# Potty Training???



## Chelcrae (Sep 15, 2011)

I am bringing home my first Maltese tonight!!! She is 16 weeks old. She was originally kept in a small room inside the breeders house that had a doggy door but a few weeks ago was moved to an outdoor kennel and uses the potty on some gravel inside of it. 

I am torn on what to do about potty training. My husband and me are both gone 8 hours out of the day M-F so I have bought her a play pen, that I will be keeping in my kitchen, to put her in along with her crate, food and water, a couple toys and a potty pad. I hope to train her that the potty pad is the place to relieve herself while I'm gone but when I am home I plan on taking her outside to go potty. First of all, is this going to work? Does anyone have experience with this?

I had also thrown the idea around that I may bring her out of her crate, which is where she will sleep, and take her to the potty pad at night. Do you think this will be too confusing? Growing up I always had larger, inside/outside dogs who spent most of their time outdoors so we never had to truly potty train them. This puppy will be a whole new thing to me! I would really appreciate some help, I am so lost when it comes to this area! 
Thank you!


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Honestly I think you will be more clear in your training if you select one method. You can always add in the other once she's got a good idea of what is expected. 
Unless you have someone to let her out during the day, you are pretty much stuck with the pee pads until she is old enough to hold it 8 hours. 
Keep in mind that leaving her to her own devices to potty all day can make house training more difficult. I strongly recommend you go with her and reward her for pottying in the right place every time when you are home.


----------



## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

Our 12 week old Maltese is potty training to go outside (and doing pretty well with it). We are now introducing potty pads, because there are times when I will not be able to be home for several hours and she needs that option to go potty. It's stormy here today, so I decided today was the day. This a.m. at 3:30 she need to go potty. I took her to the laundry room (her space) and had her on the short leash. I sat on a step stool and gave her my prompts of "go potty" over and over. I kept the leash short so she had to stay on the pad (even massaged her tummy a bit to really encourage her to go). She went! I praised Bella like a crazy woman lol. Then a couple of hours later she needed to go again. I took her back, (short leash and I sat on the step stool) put her on the pad and she circled that thing at least a million times. I kept prompting her to go potty and she pooped and peed! Oh I am a happy girl. I'll reinforce this inside pottying for several days to make sure she gets the hang of it  . I've read a lot of posts and it is quite possible to train to go inside and out. It may be tricky, but it can be done. Wish you the best!


----------

