# Tet another potty training issue...HELP! =(



## jenhnx (Aug 7, 2007)

Hi everyone =) I just signed up for Spoiled Maltese but have been frequenting these forums for a while now. I love all the pictures and stories, and find everyone’s advice to be really helpful in raising and training my own puppy (5 month old Riley, below). 

But, lately, I’ve been having problems potty training him. I’ve been crate training him since I first got him at 8 weeks old. I live in a high rise condo, so I usually just take him to the balcony where there is a puppy pad that he uses whenever he is out there. Although there were still a few accidents here and there inside the condo (including in his crate a couple times), he quickly learned the puppy pad was where he needed to go to eliminate. After a while, I put up a gate in the kitchen where his crate and puppy pad was so he would have more room. At first, this worked really well. He always pottied on the puppy pad, rested in his crate, and waited patiently for me or my boyfriend to come home. After a while, though, he learned how to break out of the gate so everytime I came home, he would be running around and consequently, eliminating everywhere. This became a huge problem, so I started crating him again. 

I had read dogs don’t like to eliminate where they sleep. Unfortunately, Riley doesn’t seem to care either way because EVERYDAY for the past month since I’ve been crating him, when I come home, there’s a huge puddle of pee and oftentimes poop in his crate waiting for me. It’s a pain washing him everyday, not to mention how bad it is for his skin and coat I’m sure. I’m at a loss for what to do. My boyfriend has been trying to implement this new "strategy" that he came up with (and that I strongly disagree with) in which we only feed him the full amount at night so that he eliminates in the morning when we take him out (6:30 am), and also removing his water bottle until we come home so he doesn't pee in his crate. It obviously hasn't worked, though, and I don't like having to do that anyway.

So, it can’t be separation anxiety, because he’s used to our schedules – it’s been the same since we first got him. I try to go home on my lunch breaks every day if I can, to check on him and take him out (which is hard because I'm in finance and am often too busy to leave), but he’s already usually eliminated the times when I do come home on my break. It is also not the crate size, as it is only big enough for him to stand up and turn around in. Any ideas or suggestions on what to do?! My boyfriend wants to give him up if this problem isn’t remedied soon (it’s his condo after all, and my dog), so I’m getting desperate! Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to be as detailed as possible in case there were any specific solutions. Thanks in advance!


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I hate the idea of a dog being in a crate only being big enough to stand up in all day. It's also cruel to withhold water all day long.  

I agree he can't run around loose, but why not get an exercise pen and put the open crate and his pads in there? And his water, of course. That way, if he has to go, he can go to his pads and go and save his crate for napping. He'll be safe and secure, and clean when you get home.

And much, much happier.


----------



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

A few questions first--
How old is he now? 
How long do you leave him the crate? He sounds too young (and untrained) to have run of a whole room and it sounds like he's confined in his crate too long during the day. The hours that you are home with him you can potty crate train him then. Otherwise I'd have him in an x-pen when you aren't home with the pad at one end.


----------



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> I hate the idea of a dog being in a crate only being big enough to stand up in all day. It's also cruel to withhold water all day long.
> 
> I agree he can't run around loose, but why not get an exercise pen and put the open crate and his pads in there? And his water, of course. That way, if he has to go, he can go to his pads and go and save his crate for napping. He'll be safe and secure, and clean when you get home.
> 
> And much, much happier.[/B]


Marj, my thoughts exactly. We posted at the same time


----------



## ShilohsMom (Jun 25, 2007)

> Hi everyone =) I just signed up for Spoiled Maltese but have been frequenting these forums for a while now. I love all the pictures and stories, and find everyone's advice to be really helpful in raising and training my own puppy (5 month old Riley, below).
> 
> But, lately, I've been having problems potty training him. I've been crate training him since I first got him at 8 weeks old. I live in a high rise condo, so I usually just take him to the balcony where there is a puppy pad that he uses whenever he is out there. Although there were still a few accidents here and there inside the condo (including in his crate a couple times), he quickly learned the puppy pad was where he needed to go to eliminate. After a while, I put up a gate in the kitchen where his crate and puppy pad was so he would have more room. At first, this worked really well. He always pottied on the puppy pad, rested in his crate, and waited patiently for me or my boyfriend to come home. After a while, though, he learned how to break out of the gate so everytime I came home, he would be running around and consequently, eliminating everywhere. This became a huge problem, so I started crating him again.[/B]


