# My pup won't go potty!



## lilix88 (Nov 28, 2012)

Hi everyone,

I just got a 12 week old toy poodle 4 days ago and I am having trouble potty training him. If I let him roam free in the apartment, he goes pee/poop on the floor everywhere no problem (approx. every hour) but if I leave him in his exercise pen with his crate and training pad and some play space, he will not go potty. Instead he just falls asleep on the training pad! I want to teach him the proper place to potty but I can't if he doesn't seem to wanna go! 

I tried to take him outside to potty once but he got really scared and his body was shaking and didn't wanna walk! I live in a condo downtown so it can get really noisy with all the cars, honking, and sirens. 

I am not sure what I should do, this is my first puppy so I have no prior experience either  Please help!!!:dontknow:


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## cavon (Aug 10, 2010)

you have to teach him where you want him to go. He probably won't go in his xpen because his bed(crate) is in there so he likely considers the whole area his "den". Dogs don't want to relieve themselves near their beds/dens.

You could try taking his crate out of the xpen and using it as a"backyard", he might be willing to go in there then.

here's an idea for you, start by picking him up or walking him to the potty pad every twenty minutes and telling him to pee or poop. He might not go on it right away, but continue this routine.

If you have him outside of the xpen and he pees or poops, go to him beside the spot or while he is doing it if you catch him in the act, in a stern voice say,"NO". Pick him up, don't say anything and put him on the potty pad. He will get it and it won't take long. Each time he goes on the pad, make a big deal about it, celebrate and reward, reward, reward. He will clue in that he is a good dog and this behaviour makes mom very happy. Make sure that he has a clear path to the potty pad by leaving the xpen door open if he is not in it.

One other thing, put him in his crate and cover it before you clean up any accidents. That way he won't see you and think - oh, she'll just clean it up wherever I go.

No anger or chastising while you put him in the crate and I would do it after you get him and put him on the potty pad. You want to keep the action, peeing and/or pooping and the placement on the pad as close together as possible so that he can connect them.

Luckily you have a toy poodle, so pee and poop accidents are not big!!

You'll see, you will get him trained quite quickly. The thing is to be consistent and not to extend the time intervals. Every 20 minutes, on the pad he goes. He will one time have to go when you put him there and you will have a reason to celebrate, reward and reinforce.

I did this with Finnegan, taking him outside and walking him back and forth in front of my house. My neighbours told me that I was nuts, but I can honestly say that the only time he had accidents was when I missed an interval or thought, oh I'll just finish what I am doing and then take him out.

As the pup gets the hang of what you want and gets a wee bit older, you can increase the time intervals, to 25, 30, 35 - you get the idea.


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## lilix88 (Nov 28, 2012)

I have tried to take him on the training pad when I see him pee on the floor but every time he would run away when i try to pick him up


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## cavon (Aug 10, 2010)

Don't give up!! You have to be very strict about following this routine.

Keep you pup on a leash for now, that way you will remember to put him on the pad and also, even if he has a "wee" accident (tee hee!!) he won't be able to run from you, he will be attached to you.

It will work, you have to be diligent about keeping to the schedule and you will see!


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## LegalEagle (Nov 8, 2012)

One thing to keep in mind is that exercise stimulates the pup's bowels and bladder. That's probably why he has no problem going when he's running around the house! I'm no expert, having housebroken exactly one dog, but here are my thoughts:

What kind of toys do you leave in the pen with him? A puppy alone probably won't play unless he's got something to amuse himself with. Here are two options that have worked for us. If you get a Tricky Treat ball and fill it with food and a few treats, the puppy will run around as he tries to get the food out . This may stimulate him to relieve himself in the pen. Alternatively, chewing is also said to stimulate pups' bowels and bladder. You could get a puppy Kong, coat the inside with honey or peanut butter, put kibble inside and top it off with some wet food. Then he'll get to chew, which will stimulate him, and he'll also get practice settling down quietly.

With whatever method you choose, you need to be watching so that if he goes on the pad you can give him several tasty treats - the first few times he gets it right, give him like 5 or 6 really good treats (dry liver, bits of people food, or his favorite treat). You can taper it down gradually to three once he gets the hang of it, and even further later.

Hope this helps!


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## lilix88 (Nov 28, 2012)

Just now he tried to poop multiple times. Every time I picked him up before he could do it and put him on the pad but then he just wouldn't go at all.

I got him few chew toys and as well as a kong filled up with treats. He does play with them. 

Every time he's on the pad it's like he loses his urge to go potty. I have also tried to spray withe pad with the housebreaking spray but nothing


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## cavon (Aug 10, 2010)

try newspaper instead of the pads to see if that works better. Maybe the pad is soft and he equates it to a bed.


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## cavon (Aug 10, 2010)

don't give up, it will work!!

With a toy you could even probably train him to use a litter box like a cat. that would be great for you!

it won't work in one or two tries, but just keep at it!!

Don't get discouraged!


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## LegalEagle (Nov 8, 2012)

lilix88 said:


> Just now he tried to poop multiple times. Every time I picked him up before he could do it and put him on the pad but then he just wouldn't go at all.
> 
> I got him few chew toys and as well as a kong filled up with treats. He does play with them.
> 
> Every time he's on the pad it's like he loses his urge to go potty. I have also tried to spray withe pad with the housebreaking spray but nothing


We had the same problem! Laszlo was getting stressed out because he knew we wanted him to do something on the pad, but he didn't know what! 

