# Cannot potty train 3 year old Poodle?



## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

Take a few days off from work if you can and stay home with him. Put him on a leash and don't let him off at all. Make him go everywhere you go in the house and watch him. You can tell when a dog needs to go to the bathroom. He will start smelling around, look for a private place alone, look at you like he needs something ect. Always take him out as soon as he wakes up in the morning or daytime naps, take him out after meals and before going to bed at night. Praise him when he goes outside with treats ect. He will and can get this. Good Luck !

P.S. there are crates that have two parts, a small sleeping area and a larger area for a pee pad. I have heard wonderful things about these too. The dog will go to the pee pad to go to the bathroom, not where he wants to lay down. The goal is that later you can just keep the door open to both parts and he will return when he needs to go all the time.


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## Feelingdoc (Feb 18, 2014)

Tell us a little more...does he sleep in a kennel and "go" there? Does he have a favorite spot where he "goes." If you look closely most dogs develop their own potty habits that you can intervene within a few days of retraining...Some good hints on here is to leash him in the house to you...restrict his freedom! It worked for me to soak my dogs own pee in a paper towel and place it outside beside the tree...he quickly got the idea. My female didn't like going on the grass - especially if it was wet...I fixed her a spot of her own with gravel...but I have to keep it very clean...and it had to be "private" she doesn't like you to see her "go" (and never "goes" on or during a walk.) It can be challenging but usually fixable.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

You say "recently", and that you have tried many things. I suspect that you need to concentrate on one thing, for several weeks or months. He is still learning about living in a home, and has had absolutely no experience of needing to hold his bladder, or to consider that there are right/wrong places to toilet. I would treat him like a young puppy, and expect to work on this a couple of months at least. I would keep him close, take him out frequently and regularly, and stay with him so that I could praise and reward him when he goes in the right place. Any signal that he needs to go would have me rushing him to the door with cheerful promises of treats in store. If you have to leve him, I think a pen with a bed and separate toilet area is your best bet. Good luck - it will take lots of patience and perseverance...


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

First of all, I want to say this is a wonderful thing you have done- puppy mill survivors are one of the most vulnerable groups in rescue and so in need of adopters that understand their unique concerns. You have gotten great suggestions so far. I will add a few more things from the perspective of rehabbing a puppy mill dog. 

As FJM said, housebreaking a dog from that environment usually takes a while. It will not happen in a matter of days, and often not in a matter of weeks. But with patience, they can usually learn. Concentrate on one thing at a time and be very basic. Use lots of treats when he does his business outside, and make sure you give them within seconds of completing the act. If you find an accident in the house, clean it up and just say to yourself that you'll catch him next time. If you catch him in the act in the house, say "no" and bring him outside, and then praise the heck out of him if he finishes the deed outside. 

Be careful with anything aversive though, remember this is a dog that has been through the mill (so to speak) and you don't want to further traumatize him. If saying "no" loudly appears to scare him, just matter of factly take him out when he has an accident and rely on the positive reinforcement to move him forward. A HUGE part of his rehab is rebuilding the trust of humans and teaching him to be comfortable in your house, and sometimes you do have to treat this type of dog with kid gloves. 

Tying him outside teaches him nothing except to piddle and poo wherever he stands, and that is the behavior you are trying to eliminate. You have to catch him doing it to move him forward. Put the bells away for later, they are too high level now. 

How long have you had your pup? Have you seen progress, even if it is very small? Hang on to those small successes, they will eventually build and give you encouragement to keep going. Poodles are very smart, and once he trusts you, he will want to please you and WILL get it. 

Do you have some local support to help you through this? Is the rescue organization available for advice? Do you get the impression they are skilled enough to help you with this? Rescue groups vary with the skill mix of their volunteers- some are better than others. If you don't feel you have the support from the rescue,or enough expertise in the organization, I would highly recommend working with a behaviorist if you can swing the cost. Someone who can meet the dog and set up an individualized plan for him. Often, just one or two consultations will give you the guidance you need. I used a behaviorist with one of my dogs who had a lot of issues from being a stray, and her advice was invaluable and made a big difference. Of course, lean on this forum too- much expertise here, even if it is remote! 

