# How to get my puppy (Calvin) to poop in the same spot?



## Brandon (May 25, 2008)

Hi all! I've been a lurker of these forums for about a week in preparation of getting a Maltese puppy, and now that I have one I joined up and now have a question.

How to get my puppy (Calvin) to poop in the same spot?

I'm trying to paper train him to pee/poo in the corner of his pen using pee pads. I've had Calvin for three days, and he's 9 weeks old since this past Friday. So far, he goes to pee in the proper place on his pad (usually right in the middle too!), including during the day and overnight. And just today, he was outside his pen (he has access to the family room when I'm supervising him since that's the room his pen is in) and walked over into the pen and pee'd in the right spot. He's never had an accident in his crate, which is in the pen, and his success rate so far is 75% for peeing (overnight he pees properly too, as I check for a pee-stain on the pad when I wake up).

For pooping, it's a different story. So far he's been having accidents all the time, except for one time. The accidents are all over the place, and I use Natures Miracle spray to clean up the spot. I loudly say no with a deep voice when I catch him pooping in the wrong spot, and when I think I have time I try and carry him to the spot I want him to poo. So far I was only able to get him to poop properly once by carrying him in time to the spot... and I praised him and gave him a treat.

As a note, he doesn't make noise at night overnight at all (he doesn't poop overnight... a span of around 6-7hrs), but then in the morning he starts to whine, then it progresses to a bark. I now associate this with him having to poo. When I go check on him, he wants to leave the pen, and tries to run over somewhere else to poop. I either have to make him stay in the pen (and then he tries to hold it longer), or wait till he runs somewhere, makes his "I'm going to poop" signals (spinning in a circle sniffing the ground), then I carry him to the right spot (this has worked once so far).

He just doesn't seem to want to poop in pen. He's fine with peeing there, but no poopage. Any ideas? I know it's only been 3 days, but I want to teach him right and not make it harder in the end.

Thanks!!!


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

Welcome to the group!

You might have to add a second pad for the poop. I know my Sassy will not use a soiled pad. Since I am home all day I always make sure I change her potty box whenever I notice it is soiled.....she hates a dirty box.


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## CeeCee's Mom (Sep 14, 2006)

Yes, it immedialtey came to mind to add a second pad outside of him pen and sort of help him along to it when he comes out of the pen in the morning. These things just take time, so be patient!!! It sounds like he doesn't want to poop where he pees.


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

In the beginning we had the entire floor in Sophie's ex-pen covered with pads and as she learned that's where we wanted her to potty we slowly took away pads until there was just the one left. We would watch for the potty circle, too and bring Sophie to the pad in the pen if she was out playing with us. But she didn't want to use that one to poop, she always wanted to go to a spot in the other room. We put a pad in that spot and she would go there to poop. She still does - she wants her privacy. 

Annie's another story - she starts out on the pad and slowly hops across the room and leaves a poopy trail - I'm still trying to figure out how to solve that one. If she sees me coming to intervene she takes off like its a Nascar race.


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## binniebee (Sep 27, 2007)

I think part of the problem is that small dogs with long hair (and possibly all dogs, but that's the only type I've ever had) walk when they poop. They pretty much have to in order to keep the poop from piling up and catching in their hair. I think it is something they've just got instillled in their breed: to walk when they poop. So, that is pretty hard to make them poop in one place if they have to walk from beginning of poop until end. Peeing doesn't require this, thankfully, or they would have yellow stained legs, etc...

Cyndi


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## Brandon (May 25, 2008)

> Yes, it immedialtey came to mind to add a second pad outside of him pen and sort of help him along to it when he comes out of the pen in the morning. These things just take time, so be patient!!! It sounds like he doesn't want to poop where he pees.[/B]


I can start off with this, but Calvin will be left alone for 8hrs a day while my gf and I are at work. What about adding another pad to another corner in the pen, and seeing what happens? Or will that be confusing for him? I can tell he needs to go poop right now (whining in his box, he never does it unless he needs to go poop), and am considering trying it. I'm gonna wait nearby so I can praise him and give him a treat right away.

Poor little guy.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

At poop time, you need to take him to the proper place to ensure he does not go elsewhere. 

If he does not want to poop in his pen (and I think that's a good sign since he wants to keep things clean), you can take him outdoors or to a pee pad elsewhere.


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## Brandon (May 25, 2008)

Okay I just tried taking him outside, and he did "1" and "2". I guess the breeder trained him to go outside? And that he can hold it for about 7 hours? If so, that's great. I can take him out in the morning and after I get home from work, and later at night if necessary (and if he needs to go pee while in the pen, he does so on the pad already). I thought it seemed like quite a long time for a puppy of 9 weeks to be able to do.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

The rule of thumb is a puppy can hold it for their age in months plus one. So 3 hours for him. That's for urination. At night, puppies can often go much longer. 

