Pomeranian Puppy Toilet Terror/ Am I Going Mad?

[Sandra777]

i don't know how many times people have said it is cruel to put pups and mother in a pen

If this is in response to a couple of people (me included) commenting on the confining of the pup, read the original post again as it says there the pup can sleep in 5 different positions.

To ME this means one side, the other side, on it's back or belly and some other way (maybe on it's head ) I don't want to see a space so small that a Pom puppy can only sleep in 5 positions - that is cruel regardless of how often the pup is let out.

Perhaps this isn't what OP meant, but it is what they said.

[persephone]

She's never had any accidents inside the house partly because I restrict her to her den, a small confined space just big enough for her to sleep in 5 different positions and give her toys a smack down.

THis bit was of some concern to me as well.. as it seemed a very small space.

[Guest donatella]

I can tell you from personal experience that Pom puppies don't want to sleep in 5 positions but moreso play, interact and be by your side all the time if they can. Not confined to a small den just for fear of house accidents (if you're not home this is different of course)

[toy*dog]

She's never had any accidents inside the house partly because I restrict her to her den, a small confined space just big enough for her to sleep in 5 different positions and give her toys a smack down.

THis bit was of some concern to me as well.. as it seemed a very small space.

oh ok i missed that entirely, seemed to have skimmed over that bit. that is a bit of a concern yes i do agree, as my little dogs certainly do have more space than having 5 different sleeping positions, i make the pens the length of one room and my breeder friends actually have whole rooms dedicated to the dogs and puppies.

i think maybe the original poster needs to clarify this bit.

[Kiara&Heidi]

My chihuahua is 5 months old and still has accidents in the house. We just came inside after I stood with her for half an hour trying to get her to do a wee before bed but she refused . I don't see what the big deal is when she goes in the wrong place - I just clean it up and since she's so small it's only a tiny mess anyway. She will learn eventually, just like your puppy.

[OSoSwift]

Maybe buy a small piece of turf (yes the real stuff) put it on some paper and maybe plastic in a larger pen when you cannot supervise your pup and she will learn over time that she is to toilet on grass.

Personally though I would be over the moon she has had no accidents inside and I wouldn't care too much at this stage where she toileted outside as long as it was outside!

SHe is a tiny baby and you need to realx. If she does have an accident inside it is not the end of the world. She needs more freedom and interaction with you. Yes you need to keep an eye on her and watch her body language, but she needs to be in the house with you not stuck in a small pen.

[toy*dog]

My chihuahua is 5 months old and still has accidents in the house. We just came inside after I stood with her for half an hour trying to get her to do a wee before bed but she refused . I don't see what the big deal is when she goes in the wrong place - I just clean it up and since she's so small it's only a tiny mess anyway. She will learn eventually, just like your puppy.

sorry a bit off topic, but talking about house training its along the same theme at least are you in the chi thread i can't remember. but just to address this, we've had some buyers come back after giving them a pup or young dog and they've come back with, "the dog isn't toilet trained". basically doing what you described up top.

my advice to one person was, don't stand there with the dog they never do anything when you are with them as they would see you as their one way ticket back inside the house and because they are dying to go they will wait until they are back inside then go. so what we do with our young pups is either have an area that they can always use that already has their own smells there or don't stand with them leave them for 5-10 mins outside by themselves. usually works better when you have other dogs around going too though. this lady that told me that, only had the one bitch but it did work what i told her to do. we usually have a word like outside now or out and they know its the toilet break, so we do that every hour or so after them being inside, works like a charm for us. but then again our dogs are trained from day dot to do this and also the young pups do follow the adults and learn that way. bit more difficult when you only have one dog. or puppy.

Edited October 26, 2011 by toy*dog

[toy*dog]

I can tell you from personal experience that Pom puppies don't want to sleep in 5 positions but moreso play, interact and be by your side all the time if they can. Not confined to a small den just for fear of house accidents (if you're not home this is different of course)

i had this breed about 15 years ago now, last one died about 4 years ago from old age, but i found that poms are extremely clean and extremely intelligent little critters. and yes being very lively breed of dog they don't tolerate too well being confined for long periods. whereas the chis they thrive as they are really a good inside dog to have. poms are too and other toy breeds, but i found chis to be better suited overall.

