QUOTE (Allie Bear @ Dec 9 2008, 08:37 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=686521

I just got a 13 week old Maltese and I'm unsure of how to deal with potty training. I have 2 labs and potty training with them was, well, just different. My labs were really upset when I would catch them "going" in the house but Pucca just doesn't seem to care. I take her outside and praise her when she goes potty but I'll take her outside and she'll just lay there and then as soon as we come inside she goes to the hall and poops or pees. When she does this I say "no, no! Potty outside." and then I take her outside but this doesn't seem to be working at al
This is my first small dog so could someone give me some tips on potty training a tiny thing like this.

Thanks.[/B]

Hi,
We just got a new maltese also. She is 18 weeks. We have had her a month. Our other Malti that we just had to put down always let us know when she had to go out and NEVER had one accident in 12 years......Our new one was used to pee pads and while I wasn't crazy about having my dog go in the house, I would take her out like u are and she would just stand there. Partly because it is soooo cold and snowy here in MN. Well, I went to petsmart and bought 2 pee pad trays and bought a good quality pee pad (some come with a scent that attracts them to the pad) and she is doing really well. We only wanted her to have 2 places in the house to go as I didn't want pee pads all over but it takes them time to figure out where they are so I have added one to each room if we are in that room at the time. I do have to say she does NOT have run of the house yet. Only play time after she pottys. Otherwise, she is in her crate or x-pen or more than likely, on my lap getting hugs and kisses!! I stressed alot over this and still am but it is going much better than trying to battle the outside thing.......I would recommend you give it a try. I hope this helps....I'll be happy to help all i can......i'm going thru it too!!! You are not alone!!!
Elizabeth and Bella (on the right) Annie (RIP) on the left

 

You need to first decide whether to do outside training or potty pads. I have found that small dogs are much easier to pad train, but that is just my experience, it may or may not hold true for everyone.

I potty pad trained both of our dogs. I kept them in the laundry room with several pads on one end, food and bed on the other. Thier natural instinct is to go potty as far from thier food as possible, use that to your advantage. Feed on schedule, keep at the pup to get her to go on the pad, and praise like a blubbering idiot when she gets it right. By using that set up, when you aren't able to watch her, she _should_ naturally want to go where the pads are. The key is really to catch her doing it right, and praise like the dickens, and with treats.
You can, like I did, crate train as well. I didn't want to keep them crated all day, so I used this X-pen like set up in the laundry room.

If you want to train to outside only, then you really need to have a rigid crate training schedule set up. Feed at the same times every day, crate when you aren't eagle eye watching the pup, and go outside A LOT. You won't ever be able to leave the pup unattended during the training process- either crate or watch her. It's do-able, but my schedule is too erratic to do that all the time.

Basically, you really just can't let her have an opportunity to make a mistake.

 

Oh, and Baby gates are a wonderful thing. Neither of my dogs have the run of the house, not ever. Not yet anyhow. My oldest is almost a year old. I trust her, but the younger one is still training, at about 75% reliability right now. The younger one is about 4.5 months old. They stay together in the kitchen/laundry room when we aren't home, gated with baby gates.

 

Okay, the crate thing opens a whole new problem. I tried to set her up in a crate when we first got her but she barks and whines the whole time and she is very loud. I tried it for an hour and she never stopped, any ideas there?

 

QUOTE (Allie Bear @ Dec 10 2008, 10:18 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=686756

Okay, the crate thing opens a whole new problem. I tried to set her up in a crate when we first got her but she barks and whines the whole time and she is very loud. I tried it for an hour and she never stopped, any ideas there?[/B]

Feed her meals in her crate. Toss treats and toys into the crate. Practice tossing a treat in, shutting the door for a second, opening it back up.

Some dogs prefer the crate be covered with a light sheet.

If she whines, ignore it. No attention at all. The second there is a moment of quiet, praise and reward (toss a treat in).

Food toys like stuffed kongs are also great for making the crate positive.

If she does not potty when you take her out, put her up for 15-20 minutes and take her out again. Repeat until she goes.

 

QUOTE (JMM @ Dec 10 2008, 02:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=686827

If she does not potty when you take her out, put her up for 15-20 minutes and take her out again. Repeat until she goes.[/B]

Thanks, that's genius! It makes so much sense I feel kind of stupid for not thinking of that.

I got her crate out again tonight and I also am using a gate to block her from the part of the house she usually has accidents in. Thanks so much for everyone's help, I'll let you know how it goes.

Allie

 

Also, having special "crate only" toys/treats might help. You know, like peanut butter kongs (freezing them makes them last longer), or flossies, ALL dogs love flossies.

 

So, last night she slept in her crate all night, no whining when we put her in, and NO ACCIDENTS IN THE HOUSE yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you all so much for helping me out, you all had great advice. I'll definitely be coming here next time I have a problem.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

I'm glad to hear things are going well! The folks on this board are just simply wonderful. There has yet to be a question I haven't found an answer to here. :SM Rocks!: