# Rescue baby - trouble with potty



## curell5 (Jan 12, 2012)

I adopted a rescued maltese from a shelter and am having a lot of trouble getting him to go potty outside. He was rescued in November and we picked him up last week. He will go pee outside, but for whatever reason will not poo out there. If I see him going poo inside, I scoop him up and take him right out, but he stands there staring at me and looks terrified. I'll wait out there for up to 30 minutes and bring him in and he goes over to try to poo inside again. He will pee with no hesitation outside - and inside! This is the first time I've had a dog in my adult life and don't know a thing about training (my mom always did the training). The dog (we haven't settled on a name yet and just call him "Baby") is guessed to be 2-3 years old and I was only told that he was "taken from a very bad home situation". I need any and all advice on teaching him to go potty in the appropriate place. Does anyone recommend "potty pads"?


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## *Missy* (Oct 7, 2011)

Hi! And welcome to SM! My dogs use pee pads and also go outside. My little girl came trained already and rustee...to be honest sometimes I have no idea how we got here! Lol I was 21 and he was my first dog who was totally mine when i got him and my mom helped me a great deal in learning what I needed to do and somehow four years later...here we are and he is trained. He prefers to go outside...loves it but I need the pads bc I live onthe third floor and sometimes if they need to go in the middle of the night I would be a bit apprehensive about going out lol (scaredy cat I guess haha) and when it gets really cold they don't like it...ok so I realize I have not really helped only told you a story lol but I know that many people on here know MUCH more than me so I would leave it to them because sometimes I ramble (can you tell) and don't feel my advice is expert enough especially because rescue dogs may be traumatized and have special needs But welcome! Hope you will join in on the fun and show us a pic of your baby! So glad you rescued him! There is alot of great advice


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

I wonder if indeed he WAS trained for pee pads all along? My Quincy came pee-pad trained and is vry faithful about it. My Naddie ( also a rescue) was a bit of a challenge to train... few homes, each had their own method and by the time she got to me , poor little dear didn't know what was expected of her. 
She seemed to feel she had to go 'in-secret" ( it was suggested to me she was likely severly punished early on for 'accidents" so she feared letting anyone know she had to 'go". ) It took time and patience BUT we got there! 
I planned the outdoor training since at that time it was all I ever knew. 
I learned ther potty body timing and was sure to get her out then. I had to give her 'privacy' putting her on a long rope... and gave her space , then once she 'went' I praised and rewarded. once she learned she was doing the right thing it became easier and easier to finish up on the training.
Going back to 'privacy'... My Quincy ( the one pee-pad trained) will go pee if I'm nearby BUT not poop!! for THAT he want's privacy!...and will not go if I'm within 'seeing range'. So, maybe your little one is the same way. Put him on a longer line so you have control but he has space/privacy and see if that helps.


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## curell5 (Jan 12, 2012)

Thank you guys for your advice and encouragement! I bought a 12 foot lead (for privacy) and I also picked up some pee pads. So far he doesn't even look at the pee pad - how do I "teach" him that the pee pad is for pottying? We'll see about the lead, it's snowy outside right now and he just stood there freaking out at the snowflakes! lol It was pretty cute, but I kinda felt bad for him, too. He is the sweetest little guy and I have fallen head over heels for him, but my husband isn't too thrilled with the potty accidents. Hopefully, I can figure out this "training thang"!


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## *Missy* (Oct 7, 2011)

Maidto2Maltese said:


> I wonder if indeed he WAS trained for pee pads all along? My Quincy came pee-pad trained and is vry faithful about it. My Naddie ( also a rescue) was a bit of a challenge to train... few homes, each had their own method and by the time she got to me , poor little dear didn't know what was expected of her.
> She seemed to feel she had to go 'in-secret" ( it was suggested to me she was likely severly punished early on for 'accidents" so she feared letting anyone know she had to 'go". ) It took time and patience BUT we got there!
> I planned the outdoor training since at that time it was all I ever knew.
> I learned ther potty body timing and was sure to get her out then. I had to give her 'privacy' putting her on a long rope... and gave her space , then once she 'went' I praised and rewarded. once she learned she was doing the right thing it became easier and easier to finish up on the training.
> Going back to 'privacy'... My Quincy ( the one pee-pad trained) will go pee if I'm nearby BUT not poop!! for THAT he want's privacy!...and will not go if I'm within 'seeing range'. So, maybe your little one is the same way. Put him on a longer line so you have control but he has space/privacy and see if that helps.


