Min Pin Owners.. HELP!?

Question

Okay this is for people who own min pins or have in the past because I want serious answers! My husband and I got a 10 week old male min pin almost a week ago. I'm really getting discouraged with the potty training. I've seen a post that said they are the hardest breed to break. Do yall think that is true? I'm having such a hard time. I've read every page there is on the net regarding house-breaking and I'm doing all of the stuff correctly. He just isn't "taking." Also, in your experience did it take your puppy a while to catch on to words? He simply isn't responding. He looks at us like we are stupid. He play bites.. although it isn't hard, this is NOT a habit we want to go any further. We spat his nose and he never stops. Any ideas to fix that?

I guess overall I'm a little disappointed. I love him, he is very sweet. He just isn't quite as "smart" as I'd hoped. Please don't light into me telling me to be patient. I am willing to wait. I just need serious answers please. Thanks!!
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/aimeemorgan/Diesel4.jpg

Much thanks to each of you. I feel much better now. I just needed to be re-assured it would get better. HA. And btw, he just went t-t downstairs..YAY!

Thanks yall.

Answer 1

As a former long time breeder of Min Pins, yes they are one of the most difficult breeds to house train. If you had read the breed info this is clearly noted on nearly every website pertaining to this breed.
The Pin was bred for a specific purpose that to this day is still deeply in bedded in it's character. The dog was bred to perform without human intervention but unfortunately most people who go out and get one of these dogs seems to see it as a cute little toy version of a Doberman. It is in NO way related to the Doberman. It is extremely independent as it was bred to be. Of all the "toy" breeds the Pin is the only one that has retained the those things it was bred to do. The key with a Pin is patience, disciplining is not going to work though need a stern alpha. They are free thinking as they are suppose to be. In my 45 years with this breed the primary key is routine. Find one and stick to it. It is only a puppy not a dog therefore it is no different than an infant and you do not discipline and infant for wetting or going. Get on a feeding schedule, within 15 min to half hour take the dog out for a walk or better yet play. This encourages the digestive system to work faster and aids in the dog need to have a bowel movement. Water should be given when you are home and again, taken outside shortly after drinking. Puppy, remember...it has a small very small bladder therefore cannot hold much for very long. The truth is in some pins it has taken up to 2 to 3 years to house train. Especially in areas where the temp is cold or wet. Pins do not care for this as only one coat of hair so they feel wet and cold easily. Crate training and socializing is a must. Crate train by placing a piece of your old clothing as part of the bedding. The your scent on the clothing assures the pup that you are near. Feeding the dog in the crate implies to the dog that it is a good place. Never use the crate for discipline. Mixed signals. Training in general to a pin can be somewhat questionable. Though loyal, they are sight dogs are therefore somethings they see can distract them easily. As for the biting, sorry but just like a child needs things when it is teething why would a puppy be any different. You need to provide chew toys and once you see the dog biting something it should not be biting, immediately replace it with a chew toy. The Min Pin is not a first time dog for a novice or one with not much experience. It requires a great deal of patience more so than most breeds and do to this reason there are so many in need of homes through rescue. Little effort by owners in taking the time to research all the pros and cons before getting one would have prevented this. Good Luck

Answer 2

I do not own a min pin, but I am a dog trainer. I am currently teaching a puppy class that happens to have two min pins in it. First about house breaking... it does take time. At 11 weeks, he is still very young. All aspects of training will take time. The best way to house break is to prevent accidents by taking him out every hour or two hours. Don't let the dog out of your sight. You can tether him to you on a leash if you have to. When you see him start to look for a spot, LEAD him outside, do not carry him. If you want him to go to the door when he needs out, he needs to be walking to the door himself. When you can't watch him, confine him to a crate. If you are going to be gone for more than two hours. Confine him to an area in the house that has enough room to put papers in the corner and leave his crate open so he can rest in it. I'm not a fan of paper training, but he is too long to be expected to "hold it" and I'd rather have a dog be paper trained than have accidents in his crate.

