# Finally got Eeyore potty trained and here is how



## eeyore's mommy (Mar 30, 2009)

Eeyore is now 3 yrs old but it took him nearly a full year to get him potty trained and I thought I should share what worked for us. Im probably preaching to the choir here so forgive me if I state the obvious but here it goes:
1. Saying a Maltese is sensitive is beyond understatement. Maltese are extrememly sensitive and you have to keep this in mind during ANY and ALL training. Obviously we never hit Eeyore during his training, but when we first began potty training if he had an accident we would yell land show him the mess (we NEVER rubbed his nose in it). However, the yelling really freaked him out and he went into a panic and would run away wimpering and curl into a shaky little ball. As his mommy this was heartbreaking and I was lost as to what to do. 

2. I began speaking firmly but not yelling, i pointed to the mess and then said NO. It helped immensley and whenever he made a mess he would get all sheepish so I felt I had made progress in that he knew he made a mistake but STILL we were using wee wee pads. Im sorry but I just couldnt bear the crate training...and he was so sensistive hed cry all night so if you are wondering why i didnt do crate training its because im too much of a wuss.

3. The magic solution was installing a doggy door. Although Eeyore was scared of the hole because he heard all the sawing and the noise that made that scary hole. I would advice NOT allowing your maltese to watch the installation...lol. They ARE sensitive after all. We left only the hole until he got used to going in and out of the hole freely...yes we had a hole with no covering for nearly 2 weeks so make sure someone is home at all times. Then we put on the actual pet door and left the flap up for another 2 weeks til he got used to that. Once that happened we put the flap down and would use treats to call him back and forth through the flap and push him through....he loved the freedom of going in and out to our fenced back yard. PLEASE ensure you have a safe yard if you ever use this option and please make sure you never keep the door available while you are gone....maltese are small and can get out of yards easy but let me get back to potty training.

4. we still had wee wee pads for about another 2 weeks but with the ability to go out whenever necessary Eeyore suddenly stopped using the pads and went outside. Of course we said NO in a firm voice wheneever he went inside (we started saying NO even on the pads and would show him his door). 

5. After a year of pure frustration our little Eeyore was abig boy! He hasnt had an accident in almost 2 yrs and knows that his home isnt meant to potty inside of. I have to say learning not to yell to loud was the first and largest step because he wasnt even using his wee wee pads before that...when we weould yell too loud he would still have accidents anywhere and everywhere.

6. we never never never hit our baby or rubbed his nose in his potty. this is mean and our maltese are way too sensitive to process why it is happenieng. in my estimation they get so frightened they arent learning what they are doing wrong. a simple firm voice still lets them know they are being bad and they will want to make you happy and stop doing the bad behavoir. my husband and i and eeyore all learned together how to be a good family and i thought id share even if im stating the obvious....but the pet door really helped and if you have a secure yard and a watchful eye id really recommend. eeyore loves to patrol his yard and goes potty first thing in the morning after running through his flap. before the door it seemed we were going to be destined to a life of wee wee pads. I will say it took about 4 months just to get him on those, so i guess if you get that far pat yourself on the back....maltese are notorious for being hard to trian.

7. I have heard crate training is very useful but after 3 weeks of putting him in the crate and watching himn tremble, cry, whimper, and shake i could take no more. eeyore was already a very sick puppy mill rescue who was the only survining member of his litter....i just couldnt put jhim through anything unpleasant. He almost didnt make it he was so sick. He slept with me from day one and we got those plastic bed covers for under the sheets in case of accidents.....although he always gave us licky kisses to wake us up when he needed to go at night. I never did figure out why he didnt do that during the day...shrugs. Well...again...dont yell too loud and get a doggy door and it makes a huge difference. hope this helps and if not disregards. eeyore sends his love and is crossing his paws that your baby gets it too!


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## eeyore's mommy (Mar 30, 2009)

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## eeyore's mommy (Mar 30, 2009)

BTW....we did write a song for Eeyore that we sang whenever he pottied outside and he loved it. it went like this ...very simple tune
Noooooooooooo accidents in the house
Nooooooooooo accidents in the house
its an accident in
not an accident out
Sooooooooo nooooooooo accidents in the house.


