# I need serious potty training advice!!



## mbradfordc (Mar 21, 2008)

I have a 6 month old maltese and have been desperatley trying to potty train her for the past 2 months using the potty pads. Nothing seems to work! I am usually gone for a few hours during the day and have been leaving her in a gated area with her potty pad, food, water and a variety of chew toys as she is teething. When i come home the potty pad is in shreds, her bowl of food is flipped and there is potty all over the floor. While i am home, i always keep a close watch on her but the second i look away she goes potty on the carpet. Lately shes been going on the rugs, because i cant see it as well. any advice would be greatly appreciated!


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## jazak (Feb 12, 2008)

I would read this http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?...c=33443&hl= There is alot of information that could help you.


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## CharleyFirpo (Mar 3, 2008)

You have to be very and I mean VERY patient during the potty training period. I was so mad (not at him, just the whole situation) when Charley was peeing on the carpet all the time, every 30 minutes. He is now trained to potty outside and he is 100% housebroken. He was confined in the bathroom and I let out him every 3-4 hours, took him outside to potty, 15 minutes play then back to the bathroom. He had some pads in there but wasn't using them.....just ripping them.....Then he got neutered and he stopped marking inside almost immediately, so it was a big relief. Now the carpet is all clean and Charley is all housebroken!!!!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I would crate her when you are gone. She may have a little separation anxiety. Make the crate her safe den (feed her in there, teach her to go in and out on command, leave her with a stuffed kong or other food toy). 

I set up a 2x3 or so pen covered with pee pads. At potty time, we go there. Wait. If no go, back in the crate for 15 minutes and try again. Reward when she goes! 

No freedom unless she has just gone potty and is actively supervised!

Set a schedule and stick with it. For waking up, feeding, playing, etc.


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## carolicious (Feb 25, 2008)

I agree with JMM. It sounds like your puppy is having separation anxiety. We leave Coby in his ex pen when we go out, w/ his food bowl and potty pad and he never does any of those things that you mentioned because he's used to being in there even when we are home. We purposely keep him in there for a few hours a day to make sure he's used to being in there. You should get him used to being in there even if you are home to let him know that just because he is in there does not always mean you are gone. Perhaps you can also get those pad holders so he won't be able to rip the pads? and a heavier bowl or set it up somehow so that he can't tip it over.


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## mbradfordc (Mar 21, 2008)

What kind of pen do you have?


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## carolicious (Feb 25, 2008)

> What kind of pen do you have?[/B]


http://www.petsupplyfactory.com/browseprod...ercise-Pen.HTML

^ it's not that exact one but you get the idea. The dimensions are the same and we have it set in a square shape with his bed in one corner and food bowls and 2 potty pads on the other side of the pen in the opposite corner. We like it because he can still see us which is comforting for him and it's facing our french sliding doors that lead out to our backyard so he can look outside and best of all he doesn't feel "trapped." He's in there during the night (he sleeps there) and in the mornings and sometimes during the day when we have to go out. He's used to being in there and just goes right to sleep, sits in his bed chewing on something, or looks out the window. 

There are also things that you plug into an outlet and it lets out pheromones that calm and soothe the dog and I have read that it helps with dogs that suffer from separation anxiety. You just plug it in and they'll become very relaxed and fall asleep. Perhaps you could look into it.


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## cloey70 (Jan 6, 2008)

Yea, I agree, crate training is what you need to do. Confine, confine, confine. Potty, play, feed, potty again, and then back in crate. Repeat every 3 to 4 hours. When away, crate. You'll find this to be the easiest and most efficent way to potty train.


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## Kissi's Mom (Apr 21, 2006)

> I have a 6 month old maltese and have been desperatley trying to potty train her for the past 2 months using the potty pads. Nothing seems to work! I am usually gone for a few hours during the day and have been leaving her in a gated area with her potty pad, food, water and a variety of chew toys as she is teething. When i come home the potty pad is in shreds, her bowl of food is flipped and there is potty all over the floor. While i am home, i always keep a close watch on her but the second i look away she goes potty on the carpet. Lately shes been going on the rugs, because i cant see it as well. any advice would be greatly appreciated![/B]


My paper training methods are a little different than most probably because I had never trained a pup to "go" in the house and outside training is pretty easy I think...
When I got Kissi she was 5 1/2 months old and only partially paper trained. I kept her with me all of the time and when I went to the bathroom (I keep her pp pads in the bathroom) I took her with me put her on the pp pad and told her to "go potty", also, everytime she drank water I took her to the paper and told her to "go potty"...she quickly learned that she was supposed to go when I did or at least on that paper. I kept her in an x-pen with her crate and all the essentials anytime I could not be with her until she was trained. She is almost 5 now and still goes to the bathroom everytime I go (whether she needs to or not . 
Once she figured out what I wanted her to do on that paper I can put the paper anywhere...including a public bathroom stall!!! and she goes there...makes life easy for me!! The key is to be consistent and give lots of praise when they get it right!!
Hint...Kissi will not use a pad that has been pottied on more than twice...that also may be part of the issue your little one is having. 
Good Luck
Linda


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## mbradfordc (Mar 21, 2008)

Thanks for the help! I actually got her to go the bathroom on the pad twice yesterday and twice today!!!


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## cloey70 (Jan 6, 2008)

> Thanks for the help! I actually got her to go the bathroom on the pad twice yesterday and twice today!!![/B]



:aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:


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## Carly's Mom (Jan 17, 2008)

> I have a 6 month old maltese and have been desperatley trying to potty train her for the past 2 months using the potty pads. Nothing seems to work! I am usually gone for a few hours during the day and have been leaving her in a gated area with her potty pad, food, water and a variety of chew toys as she is teething. When i come home the potty pad is in shreds, her bowl of food is flipped and there is potty all over the floor. While i am home, i always keep a close watch on her but the second i look away she goes potty on the carpet. Lately shes been going on the rugs, because i cant see it as well. any advice would be greatly appreciated![/B]


Carly was easier than your girl, but had her difficult moments...she's almost 100% now, but will take to chewing up her potty pads every once in a while. I started spraying the potty pads with bitter apple (and have them in a good holder which I think is a must). I would also suggest some very heavy bowls that she can't flip.

I only let Carly out of the ex pen to play after she had peed. I was told that if they're not doing it right to make the area they're in smaller and slowly increase it as thry get better with the pottying. She will get it!


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

Here's a good link to housetraining puppies and dogs. Maybe there's something there which will help:



ASPCA's Housetraining Puppies and Dogs




Joy


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