Housebreaking problem

    • Bronze

    Housebreaking problem

    I would appreciate any advice on my problem that anyone might have. I have a 4month old Schnauzer (Cumin) and a 10month old Shih Tzu (Goose). Goose was housetrained very well, but since we got Cumin, she's backsliding. Cumin is the one we're really having problems with, though. Both were bought from a puppy store, where they messed in the same crate they were in all the time, and Cumin continues to mess in the crate even after 6 weeks of being our dog. He is in the crate whenever we leave the house, and we make sure to clean up any messes with Lysol wipes so that (we hope) the scent doesn't linger. We try and take him out every 3 hours, and about 20 minutes after eating and drinking. We'd like to keep the dog, but he has to be able to be housetrained.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Make sure the crate is small enough so that the pup can only stand, turn, and lie down.  Remove all bedding (if she soils her den then, she will need to lay in it - pet store puppies learn to pee in their bedding and simply push it out of the way, plus they rarely stay with their dams long enough to learn not to pee in the den - that's so the greedy jerks who sell them can make the shipping schedules to get their cute little faces to the pet store in time to hook you into buying them - to anyone who has bought a pet store pup, or thinks they want to, read up on "puppy mills" so you don't make this mistake).   Take puppy out every two hours, and watch her at all other times.  Tether her to you if necessary (then it's easy to see if she tries to squat, and you just say "eh eh - "outside?" and take her out).  No freedom in the house till she's trained.  Reward her just after she finishes her business outside (I use tiny pieces of Cheerios).  NEVER scold for mistakes - they just mean you weren't supervising well enough [:D].  Use the same words all the time (Outside?  Go pee.  Good pee.)  Set your alarm to get her up and out at night once.  Do not play or keep her up afterward, just back in the crate she goes till morning.  Clean up any accidents with Petastic, but not while she's watching you.  Good luck.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Hmmmm, well Anne, as usual beat me to this one.  Not much that I can really add other than DITTO.
     
    Pet store pups are harder to train because they have no option but to potty in their den and once that inhibition is broken its a lot harder to unlearn.  But it can be done.
     
    When I have a single pup (I foster so that isn't often that there is JUST one) the bedtime crate goes right beside my bed, propped up on a chair or something so pup can SEE me in the nite.  First whimper I'll reach out, fingers through the door and shhhhhh a bit with whatever mumbled comfort comes out.  If pup settles, he was just a little scared and needed reassuring that I was still there.  If not, up and out to potty.  As few lights as I can get away with without falling and killing myself....pup is CARRIED to the potty place and the ONLY words I saw are "lets go OUTSIDE and go POTTY"....that's my phrase.  When I get there it's "go POTTY" and when he complies "Gooooood potty" and then I pick him up and carry him right back to his crate.  I don't talk other than the few words I use to convey my potty messages, I keep things dark and when I put pup back in the crate I say the same thing I say when I first put him to bed....nite nite time.
     
    Anne has given you excellent advice and I hope with time and patience this will work for you.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Glenda makes some good points with word association.
     
    I have a 10 week old now, and he does good. First thing in the morning I let him out of the crate and right away I say "Outside Potty", and I go with him. The rest of the dogs I don't have to worry about, we have a doggie door, best invention....lol.[:D]