# 5 + month old chi still not housebroken :-(



## TonyN (Sep 27, 2011)

I purchased my chihuahua when he was 5 months old. He is almost 6 months now. Today at work he walked behind me and I could hear him peeing on the carpet. I grabbed him immediately and took him outside.

He holds it all night when in bed so that is good. 

My stupid brother came up to visit and while I was out getting the mail took him out of the crate, then my brother walked out of the room to go to the bathroom. When he came back the dog was carrying a turd in his mouth. My brother didn't tell me of this event until later.

He asked me why I was walking the dog so much. I said the dog hasn't pooped yet and I need him to poop so I can crate him and we can go. He finally fessed up and said the dog already pooped in the morning when I went to get the mail. I was FUMING to say the least!

Then I find out he was giving him chips when I was gone. I was FUMING again. I laid down the law after that. I hope he didn't set all my work back with the dog.

Anyway, is it normal for a dog to take this long to learn to not go inside?

When he is home I keep him on a schedule.

My 3 year old female chi that I got when she was about two months old trained soooo easily. I can let her run the house while I'm gone and know she will hold it. But this male chi doesn't seem to catch on so quickly. He peed twice inside the office today! Like I say, I take him out regulary to get him used to knowing where to potty. I hope I don't have to take him back to the people I bought him from if he just won't ever learn.


----------



## wild.irish.rose (Jul 7, 2011)

i think things like this happen more than most people like to admit.u just gotta keep at it.do u have a dog training book or something online to read?i know youve done this b4 but every1 needs a refresher course every once in a while.good luck


----------



## ChiBean (Oct 20, 2011)

Every dog is different just like people, sounds like he just needs more reinforcement is all - my newest boy did the same thing. You can't take him back just because he is not working out the way you expect, he is his own unique little self!


----------



## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

It doesn't sound like you've had him that long? A month? I got my 1st chi at 5.5 months of age and it probably took me a year to get her reliably potty trained. Chis are not the easiest to potty train, so you need to be patient and prepare to continue to be patient. 

You may want to buy a small pen and teach him to use potty pads for the time being. Having a puppy spend too much time in a crate really isn't fair to the dog. I aggressively potty train when I first get a dog or puppy and now can get them fairly reliable in a week or so but it requires 100% consistency, no free time out in the house outside your supervision, and very frequent time outside, treating when they potty outside, etc. if they are inside, they are in their crate. A lot of people think true crate training is extreme or unkind but personally I think my dogs have a much better life long term because of all the freedom they are allowed.


----------



## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

I'm sure he will learn eventually it takes time with some puppies


----------



## kimr (Nov 14, 2010)

flippedstars said:


> It doesn't sound like you've had him that long? A month? I got my 1st chi at 5.5 months of age and it probably took me a year to get her reliably potty trained. Chis are not the easiest to potty train, so you need to be patient and prepare to continue to be patient.


I agree wholeheartedly...He's just now getting to the age where they usually _get it. 

It takes alot of patience and alot of diligence on your part. It's not always easy, and sometimes it's downright frustrating - you have an accident free week and all of a sudden it's like they've forgotten everything you've taught them. They're puppies. Sometimes they get busy and have different priorities than we want them to have._


----------



## LadyJ (Aug 20, 2010)

Please give this little one a bit more time. He's in a new place and only for a month. It's time to get him neutered, if he isn't already. It's also possible that he has a urinary tract infection if he's been doing well and suddenly isn't. It's totally natural for a boy to mark any new location. It's just being a boy! I think boys are harder to potty train than girls because of their inborn desire to mark. Besides potty training, we have to teach them where not to mark.


----------



## TonyN (Sep 27, 2011)

wild.irish.rose said:


> i think things like this happen more than most people like to admit.u just gotta keep at it.do u have a dog training book or something online to read?i know youve done this b4 but every1 needs a refresher course every once in a while.good luck


I have a book somwhere but use online material explaining how to housebreak a dog/puppy.

Thanks for the nice reply.


