nine-month old puppy having potty issues?

Question

I have a 9-mo old puppy who we are pad training...my husband and I work the same shift so she's home alone for 9 hours a day, and she's little (teacup yorkie-maltese mix) so we want her to be inside-trained. She was doing really well, and all of a sudden she's not using her pads or her litterbox as much...she's running behind furniture to pee. We've tried putting the pads where she's been having accidents (we find them via handheld blacklight), and she just pees right next to them. We change the pads often-after only being used once or twice, and when we see her potty on the pad she gets lots of praise...but we're still having accidents! We've tried taking her outside often to see if she'll wet there, but she refuses. And it's not like she's a bad puppy either, she's very smart and friendly, knows her tricks and commands, very well behaved. We don't ever catch her in the act, so scolding won't work...I'm at my wits end, my puppy is destroying our brand new carpet! I need help!

Answer 1

I found some good sites, that might give you some tips, and helps.. I particularly liked the one that said to get a large wire kennel, with room for the litter box at one end..and to let the puppy out to play, as soon as she has used the litterbox..(I would cover the box area, so it is darker..like with a blanket on top.)..plus, it had many other tips that might work for you...anyway, here are several forums and training sites.. Hope you find what you need there..
There is never a good time to scold a puppy that hides her pee behind furniture, as it only adds trauma to a function that she is already feeling insecure about..Shre is trying to hide her scent, so the boogyman can't find her by her scent...so, scolding will never help...But helping her hide it somewhere might be the answer..

http://www.showpaps.com/litterbox.htm

http://dog-litter-box.dogs-central.com/train.htm

http://www.dogtrainersearch.com/articles/amydunphy/dog-litter-box-training.htm

http://bbs.sitstay.com/showflat.php?Cat=1,2,3,4,9&Board=alttrain&Number=136631&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=

http://www.dogdoright.com/puppy-litter-box-training.htm

http://science.howstuffworks.com/housebreaking2.htm

Answer 2

The puppy is not the issue you are both of you being away all day she is not able to pick up a routine or schedule, animals love routine. When you get home from work the first thing you need to do is put her on a lead and take her for a walk. She may not do anything at first but sooner or later she will make it her time to go to the bathroom do the same thing last before you leave for work. Maybe a neighbor could be given a key to take her out mid day once? Otherwise confine her to the bathroom until she has got the habit of going in morning on lead and in evening on lead.

Answer 3

She shouldn't have the run of the house until house trained.. I am sorry to say but 9 hours is way to long for a dog of any age to be left alone.. Would you do that to a child and expect them to potty train themselves? Seriously..

Small dogs never fully train, ever.. My yorkie is almost 2 and still gets lazy!

You need to lock her up in the bathroom or utility room while your gone with water, a little food a bed and her litter box..

DO NOT go moving the piddle pad around to the spots she is going, that only tells her it's ok to go there..

I hate carpet...You always have to worry about pee stains and other stains.. we got rid of ours 2 years ago..love my laminated wood floors!

Answer 4

just have patience i had the same problem with my puppy i got home from work one day and he had pulled the allarm clock off the bedside table and backed out a big sloppy one all over the top but he i just kept at it she will soon start wingeing at the door and wanting to go out side to do her thing so let her all dogs love the outdoors then all you will need is a shovel

Answer 5

There are sprays available that keep dogs from wetting in places then don't' need to go "potty"...they have a very bad smell to dogs but us human can't smell them...you might want to try those.

Answer 6

don't worry try to keep big noisy things like vaccum cleaners away while she is inside. my pupy (maltese) was scared of vaccums and even the toilet being flushed and she peed when ever she freaked out but she has gotten used to it. try to keep the prais up and even reward her with treats when she uses the pad. good luck!

Answer 7

I think you should try kennel trainning the pup! Thats what I've done with my pups and they all worked out good!

Good luck!

Answer 8

she marking her territory