# A Serious Solution



## nonsak (Apr 7, 2008)

My maltese is proving very difficult to train, or maybe he's untrainable. Serious SOLUTIONS from people who've had the same problem please.


He's now five months, from the time I brought him home I've crated trained him. (I got him when he was 3 months). Everyday walking to the pad, praise when he goes, etc. He'll go on his own sometimes, then sometimes he pees on my carpet, once he peed in my bed. Sometimes when I know he has to go, I'll walk him right up to the pee pad and wait to see what if he gets on it and goes. I've learned that at those times, ithat f i dont actually put him on it, he'll go where he is, or he'll go right next to the pad.

What's confusing me is....many times he runs to the pad and uses it, other times he acts like he's never seen a pee pad. Any experienced solutions?


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

The only advice I can offer is:

When you're not around, keep him in an x pen with a bed at one end and a pee pee pad at the other, with food, water and toys available.

also:

Consistancy

Praise

Patience


I must say, Abbey was a breeze to train, once Tinker "got it" he was fine. 
It's Archie!!! :smpullhair: He's now four years old and I swear he'll pee on the floor just to get me mad if I'm not home sometimes!!! 

I wish you luck! sometimes you just have to start all over like they're a puppy with this training - I know I do every once in a while. :smstarz:


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Put him on a schedule. Wake up, potty, feeding, play time, etc. Everything on a schedule and it is the same every day. If you are not actively watching him, he should be crated. 

Personally, I think training to outdoors gives a dog a better distinction on where is ok and where is not ok to potty. You may need to make your indoor place clearer to him. You can build a box, use a pee pad tray, or put a pen around 3 sides of the potty pad.


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## junosowner (Mar 24, 2008)

I use a litter pan lined with potty pads. He's pretty consistent with it and it's like what JMM said, it's a more defined area which he knows he can potty in. I take the pan w/ me to friend's places and he makes a beeline for it whenever he needs to go. He's so pad trained though, that one time he couldn't find his box so started pooing on a paper bag that was left on the floor! :smrofl:


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

My experience has been that it takes time for them to get it. 5 months is still pretty young. Accidents happen - with us until about 8-10 months. And even then, many of the accidents were my fault - i.e. put them on our bed before checking if they need to potty, etc. Patience and consistence and praise are the key to success here. 

The method we used: When there was an accident that wasn't our fault, we just said "bad potty" in a growly voice - not to the dog directly, just as we were cleaning up the mess. When they went in the right place, we said "good potty" in the happy voice and "lets get a treat" (give a treat immediately after). When they sniff around in the wrong place, we say "bad potty" in the growly voice. When they go to the right place and start sniffing, we say "good potty" in the happy voice. Whenever my boy goes over to the rug he had many accidents on during training and sniffs today, I say "thats a bad potty place" in the growly voice to him. Just a reminder in case the scents are still there. 

Hope that helps!


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## Princess D (May 16, 2007)

Diego is housetrained, most of the time, but if we aren't paying close enough attention he heads for my bedroom everytime! My solution is that I am now going to use a baby gate to block him out of the hallway to my bedroom - HA! He hasn't been using puppy pads for a long time, but has gone on plastic bags from the grocery store. I think that part of the reason this seems to happen is that they are so tiny and their bladders just fill up faster than I expect sometimes. When he was younger he had several accidents on the bed :shocked: and I wasn't happy, but again I try to take into account how small their system is. I really don't think Diego and Izzie (his sister/my neice) have accidents to 'get back' at us, they are too sweet for that :wub:


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## cloey70 (Jan 6, 2008)

I think potty training outside is way easier then inside. I was struggling with Clifford and his litter box, and one day tossed it and started training him to go outside. He was trained in a week, with consistency, schedule, and confining. If you live somewhere with no yard, you can put a potty box right outside your door or balcony and train him for outside that way too. Just a suggestion, because with my experience indoor training was hard for Clifford. He would miss his box constantly. I think he needed more space to move around and find that right spot. Now he has the whole yard and loves it. Good luck and he is very young still, but in a few months will be a pro. So, lower your expectations right now, and expect accidents.


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## MissMelanie (Feb 13, 2006)

If you really want to or need to have him Pad trained only, I would suggest a pad that is scented to attract or promote him to go there.

Also not so sure this was the great "trick" or not, but I put Wookie's pad in my bathroom and when I went, he went. Now he will only go in the bathroom and knows that is where his "business" should be done.

Good luck!
Melanie


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## nonsak (Apr 7, 2008)

Thanks all, I will continue trying...great experienced suggestions!


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