# I'm fed up with Aidan...



## ElizabethJordane (Oct 12, 2005)

Aidan is 9 months old and he's a pain in the BUTT! In the morning...I call him over to his pad and he goes to it but his front paws are on the pad and the back are on my carpet and he ends up peeing on my carpet! So I always have to move him...he never goes to the pad by himself though...maybe once a month by chance... Now about his pooping...never...ever does he go to the pad. It's SO frustrating...it's taking TOO long to potty train him and it seems like I am getting absolutely no where with him. When we go to my boyfriends parents house, he'll go potty outside...but when we leave him alone...even if he went potty 2 minutes ago...he goes again in the house out of spite. Anyone have any tips on how to train him??? I'm getting sick thinking about this going on forever...and I don't have the money or the time for obedience training! Another question I have is...how often do you feed your malts, and how much...Aidie is getting a little pudgy







I love the little one to death and he's the most precious part of my life but he makes me go CRAZY!


----------



## abbey (Apr 4, 2005)

Abbey did this, too, until I realized I was confusing her by trying to let her use the wee pads & go outside. We are strictly outside now! Some maltese will do both just fine but Abbey just couldn't get it! I do leave 2 wee pads down to cover the floor in the bathroom if I have to leave her more than 5 hours, which she usually misses but it makes me feel better. The tiled floor is so easy to clean up anyways. Now Abbey never pees on the carpet! She hates going out on rainy days & has accidents in front of the door we take her out, so on rainy days I have to watch her like a hawk! Good Luck!!









Oh, just wanted to add that Abbey is 1 year!


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

He is not house trained. 

If you want to use pads, put it in a plastic bin or some other sort of container (with sides). Also, it tends to work better if you have 2 pads so there is a bit more space for the dog to move around and still hit it. 

You need to go back to the very basic training - take him to his pad each time he should potty, give him a treat for going in the right place. Put him on a schedule. If you know he has to pee or poo and he doesn't go when you take him, crate him for 10-15 minutes and try again. Repeat until success. I keep the pads in an x-pen but you can also put him on a leash or cover a whole bathroom floor with them. The idea is that he can't fail. 

DO NOT leave him loose unsupervised until he is trained. Every time he has an opportunity to make a mistake, you are making things harder on yourself. Consistency will go a long way for him. 


At his age he should be fed 2 meals per day. How much depends on the dog food. Most dogs do not need as much as the bag recommends for their weight. If he is a little heavy, reduce his food intake. More active dogs will need more, less active dogs less. 







> Aidan is 9 months old and he's a pain in the BUTT! In the morning...I call him over to his pad and he goes to it but his front paws are on the pad and the back are on my carpet and he ends up peeing on my carpet! So I always have to move him...he never goes to the pad by himself though...maybe once a month by chance... Now about his pooping...never...ever does he go to the pad. It's SO frustrating...it's taking TOO long to potty train him and it seems like I am getting absolutely no where with him. When we go to my boyfriends parents house, he'll go potty outside...but when we leave him alone...even if he went potty 2 minutes ago...he goes again in the house out of spite. Anyone have any tips on how to train him??? I'm getting sick thinking about this going on forever...and I don't have the money or the time for obedience training! Another question I have is...how often do you feed your malts, and how much...Aidie is getting a little pudgy
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ElizabethJordane (Oct 12, 2005)

He eats twice a day, and he gets 3/4 of a cup in the morning and at night...when he turns 1 should I get him adult food? And any other potty training tips and stories about how your puppy acts are always helpful!!


----------



## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

I think you may find that Aidan could be an outside potty boy, I know Scooby is and he won't go on a pad either. I think it has to be one or the other with some as they do get confused. Perhaps concentrate on taking him outside for all his pottying, that way he will more than likely relate more to going out instead of just peeing inside where ever he is.
We tried to teach Scooby to use a pad, but he just would not pee or poop inside so we just stuck with taking him out and he did let us know from a very young age. He wasn't keen on the rain etc either but now at almost 2½ years old he is just so good and doesn't care that much whether it is raining, snowing or what he still goes out potty.
With the feeding we give Scooby little meals throughout the day, usually kibble if he will eat it, or we have the Science Diet Jerky strips, chicken and beef ones and he gets ½ of one of these as a snack. Also he loves the Chicken Jerky so he may have half of one of these. I have to say that we have cut the size of his meals a little because he too is a bit over weight, but we have also increased his exercise a bit too so he can lose some of his pudge. He doesn't eat a real lot though just a tablespoon of feed a time is put there for him and what he doesn't eat at the time is take up till the next time. I normally give him a small breakfast, small lunch which may be his snack, the at night he has his main small meal for dinner. When we go to bed he may get his ½ chicken jerky to carry him through the night.
I hope that helps, but as he is an adult his requirements are probably less due to that fact that he is a lazy little boy and will only run about if we play with him or take him for a walk, apart from that he sleeps a fair bit through the day and all night.


