How can I train my dog to use a litter box?

Question

I take my 3 months old Chihuahua for a walk not less than 6 times a day. At this moment I have plenty of time in my hand. I will start my new job soon. I will be away for about 10 hours. I can't keep her trapped in her cage to avoid any accidents. I am wondering if I can train her to use a litter box just like a cat.

Answer 1

I did not want to try this but it worked!! I still believe there is another way but I think it may depend on your availability.

Here is my saga

One way, is to take the dog out every 15 minutes whether they bark or not. When then go, give them a treat and say good dog. Of course do not give them anything when they do not go. Do this for about 4 months!!

The second way which is the way I used this time cuz I did not have the time was I bought a cage.:(

You leave the dog in the cage almost all 24 hours. The dog will learn to bark because they do not want to potty where they sleep!! This is also about a 4 month process in which you take the dog out periodically and then you go to half days for about a week and then you can leave then out all day!!!

I still use the cage though for certain circumstances. I put her there for 4 hours after giving a bath and she just knows that she has to be there (good doggy) and sometimes if there is company that I know that does not prefer to be jumped on.

Good luck!!

Answer 2

I have experience with training a puppy to use a litter box. I did this with my puppy (Silky Terrier) when he was around 3 months old. This went really well, at first. We trained him to use the box the same way you would train a puppy to go to the bathroom outside. With positive reinforcement and being consistent, we thought we got it. He was using the box so well and never had an accident. That was until the age of 6 months old. He began peeing EVERYWHERE!! He is now 10 months old and still pees everywhere. He has no medical problems and is neutered. He still uses the box but only sometimes. He pees wherever he wants, whenever he wants. It doesn't seem to matter what we do he just doesn't care anymore. We have now realized that by "box training" we taught him to go to the bathroom in the house and that it was a good thing.

I would highly recommend that you DO NOT box train this puppy. One, it teaches her to pee in the house and that it is a good thing to do. Soon she will use the box and the rest of the house. Two, your house/apartment will smell like pee and poop because the smell is just trapped in your carpet, furniture and walls. Three, the mess that you are stuck forever cleaning up is just endless and nasty. I had a cat years ago, trust me, cleaning a box (and the rest of the house) used by a dog is nothing like cleaning up after a cat.

Since you will be starting a new job that will keep you away for so many hours at a time, there is no way your puppy can hold its bladder and bowels for that long. I think your best option would be pet "day care". It is a place that your dog will be cared for and safe while you are at work. The dog will be able to play and socialize with other dogs, which can only be a good thing. Make sure the place that you find is a day care set up not just boarding. A boarding place will just put the dog in a kennel and she would be trapped. A day care will allow your dog to play and have fun in an open place with other dogs.

If you cannot afford a day care type situation for your dog, then you may need to consider finding your dog another home. It is not fair to her to be left home alone for 10 hours everyday. I know you love your puppy and want to keep her forever, but it just isn't fair to that sweet little puppy.

Good luck!
-Brit

Answer 3

there are more reasons than house training to confine a animal when you are not there.
I would suggest that you not only work to find a surface that the dog can us for potty when you are not here (many good ideas given) but include that location in a confined area that also has enough room for the dog to have a separate sleep and play area.
As a three month old pup my first dog had a 4' X 6' area that was fully papered over a plastic tarp to protect the floor underneath. At one end of the area was her crate with door held open and her water bowl. If she had to go when I wasn't their she used the paper at the far end.
While it is hard to raise a puppy when you have to be away long hours at work - you and the dog can have a happy and rewarding life when you make that a priority.
The same first dog got me involved in dog training as a sport. She earned multiple obedience titles and 20 years later I am a rally obedience judge.
When the puppy goes in the area neither praise of correct, and still work on house braking when you are home.

Answer 4

Well dogs like to go in the same spots everyday. Naturally dogs will not use the bathroom in their beds. So, after your dog eats put it into a cage that is just large enough for it. Make sure that this is where it sleeps too. It will not use the bathroom in the cage. When it is ready to go, take it out and put in in the litter box. But keep it there until it goes to the bathroom. Keep this up, and eventually the dog should go to the litter box by itself.

Answer 5

I think that it's terrible that there will be no one there for 10 hours a day. Maybe consider installing a doggy door, going home during lunch to let her out, or hiring a pet sitter to come in at a certain time daily. Another option is doggy daycare. It may be costly, but it's pretty irresponsible on your part for acquiring a pet you won't be around to take care of. You have made a schedule for her that you now want to break, you have to realize this is going to cause some major behavioral problems. That's going to be a long day for this puppy who will no longer have the guidance of it's pack leader. Please be a loving pet parent, don't treat you dog like a toy.

Answer 6

this can be done the same way you train him to pottie outside.
When puppy has finished eating put him in the box and wait him out to pottie. When she does do her dootie, praise and reward the behaviour it might be a little more of a challenge as it is a much smaller area then the backyard but it is doable!
You do not want to put a command to this as she will then prefer to only go when you command her too.
With urinating you will want to put up the water and give her drinks throughout the day that way you can train her bladder easier.
GL!!

Answer 7

I have never heard of them using a litter box, but my aunt uses "puppy training pads" and since her dog is so little it does not take more than one and then she just throws it away when she gets home. She places it in the same place every day so the dog is used to that being her place to do "her business"

Answer 8

No, you housebreak canines no longer muddle practice them. i understand of toy breeds which will circulate on a piddle pad or in a field yet that may no longer going to paintings with a greater canines and there is not any reason to besides. You practice the canines to alleviate itself exterior in the fenced/secured backyard and then enable it back in the domicile. in the adventure that your brother's domicile has been broken into then I propose he get an alarm equipment or another risk-free practices equipment and not attempt to place self assurance in a canines that he and you have no longer any authentic wisdom with regards to training. besides, if the guy who broke in became right into a 'chum' then the canines does not have been any risk-free practices to start with. He desires extra beneficial acquaintances, extra beneficial locks, and an alarm equipment - no longer dropping time attempting to muddle practice a pit bull.

Answer 9

My little Puggy girl learnt all on her own to my amazement!
She had been watching the cats use the litter boxes!
Caught her in there doing her biz often!

Answer 10

you might have spoiled her on those walks. that will be a difficult transition. she is too young to run around the house and not have an accident wherever she wants. I would go with the kennel training.