[Kiara&Heidi]

My chihuahua is 5 months old and still has accidents in the house. We just came inside after I stood with her for half an hour trying to get her to do a wee before bed but she refused . I don't see what the big deal is when she goes in the wrong place - I just clean it up and since she's so small it's only a tiny mess anyway. She will learn eventually, just like your puppy.

sorry a bit off topic, but talking about house training its along the same theme at least are you in the chi thread i can't remember. but just to address this, we've had some buyers come back after giving them a pup or young dog and they've come back with, "the dog isn't toilet trained". basically doing what you described up top.

my advice to one person was, don't stand there with the dog they never do anything when you are with them as they would see you as their one way ticket back inside the house and because they are dying to go they will wait until they are back inside then go. so what we do with our young pups is either have an area that they can always use that already has their own smells there or don't stand with them leave them for 5-10 mins outside by themselves. usually works better when you have other dogs around going too though. this lady that told me that, only had the one bitch but it did work what i told her to do. we usually have a word like outside now or out and they know its the toilet break, so we do that every hour or so after them being inside, works like a charm for us. but then again our dogs are trained from day dot to do this and also the young pups do follow the adults and learn that way. bit more difficult when you only have one dog. or puppy.

Last night Heidi was not happy being outside because it was cold and the grass was wet. A while after I brought her back in she went on the pee pad inside which is fine. I don't like leaving her outside at night because there are owls and she is very small, so I have to stand with her.

I am in the chi thread - Heidi is the one with patchy hair if you remember . I have also PM'd you before re: patella luxation - I have changed my display name from Arielle to Kiara&Heidi.

Sorry to the OP for going off topic.

[Dame Aussie]

My chihuahua is 5 months old and still has accidents in the house. We just came inside after I stood with her for half an hour trying to get her to do a wee before bed but she refused . I don't see what the big deal is when she goes in the wrong place - I just clean it up and since she's so small it's only a tiny mess anyway. She will learn eventually, just like your puppy.

sorry a bit off topic, but talking about house training its along the same theme at least are you in the chi thread i can't remember. but just to address this, we've had some buyers come back after giving them a pup or young dog and they've come back with, "the dog isn't toilet trained". basically doing what you described up top.

my advice to one person was, don't stand there with the dog they never do anything when you are with them as they would see you as their one way ticket back inside the house and because they are dying to go they will wait until they are back inside then go. so what we do with our young pups is either have an area that they can always use that already has their own smells there or don't stand with them leave them for 5-10 mins outside by themselves. usually works better when you have other dogs around going too though. this lady that told me that, only had the one bitch but it did work what i told her to do. we usually have a word like outside now or out and they know its the toilet break, so we do that every hour or so after them being inside, works like a charm for us. but then again our dogs are trained from day dot to do this and also the young pups do follow the adults and learn that way. bit more difficult when you only have one dog. or puppy.

Last night Heidi was not happy being outside because it was cold and the grass was wet. A while after I brought her back in she went on the pee pad inside which is fine. I don't like leaving her outside at night because there are owls and she is very small, so I have to stand with her.

I am in the chi thread - Heidi is the one with patchy hair if you remember . I have also PM'd you before re: patella luxation - I have changed my display name from Arielle to Kiara&Heidi.

Sorry to the OP for going off topic.

I'm sorry too, but OMG your Chi is gorgeous, she's sooo tiny

[Kiara&Heidi]

Thanks Aussie

[Guest donatella]

I can tell you from personal experience that Pom puppies don't want to sleep in 5 positions but moreso play, interact and be by your side all the time if they can. Not confined to a small den just for fear of house accidents (if you're not home this is different of course)

i had this breed about 15 years ago now, last one died about 4 years ago from old age, but i found that poms are extremely clean and extremely intelligent little critters. and yes being very lively breed of dog they don't tolerate too well being confined for long periods. whereas the chis they thrive as they are really a good inside dog to have. poms are too and other toy breeds, but i found chis to be better suited overall.

I'm new to the Poms but I'm completely and utterly in love with the breed already (having had mine for 3 months now). She's right up there with the smarts and quick to pick up things, but she's very independent and not so much a lap dog at all, would rather sit way over there by herself then on me. I'd actually consider a Chi as a second dog when mine grows up.

[PomsNZ]

Im a pom breeder exhibitor in NZ.

at 10 weeks old your pup is still just a baby.

I find the easiest way to train is every hour to hour n half, always after a play, always after a drink, always after a meal. without fail. When they wake up, they have to go straight outside...

If they havent been outside for an hour, take them.

What bonus is there for her to do as you say? You have her penned up all day, she wont bond so quickly to you and therefore training is longer.

Id be thrilled if she only had accidents once a day, dont be too hard on her!

great dogs, although we also have a crested they are just the best to me

I have a pack and its helpful, as they all go out together and line up to go over each others spots... very handy LOL....

Let her spend a LOT of time with you, for bonding, when you praise her after going shell want to do it as opposed to not bonding with you and not really wanting to please you so much.

