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Member Since
09/08/2011		 
 
Barked: Fri Sep 16, '11 2:01pm PST 
Hi all I am new and I was hoping to get some pointers on house training my puppy when I get him home.

He is a Shih Poo , he will be about 7 weeks old or so when he gets to come home.

The breeder said she will start them on paper training but I question this due to the fact when I went to see him the other day the mom peed on a throw rug! So I am not sure how well trained her dogs are.

But anyway I would really like to know the pros and cons and ins and outs to potty training.

I am hoping to do a little inside training with some outside too.
We live in Fl and sometimes the weathers not real good to be out in.
So I was planning on putting up a little doggie fence with a small crate to sleep in and putting a really big rubber maid container that has a side cut down so he can get in and have pee pads or a towel or something inside there for him to go pee on.
I only mention towels cause someone suggested using them cause they are cheap and washable and it sounded like a good idea. Plus he couldn't tear them up like pee pads.

I thought the rubber maid container would define his potty area better for him and also IF he would start hiking his leg later it would contain that also.
Another plus to the rubbermaid container is we go home for visits in Tx and it would be easy enough to buy him one there and make another potty station for him there rather than toteing one with us.

I know I should have the area just big enough for sleep and potty and food/water.

I do plan to take him out also when weathers nice but also want him to have his potty area for bad weather,for night time potties and for if I am not home.

How would I start on this? Would I start by putting him in his container potty for a while until he gets the hang of that and then add outside in or should I do a combo of both right from the get go?

These are my plans and I wanted to find out what you all thought about it and if you all had any advice for me on the whole thing.

He is only 3 weeks old right now so I am hoping to get everything worked out before he gets home and to learn everything I need to know so that we can get the best start possible.
Thank so much I look forward to your help and advice.
mrh
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Sven

1183991		 
 
Barked: Mon Sep 19, '11 11:45am PST 
My old roommate paper trained her dog. Her puppy actually got it about a day after she brought him home. Everytime the puppy sniffed around, she would put him on the pad. If he peed on the floor, shed put him on the pad and dab a little of the pee on it so he'd get it. I think the two biggest cons are that pads are expensive (or at least when I've looked at them), and our apartment did kind of smell like pee and poops near the pad area.
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Sven

1183991		 
 
Barked: Mon Sep 19, '11 11:49am PST 
Her pup also won't go outside to do his business now, despite her best efforts, and she doesn't seem to exercise him, since she doesn have to walk him to "go". There's a reason shes my old roommate.
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Maggie

Wiggle-Butt		 
 
Barked: Mon Sep 19, '11 12:19pm PST 
I don't think I'd use towels, since then the pup could get the idea that ALL towels are his toilet, including your bath towels, kitchen towels, etc if they end up on the floor.

If I had to have a dog potty indoors, I think I'd use a litter box instead. There are some articles and videos about transitioning dog to litter (from paper, or going outside) if you Google it.
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y

dog-sitter in- charge.		 
 
Barked: Mon Sep 19, '11 3:35pm PST 
7 weeks old is too young to take home a small breed dog and illegal in many areas..


if you're doubting the training that went into the parents, perhaps you would have a better experience going with a better breeder.

it actually does help with toilet training when the breeder is experienced and knows how to help housebreak puppies before they even go home, too.
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UCH Onyx TT

Do you even- lift?
 
 
Barked: Mon Sep 19, '11 3:51pm PST 
Agree with Lilith.

Aside from 7 weeks being too early to sell a pup, the way the breeder raises the pups will impact them for the rest of their lives- not just in housebreaking either.

If you're going to go with a breeder, it's worth making sure you're buying from one who's experienced and reputable. Knows the breed inside and out, parents health tested, has a contract, ect.
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Mika

As long as they- think they're- the boss
 
 
Barked: Mon Sep 19, '11 5:56pm PST 
I agree with Onxy and Lilith, in PA it is illegal to buy,sell,barter,or re-home any puppy under the age of 8wks. and even if it weren't they learn so much from their mother and siblings just in that extra week that it's worth having them stay with mom until 8wks. Your breeder should also be your greatest ally,that is afterall the puppy she raised and she should want to make sure that you don't have any problems and be there to help if you do. The breeder I got my last puppy from almost 2years ago still loves p-mails and pictures and wants to know where her puppies are and how they are,she also p-mails to give updates on health issues,vaccine recommendation changes etc..
but if you want to stick to the breeder you're with then no towels,like Maggie said they can't tell one towel from another and you are setting yourself up to fail. Taking the pup out regularly and often about every 1-2 hours at first ,also after meals,everytime they wake -up,before you plan to go to sleep,and after playtime are the basic rules for potty training and taking them outside when it's cold just means they should wear a sweater. Good Luck!
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Ch. Ali, CGC

We don't do- doodles!!
 
