Potty training help

[Crazy Cardis]

OKay, so I have tried everything I know and now I'm coming to the experts. Maya's potty training is a nightmare! We have tried taking her out every hour to the same spot, and she won't go. We have tried taking her on walks and she won't go. We have tried putting her back into her crate, then taking her outside and she won't go (and I'm really afraid this is going to cause kidney problems). As soon as we let her in the house...she goes!! We have blocked off the places she tries to do it in (behind objects, in the bathroom) and this helps for a while, but then she just fines a new place. She will do great for a day or two at a time, and then she'll pee in the house 7 times in one day. I need help!

Edited to add: The vet did say she wanted to test her for a kidney infection because one day she went in the house four times within an hour.

[MrsGrace]

I'm sorry I don't have advice, but I can send you guys big hugs. :( Very frustrating I know. You're in my thoughts and I'm watching this thread closely!

[Lauren]

How old is Maya?

The only thing that I can think of to do would be to attach her leash to your belt so you can catch her in the act, and keep her crated when you can't be watching her. Of course this is only if she doesn't have anything medically wrong with her.

Sending ((((good vibes)))) to Maya that everything is okay.

[Crazy Cardis]

Well, I took her for a 25 minute walk and we had success! Of course I made a huge deal about it and probably looked like a fruit loop, but that's what I do every time she goes outside. If only there was time to take her outside for 25 minutes every time she needed to go out...all problems would be solved:ARG:

[Crazy Cardis]

Even if she does have kidney problems (and I certainly hope that is not the case) it doesn't explain why she is pooing in the house as well. The belt idea is a good idea...although I'm sure it will drive me crazy as well. Of course, having to constantly clean up after her is driving me nuts as well! For the most part, she does always stay by my side, it's when she disappears for a few seconds that she has her accidents. I swear she has the speediest bathroom habits!

Maya is just over 5 months old, so I know she will still have accidents...but this is ridiculous! The little booger is just so darn cute though...it's impossible for me to hold a grudge :)

[CorgiMum]

First I would make sure that there is not a medical reason. If there is an infection it would be very painful to pee. Monty had one.

Secondly, is she on a strict schedule for eating and elimination?

I know it can be hard to find a dog's natural rythm, but when you do all should be well.

My dogs eat at the same time each morning and evening at the same time, about 12 hours apart, they say the schedue should not vary more thsn 30 minutes, during training at least. Monty always needs to go before she eats, Dylan always after.

6:30am. 12 noon. 5:30PM. 11Pm.

More of course if they are going for a ride, driink extra etc.

If Maya won't go, do you put her into her crate, wait 30 minutes and then try again. And then again, and again if needed?

Stict supervision, with no free time might be called for.

Does she ever go back to the same spot? What are you using for a cleaner?

Have you played games & or fed her meals and treats in the areas that she has gone? Making it clear that the whole house is to be used for only good things may make a difference too.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

[Crazy Cardis]

Great suggestions! Unfortunately, most of them I have tried. I think I just really need to work on being over-consistent. She eats at 7 and 7, and we have a snack at noon. She has access to water all day. I have tried putting her in the crate when she doesn't go, but that seems to be ineffective as well. How long do you think she can hold it before giving her health problems? I think this is really my main concern. She did try to go back to the same spots, but we have since blocked all of them off. Now, she just goes wherever she finds the need. I think I'm really going to have to use the leash method until she gets it figured out that the house is not her personal toilet!! We are going to steam clean the whole house this weekend to try to get rid of any odors that may be present.

With the leash method, do I keep her attached even if she is sleeping or laying down next to me? She loves to sleep on the vent which is four of five feet away from any piece of furniture. I love her to death, but I don't really want to sit on the floor every time she wants to take a nap ;)

[CorgiMum]

I have always used PetZyme from Petsmart with excellent results. They also have the same product that you can put in the steam cleaner.

And I agree, either in the kennel or on a lead tied to you.

What times does she eliminate though the day?

Miss Montrose, in her younger days was know to refuse to pee in the rain and held it a couple of tiimes for 13 hours!:SHOCKED:

No this maybe all wrong, someone please correct me if it is...

I think that I read that females can hold off elimination longer because it is necessary dor them to when they have a litter to tend to.

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

Miss Gambler absolutely refuses to urinate on the side of the road, and has always held it from the Bay area to Las Vegas(or reverse order), and that can be around 11 hours, but is she ever hotfooting it when we arrive!!! My vet told me this once, "It's not great for them, but you certainly can't squeeze it out of them."