----------



## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

Dogs don't pee or do other things out of spite. Humans may do so, but not dogs (doubt that other animals do either). JMM is right on when she says he is not yet house trained. Here are some other posts from her regarding this issue. She is very knowledgeable and experienced in dog behavior.

POTTY TRAINING TIPS FROM JMM:

FROM JMM: SM Thread - Examples or Tips on How To Potty Train 
I find the easiest thing is an x-pen collapsed down to about 2x4 ft. I cover the entire bottom with papers (wee wee pads). I put the pup in at potty time just like I would take them outdoors. As soon as they go, I open the pen and let them out and give them a treat. I put the pup in after eating, playing, waking up, etc. until I get a good sense of their schedule. I keep my pen in the kitchen and all playing is done in the kitchen next to the open pen. Once they start going in on their own while we're playing, I start offering a little more freedom. It takes time and confinement. When left alone I either extend the pen so papers are on one end and food/bed on the other or crate the puppy. 

Basically, you should use the same guidelines as you would for training a puppy to go outdoors. In my experience, I have found getting a consistent and reliably paper trained dog takes more time and work than training them to go outdoors.

FROM JMM: SM Thread - 4 Months Today
He is not having accidents, he has no idea that he has to go outdoors. 

1. Every accident is really your fault for not getting him outside in time. 

2. Playing puppies may need to go every 10-15 minutes. Sleeping puppies can usually go for 1 hour more than their age in months during the day, but for toy breeds with little bladders it can be a bit less. 

3. If your dog has the opportunity to have an accident, you gave it too much freedom. Crate time when you can't watching and leashing your puppy to you are the ideal ways to ensure supervision. Crate time is especially important so that dogs learn how to hold it for brief periods of time. 

4. Motivate your dog to go in the right place. Give good treats and praise when he goes outside every time. Go out with him on a leash each time and praise him. Ignore accidents in the house. Do not punish him. 

5. Set a schedule, especially for feeding and play time. This will help him to need to potty on a schedule. Wake up, outside, eat, outside, play, outside, nap, outside. Eating on a schedule will tend to have him defecating on a schedule which can help aid in housetraining. 

FROM JMM: SM Thread - Potty Training Frustrations
1. Not all dogs have the obvious signs. This pup I have now is the same way...she'll just walk along and go if you don't take her out. So, when she's playing, she can go 20-30 minutes. I set a timer and take her out every 25 minutes and tada, no accidents (and we have an elevator ride to get outside!). I carry her from her crate to outside when she gets released from the crate. Depending on his age, it may be every 15 minutes for him now. 

2. Let's make is impossible for him not to succeed. Take a small x-pen (2x4ft) or bathroom w/baby gate and cover the whole bottom with pads. Put him in there at potty time and wait. If he doesn't go within a few minutes, CRATE him for 10 and try again. Be stubborn! Repeat, repeat, repeat. Don't forget a really great treat when he goes in the right spot and, let him out as soon as he goes. Using this method most pups figure out fast that they get out if they go and it speeds things up. I used this method with my poop smearer. 

3. Set a schedule for crate time, play time, etc. This will help him learn to go at certain times and hold it. 

The rule in my house is don't give the pup a chance for an accident. It means we go potty a whole lot so she succeeds a whole lot. It also means if I'm not standing their watching and she's peed within the last 25 minutes, she has to be in her crate. It takes a lot of discipline (and a timer LOL) on my part, but the only time she has accidents is if I slack off.


----------



## cindysilver (May 15, 2005)

I can't help with the potty problem, but I do know that I only feed Jack 3/4 a cup of food ONCE a day, and he's almost 10 pounds so he needs a lot of food!