Oh Bless little Naddies heart :wub: that is a wonderful story though...poor thing had to go in secret  I can just see you hiding away from that loooong rope and praising her after she thought nobody was watching....:blush: I love her she is such a doll 

I bet you have fallen head over heels! He sounds like he is lucky to have you and I'm glad that he was saved from horrible conditions!


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

*Missy* said:


> Oh Bless little Naddies heart :wub: that is a wonderful story though...poor thing had to go in secret  I can just see you hiding away from that loooong rope and praising her after she thought nobody was watching....:blush: I love her she is such a doll
> 
> I bet you have fallen head over heels! He sounds like he is lucky to have you and I'm glad that he was saved from horrible conditions!


LOL... yup I did indeed had to hide! At first I just stood there but gave her long lead to go off on her own a bit but because she knew I was watching, she'd not go. I actually got scared her first day here because she held for so very long!.. and no she didn't go off somewhere in the house because as part of her training I had her 'attached' to me at all times... and took her out every 2 hours or so but with no luck. Once I stationed myself behind a bush, she finally went LOL 
...and yes I do adore her... she wants so much to please and the potty thing was very stressful for her at first. She came with a few issues but in time she became secure and we got her 'baggage'.. 'unpacked' :thumbsup:
Quincy was easier as he came from a loving home... but he is just a very 'modest-boy' LOL He is perfect with his pee-pad training.... never goes anywhere else... he'll just hold. If I walk in on him... he immediately gets out of position and looks at me as if to say.. 'EXCUSE ME!!!" :w00t:..I'm busy here! :HistericalSmiley:


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## *Missy* (Oct 7, 2011)

Oh what a wonderful way to say that. Unpack the baggage. I have no idea why but I have never thought or heard it like this! She is adorable and so is he! What a pair of cuties!! I certainly wish mine were a bit more modest...but no. They seem to not care who is around to trot over to the pad and let themselves go!


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

*Missy* said:


> Oh what a wonderful way to say that. Unpack the baggage. I have no idea why but I have never thought or heard it like this! She is adorable and so is he! What a pair of cuties!! I certainly wish mine were a bit more modest...but no. They seem to not care who is around to trot over to the pad and let themselves go!


The reference to baggage comes from a poem I read long ago.
*Baggage
by Evelyn Colbath*
*Now that I'm home, bathed, settled and fed,
All nicely tucked into my warm new bed,
I would like to open my baggage, 
Lest I forget
There is so much to carry -
So much to forget.*
*Hmm, Yes, here it is, right on the top -
Let's unpack Loneliness, Heartache and Loss,
And there by my leash hides Fear & Shame
As I look on these things I have tried so hard to leave-
I still have to unpack my baggage called Pain.*
*I loved them, the others, the ones who left me,
But I wasn't good enough - for they didn't want me.
Will you add to my baggage?
Will you help me unpack?
Or will you just look at my things
And take me right back?*
*Do you have the time to help me unpack?
To put away my baggage,
To never re-pack?
I pray that you do - I'm so tired you see,
But I do come with baggage -
Will you still want me?*​


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## *Missy* (Oct 7, 2011)

Maidto2Maltese said:


> The reference to baggage comes from a poem I read long ago.
> *Baggage
> by Evelyn Colbath*
> *Now that I'm home, bathed, settled and fed,
> ...


:wub:


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

You are supposed to funny...yet here I am bawling my eyes out again.


