# POTTY Training NIGHTMARE!!!



## ladypotter (Apr 26, 2012)

Dutch is now 15 weeks old. I got him at 12 weeks...

Ok, as per my previous post, we WERE having issue with poop only, now it is pee too. I am literally at my wits end and don't know what to do. He did great the first few days home. :smilie_tischkante::smpullhair:

I even did great with watching him, keeping him in his xpen when necessary and everything.

I have controled his feedings, have a small xpen set up with two pads in it (one for pee, one for poo)...

I try watching him 100%, but the SECOND...I MEAN SECOND, I turn away...he pees (or poos)!!! OMG!!! I literally just got home from work, the nanny said he had been in the pen most of the day with a few minutes of play when they had time in the middle of the day. She said he had NOT pooped yet, so I knew he needed to go, but I also knew he would be happy to see me. I let him out, made him walk with me to the bathroom (so I COULD GO)...then walked back to the kitchen and I was going to put him in his xpen and stand there with him until he went...but NoooooO, he walked behind me and PEED ON THE RUG and I couldn't grab him in time (I caught him half sqaut)!!! Now he's barking his head off in the xpen.

I am about to cry...I just can't figure this out. I am so upset and don't know what else to try. :smcry:

He really only pees 4-5 times a day and about 2-3 are in the right place on the pad. He usually poos 2-3 times a day. Mostly Morning after breakfast, and after dinner like you would expect. But he JUST WONT GO ON THE PADS!!! 

Please help! Should I call a trainer or something. I don't want him to feel my frustration...I know "I" need the training too, but I am doing EVERYTHIGN I am reading about and have researched this to death and STILL feel like I am not (and he is not) catching on. :crying:


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## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

He is still young. Just being consistent and patient, and lots of praise and treats. Some get it right away, and others take time. I had one little female, that I can truthfully say she never had an accident in the house. At the same time, I had a little male, same training schedule, praise and treats, and it toolk 7 months before I could trust hin.


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## ladypotter (Apr 26, 2012)

I just wish I felt like he was getting BETTER...not worse :-(

If I thought things were improving, I would not feel this way. I am trying so hard. I have taken away his bedding (blankets and beds) because all he does is pee on them. He would rather lay on the cold floor. He picks any of my rugs to pee on now. :-(


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Oh, dear. Have you spoken to Dutch's breeder? Since he did so well at first, maybe she can help get you back on track?

It does sound like he has too much freedom. Walking back to the bathroom then back to the kitchen is a long walk for a puppy. Being confined to one room like the kitchen is best.


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## ladypotter (Apr 26, 2012)

Well, he just pooed on the pad!! LOL!!! Of course when I complain, he does what I want him too. Darn toot...love that fluffball...but he is such a poo head sometimes!! lol!!!


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## ladypotter (Apr 26, 2012)

Ladysmom said:


> Oh, dear. Have you spoken to Dutch's breeder? Since he did so well at first, maybe she can help get you back on track?
> 
> It does sound like he has too much freedom. Walking back to the bathroom then back to the kitchen is a long walk for a puppy. Being confined to one room like the kitchen is best.


Really? I wouldn't consider that a long walk? but then again, I am not a 3lb maltese!! lol. Thanks, that makes me feel better. I tried a larger xpen area to give him a little more freedom (two of the ISIS pens) at first, but he hated being in there if we were sitting 5 feet away (even if he could see us). 

He seems to be a little more confident in the smaller ISIS (only one) pen, although I had to take out his bed. Now it is only big enough for the two pads and his food/water with a small area for him to stand/lay on.


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## Patsy Heck (Jun 10, 2011)

My girls don't know the differance between pads and rugs. I've picked them all up. We have rugs in the living and dinning room but when they go in there they think the rugs are giant puppy pads. I've tried the natures miracle repellant but it didn't work. If someone has any suggestions I'd be interested too.


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## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

I'm glad he did his business on the pad for you  . Our Bella was a real challenge to housebreak and sadly I learned that the problem was....me. I know how you feel. You are busting your butt trying to do everything right and still more accidents occur. It is so frustrating. I cried many times over it. The secret really is ZERO access to the floor until pee and poo are done ~ non negotiable. Then potty breaks nearly every 10-15 minutes during "free play". No potty, no play. I hope this will help. It gets better  .


