# Frustrated



## Vivien (Aug 11, 2012)

We adopted Rusty from a rescue two weeks ago. He's 14 month old and is not toilet trained. 

We have been training him to use the pee tray since then but were unsuccessful.

We have another toy, Krystal whom we adopted at 3 months old and it was pretty easy training her to use the pee tray.

Is it too old to toilet train Rusty? It has been very frustrating having to clean up accidents daily. I don't have much experience in dogs as I am more a cat person. Krystal and Rusty are my first dogs hence I would appreciate any advice you could offer me.

Thanks!


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

I've never done it. But there's lots of folks in here who have . . and can give u great advice. 

I will offer an early bit of good news...



Vivien said:


> Is it too old to toilet train Rusty?


NEVER!  LOL


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

It can be done. Most people reccommend you treat the older dog like you would a baby puppy: confined to a crate when you can't watch him like a hawk or tethered to you at all times so you can watch for his sniffing, etc., that means he needs to go. Take him to the pad first thing in the morning and right after he naps, comes out of his crate, plays, eats, etc. Also take him many times throughout the day. It should help that the other dog uses the tray so he sees that is the potty.


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## dcyk (Nov 30, 2011)

Watch him like a hawk when you know when he does his business. Bring him to the pad immediately.

No free roaming of the house until he's properly pad trained. X pen recommended

First thing after waking up, put him on the tray and praise silly + treats when he does his business there.

ALso if you know his timing, put him on the pad and encourage him to pee or poo, and praise him for doing it right.

If you can't watch over him, put him in a safe room or penned area.

Patience is the key. He will figure out that his owner is super happy that he's done it on the pad and he gets rewards for it.


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## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

You have gotten some great advice.  I assume he's a toy? Remember, toys have teeny bladders, they have a difficult time holding "it" very long, especially if they aren't potty trained. So get him on a schedule and stick with it! I'm having to learn the same thing with my toy puppy, he tries to hold it inside, but sometimes I forget that he can't go in between pit stops as long as my mini could at his age, and so we end up with an accident.


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## Vivien (Aug 11, 2012)

Thanks for the advice. They are pretty much what I've gathered from reading up on the net and I've tried them for the past three weeks. 

Things started to get better the past couple of days. He has finally started to use the pee tray (Yeah) but not all the time. There are still accidents. I am hoping things will get better with time.


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## Joelly (May 8, 2012)

Glad to hear it works out. Yep, this thing takes time. Just be patience, before you know it, you're there.


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## Marcie (Aug 2, 2011)

It can be done. I got GiGi when she was 7 years old from the rescue, she was a breeder surrender and she had never been potty trained and she had only gone on cement. 

She is very sensitive to voice inflection and not a treat oriented dog so that rules out scolding and giving treats. My only real advantage was she loves being outside. I guess after being kept in a kennel all her life she loves to feel the wind in her ears. 

When my husband and I are at work, we keep the dogs in the family room with security gates at the hall and living room so they can't get on the carpet. 

Those first few weeks I would put piddle pads down in on the areas in the family room where I had seen her pee and cleaned it up. Pretty soon she was actually going on the pads. Gradually I would narrow the field so that she started using the pads in the more out of the way areas so that I didn't have pads all over the floor. 

It also helped that when I am home she was and still is glued to me. This can make things a lot easier. When I saw her squat and do her business outside, I would and still do give her lavish praise and she waggs all over she is so happy. When she did her little squat in the house, I didn't say a thing, I just picked her up mid-pee and put her outside and praised her outside when she finished. It took a little while about 3 months but now she will let me know she needs to go out and actually will get up and run to the door. 

She will still go potty on the deck sometimes instead of in the grass but it's better than going in the house, I can hose off the deck!

She and the other poodle still have accidents in the house but at least it is on the piddle pad now. I never leave home without putting them down. 

I never had children so 3 months of mopping up after the poodle isn't anything compared to what a parent has to go through potty training their children. My hat is off to those parents out there!


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