Any tips/ideas with puppy toilet and crate training?

Question

I have recently bought a puppy, she is a very small breed chihuaha size (12 weeks old), I decided the best way to toilet train would be with a crate but I would be grateful of any tips.
She hates being in the crate but I am doing my best to ignore her when she cries, obviously I let her own regularly for the toilet and she is not shut in there all the time. I have only had her two days so I understand she will take time to get used to it.
Any ideas what to do if I catch her going to the toilet in the house? Please don't suggest rubbing her nose in it.

Answer 1

I just went through this a few months ago with my pup.
* Please do not put a blanket or paper in the crate, in only encourages wetting.

*Keep the crate in your bedroom at night.

*Drop treats in the cage so the dog lets its self in the crate.

*I always told my pup ‘go to bed’ when it was time to enter the create, and eventual she ran for the crate willingly on comand.

*Kongs are the best invention on Earth, Hartz also has hollow fire hydrant toys at Wal-mart, fill them with beniful(canned food) and carrots and keep them freezer. I have three! This will help with chewing and keep the puppy safely entertained in your absence.

* Never let the dog use soft toys in the crate.

* when the dog is out keep it on a leash in the house, so you know exactly where the pup is at all times! (most of my dogs accidents happened due to my lack of focus)

*Go out very often even if you do not think the dog needs to use the bathroom, and always try to bring the dog to the same area and a command ‘hurry, hurry’ as the dog goes. And bring treats to reward this behavior, verbal praise is very helpful!

Accidents will happen so please do not be mad at the pup. It takes almost 6-9 monthes build bladder muscles in a puppy!
*Go out every two hour with the dog for the next month, then gradually move up the time. Be careful not to wait too long, pups are prone to infections if they hold it too long.

*Look for signs such as pacing, circling, sneezing, barking, fear, excitment, tail wagging may be a clue it is time to go out.

*My dog has a cow bell on the door and knows to ring for outside time. Everytime I opened the door, I would ring it, then leash the dog and say 'outside'. After a while the dog rang the bell when she wanted to go out. (sometimes only due to boredom, but I took her out anyway!) She know the bell meant outside at five monthes old.

*Taking your dog to Puppy Kindergarten is worth every penny! My dog is confident, plays well with other pups, happy with strangers, and learns new commands quickly all thanks to Puppy-K. Plus, the dogs are so cute!

Look for a trainer who uses positive methods only! Make sure the trainers doesn't use prongs, jerking on the chain, or yelling at the puppy in their teaching technique. Clickers are GREAT.

**Practice 'Come' frequently, it could save your pups life!

Good Luck! feel free to write with questions!
Try the ‘My Smart Puppy’ DVD/Book it is great!

Answer 2

Hi, I understand that you are looking for some advice or resources to help fully train your dog or fix behavior problems. If a professional dog trainer is not an option at this time, or if you want to trt training your dog on your own (a great way to bond), I'd suggest you https://bitly.im/aL38f

A friend recommened it to me a few years ago, and I was amazed how quickly it worked, which is why I recommend it to others. The dog training academy also has as an excellent home training course.

Answer 3

she will get used to the crate my puppy didnt like it at first but now goes away to crate for a nap during the day!

you have to make the crate fun to be in put a nice cosy blanket down for her in there and lots of toys
if you are at home with her put her in crate but dont lock the door just play with her in the crate so she thinks its fun to be in there so when you do leave her she knows she can still play with her toys!

as for toilet training we used puppy pads (avilable at pet stores)
they are a pad which has a special scent that attracts puppy to pad if needs toilet!

also just watch out for signs that she needs to go toilet like sniffing arond getting prancy and maybe just going up to the door if she starts to do any of this then put her outside and if she does her buisness hen give her lots of praise that way she will learn that peeing outside is good

if you catch her peeing in the house pick her up and put her outside and tell her to go pee,
you get a spray from pet stores called stay away which you spray on the soiled area and wipe off this leaves a smell that puppy wont like and wont pee there again!


good luck and enjoy new puppy

Answer 4

Contact your breeder for advice. They will advise on the best way to train these small dogs.

Personally when training mine i use the crate for them to be rested in ie sleeping and at night. When you open the crate to let them out immediatlly pick them up and put them outside where you want them to go to the loo. They will get into the habbit of going out and doing it outside. Also remember that they are baby dogs and that you have to encourage them to do it and praise them when they do the right thing. Use your crate at night to put the dog in and cover it up - but dont abandon them in the kitchen - a puppy will find this very odd and strange and cry all night. Remember they were with their siblings until recently and were used to company.

If accidents to occur tell them off. You could try using newspapers - if the breeder paper trained them originally thats what the puppy will be looking for. Once it statrts going to the paper, start moving it gradually to the door and you will see the puppy moving in that direction when it needs to go to the loo. Let it outside to do what it needs to and then praise it for getting it right.

Answer 5

Yes she'll get used to the crate. In fact, she'll grow to like it. Dogs in the wild prefer to sleep in a "den" and that's why they don't go to the bathroom in the crate.

Just make sure the crate it big enough for her to move around in. A 12 week old Chihuahua doesn't need a lot of room though obviously.

Answer 6

My suggestion would be that if you ever catch her going in your house NEVER tell her off. Just camly pick up her up and place her in the correct place then give her the toilet command. If you do make the mistake of telling her off whilst catching her in the act the only thing you will achieve would be frightening her into never going to the toilet in front of you therefore making toilet training all the more difficult, as she will feel the need to toilet once you have left the room. Dogs respond better to positive encouragment rather than negative behavior

Answer 7

Never scold a puppy for peeing..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 her outside, and stay with her UNTIL SHE 'goes'..Give her lots of praise when she does her 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 her a good place to go, so you can kind of aim her there, and not just all over your yard..