[CorgiMum]

You mentioned that you take her to the same place each time. Could you describe it for us please?

[Crazy Cardis]

It is a very grassy spot in between our house and the neighbors. When she is out there, she is always busy sniffing the wind or trying to find hidden treasures in the grass. We clean it frequently as I've read that dogs don't like to go where an area is really nasty, but we always leave some "stuff" left over so she knows where she is supposed to go too.

Her eliminations are very random throughout the day. Sometimes she won't go all morning. Other times she will go 3 or 4 times before 10 o'clock--always with the same amount of water.

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

Corgimum: If you are asking Jeni this question, then I apologize for answering, but if you are asking me, then LOL, I stop at the exact same places during the drive, Miss Gambler just gets a walk, a snack, lots of water(we drive through Death Valley) but she will not go to the bathroom, and we give her plenty of time to do so, she just will not. Mojo actually responded to the command "go potty" the very frist time that we put her on a puppy pad, and she will go on command. We actually carry puppy pads in the car because she is so small that I can just put one down, she goes, then I bag and toss it. Miss Gambler is just stubborn, and too much of a princess I think. No matter which, she has a heck of a bladder!



AND I APOLOGIZE,LOL!!!!

[Crazy Cardis]

Oh LOL!! I guess she could have been asking you MGM. So, if I was not supposed to respond than I apologize too!! ;)

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

She was aksing you, I know that now, and I have heard of some dogs only wanting to go on certain surfaces, some hate grass, I think that we just had that on a thread recently. (It's been a crazy day, won my poker game, so advanced today, so forgive for being giddy, okay?)

[Lauren]

With the leash method, do I keep her attached even if she is sleeping or laying down next to me? She loves to sleep on the vent which is four of five feet away from any piece of furniture. I love her to death, but I don't really want to sit on the floor every time she wants to take a nap

The only problem I see with letting her sleep off the lead and therefore away from you is that you might not hear her when she gets up. Maybe you could put a bell on her so you can hear her when she gets up? I dunno, lol.

Another thought, you said that you walked her and she went. Do you usually walk around a lot or just stand around when your waiting for her to go? Two trains of thought here.

If you walk around: Does she seem really distracted? Walking around sniffing things/focusing on things? If so maybe there is just too much excitement and stimulation for her to focus on going to the bathroom.

If you stay in one place: I may be completely wrong but doesn't movement (walking/running) stimulate bowel movements? I know that Izzy/Frodo will go to the bathroom sooner if we are moving than if we stay still. I also remember my sister telling me that it was always a big joke in her Cross Country team about who would have to go to the bathroom first, and they were always stopping to go at roadside porta-potties.

Hope that helps a little.

[Crazy Cardis]

Hmmm, another dilemma. When I first take her out, I just stand in one spot and wait to see what she is going to do, which is normally sit down and stare at me as if to say, "What now." So, then I walk her a bit, and that is when she sniffs around and tries to eat everything under the sun. So, which should I do? Crazy corgi causing a conundrum of confusion!

[CorgiMum]

You two!!

I was not askiing you Delta. :LAUGH:

Death Valley...Hummm...maybe the sand is the problem.

Jeni, I was asking you.:WINK: All I can say is, she must like your carpet better! Sorry, I know that's not funny. But have you tried her on a new spot in the yard? Have you seen the pics of our potty area?

And she doesn't go in the morning?? If Monty didn't go in the morning, then she had to wait for her breakfast until she did pee. She gates the rain. No playtime, no food, no fun, elimination first. I would be firm about this.

[Crazy Cardis]

And a special congrats to MGM for winning her poker match :)

Alrighty, Barbara, I'll just keep her in her crate until she goes. Sooner or later she has got to get it. I think I've just been a softy and let her out because I was afraid for her kidneys, but you guys are right...if she has to go, then she will.

[CorgiMum]

You have a special "word' to use when you want her to go on command right?

[Crazy Cardis]

Yeppers...we say "Go Potty"

[Lauren]

Click Here. (http://clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/housetrain.htm)

Really, really good and in-depth information.

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

Hmmmm, if it's the carpet and the sand, then Jeni, do you realize that if we just switched places, our problems would be solved, my dog would begin going, and yours would stop, :TWITCHY:


In all seriousness, I feel for you, that training is awful to go through, and I still feel the need to stay on top of Mojo, so I'm right there with you.

