[jmoney816]

I need some practical advice on housebreaking my Chihuahua. I have tried everything. She is about 6 months old and we have had her for about 4 months. Nothing is working. She sleeps in a kennel. She poops and pees all over it even when we take her out 5-6 times a day. She will whine if it gets too messy, but now I wake up every morning to a kennel full of poop. We take her out in the morning when she wakes up. We feed her soon after and take her out again in about an hour. Most of the time she will pee outside and she does poop outside but very inconsistently. I just don't know what to do. Should I try a litter box since it seems like she needs to go more than we can humanly take care of. I really am frustrated now. She is staying in the kennel most of the time because we have a new apartment and we just can't trust her not to use the bathroom everywhere. I don't want to spank or hold my puppy down. I don't want to mistreat her. I just want her trained so that we can enjoy her. Please help! :(

[Clough]

Hi, jmoney816!

Greetings and WELCOME to the site! I just moved your question that you had posted in Introductions to this forum topic area so that it will get the most exposure to those who are best able to answer it. Introductions is for people to introduce themselves and we try to not ask questions there.

It can be a little confusing when first learning how to use this site! Your question will get noticed much more in this forum topic area.

Thanks!

[starbuck8]

Hi Jmoney816,

You are actually doing a number of things wrong sorry to say. I don't doubt why she is not yet housetrained. Many people don't understand the correct way, so it's okay.

First of all, she is rebelling because she is kept in her kennel for too long. Messing in her kennel is a sign of rebellion. She feels as if her kennel is punishment, and her whining is her begging for attention and for guidance.

She needs exercise, disipline, and affection... in that order. I am assuming, and I think I'm likely correct, that you get up, take her out, and wait for her to go to the bathroom. You bring her back in, feed her, wait for an hour, and take her out again, and stand and wait for her to do her business. Then you bring her back in, stick her in her kennel, and take her out again to see if she will go to the bathroom. Isn't going to work if I've got this right.

First off, confining her to her kennel is only going to frustrate her, and she is going to react just like a child would, if it was confined to a crib or playpen all day. Dogs are social animals. She needs human contact. The kennel should be her safe place, not her jail.

When you get up in the morning, she needs to be taken for a walk. This is not a stroll, this is not a sniff fest, this is a fast paced, on a mission walk, for at least 10 or 15 minutes. This will get her system working. Then when she gets home, it's breakfast time, and then out for another bathroom break and some play time.

Remember to praise her big time, every time she does her business outside. If you happen to catch her going inside, DO NOT put her in her kennel. Don't get mad and scream, just a sharp firm NO, or whatever command you use. The key is in staying calm and assertive. Then immediately take her right outside, or to a pee pad if you must, although this would not be my first choice. You are only creating another step in housebreaking. Oh, and a litterbox... NO!

You may also want to hang a bell at your door. Every time you take her out to go to the bathroom, gently take her paw, and ring the bell. This way she will start to understand that this is what she needs to do if she needs out.

Don't confine her to her kennel. You are creating more problems than you are solving! Exercise is key in housebreaking. I bet if you do this everyday, she will no longer be messing in your apartment or in her kennel. The kennel should only be used for sleep/rest time.

[jmoney816]

Thanks for the answer. One question. What is so bad about a litterbox?

[KARIEMELIA]

My chihuahua is litter box trained. Instead of putting down litter, we actually just use the Pee Pee Pads. He is now over a year old and does just fine!

[amricca]

Your dog does not need a litterbox, just to be trained to go outside. Do you praise and reward her when she goes outside? There are literally hundreds of free website about house training dogs.

house train a dog - Google Search

[answeredprayerf]

We have a chihuahua/terrier mix and we have had issues, but here's what we finally did. Stopped free feeding and only fed at certain times of day and limited the amout to what she should be having. We also, take her out right after she is done eating, that seems to be her schedule. She would pee outside, no problem, but with her she would poop in the house. But once we started the different feeding schedule and she sleeps in the bathroom at night (was sleeping w/us). She hasn't gone in the house for a while now. We are home all day so she gets lots of attention

[Silverfoxkit]

Starbucks advice is on the money. One problem with trying to use pads and/or litter boxes and trying to teach a dog to go outside is that the concept is very confusing to a dog. Its inconsistent. They are learning its okay to potty inside sometimes and other times its not. Whatever you want your dog to do you are going to have to commit to that route. It really is for the best to teach your dog to go outside though. In the end its much less hassle and much cheaper. Pads and litter are not cheap and it makes for unsightly areas in your home. I understand for some people this is the only route available to them but if you have the means and opportunity to teach your dog to go outside I highly recommend doing so. Also another note on proper discipline, NEVER EVER rub your dogs nose in its feces.