They are very intelligent wee dogs, you can teach her to sit pretty easy, then beg..

Our 'pet' knows so many tricks! his latests ones were back, where he will walk backwards and also fishing, where he goes into a down stay, i cross the room, throw out a imaginary line, say Oh i caught a pom, then pretend to reel the 'pom fish' in, he comes to me, its very very cute and so many people love it.

He also does BANG! where ill make my hands like a gun and shoot him, say bang and hell die down... he knows dance, shake hands, beg, dance, back, sit, stand, speak, fish, bang, down, stay, hide n seek, toys, etc etc et c

[PomsNZ]

I'm new to the Poms but I'm completely and utterly in love with the breed already (having had mine for 3 months now). She's right up there with the smarts and quick to pick up things, but she's very independent and not so much a lap dog at all, would rather sit way over there by herself then on me. I'd actually consider a Chi as a second dog when mine grows up.

Bitches (poms anyways) are more independant, only coming when SHE wants attention.. Male poms are always ready for pats and attention. I find my bitches prefer my hubby over me, whereas all the males LOVE me.

[Guest donatella]

Yeh my next pooch would definitely be a male! I'd never seen her so affectionate as when i got her spayed last week, she was sore and sooky and wanted to be near me the whole time, that there showed me she loves me deep down she's just a firey independent little thing who's got be involved in everything and anything. I live with another girl and its like the 3 girls here, the pup has to know everything we're doing and involved when she can :D i'm going to really try and get her to obedience school (work permitted i'm a shift worker so its hard to have the same time off every week) as she's a smart little bugger and i'd hate that to go to waste.

[Stitch]

Your expectations are way too high for such a young pup!!

At 12 weeks you should start to see some small recognition of any toilet training you are doing but as a general rule - the smaller the breed, the more difficult they are to toilet train.

Keep up the ground work you are currently doing, restrict access to areas you don't want soiled, etc.

You can only do what you can do, so it is important not to get too 'anal' (sorry about the pun) about it all!

[toy*dog]

Bitches (poms anyways) are more independant, only coming when SHE wants attention.. Male poms are always ready for pats and attention. I find my bitches prefer my hubby over me, whereas all the males LOVE me.

being independant and not wanting much attention must vary from line to line, i bred a litter of 5 way back in about 1993 and i kept all 3 girls out of that litter (Bianca, Tiana and Shar) and they all loved the attention and Shar was my number one girl and died at aged 7 of cancer of the spine, i was devastated she had been shown and won a few groups but she was more of a pet to me. Shar was very loving and loved the attention and loved coming with me in the car, she was a big cudddle pot. Bianca lived to about 14 and i had to put her down because she had many health issues and was in alot of pain. but Bianca up until she died use to sleep on my bed and she was almost like a little cat, cuddly and if i left her with my parents and walked away from her she'd cry to come with me and be picked up.

i've also known other breeds of toys to be very independant and not wanting to be held or sit on your lap, it just depends really on the bloodline what they inherit as you can't really make a dog cuddly and wanting to be with you all the time it has to really be in them from birth i've found over the years.

Edited October 29, 2011 by toy*dog

[toy*dog]

the smaller the breed, the more difficult they are to toilet train.

that can be true too, i have a larger breed dog than my toys that was a rescue (kelpie,GSP, staffie, lab cross ) and he learnt very quick about house training whereas the small toy dogs take a few months, my larger breed dog learnt it in a few weeks. also i've had friends who switched from chis to dobs and they noticed how quick the dob caught on compared to the chihuahuas.

Edited October 29, 2011 by toy*dog

[luvsdogs]

It's been nearly 2 weeks since you posted Lady Canda. How have things been progressing? I now have a Japanese Spitz puppy, 1st small dog I've had since a childhood. I had more success with the bigger puppies I've had over the years but at 4 mths he mostly barks to be let out now to toilet. Having him sleep in a crate at night has also made a huge difference as before he slept in a small room with his bed & 1/2 the time I got up to a wet floor if I didn't get to him quick enough & again 9 out of 10 on paper towel.

I can't remember where I saw it but someone gave a link to a dog breeder or trainer in the US I think that always keeps his new pups in a puppy pen. He says it goes a long way to train the pups easily. Does anyone know who I'm referring to?

[Cattleya]

Hi all. Thank you to all the new additions to my post, always an interesting read on your varied experiences.

UPDATE; I'd rate her progress week by week as 9/10; no accidents indoors ever, none on undesirable surfaces since my initial concern the first fortnight she's now learnt to urinate/ defecate only on grass. 2 thumbs up to her.

CASE CLOSED!

Good luck to all those in this tiring but rewarding training stage. xoxo.