I have a Shih-Poo puppy(eight weeks old). I've had her for only 3 days. I already taught her how to do #1 outside but when it comes to #2 she wont do it outside! She only does it inside her cage or when we go in after she does #1 (and i wait about an hour for her to do #2 outside!) I'm getting a little frustrated (even though i know it will take time for her to learn). I really want her to learn quickly because when i start school, i wont have time to clean her business inside the house ! Please help me guys!!!!!!!
Anonymous2013-06-18T19:03:14Z
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Having a new puppy in the house can be a lot like bringing home a baby from the hospital. Certain preparations need to be in place before your new puppy joins your household. With a bit of patience, a little ingenuity and some good old-fashioned loving care, you and your puppy can begin your relationship on a very positive note. When you use this early stage development for bonding with your pup, you develop a relationship that can last a lifetime and bring joy to both of you.
Bringing Puppy Home
1. Puppy-proof your house. Cover exposed wires and get small objects out of reach. Dogs instinctively don't eliminate where they sleep and eat; get a training crate that is large enough for her to turn around in, but not so large that she can eliminate at one end and sleep at the other. Put the crate where she'll be sleeping. Remember that dogs are pack animals; they want to be near you, which can alleviate some of the whining she's going to do the first few nights. (Yep, it's a given. She's going to whine, and you're going to have a couple of sleepless nights.)
2. Get puppy pads with deodorizers and leak-proof plastic backing to protect your floor. Train her to do her business in only one spot, which makes cleanup easier. Feed four times a day or as directed by your breeder or vet. Feed her the same food she is used to eating to avoid digestive issues. Get rope to chew and balls to chase. Avoid squeaky toys; the squeaker can get caught in her throat. Avoid fluffy plush toys, unless you want to see stuffing strewn across your living room and your pup with fuzz dangling from her mouth looking at you with that innocent, "What? I didn't do it!" look.
3. Watch her like a hawk. If she starts sniffing, pick her up and put her on the pad or outside. Give the command to go. Even eight-week-old puppies can be trained to eliminate on command. Praise her thoroughly and bring her back inside. Feed and water her, and then pick up the bowls. Wait half an hour, then put her on the pad or outside and give the "go" command. Praise her when she goes, and don't play with her outside if she doesn't. It's going to take a little while for her to connect the dots and figure out she needs to eliminate when you tell her. At eight weeks, a puppy's bladder is still developing. She can hold it for only three hours, so take her outside frequently.
4. Play with her in every room in the house. This will teach her that the whole house is her den and makes house training much easier. When it's nap time, crate her and close the door. If she resists, be firm without punishing. She'll learn that the crate is her "den." Brush her daily. Gently roll the pads of her feet between your fingers. Look at her teeth, and take food out of her mouth. This teaches her that you are the pack leader and that she has to submit.
5. Most important of all: enjoy! Having a dog is a partnership that can bring lasting rewards. Your dog will share your ice cream, steal the covers and provide you hours of entertainment. She won't judge. She won't care you've gained 10 pounds or the house is messy. When you don't feel well, she'll snuggle up to you and provide some doggy comfort. What more could you ask?
It's really too bad she started relieving herself in the crate. It's the one place she shouldn't want to go. You'll have to really clean the cage every time she has an accident. Here's some tips on how to housetrain her: Schedule-Confine-Supervise
Schedule- the feeding and potty times. An adult is fed twice a day. A puppy is fed four times a day up to 10 or 12 weeks, then three times a day through adolescence. They need to potty first thing in the morning, last thing at night, within a few minutes of every meal, and every few hours in between. The “in between” hours are calculated by their age in months: 1 month = 1 hour, up to 6 months/hours. So, a three month old puppy should be taken to potty every three hours in between the other scheduled times. When the dog/puppy is taken to potty, wait with him as he ‘does his business’ and then praise like crazy. The neighbors should be able to hear you.
Confine- the puppy or dog whenever it is not being watched. Confinement can be in a crate (especially at night), an exercise pen, or behind a baby gate in a very small and puppy-proofed room.
Supervise- the puppy or dog whenever it is loose in the home. This means having eyes on it, not on the TV. Play with the puppy, do a five minute training session, groom it, or just let it lie at your feet with a safe chew, but have it within sight at all times. If it squats then give a loud “NO” or “ACK” as you scoop and run to the appropriate potty spot.
Do not let the dog return to the accident spot until it has been thoroughly cleaned and then wiped with vinegar or a commercial enzyme product to remove all urine odor.
Figure out when she needs to go #2. Most puppies will need to go very soon after eating, so that would be the time to take her out, and of course throughout the day.You just need to be patient. Take her outside to go number #2 and give her some time. If she doesn't go, come back inside and keep a very close eye on her, even attach her leash to your hip and make her follow you around so you can keep watch on her, and after about 2-5 minutes try taking her out again. Just keep repeating until she goes outside, because she will need to do it eventually. When she does go outside, praise her a LOT. Tell her she's a good girl/pet her/give her a treat, etc. just be super excited about it. If she does have an accident inside just ignore it and clean it up, only praise her (obviously) when she goes outside.
Well...like you said she is only a baby! And it is going to take her a while to get used to her new home.
However, in the mean time...pick up a pack of Wee-Wee pads. You can buy them at most drugstores and all of the pet stores such as Pet Smart and Pet Co carry them, too.
Put it by the door!! Because...once she learns to go on there, she will know to go by the door to go outside. Once you start taking the pad away, she will eventually adapt and learn that she has to go to the door when she needs to go outside.
It WILL take time- but she WILL learn. I have two dogs (one is a Shih Tzu) and I have had them both since they were about 5 weeks old. Now, they never go to the BR in the house and go by the door and scratch at it when they need to go out!!
Your puppy does not have a biting problem, and it is not just teething. That is how puppies play is by mouthing each other. If you want her to stop, then scream ouch really loud, out her down, and then move away. This will end the play session and after a couple times, the puppy will get the message and realize if it wants to play it has to stop the biting.