[hddaugherty]

Until about a month ago, my husband and I had used potty pads for our chihuahua. We moved and finally got on a schedule and started crate training the dog. For a month this worked really well and the dog actually enjoyed going into his crate and understood that he had to potty outside when we got home and before he went to bed. But now for the last week, every time we put him in the crate, he poops all over the thing. The crate isn't big enough for him to poop on one side and go to the other to lie down; he just lays right in the poop! I'm really out of ideas on what to do. Please advise!

[labman]

My dogs have never done this, and I don't understand why I see so many questions on this. Any behavior change calls for a vet check. Can't train physical problems away. Next step is obedience training. The dogs see all the
People and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in
The pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members
Outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by
Reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class
Or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with
A treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/. Could be he has decided he is a big boy now and you don't have the right to crate him. If so, you have to admit his protest is effective. Do not make the mistake of failing to take a Chihuahua seriously. They take themselves very seriously.

You can defeat it with a rack in the crate. They sell them with the crates, or you can use a piece of closely spaced closet shelving. Not quite as effective as with urine, but the stools will fall through leaving a cleaner dog. I always start my puppies on a rack. You could also try the wood shavings used with gerbils. Let me know if that works.

[hddaugherty]

Thanks for the advice, our chihuahua does tend to think that he is a furry little person. I was under the impression that his pooping was due more to "seperation anxiety" as he gets very upset when we leave the room or the house. Is there any advice to calm him down so we won't feel the need to poop in his crate. We will try the rack idea, thanks so much!

[DoodleBug]

How old is your chihuahua? I am curious as I have just gotten one myself and was wondering at what age would the housetraining be effective? I take my puppy outside some now, but he is very young (6 weeks) and he is still using the puppy pads so he has only pooped outside twice. He sometimes poops on the carpet, though, and it is very frustrating. I know it is mainly because he is very young, though. I have not gotten a crate but am getting one as soon as I have the money.

[labman]

6 weeks is border line young to to bring any puppy home. A crate big enough for a Chihuahua shouldn't cost much. Start housebreaking now. It is important not to let the puppy form bad habits. The younger the puppy, the more attentive you must be.

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.

[DoodleBug]

Really appreciate all your great advice, and it's free! :D I haven't seen necessarily a pattern for EVERY time my pup has to pee, he seems to do it a lot. He poops more sometimes than others, too. I will just have to try hard to be very patient with him I know. Also, though, he smells the floor a lot, not just when he has to go. How am I supposed to know the difference? I'd be running outside every 5 minutes if I took him out every time he sniffs around on the floor a little.