# Ozzie won't pee or poo in the snow :(



## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

Hello all, and apologies if this is a dupe thread, but I am at my witt's end... thankfully, we haven't had too much snow this winter, but lately those of you in the Midwest (and elsewhere I'm sure!) have noticed all the snow lately! :angry: 

Well, last winter, we had problems with Ozzie not pooing in the snow, and that has happened this year quite a bit as well, usually resulting in him pooping inside and then eating it unless we notice first :angry:

Well now he sometimes won't pee if there's snow out. I don't know if it's too cold for him or what. He will wander around as if looking for a spot to go, but then he just gives up, it seems. Sometimes it seems like he does bc his paws are cold, sometimes he just seems to give up and just want to go back in. 

We have boots for the pups, but they are just so poorly made and won't stay on and take just too long to put on (we take them out every 2-3 hours) and they just hate them. But maybe we should just start getting used to them...

I am just so upset about this especially this morning because I am working a 9:30-5 shift and my fiance is at Guard Duty for the Army all weekend :angry: (at least his contract ends this Sept then we are DONE) and Ozzie didn't pee this morning OR last night, which worries me, but I had no time to take him out again before I left, so I have asked my parents who live about 10 min away to stop by and take them out. I just hope they go for them... and Lisa gets SO scared/shy when people come over, and I'm sure she gets even more scared when they come over when we are not there..


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## spookiesmom (Mar 28, 2010)

Have you tried sweeping or shoveling a path? So he can see,smell,feel grass under his feet? Other than that, I don't know


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

spookiesmom said:


> Have you tried sweeping or shoveling a path? So he can see,smell,feel grass under his feet? Other than that, I don't know


We live in a condo building so it's not our yard. I suppose we could try shoveling some, but if we did, I'm sure other people's dogs will pee and poo there (and some don't clean it up).


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

My girls won't pee if it has rained. It seems they just can't find a spot. I put a pee pad down outside and they went on it.

Now, if it is wet outside I take them into the garage where I have several pads on the floor. After rewarding one success, they got the picture fast.

Can you try a pad on the snow?


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## Sparkle'sMom (Feb 2, 2013)

Sylie said:


> My girls won't pee if it has rained. It seems they just can't find a spot. I put a pee pad down outside and they went on it.
> 
> Now, if it is wet outside I take them into the garage where I have several pads on the floor. After rewarding one success, they got the picture fast.
> 
> Can you try a pad on the snow?



I concur, life w/ Malts are easier on the piddle pads. My Sparkle NEVER would go outside no matter how hard I tried. Some of them don't like to, so I made my life easier and gave up. I work also and it was fabulous beacuse she could go in the middle of the night or any time at all. She didn't go all over the house and never had accidents if you put them in a designated place like the garage or a mudroom. I lived in a condo too, we had two places one for upstairs and one for down because we had a home alarm on at night. Make your life easier! You roll em up and that's it.


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

Potty pads worked for a little while, but Ozzie would piddle in places he wasn't supposed to despite pads being in designated spots. He would pee on the carpet and on the futon in our spare bedroom. He has basically peed over the entire 2nd bedroom to the point where it would smell like pee all the time despite us cleaning his messes. 

Lisa is even worse and basically ignores pee pads unless they are in her crate, and she will tear them up. So due to these reasons (and the place smelling like pee with pads, sorry but it's true, disposing of pee-soaked pads in the trash resulting in the trash smelling like pee, and the overall extra expense/waste of pads), we can't do pads. 

I am really looking forward to the day we have our own house and our own YARD!!! Biggest pain of living with outdoor-pottying dogs in a condo is living on the 2nd floor and going up adn down the elevator every 2-3 hours!! This is why I didn't have time to take him out again if he won't go the first time


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

*Hello from Pa--I Understand what your saying/ If Its Not going to work Just Use The Wee wee Pads. Makes life a little more easy**
*Nickee & Yogi in Pa. Since he will be new to them maybe it would be best to use a pad holder with them. That Way No Bad habits like ripping the pads up for play will be a issue.*

*Good Luck************ Amazon pet supplys-iris puppy pad holder.*


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## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

Have you thought about one of those fake grass things that you could put on the patio or balconey? I've never tried one, but have thought about it for when we go back to Michigan in the summer--for use during thunderstorms.


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## Sparkle'sMom (Feb 2, 2013)

CorkieYorkie said:


> Potty pads worked for a little while, but Ozzie would piddle in places he wasn't supposed to despite pads being in designated spots. He would pee on the carpet and on the futon in our spare bedroom. He has basically peed over the entire 2nd bedroom to the point where it would smell like pee all the time despite us cleaning his messes.
> 
> Lisa is even worse and basically ignores pee pads unless they are in her crate, and she will tear them up. So due to these reasons (and the place smelling like pee with pads, sorry but it's true, disposing of pee-soaked pads in the trash resulting in the trash smelling like pee, and the overall extra expense/waste of pads), we can't do pads.
> 
> I am really looking forward to the day we have our own house and our own YARD!!! Biggest pain of living with outdoor-pottying dogs in a condo is living on the 2nd floor and going up adn down the elevator every 2-3 hours!! This is why I didn't have time to take him out again if he won't go the first time


