# potty training 1yr old



## mer (Feb 28, 2008)

Hi. I'm new to this message board. I could really use some advice. My female maltese, Tuffie, is 1yr and 4mo old and still not fully potty trained. We started her out with crate training which worked quickly. She almost always went outside to pee but occasionally would still poop in the crate. We fixed that by establishing meal time and now she always poops outside (unless it's raining and then she holds it forever but almost always still makes it outside in time.) but that's not the problem.

After crate training she had the kitchen area confinement. She only got to play on the carpet right after going outside. We kept a pee pad inside in her kitchen area and she was really good at peeing on that when she couldn't wait for us. Then one day we had another dog come over as a play date and after that day she wasn't as interested in the pee pad anymore... she was getting older and doing better with outside so just took it as a sign of growing up and holding it so she can go outside b/c outside is more fun than a pee pad. She did start making a few more accidents so we really stayed on her and watched her all the time. We started the bell on the door and she got that quickly. She will ring the bell, go pee outside and get a treat. Sometimes, though she just rings the bell b/c we are upstairs and she wants us to come down and pay attention to her.. so the bell is starting to lose it's luster. other times she rings the bell, goes pee outside and then still pees inside 5 min later.
When she was about a year old or a little younger, I can't remember, we took down the baby gates slowly and started to let her hang out downstairs at all times. This is where it gets strange to me. She will hold it when we are at work. She just goes to sleep and waits for us to return. When we are home (even after going out multiple times) she still finds enough pee in her to pee all over the carpet (usually small piddles - drop or two at a time) and occassionally a full pee. we tried the pee pad again and she'd use it soemtimes but not the carpet on other occasions.

It got worse and worse. If she was bad when we weren't home, I'd crate her again, but I don't want to crate her all the time when we are home. She's great when we are gone, it's just the other times. Also she has had trouble with a hurt paw and she likes to lick so I want to avoid crating again b/c she'll spend her time in the crate licking her paw which will be worse for her then peeing in the house, so that's not an option.

So here's what we did. We got the carpets cleaned so that she won't be smelling her previous mistakes. We bought female puppy diapers and have been trying that method. She's not piddling in them that much, but does still make one big pee per day it seems in the diaper (different times of the day so not really a pattern to them). she just pees when she feels like it. We talked to the vet and he says no physical problems. I know she's a small dog but she goes out at least 10 times per day and water gets taken away from her 2 hrs before bedtime. I can't imagine her needing to go more than that. maybe i'm giving her too many times outside and she's trained herself that when mom's home I get to pee all the time. but if she rings the bell, I fell like I have to let her out, even if she just went out.
Any advice on something we can do better,, or do we need a professional? thanks so much


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Gosh I'm really sorry. That has to be really frustrating. Obviously if she is able to hold it all day long while you're at work, it's not a physical problem. And you had her checked by your vet so we can rule that out. So it has to be behavioral. And you say it started when you brought another dog into your house for a play date? Was she socialized to other dogs as a puppy? Has she been spayed? Is her personality around other dogs more dominant? How did the play date go? I'm thinking maybe calling in a behaviorist would be a good idea. I don't know where you would go to find a good one, but I'm sure others on this board will.

Have you actually caught her in the "act" of peeing in your house? Maybe she just needs reminding that this is not acceptable since the play date. If you aren't able to catch her in the act, maybe you should leash her to you so she is within your sight at all times so that you can catch her at just the right moment, hopefully BEFORE she actually squats, and a firm disapproving NO and picking her up and taking her outside is all you will need to do. I hope others have some good advice for you. Good luck.


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## mer (Feb 28, 2008)

> Gosh I'm really sorry. That has to be really frustrating. Obviously if she is able to hold it all day long while you're at work, it's not a physical problem. And you had her checked by your vet so we can rule that out. So it has to be behavioral. And you say it started when you brought another dog into your house for a play date? Was she socialized to other dogs as a puppy? Has she been spayed? Is her personality around other dogs more dominant? How did the play date go? I'm thinking maybe calling in a behaviorist would be a good idea. I don't know where you would go to find a good one, but I'm sure others on this board will.
> 
> Have you actually caught her in the "act" of peeing in your house? Maybe she just needs reminding that this is not acceptable since the play date. If you aren't able to catch her in the act, maybe you should leash her to you so she is within your sight at all times so that you can catch her at just the right moment, hopefully BEFORE she actually squats, and a firm disapproving NO and picking her up and taking her outside is all you will need to do. I hope others have some good advice for you. Good luck.[/B]




thanks. the play date was part of our socializatio when she was little. she's so tiny that we had to find other small dogs so she wasn't scared, but this dog was dominate and barked at her the whole time. she had only a few play dates as a puppy and doesn't really like other dogs. she's the shy one and runs and hides. she does play well with my inlaws dog whose older and calm. she's finally not all that scare of him and will play kind of with him. she only had a couple play dates as a puppy during socialization time b/c she had a hurt eye and the doctors said to be very carefull with her and other dogs... so didn't have a lot of ability to do much socialization b/c her eye was a big concern (if any dog scratched it, it would have been very detrimental as it was already scratched). usually dogs play rough so we just couldn't do much with her on that.

it's been a long time since that play date, so that might have caused her to be more independent (not peeing on the pee pad) and she's always been a bit submisive/overexcited when people come to visit but she's gotten better about controlling that. it's really just when she's running around playing, or sleeping and needs to go, she just goes. the rest of the time she gets it. it's weird. 

if these diapers dont work, we'll have to get help.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

When the vet said she was fine, what tests were done? Did he check a urinalysis and perform bloodwork? If not, I would start there. 

