Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

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Crumpet
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Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by Crumpet »

Hello, everyone. I am new to this forum though I’ve lurked for quite a while. My first chow was a chow/husky mix who was 4 years old when we rescued him. He passed away in November and in early March we got a wonderful cream male pup and have been very happy with him except for some continued housebreaking issues. I’ve read the FAQs and blogs out there on the subject and still cannot figure out what we may be missing, so I’m hoping someone here can offer additional insight. I will say that I’m not very experienced with puppies because I’ve always tended to adopt older adult dogs. My pup is approaching 16 weeks.

• We have been crate training (during the day and overnight…when we’re home he is out with us). He has been heavily socialized with people and other animals.
• He is taken out at regular intervals
• Any accidents have tended to be bowel movements and not urination (that happened once this week, though)
• Accidents don’t occur daily
• I’ve even hung a bell on the door to try to teach him to ring it when he needs out
• Most accidents have been at night. He is still a bit fearful of the dark and I worry he may be ‘rushing’ when let out at night, even if we're out with him. We are looking at putting up a brighter flood type light to increase illumination. Night noises sometimes make him nervous.
• This morning he had been let out twice by my husband and was observed doing his business in the wooded area where he prefers to go. After that he comes upstairs and plays with my other 2 dogs while I get dressed. I smelled something and peaked out of my bathroom and saw a fresh #2 on my rug. It always picks up easily but I really want this to stop! It aggravates my husband even more than me. All this happened within an hour of him coming back in for the second time.

I’ve always appreciated that chows are known for being so easily housebroken. I’ve been lucky in the past getting breeds with high prey drives to do great with cats, so sometimes being outside the breed norm is awesome. This time it isn’t. :( We are very loving pet parents and try to give our pets the best of everything. He receives discipline and we don’t let him walk all over us. Any suggestions on what we might be able to do better are welcomed. Thank you!
sue
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Re: Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by sue »

If hes had all his injections he should be able to go for a walk twice a day.What time does he have his last feed at night? he may not be able to manage through the night yet if hes being put to bed too early after hes eaten. A 40 minute walk an hour before bed time should empty out his bladder & bowls for the night & again in the morning put him outside in the garden till hes ready to go for his early morning walk.If hes just going in the garden at night then put his lead on & go & stand out there with him.With him being so young there will be accidents with the pooing he could using this to mark his territory or he may be a dog that moves his bowls more than once over the space of a couple of hours.Time will tell you will get to see the signs if he starts to do a lot of sniffing & turning in a circle then hes ready to go put him outside straight away.
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Laura
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Re: Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by Laura »

I'm not sure that I can help but I raised 2 that were 3 mos apart in age and both were housebroken by 12-14 weeks. All I did was take them out constantly (litereally every waking hour when they were 8 wks, gradually extending the time as they got older)...after meals, naps, play time and I also kept them in my sight and shut doors/ even blocked off areas because I have an open floor plan. Neither pooped in the house ever but they did pee, especially Chloe. When I caught them in the act I made a sharp negative noise which I can't seem to put into letters on here or a NO and immediately took the culprit outside. I always praised and made a big deal out of each outside potty and let them know verbally and with body language that peeing in the house was not ok!
I don't use crates so at night I slept in the guest room which is much smaller with them and there was never an accident and when we were gone they stayed in the master bath where there were never accidents either. For some reason the dining room was their preferred area so we blocked it off.
All I can say is try to keep the pup in your sight. I think you have to catch them in the act and let them know it is not ok right then, and take him out ALOT. Also what is he eating. Sounds like he is having a lot of bm's?
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Chloe (left) Shuggy (right)
Crumpet
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Re: Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by Crumpet »

Thank you for your replies. He is let out about every 1-1.5 hours when we are home. We praise his potties outside but he is very active and drinks a lot of water . He is always on the go and he eats like a horse. I wonder if this doesn't make him have to go more often than most dogs. It's not a constant thing, but he has had a few pee pee accidents over the past few weeks, frustrating when he was just recently outside. He is a great pup, but to be honest I'll be glad when he is full grown. Puppies are cute but adults are just settled in a way that is so cool and relaxed. The diligence can wear you out! :D When he tinkled on my rug last night I was able to catch him right after and scold him. He knew it was a bad thing because he went downstairs and got quiet (after throwing a rag on it I took him right out). We'll just keep trying to be diligent and hope it eventually ceases altogether. Unfortunately, I've never caught him going number 2 and I'm afraid I've been a little too lax about letting him out of my sight to go and play with my other dog. I'll try to do better!
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Cocoa
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Re: Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by Cocoa »

Don't worry, he'll learn. Some puppies can be a little harder to train than others but for the most part chows are fairly easy and quick learners. Some puppies will pee when they get excited too, so that may be part of it and that should pass as he gets older and has more control.
Rory's Dad
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Re: Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by Rory's Dad »

Couple of thoughts on this...

1st off, puppy pads. They tend to teach that a certain area is ok. If not used and moved towards the door in a quick manner, puppy will associate a certain area with space that is ok to go. And try as you might, you probably will not get rid of that scent that tells them thats where to go even after you stop putting puppy pads in that space.

Rugs, carpets, etc...they tend to be similar to both puppy pads and grassy areas in the pups eyes. They can get confused. I think its best to associate the pup with the act of actually going outside. We never have a collar on our dogs inside the house. They get the collar put on when its time to head out and do their business. With 2 dogs in our house, they complain if they arent the 1st to put their collar and lead on and head outside. Naturally, our older male has better control, so our 5 month old female is 1st out the door. She knows that a collar, lead, and out the door is her queue.

She developed that 'spot' in the house, and will head there instinctively. Fortunately for us, she always gets a toy and walks into that room which gives us a clue. A verbal interruption will get her back on track and remind her that that spot is no longer acceptable.
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JasonandNat
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Re: Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by JasonandNat »

Good advice so far. Our new little one gets excited and hits the pad. Otherwise she heads out on her own when we are home. Wakes us in the morning if she is in need. She tries very hard to do the right thing, we don't do anything but ensure she goes out regularly and whenever we get up or come home so she can easily associate. We don't tell her anything other than 'go out' if we see her dancing, she trundles down the stairs, finds a spot and heads back in. We raised the others the same way, our American Fuzzy Lop bunnies as well so many years ago.
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maikinda
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Re: Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by maikinda »

<<Most accidents have been at night. He is still a bit fearful of the dark and I worry he may be ‘rushing’ when let out at night>>

That could be some of the problem, extra light may help. If he is going out with another dog, maybe take him out by himself so he doesn't get distracted? Consider feeding on a regular schedule if you aren't now. That will give you a better idea of when he has to go.


Goodluck! Laura
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gebower
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Re: Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by gebower »

Hi,
Always hated crate training. I try to imagine US in such a confined space. I admit, tried it on Max when he was 9 wks. old, he went BALLISTIC. He would have killed himself in that cage. I actually stayed home that day to find an alternative to crating. The thing with housebreaking them is to be observant and watch them. They'll let you know. In the beginning, they have to be taken out a lot. But, they get the idea and will not try to go in the house. Chows are smart, although some people think they're not. After they know WHERE to go, (outside) they get it. Never had any trouble with my Chows at all.

Good luck, Gene.
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Re: Housebreaking issue...please help if you can

Post by gebower »

Oh, forgot to say that Max when he was 8-9 weeks old, he slept next to my wife and when he had to go he would put his paws on her face and stroke her face gently. Too funny. Then my wife knew it's time to take him out. And yes, when they're that young they have to go in the middle of the night, maybe more than once. When they're older they can then hold it.
Gene.
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