As far as verbal comands go, YES, it is hard for puppies to pick up on words. Puppies do much better if they are taught a hand signal first. Then you can attach a word to the hand signal.

When he bites you, stop the play and ignore him for a minute or so. Being ignored is the WORSE thing for a puppy. Much better than swatting him, wich will only make him head shy and more nippy.

Good luck, puppies can be very rewarding, but they are a lot of work. at 11 weeks, he is still very young. give him time!

Answer 3

Min pin by breed is not the hardest. Cocker spaniels are the hardest. It is a fact smaller breeds are much harder to deal with housebreaking than larger dogs. But they are so cute and little most owners don't ever know they got a little wee somewhere.

He is old enough to neuter but you can wait a couple of months if he is the only pet in the house.

Also What I do is wrap an ace bandage around the waist and over the whizzer. I even had one dog get excited when I got it out at bed time. That meant he got to sleep in bed instead of in a crate.

He is young give him time. If he starts to hike get him neutered asap or it willnot stop

Answer 4

All during my growing up years we either had or bred MinPins! I totally LOVE that breed. I do remember most of them being hard headed about learning to use the outdoors for the potty. One of our males was a ding-dong too. All the others would pick up on commands for obedience training, but him. I think they're just like people. Some are sharp as a tack, and some as dull as dishwater!

About the potty training. My favorite one, Skittle, would ocassionally potty in the house, even up to her death (15 years!) The one way we got her to go out, was like you said, PATIENCE and consistancy. There are puppy pads that we got to put on her favorite spot, then each day we'd spray an odor remover on the old spot, and move the puppy pad an inch closer to the door. Eventually she got the idea, I think she just used the carpet to hear my mom scream when she stepped in the puddle!

Answer 5

First of all, you've only had him a week. give him time to adjust to his new home but, at the same time let him know the rules. when it comes to potty training, when he does something on the floor, put his nose CLOSE TO IT, (NOT IN IT) SO HE CAN SMELL IT, then pop him a few times on his butt and tell him "NO, BAD DOG YOU DO THAT OUTSIDE" then take him outside and tell him, "NOW YOU DO YOUR BUSINESS OUT HERE" and stay outside with him until he does THEN, GIVE HIM PRAISE for it. tell him, "GOOD BOY, NOW YOUR GETTING IT" and make sure you do this a lot during the day. he'll get the hint. also, make sure you watch his actions, if he's acting like he might have to potty, then tell him "OH NO YOU DON'T" and take him outside. as far as the biting goes, he's still a puppy, and he's just playing, now if he starts biting for real, then that's when you should pop him on the BUTT, NOT THE NOSE, and he'll stop. good luck

Answer 6

i owned a Min Pin that live to be 19 years old. do you use a crate to keep him in when you can not watch him. he need to go out side after he eats, sleeps and plays about every two hours. as to the biting take hold of his lower jaw and hold it for a few seconds and say no bite and than let go and do it again if he bites you again. if you swat his face he will be come hand shy around the head. do you use the same word every time for the same thing. you need to in roll him in obedience class as soon as you can find a trainer. and also train him in agility as soon as you get some obedience training. you can e-mail me. the min pin was a breed champion also had a utility degree in obedeince.

Answer 7

When I was a child we had a female, and I remember my mom cursing about her going potty in the living room. I think it took till she was about 6 months old till she was totally potty triained. Please don't give up. They're just so dog-gonned stubborn!

Answer 8

hahaha he looks like my little lucas. hes actually my parents but.... i lived with them when i was younger. we had 2 of them! and they both potty trained well. daisy the REALLY old one in her later years is having trouble going inthe house... but shes just old. minpins are hyper especially as puppies, its like having a hyper kid. some can be hard to teach! THEY FEEEEAR the newspaper :D get it after him, you dont have to beat him. when daisy was young we didnt even have to actually hit her with it, haha we could could just put her in front her "mess" and act like we were spanking her and she would scream. hahah (how smart of her) i disagree with them being the hardest to break.... 100%.