I have been trying to potty train my puppy to use the bathroom outside, but I am also still using puppy pads because he has started peeing A LOT. I think it is because he thinks every time he pees on the pad he'll get a treat. I did give him treats some because I'd rather he used the pads than my carpet. But now he'll go over and piddle one little drop and come over expecting a treat (which he doesn't get). But he is still doing it. Also he thinks every time I say "good boy" he is also supposed to get a treat, no matter what I say it for. He hasn't eaten much in the past couple of days, and I wonder if it is because he wants the treats, not dog food. He was going outside some, too, but now I can put him out and he'll be out there 15 minutes and come back in and poop on the floor - why doesn't he do it outside if he's out there? I'm trying to figure out crate training but it's not as easy as people make it sound!

How old is he? At least until they are 3 months old, you need to go out with them and keep them moving, and then praise them for going. You need to greatly reduce treats or maybe even eliminate them for a while. I never use treats in potty training. I am appalled at how much bad advice there is out there in books and web sites on housebreaking. It is much easier to find web sites than judge how good they are. I was given some very good advice about 14 little puppies ago. I have expanded on it from my own experience.

Much of housebreaking is not training the puppy, but making it easier for your
Puppy, you, and your carpet while its body to catches up to its instincts. At
Around 8 weeks when the puppy goes to its new home, the time from when it
Realizes it has to go, and when it can't wait any longer is a matter of
Seconds. Only time will fix that. You can hardly be expected to be attentive
Enough to avoid all accidents There is no sense punishing the puppy for your
Inattention. It is not fair to punish you either, but you still have to clean
It up if you didn't have the puppy outside in time.

Housebreaking starts before you get home with the new puppy. If you don't have
A crate, buy one. I prefer the more enclosed, den like plastic ones. Skip the
Bedding. At first it gets wet, and later it can be chewed into choking
Hazards. A wire rack in the bottom will help keep the puppy up out of
Accidents at first. They are available with the crates, but a piece of closely
Spaced wire closet shelving from a home supply place is cheaper. If you
Already have a metal crate, covering it may help. Just make sure you use
Something the puppy can't pull in and chew. Dogs that start in crates as
Little puppies, accept them very well. Never leave an unattended puppy loose
In the house. If nobody can watch it, put it in the crate. I suggest letting
The dog have its crate all its life.

Choose a command and spot you want it to use. The less accessible to strays,
The less chance of serious disease. If it is a female, choosing a
Non grassy spot will avoid brown spots later. When you bring it home, take it
To the spot and give it the command in a firm, but friendly voice. Keep
Repeating the command and let the puppy sniff around. If it does anything,
Praise it. Really let it know what a good dog it is and how much you love it,
And maybe a treat. Note, being out there not only means you can praise it,
But it also keeps it from being snatched by a hawk. If it doesn't go, take it
Inside and give it a drink and any meals scheduled. A young puppy will need to
Go out immediately afterward. Go to the spot and follow the above routine.
Praising it if it goes is extremely important. If it doesn't go, take it back
Inside and put it in its crate and try again soon. Do not let it loose in the
House until it does go.

At first it is your responsibility to know and take the puppy out when it
Needs to go. It needs to go out the first thing in the morning, after eating,
Drinking, and sleeping. If it quits playing, and starts running around
Sniffing, it is looking for a place to go. Take it out quickly. You will just
Have to be what I call puppy broke until it is a little older.

By the time most dogs are about 3 months old, they have figured out that if
They go to the door and stand, you will let them out. The praise slowly shifts
To going to the door. Some people hang a bell there for the dog to paw. If
Your dog doesn't figure this out, try praising it and putting it out if it
Even gets near the door. A stern "Bad dog!" is all the punishment that is
Effective, and only when you catch it in the act and are sure you didn't miss
It going to the door. Clean up accidents promptly. I mostly keep the little
Puppies out of the carpeted rooms. Still I need the can of carpet foam
Sometimes. First blot up all the urine you can with a dry towel. Keep moving
It and stepping on it until a fresh area stays dry. A couple big putty knives
Work well on bowel movements. Just slide one under it while holding it with
The other. This gets it up with a minimum of pushing it down into the carpet.
This works with even relatively soft ones, vomit, dirt from over turned house
Plants, or anything else from solids to thick liquids. Finish up with a good
Shot of carpet foam. Note, do not let the puppy lick up the carpet foam.
Once the dog is reliably housebroken, your carpet may need a good steam cleaning.

Many people strongly strongly push cleaning up all evidence of past accidents. I am slower to suggest that. Dogs will return to the same spot if they can find it. When you see one sniffing the spot, that is your clue to run it out.

He just turned 8 weeks on Monday. I take him to work with me every day and he will sometimes go stand at the door and cry to go outside, which I took as a good sign. BUT most of the time he just wants to go out and play for a few minutes then he scratches to come back in. I get tired of getting up and down all day while I'm trying to work. Esp. when he is not going outside to potty and will even wait till he comes back inside to do it. He does not go to the door at home, though. He may sniff around it occasionally but will not go out if we get up and open the door for him, and will even run from us if we try to catch him. I think part of it is because right now it is so cold and chihuahuas don't like the cold. And I don't see going outside at 3am when it is freezing outside, so I let him use the pads in the middle of the night. Other than that I will try my best to take him outside and stay with him! I will probably eventually get a doggy door.

I want to use a leash but I know he will try to chew it, how can I stop him from doing that, too? He chews EVERYTHING.

I start my puppies on a metal leash. This is partly because I often have them somewhere I can't give them my undivided attention. They would ruin a cloth or leather leash. The metal leashes do not give the control others do, but with a young puppy, it is good enough.

I start my puppies on a metal leash. This is partly because I often have them somewhere I can't give them my undivided attention. They would ruin a cloth or leather leash. The metal leashes do not give the control others do, but with a young puppy, it is good enough. When they are older, it is easier to teach them not to chew.

I will try this, thank you.