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

Yes, Syliva... I do from time to time 'regress" :HistericalSmiley:

That Naddie got her baggage unpacked.. is the "Happy-Ending" :thumbsup:

Sometime I'm going to try to get some video of Quincy and his 'privacy-issue"... he gives me the most exasperated expression if I accidently invade his area when going potty..... if looks could kill :w00t::HistericalSmiley:

Now, Naddie has no 'inhabitions' at all anymore...just the opposite.. she doesn't care if 20 people are hanging around.. when has to 'go'''she goes" ... quite a change from when she came here. We've had outdoor parties and if chairs/tables are set up in "her" spot.. it doesn't phase her at all... she just 'does her thing"! What could I do??!! the kid was already 'in motion"... I just smiled, got a bag , picked it up... and said ..." I think there was a misunderstanding when she said she wanted to do a 'show and tell" for the company!!:HistericalSmiley: :w00t: LOL 
Luckily she has a pretty steady schedule so I usually can get her business taken care of in a more discreet area!:HistericalSmiley:


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

I really recommend watching this webinar video on housetraining: 
Housetraining Basics

It's apparently only available for January as APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) put it out as part of Train Your Dog month, so if you can, please do put some time aside to watch it soon. I think it will help you.

The only (minor) thing that I wouldn't do is that if you catch "Baby" going inside, I would not even consider saying "no". As he's a rescue and you don't really know his history and he sounds like he may be a bit sensitive, I would just eliminate "no" from his life and stick to positive reinforcement. Honestly, with any dog, I don't believe that saying "no" when you catch them going inside is worthwhile... you risk that they'll learn that going in your presence is bad and will just go inside when you're not looking or when you're in another room. They may also learn to hold it in as long as they can when you're standing next to them outside waiting for them to go. It's just too risky that they will understand your "no" as meaning "don't let me catch you going poop next to me or I'll be angry!" which winds up being counterproductive. He will learn to go where you want him to with a good reward-based housetraining method. :thumbsup: 

Anyway, I think everything else in the video is spot on and really recommend putting the time aside to watch it. 

Do you know if he was crated in the past? Crate training is so helpful for housetraining but if he has ever been put in a crate for punishment or has learned to soil his crate and stay in it, it could be a little trickier than normal. That's something else I would look into though if you haven't already.

There are also some great housetraining tips from jmm in a sticky in this forum, but here's a link in case you missed them: 
http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/54-maltese-training/92623-potty-training-tips-jmm.html


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## curell5 (Jan 12, 2012)

Aarianne said:


> I really recommend watching this webinar video on housetraining:
> Housetraining Basics
> 
> It's apparently only available for January as APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) put it out as part of Train Your Dog month, so if you can, please do put some time aside to watch it soon. I think it will help you.
> ...


Aarianne, thank you so much for your suggestions! (BTW, we have decided on the name Riley, so we only call him "Baby" affectionately.) I'm looking forward to watching the video and reading JMM's tips.

The only information we were given by the shelter was that "he came from a very bad home situation". I think your advice about avoiding "no" is very good advice. The times that I have said that to him has always caused him to cower. It's very sad. 

We have been using a crate when we are not home (which has only been a handful of times) and he has not soiled his crate. I'm guessing that is a good sign! He sleeps in my bed with me and can't get up or down without help, so he also isn't "going" throughout the night. 

I'm also very happy to announce that today he went poo for me outside for the very first time since we got him 10 days ago!!! :aktion033: I was so PROUD of him!!! I started giving him a treat everytime he went pee for me outside and I would repeatedly use the word potty. When he has an accident inside (pee or poo) I tell him "Potty outside". Then I take him outside. Unfortunately, he doesn't like any of the dog treats that I bought - so I've been giving him small pieces of summer sausage. (Is that ok to give to a dog???) Any suggestions on favorite dog treats?

Again, Aarianne, thank you so much for taking the time to share your suggestions! I really do appreciate that!


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## Aarianne (Jul 22, 2005)

Summer sausage is probably fairly salty and spicy for a dog so I'd opt for unseasoned meat. My dogs go crazy for cooked chicken meat cut into tiny pieces. :thumbsup:


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Hoping things work out. Tyler's very private about his poop too. He goes into the room at the other end of the house to a pee pad for that. If I'm walking him outside he looks mortified that I saw him, until I tell him what a good boy he is, clean it up and go looking for a garbage can outside.:thumbsup:
Tyler's a really picky eater and is not different with treats. He loves chicken jerky though. Only buy it if it's sourced and manufactured in the US. Blue Buffalo makes it, Kona Chips and also Aunt Jeni from MD. He will do anything for it and though they come in large slabs I just break off pieces and it makes perfect training treats. Good luck. I also loved Victoria Stillwell's It's Me or the Dog book for training and positive reinforcement.


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