House Training in the City

    • Gold Top Dog

    House Training in the City

    Hercules is a 3 month old daschaund / rottweiler mix.  We have had him for just over a month and still working on house training.  Some days he goes the entire day without an accident, and others it may be 2-3 accidents.  I have been doing alot of research on house training but am finding that my situation is quite a bit different than what I am reading.  Here are a few of my situations:

    1) I live on the 20th floor and there is a small park across the street, but it can take 5 minutes or more to get there.  If he starts to pee, should I scoop him up and bring him outside, or should I bring him to a designated spot in the house?  Our association requires you to carry (or diaper) dogs through the common areas.  I am afraid that if I continue to bring him outside the amount of time that passes will make hime think that peeing in the house means attention from me.

    2) In the winter it can get pretty harsh outside (winter is only 4 months away).  Should I have a designated place for him to go inside or not?  Are daschaunds okay outside when it could be 10-20 degrees below zero (F)?

    3) We crate him when we are going to be out for a short time (less than 2 hours), otherwise a spare bathroom is his kennel.  He is alone for 4 hours 4 days a week and alone for 8 one day.  Should I start crating him for the days he will be alone for 4 hours?

    4) Do people put a water bowl in the crate with thier dogs?  I would think he would just knock it over and then be wet all day.  Has anyone tried water bottles you would use with guinea pigs?

    Sorry for the long post but I wanted to get as much information out there as possible.

    Thanks in advance for the replies!
    • Puppy
    I love it when people are informative ^_^
     
    OK. So since you live on the 20th floor, the best idea would be to get a puppy litter box for your little one, especially since he's only three months old and probably can't hold it in too long. When he begins to pee, take him to his litter box, and he will learn to pee there.
    Remember to praise him (and maybe play with him) AFTER he pees in the appropriate place, so he learns that peeing in his litter box = attention.
     
    Since daschaunds are small breeds, it might be best to keep a litter box for him for the rest of his life. If you're only out there for a little while during the winter months (under 10 minutes) he should be fine. Remember to warm him properly when he gets back from the walk though!
     
    Yes, begin crating him routinely. Since dogs are happiest when they have routines (you won't believe how much happier) it's best to crate him to begin with, so he won't be so anxious when you do go out.
    When you leave for 8 hours, try leaving your dog in a small room (such as a bathroom) instead of a crate. Dogproof this room and put his automatic feeding bowl (which is a must if you feed your dog two times a day) and fresh water bowl in it.
     
    For crates, guinea pig bottles work, but dogs tend to spill more water than they drink when using it, and for eager dogs (and dogs who drink a lot) it's not a good idea.
     
    Good Luck!
    • Gold Top Dog
    Hercules is a 3 month old daschaund / rottweiler mix


    Are you sure that's accurate or is he just a black and tan dachshund? If not, i'm hoping the rott was the Dam!
    • Silver
    Yeah I'd love to see some pictures! What a weird mix
    • Gold Top Dog
    It does sound like litter or pee pad training will be necessary.  The other option is do you have a deck or patio attached to your apartment?  If you do, FIRST, make it dog proof, with netting and/or bars so that Hercules can not get through, over or under anything.  Then, buy a few rolls of sod and place them out there as his potty yard.  Some companies make very expensive frames for fresh sod for city dweller's decks. 

    I'm also curious about the daschund/rottweiler mix, it sounds a bit unlikely and very painful for somebody. 
    • Gold Top Dog
    Thanks for the feedback!

    Every post I have made on this board I have gotten the same responce about the daschaund / rottweiler mix.  Yep, he is.  His mother was the rottweiler and the father was the daschaund.  He looks more like the daschaund then the rottie, but all his littermates looked the rotties:


    http://www.minnmonkey.com/photos/puppy/Dsc03648.jpg
    • Gold Top Dog
    Hercules is adorable, and if you say he's a rottie/doxie then that must be what he is.  I'm making myself crazy, though, trying to picture the mating between a male doxie and female rottie.  That I would have like to have seen!!
    • Puppy
    I guess that clears up any question on just how fiesty a doxie can be! Lol!
    • Puppy
    Hercules is absolutely adorable, by the way. Were I in that situation, I would definetly paper or litter train. They can actually be quite neat, once they get the hang of it.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Hercules is just the cutest thing!  What a sweetie!
     
    I still can't imagine that breeding taking place, well I can, but it is just too comical.  [:D]