, so I think you might be feeding your pup too much ... depending on how much he weighs and how dense the food is. Make sure you're feeding what it says on the bag for your dog's weight









And







for your potty troubles !!


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Here's the #1 housebreaking tip:

How to Housebreak a Puppy with a Newspaper

Everyone has heard of this method for housebreaking a dog. Here's how to do it with maximum effectiveness.

Get a section of the paper and roll it up, taping it (or using rubber bands) so it doesn't unfurl. 

As soon as your puppy makes a mistake indoors, take the paper and hit yourself on the head six times while saying, "I didn't watch my puppy."


----------



## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> Here's the #1 housebreaking tip:
> 
> How to Housebreak a Puppy with a Newspaper
> 
> ...


I love that!!! So true. Honestly, when Kallie would go where she wasn't supposed to I would never get mad at her... I knew it was my fault for giving her too much freedom, not watching her, etc. I just get my Petzyme cleaner and paper towels and do my thing. I have a bottle of Petzyme in several rooms so I can get to it quickly if needed.







K & C are about 90 percent trained.. some weeks are better than others... again... it's my fault not theirs!!!


----------



## paris (Apr 8, 2005)

Paris would not use the pads at all! As soon as we got our doggy door installed we had no problems. I can't remember the last time she had an accident in the house (knock on wood).


----------



## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

Wilson is another one who wouldn't use the pads. We have had several stand offs outside- when it's cold or rainy he doesn't want to go out, but I take him at the same times every single day and he stays out until he goes. It's the only way for him to understand. He is just now getting where he will "tell" me he needs to go outside. 

Feeding: Wilson is 1.5 yrs old, weighs 7.5 lbs. I feed him Nutro Natural Choice, Lamb ad Rice -small bites with 1 tablespoon of canned food mixed in just to moisten it. He gets 1/4 of a cup of kibble in the morning and at night he gets 1/4 + about another 1/8. 3/4 a day was too much and 1/2 wasn't enough for him. 

My vet told me that the feeding guidelines on all food is the recommended amount for a nursing female dog. He said the amounts are always too much. Nutro Natural Choice recommends 3/4 to 1 1/2 cup a day! Don't forget to take into account how many treats you give him a day.

Good luck- and remember be consistent!!


----------



## CoriMalte (Jun 3, 2005)

My girl had the same problem, she would pee on the pad fine, but not quite get that it was for poop too. My friend suggested that (as gross as it may seem) I should rub a small ammount of poo on the pad so there is a slight residue/smell. It helped my girl, and she quickly caught on. When she would miss, I would even place the poo onto the pad, then get really excited and happy over it. She finally realized that I would be happy if she "placed" it on the pad too!


----------



## Boobookit (Dec 3, 2005)

I was just checking in to see how Aiden has been doing?? Are things any better?

Marie & Pacino


----------



## ElizabethJordane (Oct 12, 2005)

No. In the morning he always jumps up on my bed...so my boyfriend was petting his tummy and he started peeing! Ugh...he's done that once before.


----------



## elliesmomie (Apr 9, 2005)

> Here's the #1 housebreaking tip:
> 
> How to Housebreak a Puppy with a Newspaper
> 
> ...



I LOVE this!! It's SO true! I've never even thought about hitting L.E. with newspaper, and have firmly believed that if she has an accident it's 99% my fault. My grandfather on the other hand suggested that I do it to her when she was being trained, and I said that I had done my research and found OTHER ways of training her. He's just a bit old fashioned.


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

> No. In the morning he always jumps up on my bed...so my boyfriend was petting his tummy and he started peeing! Ugh...he's done that once before.[/B]


If you are not going to confine him and set some rules, he's not going to make much progress.


----------



## Boobookit (Dec 3, 2005)

Yes, I absolutely 110% agree, whithout confinement there will be little or no progress. They do not like to pee where they sleep.

Marie & (No, Mommy, I don't pee pee in my crate) Pacino


----------



## ElizabethJordane (Oct 12, 2005)

So I don't know if this is progess or just some luck. Anyway...today I took Aidie to his pad and he did his business so I gave him a treat the second he was done going. Then I was in the kitchen and I was going back to my room...and I saw that he was walking on his pad, circling (with that squat pose they do







) trying to go potty. So that was good but I didn't say anything because I didn't want to distract him but then he got off the pad so I called him back over but I guess he had lost his train of thought and I found a poopy on the floor. But then he had to tinkle a little and he went on his pad!! All by himself...I read that their memory is like 15 secs long...meaning if he pees and in 30 seconds I give him a treat he doesn't know why. I hope not because I ran to give him a treat as soon as I can just because I really want to reinforce his good behavior so I hope he is making the connection!