----------



## TonyN (Sep 27, 2011)

flippedstars said:


> You may want to buy a small pen and teach him to use potty pads for the time being. Having a puppy spend too much time in a crate really isn't fair to the dog. I aggressively potty train when I first get a dog or puppy and now can get them fairly reliable in a week or so but it requires 100% consistency, no free time out in the house outside your supervision, and very frequent time outside, treating when they potty outside, etc. if they are inside, they are in their crate. A lot of people think true crate training is extreme or unkind but personally I think my dogs have a much better life long term because of all the freedom they are allowed.


I have a cage that is too big for the chi so I put in the divider that came with it. The dog has enough room to lie down and eat his food but not enough to pee or poop at one end of the cage and go to the other end to lie down. He doesn't want to pee where he lies down. I made the mistake of putting a small towel in his confined quarters. I didn't know he would pee on the towel and then push the towel to the side of the cage. Pretty smart dog! So now no towel in the cage.

I am trying to have him go just before work. I walk him a mile before work, let him out at lunch and walk him a little over a mile with the other dog. Then let him out to pee at 5:00. Then I walk him a mile after work. So he surely gets his exercise and gets to play with my other dog before work. He lies down anyway after playtime before work so why not lay down in the cage where he can't sneak off into another room to pee?


----------



## TonyN (Sep 27, 2011)

LadyJ said:


> Please give this little one a bit more time. He's in a new place and only for a month. It's time to get him neutered, if he isn't already. It's also possible that he has a urinary tract infection if he's been doing well and suddenly isn't. It's totally natural for a boy to mark any new location. It's just being a boy! I think boys are harder to potty train than girls because of their inborn desire to mark. Besides potty training, we have to teach them where not to mark.


Yea, sometimes I just expect him to catch right on right now.

I won't be getting him neutered though. I may want to breed him later.


----------



## Reese and Miley (Jun 24, 2010)

If you're planning to keep him intact it's likely that he will always pee in your house, on your stuff etc, regardless of whether he is housebroken. That's just something you have to expect with an unneutered male.


----------



## JadensMimi (Oct 23, 2011)

I'm new to chihuahuas but certainly not new to dogs, and this thread has me wondering.. is it OK to walk a 5 month old puppy 3 miles a day? I'm asking in ernst, with large dogs one must really be careful on the amount of exercise until the growth plates close.


----------



## CHITheresa (Apr 30, 2011)

I called Marc Marone on sirus radio about Amberleah pees 50% on pad and other 50 where ever. he said for her age and size she is doing good. he said it takes time to learn and be able to hold it. he said for me to get down on the floor and see how big my house looks in her eyes and he said have pee pads every where for her till she get mature and able to get to same place. he said make her free space smaller. he said could take a year.


----------



## 1234 (May 29, 2011)

Dont worry just keep at it, my chi is 7 months old and he is only just trained, still with the odd accident


----------



## TonyN (Sep 27, 2011)

1234 said:


> Dont worry just keep at it, my chi is 7 months old and he is only just trained, still with the odd accident


Is your chi a male or female? and if male, unneutered?


----------



## TonyN (Sep 27, 2011)

By the way, I feed both dogs raw (one 3 years old and Pepe at almost 6 months old 2 x a day. I am weighing them. Pepe has gained .3 ounces in seven days.

I feed both around 2 ounces 2x a day. Sometimes under 2 oz.


----------



## 1234 (May 29, 2011)

TonyN said:


> Is your chi a male or female? and if male, unneutered?


He is an unneutered male


----------



## TonyN (Sep 27, 2011)

He is an unneutered male.


----------



## APBTgirl252 (Sep 29, 2011)

Hi TonyN,
Definitely give potty pads and crate training a try. Also, when taking him potty outside if he doesn't go, try putting him directly in the crate. This will teach him "no potty no play". If he doesn't potty then he doesn't need to play-- but he isn't getting in trouble either, it just doesn't allow him to potty in the house when he just had the chance to go outside.


----------

