I have a mini schnauzer pup - 10 weeks today. Got her last week. She is a very good pup generally, but the toilet training is stressing me a bit. I live in an upstairs apartment with a balcony. I have a crate and am trying very hard to get her in to a routine so that I try to get her to come out to the balcony with me when she wakes up, after she eats, after she plays (even during play time when I've seen her have a drink) and before she gos to sleep. So far no dramas in the crate, she settles very quickly when I put her in there. But I just can't seem to encourage her enough to go to the toilet on the balcony. As it has been cold in Melbourne, I thought the cold concrete could be a problem? I started with a doggy tray, then newspaper. Friends of friends have toilet trained their dog to go the loo on a towel. So I now have towels on my balcony for her. When she does go there, I praise her heaps and say 'hurry up'. The problem is she keeps on going to the loo inside (usually on carpetted areas), when I manage to get her to come outside she often decides she will either sit at my feet or play around and eventually if nothing happens she will even lie down at my feet. I don't play with her or speak to her during this time. I have waited up to 25 minutes and nothing, and when I give up and bring her inside she does her business. I have also tried interrupting her when she is about to do a wee and she'll either ignore or just clam up and when I take her outside she does nothing. I have also taken her to my parents house one day, and not one accident inside and went to the toilet outside on the grass straight away. When she does go to the loo inside I don't make a fuss and just clean up the mess quietly and use either vinegar or a pet stain spray. I know toilet training takes a while - but any tips that might help me?