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## bellaratamaltese (May 24, 2006)

Honestly, if I KNOW a puppy has to go potty and I let them walk anywhere I don't want them to pee/poop, and they do go - I don't blame the puppy, I blame myself for giving them the freedom to potty where they aren't supposed to. In the case that you described, I would have carried the puppy to and from the bathroom and not let the feet touch the floor until they have gone potty where you want them too.


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## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

Oh and I prefer the UgoDog over pee pads. It has a different texture than pads and the chances of chewing it up are very, very slim. It's easy to clean too. Smartest $50 we ever spent.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I'm with Stacy. When we trained Tyler he was never out of his ex-pen until after he went. No exceptions and tons of praise and treats when he gets it right. I remember that Jackie suggested if they're ever with you in the house after they seem to get it to tie the leash to your pants.


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## Mia's Grammy (Jul 27, 2012)

Hi,

My new puppy Mia has only pottied 1 time at the end of her kennel on newspaper since we brought her home a week and a half ago. She stays in the crate all night or if we leave the home. I have 3/4s bedding and a 1/4 newspaper. She has full run of our Den dinning room and kitchen. In the kitchen I do have 1 square of newspaper down in case its storming or she gets busy playing or I forget its time to take her out. She has found that piece of newspaper about 3 times. I hope this helps. She is 8 weeks old tomorrow. At first she was in the smallest kennel now she is in one she can grow into. I also only let her have the kitchen to begin with and had up a puppy gate. 

Good luck! 
Susan


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## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

You have received great advice here and need to be patient with your baby. It is unrealistic to expect a puppy this young to be toilet-trained. The average age to be completely potty-trained is close to one year. I had one that was two years old before she was completely trustworthy in the house.


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## ladypotter (Apr 26, 2012)

Thanks all...really, I am not trying to be unrealistic. I realize this will take time, I just felt in a situation of uncontrol last night. I have never had a small dog before and the thought of having to carry him everywhere seemed silly to me or the fact that a walk from the pen to the bathroom (30 feet away) was "long". But, I do get it. He's so tiny. At least his boo-boos are easy to clean up! lol.

I DO realize that most of the fault is mine, so don't get me wrong, I am not mad at Dutch. I just want to do whats best for him and the best that I can do, and the thought of locking him up even after he peed but not pooped upset me too, but I know now what needs to be done, should be done, so I will be more strict about letting him out of the xpen until he has done his business.

Thanks again!


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Honestly at that age, I expect lots of accidents. With Tucker we have had much success by acting like total idiots when he pottys where he is suppose to. He thinks it's the greatest thing in the world to see us do our monkey dance when he does the right thing. Negative reinforcement will only make them fear you so make it all good.

I have also found it's all about learning their schedule and watching. I have an idea of when he has to potty, and when he is off schedule he will start wondering around sniffing like crazy. Sometimes he lets me know by pawing at my legs, sometimes he does not.


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

I have been very lucky. Bella has been very easy to housebreak. I started her out strictly on pee pads and then I began transitioning her to go outside. She barks when she needs to go outside and only if she is desperate and we are unavailable or it is bad weather she will use the pee pads. In my experience, too much freedom and not enough strictness in the schedule is the main reason it is hard for some people to housebreak a dog. I used the iris pen with Bella and I put her bed, food and water and her pee pad. It's close quarters but that's what makes it work. Most dogs, as they mature, do not want to spend time by their waste so they learn to go at the appointed time and in the appointed place. I am a stickler for being on schedule and I try to always take Bella out several times a day at the exact same time to go potty. This is the main reason I have had success potty training her.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Leash the dog to you. 

Your problems are inherent to leaving a dog with access to the potty 100% of the time. It makes training exponentially harder in many cases.


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## ladypotter (Apr 26, 2012)

*Houdini Dog*

Alright, it's always something new isn't it. Now he can climb over the iris pen AND was able to escape the collapsable pen I used yesterday instead. What now? I can't even keep him confined long enought to pee and poo. He is doing fine with pee pee on the pad, but still not poo. :smilie_tischkante::smilie_tischkante:


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## romeo&juliet (Jun 23, 2011)

Aweeeeeee its going to be ok mommy it takes time and consistency just remember its like having a newborn they cant help it they are learning. Its normal to have accidents mine were not completely potty trained until about a year old and till this day sometimes they might have an accident it will get better :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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