[Dillydoodle]

what i did in the begining with Dillon was to walk him around ON leash in his penned area saying "go pee... peee" and when he did, i would make the biggest fuss and give him a treat. if he wouldnt go, then in the crate he went ,but i would walk him around for 15 -20 minutes in the begining until he finally got the idea that peeing outside got him lots of praise, a cookie and he could go inside and play out of his crate... if he didnt go, then he got nothing, no praise, no cookie, no free play time, he got to go back into his crate for another half hour to hour and then i would give him the opportunity again and usually he would go the second time. I was super vigilant and consistant, he never had free play time unsupervised until he was pretty well housebroken. Not sure this helps but maybe starting from the begining again with Maya, and just use that crate as a tool..

Emilie

[Crazy Cardis]

If I didn't have carpeting...Maya would NEVER go to the bathroom ;)

Thanks for the link Lauren. It seems like forever ago when I was having potty training issues with Dudley. I guess I just forgot how much fun potty training a puppy can be ;) And, Emilie, I think you are completely right. I am just going to have to start completely over with Maya from the beginning. She'll get it!

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

You could always go to hardwood floors, lol. Then she would start looking elsewhere for something soft, like grass.

[Crazy Cardis]

What a great idea!!! If only I could afford them ;)

[CorgiMum]

That's an excellent article Lauren, thanks for sharing it :SMILE:

[Lauren]

Believe me, I feel your pain! Just a few short months ago I was trying this with 2 pups at the same time :WINK:
It took me a lot longer than it could have, I wasn't the most observant owner :NAH: and when they were 7 months old and still having accidents I was ready to pull my hair out. But then one day it all just seems to click, don't worry, you'll get there!

[Lauren]

Welcome :BIGGRIN"

[corgimom]

Jeni,

First off I will say that I would have her checked out as your vet suggested.

It was interesting reading all the responses here; sorry you are having to deal with these potty issues; but I do agree with what others have said and basically start from the beginning as if you were training her from scratch all over again. You mentioned that she likes to sleep on the vent and you don't want to have to sit on the floor to be tied to her. If it were me and she was going to be napping on that favorite spot, I would just pick her up and put her in her crate and let her nap in there. That way it frees you up and then when she gets up you can take her right out; but when she was up, I would have her on a leash by you.

During the weekday when you guys are at work, does she stay in a crate or bathroom and does she hold it when you guys are at work?

[Crazy Cardis]

I'm not at work anymore, so she is with me pretty much all day. When we did go to work, she would be in her crate and held it with no problems but would still have accidents in the house.

[corgimom]

I'm not at work anymore, so she is with me pretty much all day. When we did go to work, she would be in her crate and held it with no problems but would still have accidents in the house.

That's right, I forgot you are out of school. I still think it is good to have her checked out, but It is interesting that she would hold it the whole time in the crate; if she had a bladder infection wouldn't she have peed in there? - don't know.

[Crazy Cardis]

That's true, and she has NEVER had an accident in her crate. You know, the vet mentioned the test, and I said it sounded like a great idea, and we both must have forgot about it because she started talking about Maya's surgery. I'll be sure to ask about when I take her back in on Thursday (Maya's big day).

[corgimom]

That's true, and she has NEVER had an accident in her crate. You know, the vet mentioned the test, and I said it sounded like a great idea, and we both must have forgot about it because she started talking about Maya's surgery. I'll be sure to ask about when I take her back in on Thursday (Maya's big day).

If possible, you may be able to catch some pee in a clean container the morning you take her in for her surgery and then they can run the urine test the same day if they decide to. I actually had to do that once to my female Corgi and I used the lid of a coolwhip container and slipped it under her while she was going and then transferred it "slowly" to the container.

[Crazy Cardis]

I'll call closer to the date of her surgery, and see what they suggest. If she does have a problem, I would like to fix it before it gets worse.

[corgimom]

I can't believe she is about 6 months old now - right, her surgery is Thursday

[Crazy Cardis]

I can't believe it either! These past months have flown by

[Crazy Cardis]

Well, so far it has been an excellent day today. We had half an accident. I say half because she started to poo, but I caught her and rushed her outside. I feel like a stalker because I watch her every single breathing move and keep her less than two feet away from me at all times. Thanks guys for all the help. I know we will still have our good days and bad days, but at least today was a vast improvement from the majority :)

[CorgiMum]

Yay!!!

That's great!! The next best thing to her starting to do it outside is you catching her and takiing her there. That is a good step.

And better a stalker for a few weeks than forever, right?:WINK: