Housebreaking Puppy Mill Rescue

Hello, I am new to this forum but looking for some help/advice.

My husband and I rescued a 4 month old Cairn Terrier Mix. We have had him for 7 weeks now. During this time- he has only gone to the bathroom a couple times!

He will go to the bathroom in his crate (appropriate size for him to only turn around in and lie down)- even if his favorite toys are in there- his food (Halo brand puppy food) is in there- it doesn’t matter if we have been taking him out every 10 minutes- he will just go to the bathroom in his crate.

We were having success with getting him to go to the bathroom outside first thing in the morning, but it seems now that he realizes he is outside (maybe our initial luck was him still being half asleep) and holding it until he goes back inside.

The vet sees nothing wrong medically. We do not keep bedding in the crate anymore- and after accidents we clean the tray with a vinegar/water mix. Once we see him start to go in his crate we say “NO” and take him outside- but he does not finish there.

He sleeps in a gated pen area in our bedroom at night- and has no accidents during the night. My husband is home with him for most of the day- and is really at his wits end…

Do it as if he was 8 weeks old.

I would try paper training, puppy mill dogs are often kept in crates so don't associate them with their bed - they have no choice but to toilet in their bed. You have to think about it from how he sees it.

- Keep him out for longer if he holds it for when he goes in.

- For your husband - every half an hour to start with - play ball out in the garden so it gets him moving - Sadie was house trained this way, she'd play ball until she needed a wee then she'd play a little afterwards - as a reward.

- Reward him every time he goes "wee wees" make it a big deal. With Louie we made out as if he'd graduated from puppy uni

- Walk him first thing in the morning, and last thing at night of course as he is older he can do it, an 8 week old puppy
couldn't.

- Don't get angry with him, if he has an accident - straight outside, clean up with some bio stuff to get rid of all the pee and the smells of it.

- Don't feed him in his crate - keep his crate purely for sleep and for when you go out. He doesn't go in his crate unless it's sleep time/you are going out.

- Don't say anything when he goes to the toilet - just pick him up (easy with a terrier - my lab mix wasn't so easy to pick up lol) and put him out.

I think thats all..

Hmmm reading through it again, perhaps use the crate to get him used to going out in the garden, start with the whole crate outside - if he is used to peeing in it - he will go there (in theory) then start dismantling it slowly - he may take longer to housebreak than others but it's better than never been house broken. Just an idea - not sure it would work but other members may be able to offer more advice.

Can we please say poo and pee?
Personally I would get rid of the crate and house-train him from scratch.
Because he has obviously learned to use his crate, he now associates the crate with that. So maybe a bed would break the habit? You could always use a playpen when he is left?