Hi there welcome to SM. Based on what you have said above you have one choices- get a better gate or barricade for your kitchen that he cannot get over or through.

This is a toy dog and there has got to be something that will keep him in the room you want be it an ex pen or better barricade. I guess that would depend on your kitchen size. 

He is peeing in the crate because he cannot get to his puppy pad while crated is what I am assuming. Also you will need to deep clean your rugs at some point to lessen his desire to go there again. 

A puppy should eat at least two times a day at exactly the same time of the day to regulate elimination. When he escapes your kitchen he is so excited he has probably forgotten where his pad is. I agree with everyone else in the fact that the crating is the least desirable choice when all family members are gone the majority of the day.
Crating works well for at night or for short periods of time during the day.

I can understand the frustration you both are having but it always take a lot longer to potty train when someone isn't there to watch and guide the dog all day. It just needs some consistent schedule and patience.


----------



## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

You've already gotten some great advise from the others. When I was training Bogie, I used a child's playyard. It has sections that snap together. The sections of plastic snap together to make the play area as large as you want it. It can have as few as 4 panels or as many as 8. I'm sorry I don't have a picture to show you. I had it in the kitchen which has a tile floor. I put Bogie's crate, food, water, toys and potty pads inside the fenced area. If your baby has a choice, I'll bt he'll use the pads if they are convenient. Bogie was not given run of the house until he was over a year old. It takes a lot of consistancy, time and patience to housebreak a puppy, but it is so worth the time and effort. You must be very consistant about keeping him contained until he understands that going in the house is not acceptable. I wish you much good luck, and welcome to SM.


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I love the playpen K&C's Mom made from closet shelving:

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?...amp;hl=shelving


----------



## suTQ (Jul 13, 2006)

Riley is so freakin cute! We used an ex-pen attached to a crate, with a litter box at one end. It has worked great!


----------



## jeannelcm (Oct 13, 2007)

I can't give you any advice since I don't have my furbaby yet, but I just had to post and say that.....

RILEY IS THE CUTEST LITTLE THING EVER!!!!!!!!! :smheat:


----------



## phesty (May 30, 2006)

Welcome to SM! Riley is adorable!!!!! :wub: :wub: :wub: 

If you go to a baby store, like Babies R Us, they have baby gates that are clear plastic. They are about impossible to climb or chew through. Here's a pic of what I'm talking about. 









Hopefully, with some of the other advice you've gotten here, you and Riley won't get evicted.


----------



## giselle79 (Aug 8, 2007)

Hi, sorry about your problem, you are not the only one.
What I do is leaving Maxi in my bathroom with the pads on one side and a bed on the other, as well as water, but no food. When I come home I just take away the pad. Sometimes he tends to mess on the floor but since it's a restricted area I can make the clean up easily.
I have a big crate with a divisory rack as well, if I'm leaving for a short time I get him small space, if for longer I give him the whole crate so he can stay on his bed and also pee in case of emergency without getting the bedding wet (this is a desagrable experience for most dogs). The bathroon thing is for when I leave for 6 hours or more.


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Sounds like he started a bad habit. 

How many times a day is he defecating? Sometimes a food change can help decrease it. 

Altering the amount at each feeding is doubtful to be of any help. Eating stimulates them to go to the bathroom, whether 1/2 meal or whole. Feed at the same times (2x) every day. Split the total amount per day into the two meals. 