 
Barked: Mon Sep 19, '11 7:01pm PST 
I raise and show toy poodles and live in NH and they go outside to pee and poop, even in the dead of Winter. To me it is extremely confusing to any pup to expect them to be housetrained to the outdoors but still have papers or pee pads available inside if they need them...they always tend to be peeing on any soft rug or piece of clothing on the floor and never seem to be really housebroken. My poodles are crated at night until they are housebroken and when they are out in the house with me they are constantly watched and trained to go outside.
I also agree with those who are suggesting that 7 weeks is way too young to have a small breed pup leave its mother and littermates. I would also suggest you check state law for your state as well since MOST states specify 8 weeks as the minimum age for a pup to leave its mother and littermates. My toys are still nursing with their mothers until about 8 or 9 weeks and do not leave my home until they are 12 weeks. Prior to that they are just too small and too immature to handle the stress of a new home. Hypoglycemia is a very real concern and it can be fatal. I have also raised labradors for 40+ years and they did leave at 8 weeks but they were mentally and physically ready at that age...a toy breed is not!
If you have ANY concerns about this breeder now is the time to do some investigating... remember that the care and training of this puppy while with its litter and its mother will have a HUGE affect on its future training and health throughout its whole life. If corners have been cut at this time you will be dealing with issues you would not have from a responsible breeder who properly provides for and socializes their puppies at this critical period in their life.
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Abner

Basset Hound- with a Flatty- suit on		 
 
Barked: Tue Sep 20, '11 4:45am PST 
What everyone else said about the quality of the breeder.

Something to consider is that these designer mutts generally aren't thoughtfully bred. Has your breeder given you any health testing? Background on the parents? How often do they breed? We've discussed it many times in the choosing the right dog forum particularly. I'd definitely check it out.

If you've seen the pup, love it, and the breeder is the sort we're concerned about, you may have some soul-searching to do. If the breeder is quite shady, and producing unhealthy, un-socialized dogs for profit, it's a very bad idea to support them. But then, if you've already fallen in love with the pup.... Please do tell us more! We'd love to help.
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Bogie

Have cats -- Will Chase!		 
 
Barked: Tue Sep 20, '11 2:37pm PST 
I have Shih Tzus. They're not HARDER to housebreak; they're HARDER to catch making a mistake!! They are so low to the ground the deed's done before you even know it. And 1 accident inside the house sets you back 3 days in housebreaking!! They also have MUCH smaller bladders.

Read this article: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/toybreedswordsout.htm

Do not have the puppy out in the house unless you are watching him EVERY.SINGLE.MINUTE. Do not let him out of your sight even to get up and answer the phone. Do not get distracted. Devote at LEAST 2 weeks to NEVER letting the puppy mess in the house. Yes, it is WORK. But at the end of two weeks, it should be easier. And you will be learning pup's signals that he has to 'go'.

For the first month you will HAVE to carry him outside, because his little legs just won't make it fast enough before he has to go. But take him to the same spot EVERY time, encourage him with a key phrase (Tinkle, Go Potty, Hurry Up), and take a YUMMY treat out with you. (Have them ready by the door or in your pocket at all times; you won't have time to look for one on the way out!). Once pup does his business, whoop and holler, have a 'party', praise, pet, and give treats. Pup will soon get the idea that going outside makes their person very happy and treats rain down upon them. Peeing inside just warrants and 'OoPs, No No. Outside' and no treat.

Forget what the websites/books say about how long puppy should be able to hold it. Puppies aren't reading those books. At least the pups I have had. When I take the pup out to play, brush, feed-- whatever -- we go out every 15-20 minutes at first. Better to go out too much than not enough. After the first week, you can lengthen it to 30 minutes, but you are STILL watching the pup constantly.

If pup falls asleep, you can leave him to nap, but you have to watch for him to wake up. THE MINUTE he does, rush him outside to his bathroom spot.

By 12 weeks, you should be letting the pup walk (or run) to the door with you. If he won't run fast enough, have a leash on him to encourage him to get to the door himself. The key is NOT to just put him out in the yard and expect him to know what he's there for. Smell the pretty flower, chase the butterfly, pester the cat?? Let him back inside and he suddenly remembers he has to go potty NOW. And there's the accident we're trying to avoid.

Make up your mind to be EXTREMELY diligent the first 2-4 weeks and that devotion will soon pay off. By the end of the first month home, pup should be able to hold it 45-60 minutes at a time. Just like a baby, he has to be taken care of on HIS terms, not what you 'think' he should be capable of doing!
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