[KARIEMELIA]

Starbucks advice is on the money. One problem with trying to use pads and/or litter boxes and trying to teach a dog to go outside is that the concept is very confusing to a dog. Its inconsistent. They are learning its okay to potty inside sometimes and other times its not. Whatever you want your dog to do you are going to have to commit to that route. It really is for the best to teach your dog to go outside though. In the end its much less hassle and much cheaper. Pads and litter are not cheap and it makes for unsightly areas in your home. I understand for some people this is the only route available to them but if you have the means and opportunity to teach your dog to go outside I highly recommend doing so. Also another note on proper discipline, NEVER EVER rub your dogs nose in its feces.

We taught our dog to go potty on Pee Pee Pads because of the breeder. She gave him to us when he was only five weeks old. She claimed he was ready to go, but the poor thing hadn't even gotten his teeth yet! He was basically a baby. Marley was up every three hours crying and wanting to play. We also had to give him chicken baby food mashed with his puppy food until his teeth grew in. From day one we had puppy pads because of how fragile he was. Yes he is a Chihuahua, but he doesn't have much fur at all. He cannot stand cold weather, and we got him in the dead of winter. He goes on the pads and nothing else because that is how we have trained him. When he goes for walks, he has no problem going on the grass. Once he is inside, he knows he is only allowed to do his business on his pads. It is all how you raise/train your pets!

[starbuck8]

We taught our dog to go potty on Pee Pee Pads because of the breeder. She gave him to us when he was only five weeks old. She claimed he was ready to go, but the poor thing hadn't even gotten his teeth yet! He was basically a baby. Marley was up every three hours crying and wanting to play. We also had to give him chicken baby food mashed with his puppy food until his teeth grew in. From day one we had puppy pads because of how fragile he was. Yes he is a Chihuahua, but he doesn't have much fur at all. He cannot stand cold weather, and we got him in the dead of winter. He goes on the pads and nothing else because that is how we have trained him. When he goes for walks, he has no problem going on the grass. Once he is inside, he knows he is only allowed to do his business on his pads. It is all how you raise/train your pets!

This wouldn't have been necessary had you done your research and homework ahead of time. It is not natural for a dog to always have to go on pee pads. This was not the reason for which they were intended. They are to be used as a training tool, and not a permanent place to do their business.

As a reference to anyone reading this thread, a puppy should never be taken from his mother before 8 weeks of age, unless there are extenuating circumstances. This is the problem with "backyard breeders", and the people that support this industry. The backyard breeder has no clue what they are doing, and the people that take them most often don't know the right things to do either. This is why health problems develop, and also why it is so hard to train them the correct way. It is not in a dogs nature to go to the bathroom on pee pads all of it's life. They are meant to be used for emergencies, and not a long term solution. This only shows the lack of training, and time spent with the dog, on the part of the pet owner. This is an easier solution for the human, but not natural for the dog. Dogs crave guidance and socialization, and they reley on their humans to provide this for them.

[KARIEMELIA]

This wouldn't have been necessary had you done your research and homework ahead of time. It is not natural for a dog to always have to go on pee pads. This was not the reason for which they were intended. They are to be used as a training tool, and not a permanent place to do their business.

As a reference to anyone reading this thread, a puppy should never be taken from his mother before 8 weeks of age, unless there are extenuating circumstances. This is the problem with "backyard breeders", and the people that support this industry. The backyard breeder has no clue what they are doing, and the people that take them most often don't know the right things to do either. This is why health problems develop, and also why it is so hard to train them the correct way. It is not in a dogs nature to go to the bathroom on pee pads all of it's life. They are meant to be used for emergencies, and not a long term solution. This only shows the lack of training, and time spent with the dog, on the part of the pet owner. This is an easier solution for the human, but not natural for the dog. Dogs crave guidence and socialization, and they reley on their humans to provide this for them.

Don't you dare tell me that I show lack of training and time spent with my dog. Who are you to even judge me? I simply told everyone why I have chosen to litter train/ use pee pee pads with MY dog. The same dog whom I wake up an hour earlier than I need to leave for work and spend as much time playing with him as possible. The second I get home from work, my fiancé and I work with him and train him until it is bed time. Marley gets a walk everyday, rain or shine. In the winter he doesn't go for many walks because he lets us know he is too cold. My life revolves around my dog... and for you to have the audacity to even sit here and degrade me as if you even know me, is wrong. You are basically saying that I keep my dog in my house 24/7, and you are incorrect. Everyone in my neighborhood knows and loves Marley since they see him on a daily basis. Yes, the breeder was a terrible person and that is something we now know... but as terrible as she was, we are pretty damn happy to have gotten him out of that situation. So until you know me, my family, or even how I treat my dog... you can shut your mouth and apologize for the hurtful accusations you have said about me.

