Some years ago I had to have my land line phone replaced and the one I was given had a very loud shrill ring which would set off my Tibbie frantically barking and pestering me to get off the phone. I don't know whether it's possible with your phone but I solved the problem by turning down the volume so when it rang it wasn't much above a trill.

She does not really have a problem during the day other than what I will explain tomorrow re the phone. She has only been being house trained three weeks and is already quite good.

Her problem is at night. Having said that she slept in her crate last night. I took her out after 3 hours then she slept a further 5 with no wees.

I think teething has been something to do with it. She seems to need to toilet 3 hours after she goes to bed, but then can sleep longer than three hours without weeing. Perhaps it is just that she is a little tiny dog.

Anyway, I have just realised something. She has been given rewards for going to the toilet (outside) so when she does her entire trick repertoire to get attention she does the wee trick on the end. To her it is just like sit, give paw, other paw, play dead and wee is just another. When she wants attention she does everything she has ever earned a reward for without me prompting, weeing included, - agggh! Tell you more details tomorrow because my work schedule is too demanding today.

oh that explains it ! Bless her .
That really is fascinating.

I keep trying to post but it is not working from I PAD

In my case it is that my friend rings every night and stays on over half an hour. After five mins Missy starts bringing me toys, then look for things she shouldn't have and brings those because she knows I will take them away (attention seeking). Then she starts trying to earn attention by sitting starring at me, then lying, then play dead, then giving paws, then waving, weave despite me being sat down, walking whilst crouched down, walking across to room on her back legs (never taught this but laughed at when she did it once), her version of unprompted sit-stay where she trys waiting at ever increasing distances to earn attention and all her other tricks, finally ending when I do end the call, pick her up and put her out because she wees.

When house training I take her out to we, I ask her to and she immediately crouches and does it, then gets a treat. Then we go inside and practice some tricks also for reward. How is she supposed to know that weeing is different from the other tricks? She clearly just thinks it is another trick and how could she know any different?

I have now solved that by just letting her sit on my lap whilst answering the phone.

However I still have the problem that she can't/wont hold her wee all night. Some of her wet beds appear to be licking her bedding which she must do a lot because it gets very damp, but most are wee I think. It seems that when she first goes to bed she only holds wee for 3 hours. Later at night she holds it much longer.

What is her name again? . If you already said I apologise .
Have you tried taking her out to the toilet about an hour before you go to bed and then immediately before you go to bed . What time is her evening feed, could you feed her earlier?

My chi sleeps under the covers and its never been a problem for me .
I understand why you dont want to let your girl do that and its good that she is in your bedroom and not shut away from you .
maybe she's got into the habit of weeing in her crate and whereas sleeping in your bed was new and she made an effort to hold it.
Perhaps with her crate , put your unwashed t shirt in there so it smells of you . What bedding does she have , something washable I bet !

I'm wondering why she is licking her bedding enough to get it wet.is she licking her paws or her body too? Licking can be calming, if its just her bed and not from licking herself , she might be doing it because it feels good.

When she wants your attention when you are on the phone, I think you have done the right thing by letting her sit on your lap .
It seemed to be a big deal every night and it might have stressed her out or over excited her. you want her to start winding down at that time .


I know you are worried that you will spoil her and she might become snappy but I dont believe that(most) tiny dogs become snappy because they are "spoilt" , Its often because they become defensive or resource guard.

Hi Dibbydog,

Her name is Mischief - Missy for short.

She was holding her wee better. Then I cut up an old electic blanket to bed her down on. Little did I know but she identifies all felty materials as litter mats!!!! After a week of wees and poos in the bed I realised. The poos instantly stopped and the wees reduced to small patches rather than soaking bedding, but the habit had already become established and I do not know how to break it.

Now I bed her down on brown towels. She is inclined to think light colours are litter pads too!

As for the licking of bedding. I think she sicks and re-eats it then cleans her bedding. She sicks and re-eats:-

1). When I feed her more than 1 tenth her body weight in one meal.
2). When she gulps food down to fast.
3). When she has pulled lots on hair out of the sheepskin rugs and eaten it. She also eats fluff trying to make me chase her for it.
4). When I don't cut her food up enough.

You mention calming down before bed. I will try that. She has been playing frenzy every night just before bed, chasing my 1.5 year old round and round a circuit they have made in the flood lit garden though a 6 metre alility tunnel and running along the top of it. They have worn a trench in the garden doing it! She has definitely not been winding down before bed! She exceeds my 1.5 year old's stamina easily. I think she can run in a frenzy for 6 to 7 hours! I have been thinking of changing her to adult food to reduce her protien and hopefully her energy.

Hi HB did you begin by putting a name to the 'offered behaviour' so she is not just 'crouching' for a reward .

When the dog is in the act of relieving itself you put a name to it, I say 'be clean' so the dog equates the act with words then you reward with a treat/raise the moment the dog finishes. Timing is all important.

It is also a good idea to take your dog out to soil to an area frequented by other dogs , the scent and exercise will stimulate her to go often more than once so you can be sure she is 'empty' when you take her in. I would do this as late as you can last thing at night. I know it can be a pain but it is worth it to get your dog clean.

It is also important to thoroughly clean any previously soiled areas to completely eliminate any previous scent of soiling or she may soil there again because of the scent. It is best not to use any ammonia based cleaner, biological washing powder is good for this also white vinegar.

She is virtually house trained, but always reserves about 10 ml. I presume that is instinct in case she wants to scent mark. When she wants to compete for attention she does her whole repertiore of tricks but that includes wee-wees. How would she know that that is not a trick when she has been taught it and rewarded for it just like the tricks I have taught her as obedience tricks?

Her real problem is at night. See my last post.

When she is offering the tricks for attention ignore them, no word or even eye contact.
You can then request particular tricks you want to retain and treat/reward when she does them which should eliminate the ones you don't want.
With regard to relieving herself, I would start again as described above using a new word which you apply when the behaviour (weeing/pooing)is offered.