~4 for reference. [

] I know there's options of hiring people to let your dog out once a day or other such methods but I'm still exploring those since my fiance is nervous about letting people into our home that we don't know. Thank you for reading this, I know it's a bit lengthy.

Melaney B.

Posted : 8/10/2006 11:59:11 PM

I'm going to leave him in our kitchen in his puppy playpen since leaving him in a crate for several hours seems cruel to me. I don't think he should have to sit in his own mess if it's not his fault that he can't hold it that long.

I know a lot of people on this forum ecspecially that have been very successful crate trainers. think about it, if he made it through the night without an accident, he should be able to make it for 7 hours (from 9-4)! before i started my new job and was able to lunchbreak at my house, i was at work from (7-3:30) that's 81/2 hours for my mini doxie, and on top of that, she has a very small bladder being the runt of the litter and a minature.

mudpuppy

Posted : 8/11/2006 1:32:20 PM

it's a total disaster if you ever manage to force him to eliminate in his crate, so your plan of leaving him in a pen is a good one. Put a piddle pad down for emergencies.

akane

Posted : 8/22/2006 10:00:30 AM

Update: My puppy has been continuing to whine in his crate for me to let him out but he still will eliminate on the floor without warning. I'm not sure if that was caused by me leaving him in our kitchen during the day and he was forced to pee on the floor for a few days.

On top of that, he was getting upset to the point of where he would be shaken up when I returned. Even before that, he gets physically upset even if I walk out of the room for a moment. I haven't been giving into his whining and have been trying to leave for small periods of time but it isn't working. Maybe he's just too young or not fully adjusted yet.

My solution? This is where I need your advice. I decided to ask my Mother who doesn't work to puppysit him for maybe 2 weeks or so. I drop him off at her house in the morning with all of his toys, bowls and all his other familiar items. He's been doing EXTREMELY well there for 2 days - he's really happy and continuing to do his business outside.

My question is - will taking him to her house for half the day on the weekdays confuse him or is this positive reinforcement? Is this a good temporary solution? Please help.

akane

Posted : 8/24/2006 8:03:22 AM

Shameless bump. ^^; Can anyone offer some advice please? I'd really appreciate it. I want to make sure that him staying with my Mom won't confuse him.

My Mom has been watching him all week and he's been extremely happy but I'm just worried about him being confused.

jones

Posted : 8/24/2006 8:17:45 AM

Unless I'm misunderstanding your question... I don't see anything wrong with that arrangement. Shih tzus are highly social dogs bred to be human companions, I'm sure he's happier hanging out with your mom and than being alone all day. However, two weeks isn't that long and when the time is up, I don't think you're going to see a huge improvement in behavior in YOUR house.

akane

Posted : 8/24/2006 9:14:22 AM

ORIGINAL: jones

However, two weeks isn't that long and when the time is up, I don't think you're going to see a huge improvement in behavior in YOUR house.

I guess that's exactly what I'm worried about. I don't mind taking him there for longer than 2 weeks but I'm worried about him never getting "used to it". Do they ever really get used to being alone or is this arrangement just babying him? I can ignore his barking or crying when he does it for attention to me but it tears me to pieces when I come home and he's terribly shaken up.

I'm hoping that him acting like this is just because he's young and I'm hoping this will reinforce him to continue to eliminate outside. If this barking and crying is because of a bigger problem then I want to address it not just "cover it up" by taking him to my Mom's, you know?

Debbie R

Posted : 8/24/2006 1:35:47 PM

He will get better as he gets older, but you can't expect this pup to be fully reliable at this age you need to watch him every minute. Hopefully you and your mother discussed the house training plan and you are both doing the same thing. Mudpuppy is right he can't hold it that long, I think its 1 hour for every month they are plus one, but hopefully Glenda will be around to see if that's correct, I think my brain went on vacation w/o me. I would start leaving him home alone in his crate for short intervals, you could do this on the weekend. But until his bladder can hold it for the amount of time you will be gone I think it's great your mom has him, maybe she can still take him 2 or 3 times a week to keep him company all the time.

akane

Posted : 8/24/2006 1:42:01 PM

Thanks, Deb. [

] ..and to everyone else, too! I've been spamming refresh on this thread for replies.

My Mother and I both discussed the plan and she's been sticking to it and then some. She already loves my puppy so much. LOL

It seems as though he needs to go outside about every 2 hours during the day and he seems to hold it straight through the night until about 6:00am or so when he whines to go outside. That works out for me because that's about what time I get up for work. [

] Sometimes he wakes me up around 3:00am but I take him out whenever nature calls. hehe

He does well in his crate in the evenings and on the weekends and I let him run around the house as a "reward" for going outside to pee so it's our time to bond together and play without having to worry. I watch him every moment of that time though although he follows me anyway! He loves to get into trouble! [

]

He loves his crate and he'll frequently crawl into it himself but he just goes absolutely bonkers if I walk out of his sight or leave the room even if just for a moment.

Debbie R

Posted : 8/24/2006 5:14:37 PM

Your welcome, I would really like to see a shot of his face though, he looks adorable in his avatar.
I haven't had a puppy in many years but I 'm sure you will have to break him out of following you like that somewhat, or you will be dealing w/ separation anxiety later on, I just don't know if there is an age limit. My dogs are 7 and 9 and they both follow me to the bathroom, soooo.