----------



## Boobookit (Dec 3, 2005)

Well, it sounds like he is geting the concept!! Great!!
Like anything else it takes consistancy and patience. Good luck...keep us posted on his progress!!
Marie & Pacino


----------



## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

Well it sounds to me like he is beginning to understand where he is meant to go, I am sure it won't be long now till he gets the idea and uses his pads consistantly, keep up the good work you are doing great


----------



## ElizabethJordane (Oct 12, 2005)

Ughy...I'll take him to his pad 20 mins after he eat, 40 then an hour and he WONT go. But when we get into bed...that's when he goes. Are there any potty training classes to take him to ?


----------



## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

I think you need to confine him at night till he gets the idea of using his pads, it's the only way. If you have an e-pen or a crate you may need to start back at the beginnig and keep him confined till you can trust him to use his pads. We trained Scooby in an e-pen, he wouldn't use a pad at all but he never messed in his pen and he always let us know when he needed to go so we took him outside when he indicated he needed to go. Eventually we could trust him to let us know, and you need to watch for your pup's signal that he needs to go too as part of the training is that we need to understand their way of telling us. With Scooby because I was the main one to take him out he would always come to me and just look at me, I would ask him if he needed to go potty and he would respond excitedly so I took him out and when he did his pee and poop I praised him and brought him in and gave him a treat for being such a good little boy. He has always come to me to go out so that is how I recognized the signal.
Good luck and please don't give up on him, he will eventually get it right for you I am sure


----------



## kab (Apr 11, 2005)

> Here's the #1 housebreaking tip:
> 
> How to Housebreak a Puppy with a Newspaper
> 
> ...










When I was first starting to read this I thought, "OMG!!! Are they telling us to hit our dog with the newspaper!







" Then I read it carefully. Too funny


----------



## fach (Jun 27, 2005)

> No. In the morning he always jumps up on my bed...so my boyfriend was petting his tummy and he started peeing! Ugh...he's done that once before.[/B]


I have to say the advice from JMM helped me a lot with Dixie. I found regulating meal times is most important. that way you will get on a schedule. BIG HELP! Also, do you give a SMALL treat and BIG praise everytime there is a potty success? I save cherrios [two per success] and freeze dried liver [ really small piece] and give those only for potty outside. No potty-no treat. One thing that will take much time is peeing when getting excited. I guess they have to outgrow that. they can't control that so you cant get mad. Oh, one last thing is don't punish for mistakes. I make a comment about being disappointed quietly, clean it up, and take dixie outside. As always if she then pottys outside i praise her as if she was a God!!! I don't have as much experience as others here, but this is working at my house so far. Good luck!


----------



## ElizabethJordane (Oct 12, 2005)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=140126
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I do all this. He has one meal in the morning and one at night. When I take him to his potty pad all he does is sit there so I'll try again later and SAME THING. It's getting so frustrated. The excited thing is ok because i usually know when he's about to get all riled up and put him on his pad so he can pee there and then we play. I don't get mad at him when he makes a mistake and I do praise him when he does well but he's constantly making mistakes and I feel like he's learning that's just fine cause mommy doesn't care. Really...are there any classes he can go to so he can be helped by soemone who's been doing this forever?


----------



## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=144760
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Kallie was stubborn like that, too. Are your pads scented? I had to add extra scent while Kallie was in training. It is a spray that you spray on the pads. Also, maybe collect some pee from him next time he goes and put it on the pad. It seems like maybe he just doesn't know he is supposed to go there. 

Like JMM says, you need to keep him from making mistakes. That is very important. You have to watch him constantly and if he starts sniffing or squatting, then grab him up and put him on his pad and praise him to high heaven if he goes.


----------



## ElizabethJordane (Oct 12, 2005)

Yes his pad is scented and I add a spray, it's called puppy training, housebreaking spray which smells horrible but if it will help him. Another thing, when he piddles cause he get's excited I'll leave it on the pad cause it's such a small amount I'm hoping he'll sniff it and go there but he doesn't. He's really good about just holding it in but when he can't hold it in anymore he just goes wherever and it's really really frustrating.