Is she dribbling little bits lots of places or just urinating all in one spot? If she's dribbling, a trial with incontinence medication (PPA or DES) is worth a shot. 

Some dogs will dribble when excited. Make sure to say hello outside the front door or on the kitchen floor so dribble is easy to wipe up. That's just something you have to learn to manage. Ignoring her for a few minutes when you arrive home to make your arrival less exciting can help. 

My suggestion training-wise is to get her on a strict schedule for potty time, eating, playing, etc. just like a baby puppy. We want to train her body to know when to expect to potty and when to hold it. I would bring the crate back out and use it. How long are you gone during the day? She may need a dog walker to give her a break if it is 8+ hours.


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## mer (Feb 28, 2008)

> When the vet said she was fine, what tests were done? Did he check a urinalysis and perform bloodwork? If not, I would start there.
> 
> Is she dribbling little bits lots of places or just urinating all in one spot? If she's dribbling, a trial with incontinence medication (PPA or DES) is worth a shot.
> 
> ...



thanks for the advice. they did do a full check on her at the vet's office and he's also asked if she's leaking urine all the time or just peeing sometimes and it's just sometimes. We are only at work or out of the house for no more than 4 hrs at a time. my husband works close to home so the days we work he comes home at lunch. She holds it that whole time while we are gone too. It's just when we are home that she can't hold it. 

I really think the schedule thing is a good idea. I let her out alllllll the time and my husband spaces it out more when he's home with her (4 days of the week one of us is here b/c we work opposite schedules)... We're starting to think that i"m taking her out too much so she expects to be able to pee anytime I'm home, whereas when we are gone, she knows she has to wait. We are going to work on the schedule thing and not taking her our every minute. It's hard when 3 days of the week we're at work and 4 days someone is here, but I think we'll start this. I also think we aren't going to let her chew bones unless it's midday when we are home, but she get dehydrated and drinks tons of water afterwards.

thanks for the advice. any other advice is welcome too.


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## lolababy (Jan 17, 2008)

Hi,

I have the exact same problem with my Lola. She's going to be 2 in May. She can hold it all day when I am at work and she can hold it all during the night but when I am home she'll go to the door all the time... and it's not just dribble that come out, she pees.... sometimes like 3 or 4 times in an hour.

I have had tests done at the vet and they found nothing wrong. This is a habit of hers that I need to figure out how to change... same as you. It's been very hard and discouraging. She will not pee when I am downstairs with her, she will ask to go out. But, if I go upstairs for just 5 minutes and I come back down, she will often have done a mess on the floor. She even goes in her kennel as soon as I come down because she knows that she did something wrong, but yet still does it.

I have tried pee pads and she just tears them up. I'm going to have to keep an eye on her at all times and put her in the kennel when I come upstairs. I have to keep her in a small area (she just has access to the kitchen and living room but still.... ).

Hang in there... it's hard but if you find a way let me know !! I think all dogs have different personalities though and someday we will hopefully get them potty trained and life will be great !!! lol


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## mer (Feb 28, 2008)

thanks for letting me know. I thought I was the only one. I think they just get these silly habits and won't stop. I'm working on a schedule right now with her and we took the diaper off b/c she's getting irritated down there but I found some piddle spots this am. I think she might have just done another piddle somewhere right now b/c she was wet a tiny bit when I picked her up but I can't find the spot to clean it up. I put her on the couch b/c she won't pee up there. I think I'm just going to have to keep putting her on the couch with her blanket during the times that tends to piddle. I'm also going to stop playing chase with her, which she loves, unless we are outside. That game gets her pretty excited so she might have been piddling while she's running around... she doesn't squat, just pees as she goes... guess she has places to go she has to multi task.

I'll let you know if anything else works. we might need to get a trainer


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

It's important to really deep clean those carpet spots with a good
enzyme eliminating product so she won't go back and do it again.
I use Nature's Miracle when there is a slip up and I totally soak the
spot starting at the outside of the spot and pouring inward. Let
sit and then rub somewhat dry with a cloth or paper towels.

I hope your little one gets back into a schedule again.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

I'd do exactly as JMM said. To add to it--if she's chewing her paws while in the crate, try spraying some bitter apple spray on them--it will deter her from chewing on herself, hopefully. Give her something else safe to chew on in there--a kong or bully stick, etc. I think schedule, routine and consistancy are key. Best of luck!


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