That's too bad-but accidents happen. Remember they are Malts they don't always get it "right". I understand. Some dogs will be able get it right, others will become confused, especially of they are geared towards outdoor elimination waffling will only confuse them. I was lucky that Sparkle was papertrained when I got her so transitions to pads was easy and she was pretty good at going on them, though being a lady dog there was a dribble or two off the pads once or twice a week. I guess I just didn't care. But I am very sensitive to smell I do NOT like a condo smelling of pee. I support you. Don't rule it out yet though, have to weigh what you are gaining, yes trash smells yukko but trash always does, and you are gaining freedom of rigid schedules and weather be damned. These dogs have small bladders. Maybe you could try to help the little one who won't use the pads to become accustomed. Don't give up! Lisa can be trained. They have washable piddle pads that can be used over and the pups can't tear them up recommended by my breeder, but not for everyone.

Hope you able to resolve! Hugs


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

LoveLucy said:


> Have you thought about one of those fake grass things that you could put on the patio or balconey? I've never tried one, but have thought about it for when we go back to Michigan in the summer--for use during thunderstorms.


Yes, we tried that but Ozzie just pooped on it and would not pee, making the whole thing a messy endeavor  

Both pups are rescues, not saying they can't be re-trained, but just saying we have no idea what their potty habits were before. 

We have been dealing with both puppies potty issues since day 1, unfortunately. We tried a bell, but Ozzie was afraid of it :huh: I'm thinking when it gets warmer we will just try to start all over again with rewards and praise. 

Even if we crate them when they don't pee/poo outside, they sometimes will have accidents only 1-2 hours after going potty, although rare. Ozzie had an accident on our BED because of the snow :angry: and Lisa had one on the COUCH caused most likely by a recurring UTI. So, we are open to anything that will result in less pee on our carpet!! lol!!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I live in a co-op and Tyler is completely wee wee pad trained. It's such a relief when the weather is bad and now that I tore up my knee and can walk him with crutches, it's a life saver. Tyler also goes outside (he squats inside, lifts his leg outside -- a Rhodes Scholar, huh? If you need to go that route you need to go back to housetraining 101. Begin at the beguine -- put them in an enclosure until they go and get it right and give more freedom as they show they can handle it. Lisa isn't a little puppy but since you got her from a rough background she might need the starter lesson. You can use pad holders as suggested or the YouGo - which is what I think the grass thing is but these things are hard to clean if you're in an apt...can't just hose down.
Did you try the little balloon looking PAWZ booties? They stay on pretty well and are easy to get on and off. They're some protection esp from the wet.


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks goodness for my parents living so close and having nothing else going on this afternoon!! They texted me and said poor little Ozzie took a very long pee... both pooped too :chili: this makes me very happy considering Lisa gets very scared when people come over, much less coming over when me or DF aren't around!!


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## Sparkle'sMom (Feb 2, 2013)

CorkieYorkie said:


> Yes, we tried that but Ozzie just pooped on it and would not pee, making the whole thing a messy endeavor
> 
> Both pups are rescues, not saying they can't be re-trained, but just saying we have no idea what their potty habits were before.
> 
> ...


CY-you are a special lady! You have a big heart, sometimes rare Sparkle piddled in our beds, LOL

Best,

JML


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

Sparkle'sMom said:


> CY-you are a special lady! You have a big heart, sometimes rare Sparkle piddled in our beds, LOL
> 
> Best,
> 
> JML


Just goes to show these little fluffs get away with ANYTHING!!! :blink: also goes to show how much I love sleeping with them as we still let them sleep with us! :blink:


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## Sparkle'sMom (Feb 2, 2013)

CorkieYorkie said:


> Just goes to show these little fluffs get away with ANYTHING!!! :blink: also goes to show how much I love sleeping with them as we still let them sleep with us! :blink:


EXACTLY!:thumbsup:


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

UGHHHHH further proof of letting them get away with everything:

Ozzie peed on the couch :angry: Again, after refusing to pee outside. I can't use the "keep him out there til he goes" method since it's legit COLD and he is only 7 lbs and it's all snow and concrete.


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## Sparkle'sMom (Feb 2, 2013)

CorkieYorkie said:


> UGHHHHH further proof of letting them get away with everything:
> 
> Ozzie peed on the couch :angry: Again, after refusing to pee outside. I can't use the "keep him out there til he goes" method since it's legit COLD and he is only 7 lbs and it's all snow and concrete.



Courtney-Ozzie's in control:blink:LOL 

I bragged a bit about Sparkle-can't say you wouldn't find the largest bottle of Natures Miracle under my sink:HistericalSmiley:

UGH.....belly bands?


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

Sparkle'sMom said:


> Courtney-Ozzie's in control:blink:LOL
> 
> I bragged a bit about Sparkle-can't say you wouldn't find the largest bottle of Natures Miracle under my sink:HistericalSmiley:
> 
> UGH.....belly bands?


I thought about belly bands, but when I brought it up to our vet, she said "belly bands are like giving up" :blink:

I think I just need to start crating Ozzie if he doesn't potty outside. And then take him back out 30-60 min. later. It just sucks taking these puppies out so often when we live on the 2nd floor and they're afraid of stairs :blink:


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