# Confused mom!



## Pattyr (Nov 3, 2016)

I need your guys advice. Just got my Tessie last Friday. She has a pink playpen that she is content to be in unless she wants to play with mama. She has a potty pad with holder at one end of the pen and uses most of the time when she is in there. Sometimes she will poop out of the pan even though its clean. My routine has been, crate by bed at night. She is quiet as a a mouse- little sweetheart. Right away we go potty in morning and she goes on her pad without an issue. I give her lots of cheers and jump up and down, then she gets some cheerios which she loves. Then she comes out and plays and learns for an hour, back in pen for breakfast, then I start to get confused from there. I know after she eats she should need to go potty within an half hour to hr. She is 2 1/2 months old. Do I let her back out after she eats? Or leave her in until after she potties? I leave the play pen door open while she plays and she did go back in there to go poop this morning which was a first, however she went on floor next to the pan. Do I high five her for that? I guess I'm trying to understand how is she ever going to learn to go on the pad by herself when she is out playing unless its by accident. My previous pup was trained for outside, grass was just right out the door. This house there is a long deck to cross to get to grass and steps for those little legs, Breeder said to paper train her as we live in MN and it gets pretty cold. I do put her on the couch with me after I know its safe, we play and then pop her back to playpen. Any advice I would greatly appreciate. I dont want to confuse her anymore than I have already. She learned how to fetch and sit right away so I know she's a smart girl and wants to learn. HELP!


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

I would keep her in the pen all times when you aren't able to watch her. She is only 10 weeks old which is young to be away from er maltese mommy. It will take some time to make her understand where her potty spot is. Be patient and understand she is a baby.


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## Polly's mom (Apr 29, 2013)

She is still a baby. Be consistent. Use positive reinforcement. Go through all the old potty threads!


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## Pattyr (Nov 3, 2016)

Yes she is a baby thats for sure. Little sweety. I'm the one thats not sure how to proceed. I do keep her in playpen when i'm not home, and I guess what I need is direction as to how often do I let her out of the pen? every hour? or two? After she goes potty? sometimes its a long time before she goes again. thats where I get mixed up. I don't want to set her up for failure. I read all the threads and nothing really addressed this issue and I even tried googling it. =)Ikeep her on the couch with me to play so ?i can keep a close eye on her. She doesn't squat she just runs and pees and off she goes.


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## Polly's mom (Apr 29, 2013)

Patty, she isn't squatting because she is too young to have full control of her bladder. Keep her in the pen when you can't be watching her. always keep her in a place where a PP won't be a major disaster because she is going to continue to Pp and run until she can control her bladder. make a point to play with her and have her out after she has gone pp.


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## Steph_L (Jul 20, 2015)

Marcia is right. Think of it as a baby that wears a diaper, they just "go" when they need to. The act of squatting/lifting a leg/ humans using the toilet requires the ability to go "oh I need to go to the bathroom. Let me go do that". To put it blatantly, at that age it just comes out. For the time being your focus should be on containing the messes and making sure she isn't out on her own without strict supervision. Potty training can really only happen once she has the physical ability to notice she needs to go potty and hold it until she gets to her potty spot (not just realize she needs to go and instantly go wherever she is)


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## Pattyr (Nov 3, 2016)

Thank you for your replys. I have her potty pad in her playpen only. I've read where you should only have ones spot, but then I've read where people have them in different places in the house...what do you guys think?


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

I would keep her confined to the room where the playpen is unless she is in your lap. This is how she learns to go to her pad. When she does praise her a lot and give her a treat. It takes time, but be diligent and it will be worth it.


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