[Silverfoxkit]

Hit the brakes. Excuse me but I can't help but notice the fact that you obviously lied to us on other threads. Remember:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/d...ml#post1586320

I do. I also remember this in resonse to Starbucks "and I hope it was gotten from a licensed and reputable breeder":

[QUOTE][My fiancé checked out the breeder and qualifications long before he even purchased my little man./QUOTE]

You lying to us about this matter suggest that you are fully consciously aware of your mistake and that you would rather cover it up then admit it.

Don't YOU dare to have the audacity to come on here and lie to us and then expect respect.

[KARIEMELIA]

[QUOTE=Silverfoxkit;1639128]Hit the brakes. Excuse me but I can't help but notice the fact that you obviously lied to us on other threads. Remember:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/d...ml#post1586320

I do. I also remember this in resonse to Starbucks "and I hope it was gotten from a licensed and reputable breeder":

[My fiancé checked out the breeder and qualifications long before he even purchased my little man./QUOTE]

You lying to us about this matter suggest that you are fully consciously aware of your mistake and that you would rather cover it up then admit it.

Don't YOU dare to have the audacity to come on here and lie to us and then expect respect.

Yes, you are 100 percent correct... let me explain. My fiancé did do a background check on her. Everything came out clean. Our best friend is a sheriff and works for animal control part time. He is the one that helped him with the background check. Now it was done correctly... but don't you think, after getting a dog at 5 weeks old with no teeth yet... that we are not going to second guess our thoughts on this particular breeder? No one had any complaints out there about her. So in return to that, do you think we would have known that she was just going to separate the puppies way too early? No of course not. My fiancé did everything right with getting background information and everything. So how is it our fault that since there had not been anything bad said about this lady/breeder... that we would have known she was going to do this? Would I go back to this lady... oh hell no, but I also wouldn't trade my puppy in for anything. So there is the explanation and you may take it or leave it, but I still am OWED an apology!

[Silverfoxkit]

I see. You may have tried to do your best but just because someone does not have a bad reputation is does not make them a qualified breeder. Many backyard breeders are normal families that simply lack the knowledge, finances, and health information on their animals. For future reference if you ever consider getting another dog here are the things you need to find out about the "breeder":

- What genetic tests have been done? A reputable breeder screens all of their animals are free of genetic problems and should have the proof that th parents of the litter are free of such problems.

- Why do they breed? To makie money? Because they think their dog is too cute and she simply must have puppies from her? The appropriate answer is to conserve and help further the quality of dogs of the breed an not just to create puppies for the buyers.

- They will be able to tell you the good points and the bad points about the particular breed. Reputable breeders will not want their dogs going to unfitting homes and will be more then willing to tell you the bad as well as the good.

- How many litters do they have a year and how often do they breed each dog? Quality breeders don't breed for volume and the females should not be bred in consecutively.

- What references from previous buyers are they willing to give you? They should not be offened by asking for references and should be more then willing to supply you with them.

-What health guarenatee does the breeder offer?

- A reputalbe breeder will usually insist on a spay/neuter contract or for the dog to be put on limited registration if the dog is AKC.

- A reputable breeder will never offer a puppy for sale before 8 weeks of age.

- A reputable breeder will never sale through an outside source such as a pet store.

- You should always see the parents and where the animals are bred and kept.

If the "breeder" gets dodgy with any of these things then that's a red flag and its time to keep looking.

[jmoney816]

Ok. I thank everyone for their help. I really did not intent to incite a riot. I applied silverfoxkit's first answer and things do seem a lot better, even over the last couple of days. I just wondered about the litterbox simply because Cinnamon does not like the cold or the rain either. We are however going to stick to training her to go outside. I did get my dog from a friend who bred her dog. I visited with the dog before I got her. (We lived upstairs, her family was downstairs.) She was 8 weeks old. We did take the dog to the vet almost immediately to insure that she was healthy and as new pet parents, we wanted to be sure we were doing the right thing. So, I would like to say thank you all for your advice. I hope that everyone can squash any bad feelings. I really don't believe that anyone here has any intention of mistreating our dogs.