Need help with ideas for training lap dog without crate training

[annlaura]

My mother's lap dog is staying with us. He potties or poops on the floor when he isn't getting enough (in his opinion) attention. He freaks out in the extreme at crates, and I promised my mother I wouldn't try it. He may be with us for quite a while, maybe even permanently. I have always had big dogs, and I've crate trained them. And when they weren't in their crate, I could hear them moving around and know where they were, what they were doing. This little guy is still pretty young, maybe barely a year, but surely less than two. He's very bright, very sneaky, and very very spoiled. My mother got him from a rescue. This morning when I took a shower, I shut him in the bathroom with me. My 6yo came in, which let the dog escape. I told him to run and shut his bedroom door, but the dog had already gone in and peed on their area rug before my son got there. I took him out before my shower, and he peed outside. My mother held him almost constantly, and took him pretty much everywhere. I can't. I tried leaving newspaper near the door, even though I don't really want him to be paper trained. It would be better than him going wherever. I'm very certain that 99% of his accidents are not accidents, but acting out. Right now, we are closing bedroom doors when I can't fully focus on his whereabouts, and when we leave the house. That saves the bedrooms, at least. Any other ideas? We all adore the little fellow, but I really need to curb this behavior.

[maddykate]

I would get a baby gates and confine him to one extremely small area, that is not on carpet. No freedom for that little guy. I would create a crate-type atmosphere, even if he can't tolerate a crate. And follow all the same rules as crate training.

 

Just throwing out a guess, is he a yorkie?

[Pawz4me]

I don't subscribe to the notion that dogs use the bathroom to "act out." They just don't know. The area rug or carpet has value to you. To the dog it's just a . . . thing. No more or less valuable than the grass outside. It certainly sounds like this little guy has never been educated on the subject of house training.

 

I think you're on the right track with paper training, but instead of newspapers I'd buy some puppy pads. They're treated with an attractant to make puppies want to go on them. But don't get the really cheapo ones from Walmart, etc. I've found that Petsmart's store brand is about the best for the money. I think they're called Great Choice. If he were mine, I'd pick a place for the puppy pad where there's hard flooring (easy to clean) and in an area that could be closed off with a baby gate. And whenever I had to go somewhere or couldn't watch the little pooch he'd get baby gated in his room with water and toys and a pee pad.

 

Contrary to popular belief, it's perfectly possible to let a dog use a pee pad and work on training them to also go outside. That can work well for little dogs, many of whom just do not like to go out when it's really cold and/or wet.

[jenn-]

If you are going to have to care for this dog for a long time and potentially forever, crate train him if that is what you are used to using. Your mom might not like it, but she isn't the one taking care of the dog at the moment.

[annlaura]

I would get a baby gates and confine him to one extremely small area, that is not on carpet. No freedom for that little guy. I would create a crate-type atmosphere, even if he can't tolerate a crate. And follow all the same rules as crate training.

 

Just throwing out a guess, is he a yorkie?

 

I have an accordian gate in the hallway so we can barricade our dog if we need to, but of course he can get through it. I may still have a tension gate in the basement. This may be our best solution until he does better. One aspect I'm struggling with is times when he is simply not on my lap, but I wouldn't crate him if he were a larger dog since I could just hear where he was. He's like a little furry ninja sometimes. ;)

He's a little black poodle mix, but is a bit moustache-y, so probably a bit of terrier in there.

 

I don't subscribe to the notion that dogs use the bathroom to "act out." They just don't know. The area rug or carpet has value to you. To the dog it's just a . . . thing. No more or less valuable than the grass outside. It certainly sounds like this little guy has never been educated on the subject of house training.

 

I think you're on the right track with paper training, but instead of newspapers I'd buy some puppy pads. They're treated with an attractant to make puppies want to go on them. But don't get the really cheapo ones from Walmart, etc. I've found that Petsmart's store brand is about the best for the money. I think they're called Great Choice. If he were mine, I'd pick a place for the puppy pad where there's hard flooring (easy to clean) and in an area that could be closed off with a baby gate. And whenever I had to go somewhere or couldn't watch the little pooch he'd get baby gated in his room with water and toys and a pee pad.

 

Contrary to popular belief, it's perfectly possible to let a dog use a pee pad and work on training them to also go outside. That can work well for little dogs, many of whom just do not like to go out when it's really cold and/or wet.

 

Thanks for the pad rec. He does go outside every time I take him out, and my mother did work with him as much as she could. Who knows about his previous owner. Glad for the encouragement that pad training doesn't negate going outside.

 

If you are going to have to care for this dog for a long time and potentially forever, crate train him if that is what you are used to using. Your mom might not like it, but she isn't the one taking care of the dog at the moment.