----------



## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

We had the same problem with Scooby, he would not pee or poop on a pad so we decided he would have to be trained to go outside and he has never looked back. I have noticed too that he doesn't like to pee in the same place twice, if he has peed on a spot that day and he can smell it he goes somewhere else, some dogs are like that.


----------



## fach (Jun 27, 2005)

> Yes his pad is scented and I add a spray, it's called puppy training, housebreaking spray which smells horrible but if it will help him. Another thing, when he piddles cause he get's excited I'll leave it on the pad cause it's such a small amount I'm hoping he'll sniff it and go there but he doesn't. He's really good about just holding it in but when he can't hold it in anymore he just goes wherever and it's really really frustrating.[/B]


I have heard that some dogs just don't train well to the pad. Does your lifestyle allow you to have him go outside? Also, what Jmm said about starting over and useing the pen worked for me. I only use the crate for when I go out. I have an ex. pen that i shrunk down to be really small. Just a tad bigger than her bed. Then I also let her out often. I mean REALLY often. After about 15 min hard play, after every drink, before and after meals, or every half hour. i know it is a lot, but it is working. if you read my old posts I was frustrated too. I think Dixie's bladder needed extra time to develop. Maybe you have the same issue. She used to just stand still and pee all over herself. You will see that in my posts too. She squats now and is doing well with the training. I have reduced the # of trips outside and feel we have made great progress. hang in there. You do need to start over though. He is older now and if you hang with it you will progress quickly.


----------



## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

Aidan's Mom...I really really really (add 15 more really's) think that you'd have more success with putting Aidan on a schedule using a cabana (crate). While it may seem harsh, he's not going to have success if he doesn't understand your desires. The cabana helps to reinforce the rules...it's not ok to pee and poop in the house. You start out identifying to him that the cabana is his house. You gradually expand the definition of house to include your living space as well. He will get it, but not until he learns the rules. There is a good book we used, House Training for Dummies, that helped a great deal. I would say by 5 months old our dog was reliable. Now at a bit over a year, she has run of the house, but she still has cabana time in the morning and in the evening. Honestly we wouldn't have to lock the door because she just goes in on her own on schedule. Good luck.


----------



## ElizabethJordane (Oct 12, 2005)

> Aidan's Mom...I really really really (add 15 more really's) think that you'd have more success with putting Aidan on a schedule using a cabana (crate). While it may seem harsh, he's not going to have success if he doesn't understand your desires. The cabana helps to reinforce the rules...it's not ok to pee and poop in the house. You start out identifying to him that the cabana is his house. You gradually expand the definition of house to include your living space as well. He will get it, but not until he learns the rules. There is a good book we used, House Training for Dummies, that helped a great deal. I would say by 5 months old our dog was reliable. Now at a bit over a year, she has run of the house, but she still has cabana time in the morning and in the evening. Honestly we wouldn't have to lock the door because she just goes in on her own on schedule. Good luck.[/B]


What is a cabana crate and what is an epen? About the going outside I don't want to train him that way for 3 reasons, the place i live, my work and school schedule, and Chicago's incredibly cold and wet winters.


----------



## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=144950
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The cabana is a Vari-Kennel crate. We call it a Cabana because crate sounded too harsh. You can get them at Petsmart, Petco or on line. I used both the cabana and an ex-pen. An ex-pen is a exercise pen. I got mine from the ferret store. It came with a floor pad to protect the surface underneath from pee damage. The pen can be opened or kept closed. It serves as a way to expand their "house". I kept (and still keep) the cabana inside the ex-pen, although I now keep the door open. This has ineffect, become the dog's den. She knows it as her safe place and as her space. Some folks just use the expen as a way to train. The theory is that a dog doesn't poop or pee where it sleeps. Make that the place they identify as their sleeping area and they won't go potty there. There are tons of great articles on line as well as books available at Barnes and Nobles too.


----------



## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=144783
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow, Fach, you've come a long way with Dixie... congrats!!! You sound like a pro now!!! Here is a link to your potty training thread, as it might give hope to Aidan's mom!


http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5282&hl=


----------

