# Chihuahua pee pad training issues.



## Laurence (Jan 16, 2013)

Hi everyone - long time reader first time poster here.

My wife and I recenlty got our beloved long-haired chihuahua puppy "Thunderhawk" last week. My wife has had 2 short haired chihuahuas before, and she housebroke them both to use pee pads as she lived in an NY apartment. She said they accusotmed quickly. However, she did let them sleep in her bed.

We now live in a 17th floor apartment in Milwaukee, and so the pee pads are a must. We do not let Thunderhawk sleep in our bed, instead we bought him a small axercise pen similar to this: 

http://www.lulusoso.com/upload/20120303/Pet_Exercise_Pen.jpg

He has bedding and blankets on one side as well as his food, and a small pee pad on the other side. We place this next to our bed at night and after a few restless nights he seems to be getting used to it. During the day I am with him at home in our apartment and I move this into the living room in case I cannot watch him for some reason.

The main pee pad and toilet area we have set up is in our bathroom, which is visible to us from the couch and the door is always open for Thunderhawk. Every morning we take him and place him on the pad and he usually pees as he has been holding it all night.

However, he has many accidents on the carpet in general. We feed him 3 times a day and half an hour after eating i take him and place him on the pad in the bathroom. I know he has to go as hes been sniffing an circling. However, *he just walks off of the pad repeatedly*. After about half an hour of staying in the bathroom with him, I finally let him out with a view to try again in 5 minutes. He almost immediately pees/poops on the carpet! I pick him up mid toilet with a stern no and take him to the pad, he's usually already finished so he doesn't need to go anymore.

Anyhelp would be greatly appreciated, I know its a long road but im feeling so frustrated with the little guy and its not his fault. Do you think it would be better if his pad was in the main room so he didn't have to go into the bathroom?

Thanks so much,

Laurence (and Thunderhawk)


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## ~Lucky Chi Mama~ (Jan 3, 2013)

I'm sorry I can't be of help but I am curious to see what kind of advice you get!


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## Quill (Nov 20, 2012)

I know that when Edie was very young, she didn't want to use her ugodog unless it was in the same room I was, because she didn't like venturing too far from where she felt safe. I also know that Edie loved peeing on anything textile, and would repeatedly go on the rug. (So I moved the rug, ha). 

Could be that a combination of the pee pad being far away, and the carpet feeling nice underpaw is leading to your little Thunderhawk's problem. I'd move the pee pad to where you spend most of your time, and be sure to have a huge party every time he gets it right!


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## Rach_Honey (Jan 13, 2012)

Hi, welcome to CP  

Congrats on your new puppy, you sound like a conscientious owner and you are doing a lot right 

What kind of pee pads are you using? Some dogs do fine with normal ones, others need different kinds - ones with 'boundaries' if you will, an edge to them - like a pee pad placed in a litter tray? 

When you let him out with a view to trying again soon, where is he? Is he loose on the carpet? You will probably need to crate him (a small crate, just big enough to stand up and turn around in) as dogs tend not to soil their crates, and then take him out after 5 mins, then re-crate if he doesnt go again, rinse and repeat lol. Or tether him to you, and watch him like a hawk, any signs he has to go, straight to the pee pad. Using a phrase 'go potty' etc can help as they associate the word with the action. 

He should get an extra yummy treat specially reserved for using the pee pad - very high value treats (hot dog, cheese) work the best - this gives him an incentive to want to go on the pee pad, not just mess about and circle. 

Dont forget to act like a crazy person when he does use it! Jump up and down, tell him hes wonderful, that hes such a goood boooy! Dogs want to please you - he will think hang on, all i did was pee/poop on this pad and my person is so pleased with me! I will do that more often!

Some dogs do take a lot of time to learn, but learning a phrase helps (as you are telling him what you want him to do) and positive reinforcement (the treats and praise) works wonders!

Good luck


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## Laurence (Jan 16, 2013)

Thank you so much, all of you. We are totally on the positive reinforcement scheme, we're just not getting there yet. He's such a clever guy, I have already taught him basic sit, lie down and stay commands using yummy treats, and we praise him no end when he goes on the pad. I always say "go pee pee" in the friendliest tone, he just doesn't like being placed on it, his head goes down like he thinks he's in trouble but we have never punished him for going toilet anywhere. Strange.

I think it may be a mixture of the fact that he's not well (on antibiotics for a poorly tummy that has cleared up recently) and that he's not keen on the tiles floor.

Do you think we should persevere with this area or start again and move the pad into the main room as suggested? He is definitely a thick rug fan, the moment we put the bathroom one back down he slept on it

We are not crating him as he sleeps in his tiny play pen which is small, he has his blankets in there and toys.


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## Laurence (Jan 16, 2013)

Just as I wrote the previous post, Thunderhawk went pee pee on the carpet again after being placed on the pad repeatedly because i knew he had to go pee pee. 

I scooped him up mid-pee with a stern 'no' and placed him on the pad again, saying 'go pee pee'. Nothing. He's going to go again on the carpet! I wish he could just go on the pad so I can praise him!


