# Potty training 8 week old puppy



## brandi78 (May 3, 2010)

My puppy (sunshine) is sooo sweet. The only problem is I am getting worn out trying to potty train her. It may be because I am 9 months pregnant and I have three kids BUT I hold her all the time and try to figure out when she needs to potty.

I bought a crate and have used it for a week but she seems sad when she goes in there and Im not liking it.

I feed her then take her out about 30 min later about 4 or 5 times a day. I try to decide when she needs to go. She has pee pads and she'll use them if I set her on them but she wont go to them when she has to pee.

Are chihuahuas hard to train because you have to carry them outside and they dont know how to tell you they have to go? I know she is young but I cant find any good advice like how many times should I take her out a day and how much exactly she should eat, etc.

any tips?


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## sugarbaby (Dec 21, 2009)

people have different ways of toilet training but
with all my dogs i have used a puppy pen when i cant watch them ,i have a bed and food up one end and than a puppy pad or news paper up the other.
i have found this very affective when little ,they have no choice but to toilet on the puppy pad as most puppies will not go to the toilet where they sleep which in turn lets them feel under their feet where they are meant to go ,keona now runs around the house but will use a puppy pad if im not fast enough , i have 3 adult dogs all trained this way and they now toilet outside.

she is only 8 weeks old so give her time and she will pick it up ,never go mad on her though as it will just make her hide when she needs to go to the loo 
she will also need to go to the toilet as soon as she wakes up and i have also noticed as soon as i get keona out of her pen she will need to go.


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## 18453 (Feb 6, 2010)

Firstly you need to decide whether you want her going outside or on a puppy pad and sticking to it. Chis are a highly intelligent breed and pick up on things quickly.

i crate trained my puppy and it worked brilliantly for us but different things work for different dogs. At that age i would take her out every hour and bit by bit extend the time. Its hard work and with your baby due any day now i think you're a saint for getting a dog at this time. She will need to go after a sleep and after shes eaten. You'll soon start to recognise her signals. My little one stands by the back door now when she wants to go out trying to work on a noise too.
good luck


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## LiMarChis (Mar 29, 2010)

Crate training is the best tool, but for those that chose not to use it, confining to a small area when you are not with her is best. She shouldn't be held all the time. It's not good for her. Sunshine needs to be allowed on the floor to learn to be an independant, happy, confident, and well-adjusted little girl. She also needs her own space for to feel safe and secure. She's needs a place with just enough room for a bed and food/water bowls on one side and her potty pad on the other. This lasts for about a month. She'll be consistently using the potty pad, training her to use it. Then she can "gaduate" to a slightly larger area for another month...then to the bathroom sized area with a baby gate. She'll be there for about 2 months or so, taking you to the 6 months old mark. At this age, they can handle the kitchen gated off. Many choose to leave this as the doggy area for ever, some take the gate down at around 1 year old, at which point, Sunshine should be completely trustworthy in the house. I use a walk-tru gate across my kitchen for all my little ones in training. We also have playtime in the living room and I have potty pads in there for the pups. By the time they have graduated to the kichen, they are consistenly going to the pads on their own in the living room. After they are about 9 months or so, I start moving the pad closer and closer to the kitchen until I get to the gate. Once the learn to run to the gate and use that potty pad, I open the gate and pick up the extra pad. They know to use the one in the kitchen at that point. It's a long process, with lots of time, consistent monitoring, patience, and dedicated watching to train a puppy. However, in the long run you have 15+ years of a solidly training Chi versus one that soils the house.

When she's not in her area, she should have access to a potty pad...same room and close by her...take her there immediately after bringing her out of her area, put her on the potty pad, encourage her to go and keep her corralled on the pad until she does. Difficult to do bent over at your stage of pregnancy, but it's the only way she'll learn that this is her potty area...by using it. Then, and only then, can she have some time to run around the room you are in. if you can not physically keep your eyes on her for any reason, put her back in her area. One of the kids needs you, the phone rings, you're going to the 10000th trip to the bathroom, etc., put her up in her space. They are little and can have hidden accidents, which increases the odds that she'll go in the house. So you want to avoid them at all costs. Punishment doesn't housetrain. It teaches them to fear people and can make it worse. While she's running around for her 20-30 minute play time with you, watch her closely for any signs of sniffing, circling, or assuming the position. If you see it, put her back on her potty pad till she goes, then allow her to keep playing for a few more minutes. Lots of praise when she uses the potty pad. Treats are great too, but most are motivated by high pitched lovey dovies.

Sunshine is only a small baby with the bladder about the size of a pea. She can't hold it that long and when playing (and with such a baby brain) they don't realize they need to go until that very moment and don't always remember or can make it to a potty pad too far away. The only reason she doesn't know how to tell you she needs to go is because she's a baby. Think infant in diapers. They have to grow up and learn to use the potty. Same thing with Sunshine. You've got about 9 months of consistant training with lots of re-inforcement for about a year before she's gonna be completely trustworthy in the house. But it's up to us to train them, just like our kids. And also just like them, if we do it right, we'll have a lifetime of a wonderful, trustworthy, loving companion. Consistancy, positive reinforcement, and not allowing them more space than they've earned is the key. Just like two legged kids, too much freedom leads to disasters. 

Congrats on the new family member. Sounds like you have your hands full and they are fixing to be even busier. It's gonna be a challenge to fullfil on the demands on your time and attention. I'm sure you're up for it! Kudos to you. I stopped at 3 kids and they still run me in circles at 23, 21, and 15.


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