Where are you located? One of the members of the forum may be nearby and may know of resources that could help. For example, if you are in Pa, Main Line Rescue runs classes for owners of puppy mill dogs and has much expertise with mill dogs. 

Some nuts and bolts- make sure you're cleaning any accidents with a good enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle. If you can, pull up any rugs you have until he is reliable- I always do that with fosters that need extra work on housebreaking. It just makes your life easier. Try to confine him to one area of the house when he is loose so you can keep a good eye on him. This usually is not hard with mill dogs as they are more comfortable in enclosed spaces. 

A friend of mine swears by using belly bands with these types of dogs- she claims it helps because they don't like to be wet and it helps housebreak. I'm not sure about that as is have not used them myself- and maybe someone else with some experience in this area can chime in, but I thought I would offer the info as she claims it helps a lot. If nothing else, a belly band will minimize the amount of accidents and make it more pleasurable to have him with you in the house. You don't want to get to the point where you are so frustrated that you grow to resent the dog, and if using a belly band helps, then they are of value. 

How is he doing otherwise? Is he learning to trust you? You mentioned you are thinking of returning him. Only you can answer if that is the right thing to do. If you truly feel you can not give this dog what he needs and commit to the training, then you should consider returning him knowing it is the best thing for the dog. I find that when I counsel adopters after the fact, they very often just need a bit of help in figuring out the dog's particular problem. But be honest with yourself- this will be an uphill road for a while. However, when you come out on the other side, it is so incredibly rewarding and you will have developed a very deep bond to the dog, and that is an amazing feeling. 

To put it in perspective, this is a dog that was treated like livestock, and only valued for the money he could make. Never had the "normal" puppy things, never was kissed and told he was loved, no soft beds, no treats, and probably no vet care. Now he is in your home, which is a wonderful thing, but it will take time for him to learn to be a house dog. Keep us posted and feel free to PM me if you want, or even just want to vent!


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## georgiapeach (Oct 9, 2009)

I feel your pain. Sunny, our rescue from a horrible hoarding situation for 7 years, then rescue in a kennel situation for a year, still has his moments (the latest at my daughter's house last night...). These types of dogs never learned proper potty habits, and they also learned to overcome a normal dog's aversion to pottying in their kennels, because of necessity. Sunny has improved vastly since we got him 4 months ago, but if he doesn't have his need to go outside met very quickly, he'll find alternate means inside. At my daughter's house, I missed his signal (going to the stairs at their condo that leads to outside), so he found a chair leg to pee on. My fault.

At first, I put a belly band (male wrap to prevent peeing on furniture) on him for about a month or so, so that when he tried to pee in the house, the wrap would catch the pee and he didn't get the satisfaction of marking (also a problem with many of these types of dogs). I put a feminine pad inside it so I wouldn't have to wash the wrap very often. You can get one at Petsmart, etc. for about $20.

I would go back to Potty Training 101 with your rescue, just as you would for a puppy. Keep him on leash, even in the house, as already suggested (so he can't slip out of your sight and potty), and take him out every hour, after eating, after playing, after waking up, etc.. Tie him to your waist if you're doing chores so you don't lose track of him. Crate him in a very small crate (only big enough to turn around in-no more!) when showering, eating your own dinner, sleeping at night if he doesn't sleep with you, etc., to try and re-establish keeping his personal space clean. BTW, my dog will still pee in a wire crate, b/c he figured out that he can lift his leg to pee outside the crate, the smart little booger! We crate him in an airline style crate instead (hard plastic sides), which has nipped that in the bud. :aetsch: 

Don't make too big a deal over accidents; that will just encourage your dog to hide when going. If you catch him in the act, just calmly make a short disapproving comment (ex: no, no outside) to try and disrupt the peeing and quickly get him outside to finish. Whenever he does go outside, have a party: praise and treat with a high value treat (keep some in your pocket in a baggie) - wait until he's finished before you do this (again, keep him on leash outside, too, until he learns what going outside is supposed to be about). If he doesn't go outside when you take him, try again in 15-30 minutes. No social conversation, no playing allowed, i.e. no fun until he's gone potty. Part of his reward could be to be taken off leash to play AFTER he's gone potty.