When we knew he had to go, we put him on the leash, brought him to the pad and only gave him enough slack to turn around. It was a bit of an ordeal, and there is probably a better way, but it got him to go on the pad, at which point we gave him many many treats and almost cried with relief. After a few times, he would hop in the litter box we had set up for him and go like a champ.


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## LegalEagle (Nov 8, 2012)

Also, I want to echo Cavon - hang in there! A puppy is like a ninja - it gets you when you least expect it. You bring it to the right spot and get nothing, but as soon as you turn your back there's a puddle on the floor. Just keep at it, and you'll see. Once the pup does it right a few times, it's going to be a lot easier.


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## Harrymummy (Aug 27, 2012)

Keep in there. Your puppy is learning. He just needs a bit more time to get it. 

Harry was very confused w my commands and could never get to him on time. I just persevered with the outdoor walks and he eventually got it. Lots of regular pee walks. No action then back home we go. Action then longer walk. no action then we are back out an hour or so later. Eaten lets go out again. It's tiring but it pays off. 

As he got a bit older the pee pad was a problem as he is an outdoor dog. He ended up shredding so he now has a pee tray for indoors that he knows how to use. Have you considered getting one of those? He probably associated the pad as bedding and like the earlier poster said he won't pee and poop in his den. If you plan to train him as an indoor dog make sure there is a clear separation of den space and pee/poo space. I found the you tube videos helping guide me as to the space separation. Sadly I saw the clips too late so am making sure the pee tray is 100%! Engrained in him before I give him more space. 


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## Harrymummy (Aug 27, 2012)

LegalEagle said:


> Also, I want to echo Cavon - hang in there! A puppy is like a ninja - it gets you when you least expect it. You bring it to the right spot and get nothing, but as soon as you turn your back there's a puddle on the floor. Just keep at it, and you'll see. Once the pup does it right a few times, it's going to be a lot easier.


Harry is my little mini black ninja???


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I would put a few drops of pee on the pad to give him the right idea.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Not peeing or pooing in the crate is what you want. Don't put training pads in there. You want him to learn to hold it when he is in crate. Make sure he doesn't have room to go in the crate and lay down elsewhere. Limit his access to water if you need to leave him for any significant length of time. I wish I could say what I think significant time is, but I have never had a toy dog. My dogs are big and my spoo has always been like a camel or a very guilty catholic since she holds it all for a long time and generally I have to tell her to go.

What do you want as an end result? Do you want to use pads throughout his life or do you want him to go outside? If the former, keep working on getting him to go on the pads. If the latter, forget the pads and make sure you take him outside as soon as he wakes up, right after he finishes eating and after some play time but before you see him getting ready to go. When you go out say potty cue words as soon as you put him down and repeat them until he is going through to when he finishes. Then make happy happy joy joy and give a treat. This will show him that going outside is great!

This will all come together. He is a baby and you are a newbie. You will learn this together. My mom is in a similar situation to you. She lives in a garden apartment condo complex and has no yard. She is doing the house training with no pads in the apartment, but is also separately training her mpoo boy to use pads in the garage for days when the weather is too terrible to want to go out at the crack of dawn. Her garage is attached off her kitchen, so this is a good backup scenario for them. If you have a similar layout maybe this would also help you.

As a last suggestion, go to dogstardaily.com and download (for free) Ian Dunbar's book What to do after you get your puppy. He has a very good method for house breaking, along with lots of other really positive well thought out advice.


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## Joelly (May 8, 2012)

Hi lilix88,

My advice will be to keep the pee pee pad available for him outside the playpen also. Also, keep a hawk-eye on his every movements, this is a-must so you can learn his go signal. My puppy has a go signal. When he wants to pee, he will smell everything around him before he squats in which time you should said no and pick him up immediately unto a nearby pee pee pad. Continue to do this until he gets it. He won't get it immediately so be patient and be consistent. 

Restricted his movement to the place that you will be able to supervise him continuously. Put more pee pee pad than necessary inside and outside the playpen until he gets it in which time you can reduce the amount of pee pee pad in the places that you want.

For example, Charlie (my toypoomixterrier) now is 10 months old. When he was 8 weeks old, he literally didn't leave his playpen unless we're home and playing with him. We kept 2 wee wee pads inside his playpen which attached to his crate. If we play with him, we'll restricted the playing area around the living room and we have four or six wee wee pad, two on each side of the sofa, one in the kitchen, one near the door and two near the outside of his playpen. At night, we moved his crate into our room and place four wee wee pads surrounding his crate. He often pees around 2 am then he'll pee again at 6 am. At 6 months old, he finally gets it so we reduce the amount the wee wee pad to only two wee wee pads. One near the front door and one inside the bedroom. Also, we use a tray to help him not miss the wee wee pad.

Be consistent with your poodle to help him succeed in this stage. There's a lot more for him and you to learn. Also, please purchase a Zero to eliminate the odor when he accidentally pees on the floor. This is very effective in removing your puppy's pee scent so he won't repeat his accident there anymore.

I would suggest wee wee pad brand and don't buy the cheap petco brand cause they don't attract the puppy enough instead giving mixing signal. I get mine from Amazon, they are having good deals sometimes and will email you the good deal when you sign up with them. 

Best of luck and let us know if anything else is bothering you.


Kind regards,

Joelly


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