How do I get my 4 month Shih Tzu to toilet outside?? Help!

Hi there,

I really need some help as I'm tearing my hair out!

I have a four month old Shih Tzu female. I had her trained really well to go on her paper in the kitchen!

The problem started when we started to move the paper over to the door, as a stop gap till we moved the paper outside.

We have actually trained her to go toilet where her paper used to be, and she doesn't go on the paper beside the door! I think I have confused the poor dog!

I have paper outside the door, and I wait 10/15 mins after each feed, take her outside and stay with her for 30 mins - but she won't and wasn't yet toileted outside!!!

But, as soon as I let her back in the house she runs into the living room and goes on my rug (I have done the 'get off spray', I don't punish her when she makes a mistake.......).... I would be happy if we could just get to the next step of going outside - so I can then reward her in the process!!!!!

If I leave her outside on her own she doesn't like it and scratches the door to get back in, but when I'm outside is she holding it in???????

So. anyone out there - how do I get her to go outside!!!!!!???????????

Thanks in advance,

Sophia

Hi Sophia I never use paper to house train a puppy. The object of the exercise is to teach a puppy to relieve itself outside so to me using newspaper is teaching a puppy the opposite of what I want to achieve.

First I would get rid of the newspaper then throughly clean any previously soiled areas with a none ammonia based cleaner or the scent of previous accidents will prompt your puppy to soil again in the same place (biological washing powder or special stain devil is good for this) . I would not acknowledge when your puppy has an accident, no word no eye contact or it may become afraid to relieve itself in your presence and you don't want to reward the unwanted behaviour with your attention.

Until your puppy is house trained I would keep her in the kitchen and only allow her in other rooms when she has been out and you know she is 'empty'.

To house train your puppy take it out at times when when it is most likely to want to relieve itself that is first thing in the morning/last thing at night/ straight after food / after play/excitement/when the puppy sniffs the ground and circles/about an hour after the puppy last went out.

I would take her out for a short walk (not for long exercise after food) at the times listed above preferably to a place where other dogs have been , their scent will help to prompt her to eliminate. When she does go give a reward (something tasty) and lots of praise .

It is a good idea to teach your puppy to eliminate on command too so that it learns to 'go' when requested and that doing so outside in your presence is rewarding (going inside brings no reward).
First the puppy needs to learn a 'prompt' word and what a word means, (I say 'beclean' ) .
To teach the puppy the meaning of the word it is important to say the word when the puppy is in the middle of relieving itself so that it associates the word with the action, then the moment it finishes going treat/praise. Timing is very important here, get it wrong and the puppy will be receiving praise for the wrong thing .

Once the puppy has learnt to associate the word with the action you can then use the word to prompt your puppy to eliminate . I use high value treats like chicken pieces to train this , after a while the treats should be given randomly then not at all but always give praise.

As your puppy is already 4 months old if you are patient and consistent she should learn to become clean quite quickly

thank you for this advice! I do try to keep her in the kitchen, but the kids keep letting her out (intentional and non intentional).

I will try the word association and timing for her going.

Will let you know my progress!

Sophia

Much of housebreaking is not training the puppy, but making it easier for your puppy, you, and your carpet while its body to catches up to its instincts. At around 8 weeks when the puppy goes to its new home, the time from when it realizes it has to go, and when it can't wait any longer is a matter of seconds. Only time will fix that. You can hardly be expected to be attentive enough to avoid all accidents. There is no sense punishing the puppy for your inattention. It is not fair to punish you either, but you still have to clean it up if you didn't have the puppy outside in time.

Housebreaking starts before you get home with the new puppy. If you don't have a crate, buy one. I prefer the more enclosed, den like plastic ones. Skip the bedding. At first it gets wet, and later it can be chewed into choking hazards. A wire grid in the bottom will help keep the puppy up out of accidents at first. They are available with the crates, but expensive and hard to find. A piece of closely spaced wire closet shelving from a home supply place is cheaper. I am now using a plastic vegetable bin with plenty of holes drilled in the bottom. It helps block off part of the crate for the smaller puppy. If you already have a metal crate, covering it may help. Just make sure you use something the puppy can't pull in and chew. Dogs that start out in crates as little puppies, accept them very well. Never leave an unattended puppy loose in the house. If nobody can watch it, put it in the crate. I suggest letting the dog have its crate all its life. A crate needs to be just big enough for a dog to stretch out in.