Again, don't expect quick results. Your dog has had a long time to learn his bad habits (not his fault, remember), so it will take time to relearn good habits. Hang in there - it WILL get better!


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## Marcie (Aug 2, 2011)

candrawinata said:


> Just recently adopted Ned ( miniture Poodle), he was raised in a puppy mill, and was never potty trained. We have tried multiple things to try and work with him. Puppy pads- will go on them once in a while. Bell- wont even go near it. I will take him out every other hour, he will run and play. Tieing him out on a chain in back yard, sit and cry. Nothing is working, and I really hate to resort to this, but we may have to give him back to the rescue group. Please help!!


My GiGi is a breeder surrender and she was kept in a kennel all her life until I rescued her. She was 5 years old when I got her and not potty trained. She was constantly with me for the first week and I took her out about every hour. When she went to the bathroom I praised her verbally and with a treat. I make it a fun to go out and don't scold her if she makes a mistake in the house, I just say outside and take her out. She does potty on the deck more often than not because of always going on concrete before I got her. But you know even if she still had potty problems, she is worth more to me than any carpet. 

I don't cage her and we go out to potty in the morning when I get up, then when I come home for lunch (my husband is at home during the day as well) and at least two times before bed time and then probably at 3 or 4 in the morning. I stay out with her until she goes. She now goes to the door and barks to go out.

You might want to try a belly band on him in the house until you can get him under control.

Yep, she is my little pee pod and I wouldn't trade her for a million dollars.


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## Marcie (Aug 2, 2011)

CarolineK

You gave GREAT advice! I am going to print it out and hang it up at the rescue for people adopting breeder surrender dogs.

Thank you!


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Marcie- that's very kind- thank you! Hope it helps. The rescue I work with gets breeder surrenders here and there. They do have unique issues.
BTW- I believe you work with Houston Poodle Rescue from your other posts? I look at their site sometimes and just want to say that is an impressive organization! I'd love to volunteer with a poodle rescue but there are none close to me.


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## Oreo's Mommy (Dec 18, 2012)

My previous beloved poodle was a rescue from a home where she was ignored and neglected. She was 4 years old when I got her. She would pee and poo in her crate and lay in it because that was what she was used to. 

It took 9 months of consistent potty training with tons of positive reinforcement but she eventually figured it out. 

Fifi lived to be almost 14 1/2. She was an amazing companion and I miss her every day. I am so blessed to have been her mom.


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## Suddenly (Aug 8, 2013)

I don't know much about potty training. I know a there's lots of great advice here. Hope potty training get easier.


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## PoodleFoster (May 25, 2013)

candrawinata said:


> Just recently adopted Ned (miniature Poodle), he was raised in a puppy mill, and was never potty trained. We have tried multiple things to try and work with him. Nothing is working, and I really hate to resort to this, but we may have to give him back to the rescue group. Please help!
> 
> Hi
> This is something I understand! I have fostered 34 poodles and have owned 8 of my own. Many of the poodles came from puppy mills and or no training environments. Good news, he can be taught and trained, so can you!
> ...


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## pandj (Jun 12, 2013)

Good for you for giving Ned his new life ! As an Old Rescuer I think you have received the best advice on the planet for your little guy. I highly recommend using Belly Bands !!!!! I use Tena pads in mine. They are made to absorb urine and do a better job than famine napkins.

Four weeks ago we adopted a 4 year old Breeder release . He is happily sporting his Belly Band. He is doing very well on his training. Hang in there ! He is a Poodle ...he will get it !

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## doctorloco (Nov 16, 2020)

candrawinata said:


> Just recently adopted Ned ( miniture Poodle), he was raised in a puppy mill, and was never potty trained. We have tried multiple things to try and work with him. Puppy pads- will go on them once in a while. Bell- wont even go near it. I will take him out every other hour, he will run and play. Tieing him out on a chain in back yard, sit and cry. Nothing is working, and I really hate to resort to this, but we may have to give him back to the rescue group. Please help!!