I think taking him out at those times regularly would be good. A schedule will help aid in potty training because his body will expect to go at certain times. It also means you are right there when he goes potty and you can reward him.


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## Brandon (May 25, 2008)

> The rule of thumb is a puppy can hold it for their age in months plus one. So 3 hours for him. That's for urination. At night, puppies can often go much longer.
> 
> I think taking him out at those times regularly would be good. A schedule will help aid in potty training because his body will expect to go at certain times. It also means you are right there when he goes potty and you can reward him.[/B]


I think it's about 3 hours for urination, but what about pooping? He can hold that for about 7 hours.


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## binniebee (Sep 27, 2007)

Regardless of the rules, Midis has been able to hold both pee and poop for eight hours since he was about 4 mos old (1 month after I got him). He will NOT poop or pee in his kennel when I am at work and he is home alone. Of course, I make sure he does both outside in the morning before I leave for work and he also does both outside when I get home from work (once he calms down to the fact that I am home). I don't know how he holds it all day like that and has for so long. I started out putting a cloth pee-pad in one end of his kennel and his blanket and water at the other end, but he just slept on the pee pad and never used it in his kennel. So I have replaced it with another baby blanket that is (surely?) more comfortable and put the pee pad near the back door for him to use in case it is raining and he refuses to go out and do his business.

I feel that I provided a place for him to relieve himself if he needed to while I was at work, but apparently he didn't feel the need, or just didn't want to mess in his kennel. But it just isn't necessary for him and hasn't been for a long time. I leave him some kibble (in a Kong) and some goody doggy peanut butter in another Kong when I go to work so he is more than happy to run into his kennel each morning. I am very happy so far with how he's behaving with the pee and poop.

Now, if we can just control that barking....personal training starting June 2nd. 

Wish us luck!

Cyndi


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Defecation depends on the dog. All of my pups tend to go three times a day (which goes along with them being fed three times a day). I guess you'll have to wait and see what he does during the day OR have a pet sitter come walk him mid-day.


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## Brandon (May 25, 2008)

Calvin is such a great dog. He doesn't bark or cry much at night. He only cries a little bit (5 minutes or so) when I go upstairs and leave him at night. He does cry (progressively leading up to barking) if he's locked in his pen and has to go poop. He's fine with peeing on the pad whenever he needs to, and he does do it overnight.

He is a little nippy at the feet/pants though... any tips on that?

And today I kept him in his pen most of the time (for a span of about 8 hours). He didn't go poop on the pad in his pen, instead he held it and started crying that he needed to go poop and wanted to go outside.

I'll have to see what he does tomorrow. Wish me luck!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

When he gets nippy, stop! Stand still. The game is only fun when you are moving. I stop and say "uh oh" and redirect my pup to a toy or to sit or down for a treat. 

Sometimes puppies get overstimulated and really can't control themselves. They seem almost frenzied. If this is happening, just calmly put him up for 20 minutes so he can calm himself down.


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## Brandon (May 25, 2008)

> When he gets nippy, stop! Stand still. The game is only fun when you are moving. I stop and say "uh oh" and redirect my pup to a toy or to sit or down for a treat.
> 
> Sometimes puppies get overstimulated and really can't control themselves. They seem almost frenzied. If this is happening, just calmly put him up for 20 minutes so he can calm himself down.[/B]


I'll try the standing still thing. What do you mean put him up? Do you mean pick him up or put him in his pen? Before, I've been saying loudly and deeply, "No", and then giving him a toy to bite instead. Is it just an age thing right now that he does that?


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

> I'll try the standing still thing. What do you mean put him up? Do you mean pick him up or put him in his pen? Before, I've been saying loudly and deeply, "No", and then giving him a toy to bite instead. Is it just an age thing right now that he does that?[/B]



I mean he goes in his pen or kennel for a while to calm down. You can pick him up. I usually let my puppy drag a light leash and I walk them to their kennel. 

Puppies explore their world with their mouths. Its how they interact with their environment. Moving things (including your pants) attract a dog's attention and are interactive (pup tugs, pants move). Its a fun game. By standing still you decrease the fun.


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## Brandon (May 25, 2008)

Okay so the past 24 hours have given me some insight on Calvin's potty skills.

I took him out every 3 hours from 6am to midnight to go pee/poo, and kept him in his pen or closely supervised in between. He had one accident (pee) just before 9am, but was good for the rest of the times. He peed all of the times, but pood 4 of the times.

Overnight, I expect him to pee on his pad once or twice, and at 6am he'll be ready to go poop again. I'll report back in 24 hours again.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Sounds like you're on track with him! Keep up the good work and he'll get it in no time.


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