QUOTE (eeyore's mommy @ Mar 30 2009, 03:22 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=753898


> Eeyore is now 3 yrs old but it took him nearly a full year to get him potty trained and I thought I should share what worked for us. Im probably preaching to the choir here so forgive me if I state the obvious but here it goes:
> 1. Saying a Maltese is sensitive is beyond understatement. Maltese are extrememly sensitive and you have to keep this in mind during ANY and ALL training. Obviously we never hit Eeyore during his training, but when we first began potty training if he had an accident we would yell land show him the mess (we NEVER rubbed his nose in it). However, the yelling really freaked him out and he went into a panic and would run away wimpering and curl into a shaky little ball. As his mommy this was heartbreaking and I was lost as to what to do.
> 
> 2. I began speaking firmly but not yelling, i pointed to the mess and then said NO. It helped immensley and whenever he made a mess he would get all sheepish so I felt I had made progress in that he knew he made a mistake but STILL we were using wee wee pads. Im sorry but I just couldnt bear the crate training...and he was so sensistive hed cry all night so if you are wondering why i didnt do crate training its because im too much of a wuss.
> ...


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

These tips would have worked better with no yelling... :smcry: 

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=41514


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## momtoboo (Jan 30, 2006)

I'm glad you got the pottytraining done. :aktion033: Yes, Malts are very sensitive. I can't even raise my voice to Boo,never could. So I go around sweet talking all the time  . Boo didn't do well with pottypads either, but he was really good once I started the outdoor training.


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

So glad to here Eeyore is potty trained :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:


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## cleooscar (May 28, 2008)

We're going through the training right now with Napoleon (16 weeks). We're training him on the potty pad for indoor use. He was doing so well but this morning he did #2 on his play bed in our gated kitchen! I couldn't figure out why. It's 4 feet from the pad. I hope he doesn't do it again.


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## Carole (Nov 1, 2005)

Actually it isn'nt the fur-kids in training it is always fur-PARENTS who are in training. :biggrin: 
No yelling of ANY kind ....loud OR soft....no hitting with a paper....rubbing nose in it....EVER WORKS.
Only LOVE and positive reinforcement works. :clap: :wavetowel2: :walklikeanegyptian: arty: 
YAH for Eeyore :aktion033: :chili: :smilie_daumenpos: :rockon: :yahoo: :smootch:


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

Glad it worked out.

After reading a few posts about backyard hazards....eg HAWKS, OWLS etc keep in mind to watch the puppy while outside (if you don't already). 
The door is a good idea in one way, but I would be worried about him coming and going thru the door without me knowing exactly where he is and what might be outside also in the yard. 
(forgot to see where you are located).


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## ckim111 (Dec 17, 2008)

QUOTE (Carole @ Apr 3 2009, 12:31 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=756336


> Actually it isn'nt the fur-kids in training it is always fur-PARENTS who are in training. :biggrin:
> No yelling of ANY kind ....loud OR soft....no hitting with a paper....rubbing nose in it....EVER WORKS.
> Only LOVE and positive reinforcement works. :clap: :wavetowel2: :walklikeanegyptian: arty:
> YAH for Eeyore :aktion033: :chili: :smilie_daumenpos: :rockon: :yahoo: :smootch:[/B]


I would have to agree. When I would catch Bella going potty elsewhere, I would just pick her up and place her on the wee wee pad. This is really important to let them know that they aren't going in the right place. Positive reinforcement after each successful potty worked wonders. With this technique I Bella completely potty trained in 4 weeks.


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## bellasmummy (Apr 8, 2009)

well done Eeyore :biggrin:


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## wolfieinthehouse (Dec 14, 2007)

Congratulations.

Wolfie is as trained as he ever will get. He is too shy to ask to go out but will try to wait for a ride down the stairs to the yard and if he doesn't get one....he goes on a plastic carpet runner set up for emergency potty trips in a bedroom.

At houses without multi level entrances/exits he will go look at the door......but we don't live in one.


Training our poodle pup really helped Wolfie get the idea.


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