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## LittleGemma (Apr 1, 2012)

When we brought Gemma home, we took up all the rugs from the floor so she would be less confused about finding her pad. If you have carpeting, I can understand how that could be confusing for him. When we decided to put the rugs back down after she understood how to use her pads, she did get confused sometimes and tried to use the rugs. So, to prevent this, I spread out all her toys on the rugs she wanted to pee on so that she would associate those rugs as play areas and not potty areas. I also scattered treats and gave her treat-dispensing toys on the rugs so she would associate them with getting food as well. Dogs don't like to potty where they play and eat. You could try doing the same on the carpet area where he keeps trying to potty.

Also, make sure you are cleaning any accidents thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner. This is the only way you will remove his scent so he won't be attracted to the spot again.

He'll get it. We've all been there feeling like they'll never understand, but they always learn with good consistent training, which is what you're already doing! Keep it up.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

There are sprays you can buy to encourage them to eliminate in your chosen spot, or just make sure the pad has some of his urine on it.
How old is Thunderhawk? If he is a baby puppy, it might be that when you catch him 'in the act' and use your stern voice that you are scaring him. Chis are very sensitive, especially during times of change, he may be a little overwhelmed right now. Men in particular have to be careful with their tone of voice, a deep voice with a scolding tone can sound a lot like a growl.
I would have pads everywhere until he is confident about using them. Then gradually remove them until the only one he has available is in the spot you prefer.
Good luck, he will get it soon, they are very clever little dogs.


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

I think you are giving your puppy too much freedom. Does he go at all in the 'pen' at night? My 2 chi's always use their pee pads in their pens. I also have several pee pads down in the house. One in my room, another beside/behind the couch, and yet another the end of the dining/computer room. Don't let him alone until he 'performs'. Or get a small sample of pee/poop and put it on the pee pads in the bathroom.? Good luck


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## Evelyn (Oct 14, 2012)

Yea, about all that, we have all tile floors except for the bedroom, I keep the doors to them closed. Ike is now 5 months old and just starting to do well, he still goes on the floor once in awhile, but it is constant training. Seems the peeing and pooping in the wrong place goes on forever, but they finally at some point get it right. I will say Ike has been the hardest dog for me to potty train, good thing he is so cute and sweet.


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## erinself (Jan 20, 2013)

I am in the exact same boat as you. Except Bitsy uses the papers maybe half the time but she really prefers the carpet. I have cleaned thoroughly and used a spray called "no go" which I think helps her not to go in the same spot again but we have a lot of carpet so she just chooses a new spot lol. She doesn't like to be placed on her papers and when I tell her "pee" she lays down on them  I am not sure how to proceed at this point. I think I scared her last time I scooped her up and told her "no!" What is the proper thing to do when you catch them in the act? Also... I want her to associate the treat with going potty.... but not the potty place with getting food so where and when do I give the treat for going potty? I was going to make my own post but your situation sounded so much like mine I thought I would piggyback it and maybe we can both get some advice. Good luck! (btw do you have pictures of your boy??? )


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

Why don't you try this. This is what I did for one puppy and am doing for my new puppy. Don't let him have so much freedom yet he's not ready for that. My puppy stays in a baby playpen except for when I get him out for play time etc. I try to take him out right after I see him use the pee pad in there. By the way I didn't look at the picture of where he is staying but it needs to be dummy proof meaning have a bed food water and all the other space needs to be peepad that way he has no choice but to go on it. With time he will associate that pads are to potty on because that is what he is used to peeing on in the play pen. I am not saying he will never have accidents but your odds of him getting it are a lot better. If you have him out and he starts getting antsy put him in the play pen till he goes then take him right back out to resume playtime. Puppy's have to pee a whole lot after almost everything the do eg. Sleep eat play running cuddle time so just keep that is mind he is very young to hold it for long periods yet. When you do start to gradually give him more time out once he has the hang of the peepad in his area make sure they are right there and in every room close to him make it hard for him to not notice the pads. Hope this helps if you need to talk more pm me I am glad to help if I can. ;-) good luck!!!


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## Fortheloveofthechi (Jan 4, 2013)

Oh and make sure you get a cleaner for your carpet that will remove the Oder of dog urine so he doesn't smell it there and want to pee there again a brand call natures miracle is really good it's in a spray bottle. 


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## erinself (Jan 20, 2013)

Fortheloveofthechi said:


> Why don't you try this. This is what I did for one puppy and am doing for my new puppy. Don't let him have so much freedom yet he's not ready for that. My puppy stays in a baby playpen except for when I get him out for play time etc. I try to take him out right after I see him use the pee pad in there. By the way I didn't look at the picture of where he is staying but it needs to be dummy proof meaning have a bed food water and all the other space needs to be peepad that way he has no choice but to go on it. With time he will associate that pads are to potty on because that is what he is used to peeing on in the play pen. I am not saying he will never have accidents but your odds of him getting it are a lot better. If you have him out and he starts getting antsy put him in the play pen till he goes then take him right back out to resume playtime. Puppy's have to pee a whole lot after almost everything the do eg. Sleep eat play running cuddle time so just keep that is mind he is very young to hold it for long periods yet. When you do start to gradually give him more time out once he has the hang of the peepad in his area make sure they are right there and in every room close to him make it hard for him to not notice the pads. Hope this helps if you need to talk more pm me I am glad to help if I can. ;-) good luck!!!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks for this advice. I have tried to follow it and have had almost no problems with bitsy the past two days


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