I have a dachsund chihuahua cross puppy and two cats. What worries me is that the puppy prefers the cat food!

Question

Should I worry about this or just leave him be? I'm also having a nightmare time trying to paper train him as he is doing his toilet anywhere he fancies. If I catch him then I pick him up immediately and put him on the paper but he's not getting the message. Any tips would be much appreciated.

Oh, I wish I could walk him but he's only 9 weeks and just starting his jabs so he's not allowed out yet!!! Sorry, forgot to add that bit.

Answer 1

Cat food is known to cause an excess of uric acid in dogs,so it is better to find a place out of his reach..
Paper training rarely works,as it is much too confusing for a puppy..You are telling him it is fine to 'go' indoors, but only trying to limit where he goes.. I am sorry to say,that it isn't likely to ever workif he hasn't already adapted to it.

Routine is the most important aspect of training. From the beginning, feed 4 times per day, at the same times, and put the bowl up in 5 minutes, or when finished.

A puppy will need to go just minutes after eating, so whisk him outside, and stay with him until he 'goes'..Give him lots of praise when he does his job, play a few minutes, and come back in..

If you can spread down a bag of sand, from a garden center, it will give him a good place to go, so you can kind of aim him there, and not just all over your yard..

He should only need to go poop after eating, and perhaps at bedtime..

However, he will need water down at all times, and need to pee frequently..so, outside every other hour for that..and keep a close eye on him..He will need to go during active play, and every time he wakes from a nap..If you watch him, you will see him acting restless, and sniffing the floor, etc when he needs to go..at first, peeing may be just a matter of pausing, and uh-oh, there it is..He won't even be aware...So its important to never scold him for peeing...this is what makes traumatized pups that refuse to pee outside, or try to hide it in the house..as they get scolded for it, and it becomes a traumatic event..
Keep the product, Nature's Miracle, on hand, for instant cleaning of pee spots...or ask your pet supply which enzyme cleaner they recommend..

Puppies physiology only allows them to help pee for about 1 hour per month of age...so expecting any more is unrealistic..a good reason for a playpen or crate at night.. He may hold it through the night, but is likely to need to pee at least once during the night..You can remove the water a couple of hours before bedtime..

By following a routine, and being ever watchful for the first few days, you can have him petty well trained in just a couple of weeks..or less

I house-train all of my pups before they ever leave my home, and I do it an entire litter at a time..it normally takes about 4-5 days, with very few accidents, before they are asking to be let out..
But, if you hang a little bell on the door, or a desk bell on the floor, and show him you are ringing the bell each time you take him out, he is likely to begin ringing the bell when he needs to go..Just be very vigilant, and yet stay relaxed..an accident doesn't mean failure..
Remember, it takes forever to potty train a human baby, and it is so nice that puppies can learn it so much faster, but they are still allowed to be babies, and don't deserve to be stressed about the training...
If you have important areas to keep clean, just keep him away from those areas until he is a bit older..

I recommend using a soft step-in type harness for the walking and leash training, as it is less frightening and stressful..eventually, as trust is developed, you can switch to a collar..but a soft harness takes the fear away from the beginning...Walking stimulates the bowels to move, more so than just putting the dog out..

Answer 2

Step One: Bring Puppy inside. It is to cold for him to be outside if this is the weather. Put him in your laundry room or a spare bathroom of set up a blockade and put the igloo in there that way if there is an accident it's in a confined area and easy to clean up. Step Two: Cat food is OK, but not the best. I would recommend getting some recipes for dog food. My mom cooked my puppy when he was little some tuna with cheese. Or something like that. She got it from a recipe after doing some research. Also chicken soup with rice will be good as well. Just whatever you have. Look up dog food recipes. He will eat normal dog food afterwards. It may just have to have some different flavors (Not all brown kibbles.)

Answer 3

I have a chihuahua puppy that is 5 months old I have had him since 12 Nov he is going on his paper in kitchen and I praise him as if he has done something wonderful and he gets all excited and knows he is a clever boy. Try not to scold your puppy as it only makes him anxious just be patient it takes time and will come. Just make sure you clean his accidents with something like biological washing solution or as I do spray with a week solution of white vinegar and carpet cleaner. He is my second chi my 13 1/2 year old died in September. I wouldn't worry if he eat cat food as I understand that small dogs sometimes do eat cat food but cats should not eat dog food but if you are worried ask your vet.

Answer 4

Put the cat food up high so the puppy can't get it. Mine is into the same thing. Try taking him outside instead of the paper training. It is a big contrast between outside and inside vs. paper or the floor. So why can't he go on a little walk at 9 weeks old. I started mine at eight weeks. Try treats everytime he goes potty outside. I don't know if this will work for you but it has for me.

Answer 5

Don't allow your dog to eat the cats food, put the cat food on a bench.

Toilet Training, you need to understand the times & schedules when puppies need to toilet, use the internet to research this. Pretty much puppies need to go every 30 minutes, straight after playing, eating & waking up.

Why are you using paper? Does the dog not have a yard?

Answer 6

at food is too high in proteins for a dog and may make him loose and cause him to have other problems including hyper behaviour it is better to give him the dog food that scientists has strived to make for your puppy...9 weeks is far too young to leave its mother if it was still with its mother she would have started the potty training taking it out but that is moot now you have him you will have to do the training every time he wakes and before and after meals take him into your garden preferably on concrete so it can be swilled down with disinfectant stay with him until he goes to loo talking to him all the time saying what a good boy he is etc and lots and lots of praise when he perform es in the right place...never scold him he will not understand and be frightened which will cause him to wee with nervousness every time you speak to him so defeating the object....

Answer 7

don't let him eat cat food!!!!! there is a reason why there is dog food and there is cat food. it will seriously mess him up. feed the animals at different times, or in different rooms. you can even feed the cats on the counter, etc, because they can jump up there, while the dach can't.
as for training, do crate training. paper training is useless, as you have already seen. buy a crate that is only big enough to lie down in, and stand. whenever you leave the house, put him in. as soon as you get home, snap that leash on him and take him out. he will not pee/poop where he lays down. trust me, i have a 7 mth old dach, and he learned very quickly. you need to understand that dogs are not as independant as cats. puppies need lots of attention. he needs to play, and have fun. you need to take him out after he play, eats, or sleeps. every time! don't slack off, consider him your child. i don't know if you studied up on this breed, but they love people, and need attention. while you are crate training him, keep an eye on him at all times.

Answer 8

oh my dogs the same, he wont eat anything but cat food, and i just assume this is ok, if its good enuf 4 a cat its good enuf 4 a dog! the toilet training takes ages anyway so i wouldnt worry about that its normal, just keep the paper down and when he wee's etc.... point ton the paper and point to his mess lol... he should get the message soon, hes only ikkle!

Answer 9

Feed puppy food, put cat food out of reach, take puppy out more and big praises when he goes to the loo.

Answer 10

my dogs ate cat food up till they were 4 years old..its all they would eat and she died at 14 and a half so it done her no harm tho her sister died younger if they are happy enough eating cat food leave em 2 it