Choose a command and spot you want it to use. The less accessible to strays, the less chance of serious disease. If it is a female, choosing a non grassy spot will avoid brown spots later. When you bring it home, take it to the spot and give it the command in a firm, but friendly voice. Keep repeating the command and let the puppy sniff around. Sometimes you need to walk it around to stimulate its body to eliminate. If it does anything, praise it. Really let it know what a good dog it is and how much you love it, and maybe a treat. Note, being out there not only means you can praise it, but it also keeps it from being snatched by a hawk. If it doesn't go, take it inside and give it a drink and any meals scheduled. A young puppy will need to go out immediately afterward. Go to the spot and follow the above routine. Praising it if it goes is extremely important. If it doesn't go, take it back inside and put it in its crate and try again soon. Do not let it loose in the house until it does go.

At first it is your responsibility to know and take the puppy out when it needs to go. It needs to go out the first thing in the morning, after eating, drinking, and sleeping. If it quits playing, and starts running around sniffing, it is looking for a place to go. Take it out quickly. You will just have to be what I call puppy broke until it is a little older. How successful you are depends on how attentive you are.

By the time most dogs are about 3 months old, they have figured out that if they go to the door and stand, you will let them out. The praise slowly shifts to going to the door. Some people hang a bell there for the dog to paw. If your dog doesn't figure this out, try praising it and putting it out if it even gets near the door. When you catch it in the act, give it a sharp ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and take it out. Clean up accidents promptly. I mostly keep the little puppies out of the carpeted rooms. Still I need the can of carpet foam sometimes. First blot up all the urine you can with a dry towel. Keep moving it and stepping on it until a fresh area stays dry. A couple big putty knives work well on bowel movements. Just slide one under it while holding it with the other. This gets it up with a minimum of pushing it down into the carpet. This works with even relatively soft ones, vomit, dirt from over turned house plants, or anything else from solids to thick liquids. Finish up with a good shot of carpet foam. Note, do not let the puppy lick up the carpet foam. Once the dog is reliably housebroken, your carpet may need a good steam cleaning.

Many people strongly strongly push cleaning up all evidence of past accidents. I am slower to suggest that. Dogs will return to the same spot if they can find it. When you see one sniffing the spot, that is your clue to run it out.

Hi Sophia I don't normally disagree with other members but in the case of Labman I make an exception because the methods he advises are not those the majority of dog loving members here would use.

If you shut your puppy in a crate without bedding or water as Labman suggests it will be cold, miserable and dehydrated and will never learn to be house trained.


If you don't clean up accident throughly your puppy will return to the same spot to soil.


Don't worry about Hawks I don't thing hawks are flying around Belfast looking for puppies to steal

Just yobs stealing puppies here to sell on!

Reminds me of that hilarious new film 'the proposal', where the Hawk had the puppy in mid air, think that was Alaska though.

Hi Sophia

Excellent advice from Mini - I did this too and it does work.

It's working!!!

First thing after waking took Honey outside and she went toilet in 10 mins!

Gave her breakfast, took her straight outside and she went after about 10 mins again!!!

I'm so excited! She got rewarded each time and I said the word 'toilet' as she was doing it!!!!

I'm feeling so empowered that I can do this, I just wasn't putting the correct methods in place but now I know how to!

Honey starts barking and running around like a lunatic just b4 she is to go!!!

Thanks so much for your help!

Sophia

Hi Sophia that's a good start I am very pleased for you.

What you need to do now is to keep it up and don't be upset if there is the odd accident or setback just clean it up without comment as described above and it will soon be forgotten by your puppy.

Once a required behaviour has been taught it is a good idea to keep on reinforcing it with praise so it is not forgotten and always rewarded .

My current dog now aged 2 has had just two accidents since she came to me as a puppy. Puppies trained with care will be clean for a lifetime .