 

I promised her before she headed to the hospital. Maybe it's illogical, but I don't feel up to breaking her trust right now. If I can't find another solution, I may have to resort to crate training. But hopefully I can find another way.

[shanvan]

Instead of a crate, what about a pen something like this?

[Barbara H]

I agree crates work best, but I understand that is off limits so I would work on the small space concept.

 

My first step would be to put the dog on "work for everything." Want me to open the door - sit. Want your bowl - sit. Want to be petted - sit. Absolutely nothing for free. Also, I would suggest getting some very high value treat like liver or cheese - and for a while going outside every time with the dog on the leash - work on a potty command and when poops or pees outside right away, treat and praise. And, repeat. Again and again on a regular schedule. You want him to learn he gets a reward for potty outside. You won't have to do the treats forever, but you are establishing a habit.

 

And, I hate to be the dissenter, but personally I would avoid the pads particularly with a young dog. At least give it a couple of weeks with a really good treat outside and see where you get first.

[Ellie]

My foster dachsund would go upstairs to poop, or get up ON THE SOFA. ARGH!!!!! She also piddled on the rug in my office.

 

Finally I started keeping her on-leash. For several weeks, she either walked with me from room to room, or she was tethered to the kitchen table or to the leg of the chair where we were sitting or to the leg of my computer desk...she never ran free. I took her outside every couple of hours, and I talked relentlessly to her about going potty, and praised her when she did.

 

Eventually, I let her off leash because I thought she had finally gotten it, but I was wrong: I caught her getting up on the sofa and chased her off, so she understands that's not ok now, and Mr. Ellie saw her head upstairs once and he corrected her so I think she understands that now, too. We've had her since November.

 

We have crate trained her; she goes in there at night and any time we leave the house, not when we're home. She doesn't love her crate the way the French bulldog does, but she'll be quiet in there all night long. (I don't want her sleeping with me. Besides the fact that she's a mini-dachsund and my bed is 37" high, I don't want dogs upstairs, because that's where the cat lived, and I wanted the cat to be left alone.)

[Amy in NH]

I agree with keeping the dog on a leash in the house until it is trained.

[KungFuPanda]

Technically, a small, gated bathroom is not a crate. You can't let your house turn into a toxic dump because your mother is hyper emotional about her dog and you are, understandably, sensitive about your mother. If that dog gets trained EVERYONE will be happier.

[annlaura]

Treats outside is a good idea. That is not something I'd thought of. I do take him out on a leash. Leashing inside is a good idea too. I may try that sometimes. Shanvan, your link isn't working for me atm, but a small pen might work. Thanks for all the ideas, everyone.

[Melissa in Australia]

I would keep the dog outside. I am not a fan of dogs in houses, and I especially cannot stand dogs pooping in houses.

[Mama Geek]

I would also recommend putting a bell or something on the collar so you can hear where the dog is. Our std poodle took to about a year before he quit going in the house. Our last dog was housebroken within a few weeks of us getting him as a puppy. Breeds vary so much when it comes to house breaking.

[bzymom]

Keep him with you when you are able and contained otherwise. Put his leash on so you can hold onto it or keep him tethered to a chair, table, etc. wherever you are. Freedom=accidents. Get a gate that he cannot get through and create a small space for him when he is off-leash. Make it a small space-too large and he will continue to go to the bathroom in one part of the area and consider it his bathroom. You can expand his area and his freedom when the potty-training is progressing well. Take him out often and choose a phrase to encourage going to the bathroom outside. We use "go potty". When you are outside, repeat the phrase until he goes, and then lots of happy dancing and praise and treats. If you put in the time (and I know it can be a pain in the neck), he will get the hang of it!

 

If he has an accident in the house, clean it thoroughly with Nature's Miracle or something similar to get rid of the scent. You will be doing your mother a great favor training him to be a great pet!

[annlaura]

I would also recommend putting a bell or something on the collar so you can hear where the dog is. Our std poodle took to about a year before he quit going in the house. Our last dog was housebroken within a few weeks of us getting him as a puppy. Breeds vary so much when it comes to house breaking.

 

A bell. Yes. His tags aren't jingly enough for some reason. Maybe his curls muffle them. Haha. But a bell like a little cat is a great plan. A year, huh. I've always had the few weeks, maybe a couple months, types, too.

[annlaura]

bzymom, yes to all of your post. Much of it is how I've trained my other dogs with the use of a crate. Good reminder about making the space small. I think the tension gate in the hallway will accomplish that.

 

I took him out last night before bed, as usual, and he pottied but didn't poop. So when we came in I was able to keep an eye on him until I saw him about to squat, and ran him out. He pooped outside and I did the good puppy song and dance. I'll have to go buy tiny yummy treats today. We just have big dog treats that don't interest him much. Easier to follow him around when the boys are in bed. lol.