As far as water goes, I would prefer the dog have access to some small amount of water. I don't like water bottles. I don't think the dog gets nearly enough water. Get a small dish that can hook onto the crate. You don't have to fill it...I leave coop cups 1/3-1/2 full. 

Going all day (8+ hrs) is an unrealistic amount of time for a pup to hold it. I understand he is going fairly immediate to your leaving. He may well have some anxiety component. A good way to help reduce anxiety is to make you leaving positive. Reserve a snack-filled kong (you may have to reduce some of his kibble ration if he is getting a snack like this) for him to ONLY get when you leave. I like the x-pen or puppy-proof gate ideas for him. I've used the heavier metal or plastic walk-through gates for break-outs. The plastic one is a neat new idea, too. If he's a climber, get an x-pen with vertical slats or a top. A puppy pen with grate and top may be ideal for him. Puppy pad, chew, toy, water, bed. 

For when you are home, keep him leashed to you. Take him to his pad on a regular basis and reward him for going. Playing pups his age may go every 30-60 minutes! 

Checking a stool sample and a urine sample is not a bad idea just to ensure there is nothing physical easy-to-fix (like an intestinal parasite making him defecate more often).


----------



## wooflife (Aug 8, 2007)

You are getting great advice - I'd like add to add one more suggestion that has worked for me. 

I too work a long day so I understand what you are going through.

I recomend putting the puppy in the bathroom instead of the kitchen. 

1) It's easier to puppy proof 
2) It's smaller but there is enough room for everything he needs and some room to play
3) A good baby gate at the door will keep them in with no worries of escape. 
4)Cheaper than an Xpen - which is great solution if your willing to buy one. 
5)It's a tile floor so I can go over it every night with a couple of Lysol wipes to make sure it clean and sanitary for her. 

I keep a cozy bed and food and water at one end and piddle pad at the other. Izzy uses the pad if necessary, at nine months she holds it most days. If she uses it she usally folds it up and then tucks it in the corner. She will stay in the bathroom all day until she old enough to have run of the house with my older 2 year dog.


----------



## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

I just typed my tip (below) and then noticed the original post is from way back in early August... For others in a similar position though or if the original poster is still watching the thread and struggling to make things work with Riley, here's something to add to what others have posted:

If he's eliminating only once in the mid-late morning after you've already left for work and crated him, could he just be taking longer to go because he's maturing and able to hold it longer and therefore doesn't always have the urge to go right away every time he's taken to the pad early in the morning? 

I found that as mine matured, they didn't go as quickly and it could make me late for work regularly if I always waited it out and cause accidents if I didn't wait... however, I also found that some good exercise (for a short period) gets them pooping faster... almost on queue. My girls are adults now and outdoor trained and I still like to run for a really short bit (not even 30sec. sometimes) out on the lawn with them on leash, then I slow down and say "empty" and they tend to go right then... it works great for me when I'm short on time in the morning.

Perhaps after eating and a short pad break, something as simple as making him run with you for a bit will get him defecating on the pad for you (and for a teeny tiny but tasty treat) instead of pooping later in the morning after you've left. Even a quick run down a carpeted hall in your building and straight back to the pad could work.


----------



## laceyluv (Oct 23, 2007)

I went through a similar situation with Lacey. 
She would manage to somehow get out of her crate sometimes.. I called her Hudini! she would poop and pee wherever she felt like it, but mostly in the same spot. Even until today if she has access to that area where she used to go she will. Even though that area of the rug has been cleaned well. 
Here and there I give her the run of the house, and she was good with going on the pad, but had a few accidents. Then she started to regress a little, so I had to go back to the old traning. 

I put her crate, pee pad and food/water in the pen. Make the area small enough. Dogs dont want to pee or poop where they sleep unless they have to. This way she can sleep in her crate, and only has room to go on her pad. Only give her enough water to wet her mouth during the day when gone. And give her a good amount when you get home. 

Patience is key.. I know my hubby gets frustrated too. I try to clean up an accidents before he catches them!


----------