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

However, she 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 her..She will need to go during active play, and every time she wakes from a nap..If you watch her, you will see her acting restless, and sniffing the floor, etc when she needs to go..at first, peeing may be just a matter of pausing, and uh-oh, there it is..She won't even be aware...So its important to never scold her 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 hold 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.. She 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 her 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 her you are ringing the bell each time you take her out, she is likely to begin ringing the bell when she 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 her away from those areas until she 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 8

I once owned a puppy too. She used to urinate everywhere and my mom insisted that we toilet train her. My dad said that puppies should be taken outside a few minutes after meals everyday, giving them time to 'pee'. He said that after a few months or so the puppy will learn to go outside on its own and do its business out there. All it takes is routine, the puppy will eventually learn. Hope it works fine!

Answer 9

You'll find some great tips here:

http://www.squidoo.com/puppy-housetraining/

http://www.squidoo.com/crate-training-a-puppy/

Good luck with your new puppy!

Answer 10

Here's some good info on toilet training. Just follow my tips and you'll be fine:

. Puppies will urinate and defecate inside until they are taught to go outside.
. To teach the puppy to urinate and defecate outside, leave your puppy outside for appropriate extended Periods.
. Put the puppy outside on a regular basis including when sniffing the floor, after waking, after eating and Drinking and last thing at night.
. Always reward the puppy when going outside in the right area.
. Restrict access to the areas inside where the puppy is going to the toilet.
. If your puppy goes to the toilet inside the house do not punish it.
. Do not rub your puppies nose in the mess.
. Clean affected areas thoroughly with bicarb soda or a neutralising agent. Do not use cleaning agents with an ammonia base.
. Remember your puppy has an acute sense of smell and will return to areas that smell to urinate or defecate.
. Vigilance, patience and perseverance are required to achieve the desired result.

Crate training:
Crate training is one of the most effective ways to potty train a dog as it uses the natural “denning instinct” of the dog to encourage it to keep the area that it sleeps clean and free from waste materials.

In the wild, the den is kept clean by the mother while the puppies are young. Once they get older and are able to walk, they naturally go outside of the living area or den to relieve themselves.

In houses there are no dens, and the area is simply too large for puppies to feel that this is “their spot”.

By providing a den, in the form of a crate, the puppy will learn to wait until he or she is taken outside before soiling in the crate.

Crate training does required active participation and monitoring on the part of the dog owner.

The following is an outline of how to complete a crate training routine:



· Purchase an appropriately sized crate, either plastic or wire, that is large enough for your dog to stand and stretch out comfortably.

· Make sure the crate is comfortable - use soft, washable liners or dog blankets.

· Sit with your dog at the door of the crate. Place a small treat inside the crate. Praise the puppy for going into the crate and getting the treat. Let the puppy come out when he or she wants, do not close the door at this time.

· Only praise for going in the crate, ignore the puppy when he or she is coming out.

· When your dog walks into the crate say “Crate” or “Den” or whatever word you wish to associate with going into the crate.

· When the dog is staying in the crate on their own to eat the treats, close the door for a few seconds, then open it up. Only praise when the dog goes in, never when it is exiting. Soon the dog realizes in is good, out is neutral.

· After the puppy or dog is fine with being in the crate for more than a few minutes, put a chew toy in with the dog to keep it occupied. Try very slowly and gradually increasing your distance away from the crate, and the time in the crate with the door closed.

· Since the puppy or dog will generally not eliminate when they are in the crate because it is their den, take them outside to eliminate when they come out of the crate.

· After feeding, crate the puppy with a chew toy. In about 10-15 minutes take the puppy out of the crate and to the designated toilet area. Do not play or interact with the puppy at this time, simply take them to the spot.

· If the puppy relieves itself, praise the puppy and spend some time interacting. If, after about 3-5 minutes the puppy has not toileted, return it to the crate, again without saying anything, for an additional five minutes. Repeat the process without interacting with the puppy until it goes to the bathroom. Praise and play always follow toileting while crate training.

· At night, keep the crate in the bedroom or somewhere that you can easily hear the puppy. If he or she whines, take them to the toilet area and return them to the crate with as little interaction as possible. Just a simple “good girl” or boy will do when they toilet.

Too much praise will be seen as play, and may encourage the puppy to whine throughout the night. Remember though, the crate is only to be used until Potty Training is under control, not forever!

What Are Some Advantages of Using A Crate?

The advantages to crate training include the fact that it uses the puppies or dogs natural instincts to help with the learning process. It minimizes the dangers of messes and accidents around the house when done correctly. In addition the puppy feels secure, and they can understand what is required in a relatively short time.



What Are Some Disadvantages of Using A Crate?



Disadvantages to crate training are few, but the biggest one is that it will only work if the trainer monitors the puppy closely while in the crate, and follows the attention/inattention guidelines.

Some owners may think that crate training is cruel, but this is simply not the case. Once people understand the crate is not used as a punishment but as a safe and secure place for the puppy, they change their opinion quickly.

Hope all this helped.
(whew! that took me a while to write!)
P.S. If she goes to the toilet in your house and you catch her tell her in a firm voice "no, bad dog". Then put her outside and tell her to go to the toilet in her usual spot.
If you do not catch her then just clean the mes up and watch her more carefully the next time.