# a little luck



## MOCHIpie (Mar 2, 2004)

I think we got really really lucky with Mochi, because when we first got him..till now...he's only had a handful of accidents in the house. We'll walk him every 2 hours....and then extend it to 3...then to 4.....cuz we both work. But the advantage is that i work in the morning and my husband works at night....

What saves us the most is that our Last walk of the night is around 12:30-1 and we'll all sleep until about 9am. I don't know how he keeps it all in within those 9 hours..but he sure takes a loooooooooooong time in the morning. almost a whole minute straight


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## docnascar (Feb 24, 2004)

Noah is being paper trained. Although the paper will be permanent in a litter box as he will not be an outside dog. He has picked up this habbit of just touching his front paws to the paper and going on the carpet. Upstairs we have a doggy litter box with the paper pads in it. He has to jump in that one to go. I guess we need to do the same for downstairs.

Despite that at 14 weeks he still has accidents here and there. Were working with him on it. I think part of it is because he gets a lot of free roaming time where no one is watching him, like if we are cooking dinner or washing clothes. And sometime while we are sleeping he will wake us up saying to go potty on the paper.

What is the normal age where it just clicks and they go where they are suppose to?


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## TikisMom (Jul 22, 2003)

The key to any "potty training" is consistency..... At 12 weeks Tiki would not go in the house, but we had to keep an eye on him because he would just go to the front door and stare at it. I would look down and say "where's Tiki?" and sure enough he was sitting by the door because he had to go out. 

When we first brought him home he had a crate, and was confined to the kitchen (all tile) when we were not home. If he wasn't in the kitchen some one was with him at all times, the minute he started looking for somewhere to go we would pick him up and carry him to the door, set him down and then say "go out?" then take him outside to do his business, praising him all the time. This worked very well. He had maybe 2 - 3 accidents but was fully trained by 12 weeks (as long as I saw him by the door







) I don't remember when he started scratching at the door, but it didn't take long. Now he scratches at the door even if he just went potty... usually it is because he wants to go play in the grass







.

Judi


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## MOCHIpie (Mar 2, 2004)

Yeah i guess it really depends on the dog and their owners...lots of commitment and consistancy is KEY

Mochi finally got it around 14 weeks...

he's now 21 weeks and he's absolutley great...

although if he goes to foreign places...outside our house, he can get nervous or can smell other dogs' and will try to mark his scent...only a few times though


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## Maxismom (Mar 24, 2004)

last night when i got home from work it was really nice out and still light so i took Maxi for a walk let me say this he pee'd on every corner i was like Maxi what gives than he went number 2 which is the first time he has done this outside so i was really amazed that he knew to do that
i can't wait to take him out now every day when i go home from work.
He loves being outside which makes me sad during the week so i will try and make up for it every night
on weekends he is out from friday night until sunday i take him everywhere by sunday night he is so tired from the running around, even though they say Maltese don't need alot of activity
i feel like Maxi does he can stay out for hours


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## TikisMom (Jul 22, 2003)

The weather is great here today (85) and Tiki and I just got back from our walk.... he also loves to be outside. This is one reason I decided to keep him in a long puppy cut; he loves to roll in the grass, worms, and snails! He would be out there all day if I would let him.

I am lucky enough to work out of the house so he gets to go for a few walks each day. On nice days I use him as my excuse to be gone a little longer
















Tiki will only do number 2 on a walk... he will tinkel in the yard between walks, but must have his morning walk and evening walk to take care of the other. He has been like this since he was a pup. I am sure it is all my fault as I just started him out that way. I like it though, it forces me to walk him and he sure loves it.

Judi


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## cjerichogrl (Mar 25, 2004)

Our Malt's name is Benson. He is now 12 weeks old. We got him when he was 8 weeks old. Here is our story of how we house trained him. We both work all day, so he is crated while we were at work. He crate trained immediately with only 1 accident.

We feed him on a schedule:
6:00 a.m. an 6:00 p.m. The key is consistency during the time you are house training. 

We would set a timer and put his food down for 20 minutes. After that went off, we would pick it up and set a time for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, we carried him to the door, rang a little bell hanging by the door (not on the door, otherwise it rings constantly and defeats the purpose). We would take him out every few hours. When he had an accident in the house, we wiped it up with a paper towel, put the towel outside under a rock. Every time we took him out, we set him by the paper towel, he smelled it and went potty in that spot. After about three days, every time we took him out, we took his paw, hit the bell and took him out.

After 2 weeks, Benson was ringing the bell. He would grab it with his mouth and throw it against the wall so we always hear it. He also only potties in the spot where we would keep the paper towel.

The only problem we found with it is that he would ring the bell when he wanted to go out and play in the snow (he loves snow). So when he did that, we had to tell him “potty” and not allow him to play… take him in immediately and then wait about 5 minutes. Then we would take him out to play in the snow and we wouldn’t ring the bell that time.

I cant stress enough the importance of rewarding them when they ring and potty outside. You would think Benson did the most amazing thing in the world when we fuss over him pottying. 

He does still have accident's now and then but for the most part, he rings the bell and looks up the door. It's nice because he doesnt scratch the door and it will impress your friends and family at how cute it is. 

Hope that helps


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## TikisMom (Jul 22, 2003)

What a great system! I wish I had this post available when I was training Tiki  

Judi


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## puppy*luv (Apr 8, 2004)

Thank you Cjerichogrl for sharing yor secret!







I will try the bell when I get my pup. I hope i'm sucessful like you were! Was he home by himself from the time you got him? Did you take him out every few hours after you guys got home fr. work or were you able to come home during your break? I'm just worried for when I work; I don't really have a set schedule, it varies every week.


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## kit001 (Jul 6, 2003)

I had a post last spring/summer about the bell thing. lol In my house, it didn't work. lol We also did the reinforcement with cookies and praise after Morgan went potty. We hung one bell in the kitchen and one down here in the entrance way to the family room since we spend alot of time down here in the basement. Did almost exactly the same thing you did with the exception of the towel under the rock outside. 

Well, it was not going too well with the bell thing and then one night, all of a sudden out of the blue we hear the bell ringing down here....Finally, you're using the bell to let us know you have to go potty! NOTTTTTTTT..he saw Daddy with a cookie in his hand...he wanted his cookie! lol We totally gave up,,,the bells have hung in their spot untouched since last summer...he did train but he still will not let us know when he has to go, but very few accidents since, we take him out on a regular basis. 

Now we have Bailey, our little Yorkie and I am back to trying the bell again. I am hoping to get him trained with it and maybe we will have a "monkey see, monkey do" thing going on with Morgan and he will pick up on it. Would be nice not to have to second guess. My older dog goes from the kitchen door to the living room door back and forth constantly to let us know, so if I can just get these two to let me know, I will be happy.


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)




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## puppy*luv (Apr 8, 2004)

I'm sorry, I had a good laugh w/Morgan ringing the bell to get his treat! :lol: Too cute!!


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## TikisMom (Jul 22, 2003)

Nichole.....

I had to laugh out loud when I read about the stop watch! Toby has trained you well









Tiki has trained me to come running when he scratches at the door. He will dart out, give an obligatory leg lift and then run around trying to find worms to roll in or "bird stuff"







to eat (YUCK)! He doesn't even need to go!

The things we do for these little guys!

Judi


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