Don't give up, he's young. My Charlie won't walk on a leesh and peed in the bed 3 times in 10 months. He used to pee on the floor if i went out without him. Don't yell or punish them try to work out the problem you'll be glad u did.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

You have such excellent advice here! Be so gentle with your poodle, they are very sensitive and intelligent, and it is obvious that the previous owners were neither. 

One other method not mentioned yet is tethering your dog to you for awhile, at least a few days. 








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I don't necessarily agree with everything they say in the above article, but it is a good start. I would add: This tether time is an important time for you to give focused attention to your dog and learn it's body language! NOT try to teach it yours. If you are really observant you will soon be able to tell when your dog needs to go to the bathroom (outside), and whether it is #1 or # 2. Immediately take them outside! Also you will be able to tell when it wants affection, when it wants to rest, when it is hungry, etc. 

I had a problem with my Spoo when he was a puppy needing to go poo in the night as he had diarrhea (I later found out he couldn't tolerate most kibble). So I actually put his dog bed nest to my bed and wrapped his leash around my arm. I guarantee it woke me up immediately and I took him out! Exhausting, but far better than cleaning up a mess in the morning!

Search dog body language. It is a fascinating topic, and sadly neglected as most humans insist their dog learn their language instead. Best of luck! With some patience, and using body language, you will have a wonderful poodle


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

This post is 6 years old and the OP did not respond.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Hmm, just saw drloco's post and responded. Can he keep this thread, which is related, or does he have to start a new one?


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

I don’t see any harm in pulling up an old thread, especially if the information could be helpful to someone else! I was just pointing out that it’s unlikely the OP will respond.


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## doctorloco (Nov 16, 2020)

kontiki said:


> You have such excellent advice here! Be so gentle with your poodle, they are very sensitive and intelligent, and it is obvious that the previous owners were neither.
> 
> One other method not mentioned yet is tethering your dog to you for awhile, at least a few days.
> 
> ...


He was beaten, malnourished and matted for the first two years on a farm. I saw him fling open a gate with his head to let the horses out in the pasture. He has come around tremendously in 10 months. I'll try some leesh walking at the dog park when he's around other dogs he walks a little bit with it on. He hates a harness he used a street sign in front of my house to tear it off him.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

doctorloco said:


> I'll try some leesh walking at the dog park when he's around other dogs he walks a little bit with it on.


Per my vet, if the other dogs are off leash, it is safer to have your dog off leash also. They said it is more likely to have dog fights if one dog is on leash and the other off. 

I have not experienced this personally, but believe them, so if my dog is off leash in the woods, and wanting to meet another dog who is on leash, I put him on leash, and vice-versa. If my dog is on leash and another dog who comes up is off leash, I unbuckle his leash.

I am so sorry to hear about your dear dogs early life. He is so lucky to have a loving guy like you now!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

kontiki said:


> Hmm, just saw drloco's post and responded. Can he keep this thread, which is related, or does he have to start a new one?


Sure, we can leave this one open if you like.  But @doctorloco is more likely to get advice tailored to his particular situation if he starts a new thread. Often, people will just read the initial post and respond to that. 

(In this case, the original poster hasn't been back in 6 years.)


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## doctorloco (Nov 16, 2020)

kontiki said:


> Per my vet, if the other dogs are off leash, it is safer to have your dog off leash also. They said it is more likely to have dog fights if one dog is on leash and the other off.
> 
> I have not experienced this personally, but believe them, so if my dog is off leash in the woods, and wanting to meet another dog who is on leash, I put him on leash, and vice-versa. If my dog is on leash and another dog who comes up is off leash, I unbuckle his leash.
> 
> I am so sorry to hear about your dear dogs early life. He is so lucky to have a loving guy like you now!


I'm trying different things because i'm not giving up on him and selling him, he's part of my life now and i love him. I'll carry him till i drop dead if i have to.


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## daabor (Jan 31, 2019)

I did not read through the previous posts. Teether trainng worked very well for me and Sammy. It was under one week of training and he hasn't had an accident since.


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## doctorloco (Nov 16, 2020)

I think maybe he was sick and just wasn't himself.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

doctorloco said:


> I think maybe he was sick and just wasn't himself.


Am I correct that he is not doing it any more ? That would be wonderful


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