I adopted a 5mo chi from the animal shelter on 12/7. She is currently 3.4 lbs and doing really well. She was spayed (required) a few days after I got her which was rougher than I expected but she seems fine now. I'm not new to dogs, I have a 8.5yo boxer and had a german shepherd before that. But small dogs are all new to me. She and the boxer get along ok as long as she isn't on my lap, then she growls and snaps at the boxer. The poor boxer tries hard to be patient. She usually just walks away. I also have 4 kids, a sun conure, and I do wildlife rehab. Everything is going well except for housetraining. She must have been paper trained before so now I'm bowing to that as well as outside training. I have pretty good success with pee but she seems to go hide and poo wherever she feels like it. They are easy to clean up but it needs to stop, hubby is getting ticked.
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Don't know where you live, but chi's are know to not like cold, wet grass and choose to go inside. My chi will hold it forever if it is continuously raining. I make it a point to take her out regularly until I see her go especially after she eats. You can set your watch by her that after she eats, it usually takes 15 minutes for her to have to go.
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Hi,
I think for me it boils down to my time, but I'm hoping the investment will pay off in the long run. I try to understand when he should go, then work at it with outside time/repeating key works like 'go potty', and with indoor play/supervision (it is cold outside right now here in Colorado), and another trip outside until I see results.
If he still hasn't gone poo after a few cycles of this, I crate him and wait til my next break with him (I'm doing 1.5 hrs in the crate a few times a day). He has ended up doing it in the crate just a few times. He doesn't get any praise, or see me pick that up.
I'm hoping the attention and praise, and the requests that he does it outside will eventually be his preferred method. Also, this way he isn't going potty behind the table, so my family is less impacted. I know it will take time, and patience.
This forum is full of great advice. Glad you are here.
I think for me it boils down to my time, but I'm hoping the investment will pay off in the long run. I try to understand when he should go, then work at it with outside time/repeating key works like 'go potty', and with indoor play/supervision (it is cold outside right now here in Colorado), and another trip outside until I see results.
If he still hasn't gone poo after a few cycles of this, I crate him and wait til my next break with him (I'm doing 1.5 hrs in the crate a few times a day). He has ended up doing it in the crate just a few times. He doesn't get any praise, or see me pick that up.
I'm hoping the attention and praise, and the requests that he does it outside will eventually be his preferred method. Also, this way he isn't going potty behind the table, so my family is less impacted. I know it will take time, and patience.
This forum is full of great advice. Glad you are here.
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Another piece of advice is since you have other dogs, make sure to let your chi out when they go out as they will be the best #1 teacher for your chi. Give him time as there has been a lot of confusion the first 5 months of his life and he doesn't know what to expect or what he is supposed to do, but it will come. Also remember that they do forget sometimes, so when he does start going outside when he's supposed, they forget or get confused sometimes. Positive reinforcement should always be encouraged. My chi is 6 years old and I make it a point to always tell her what a good girl she is for going "pee pee" or "poopie". haha
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Thank you for adopting! You guys will figure out the potty training, I hope hubby will have some more patience. It takes time and as others have said, the little one is just trying to figure things out. I am concerned that she growls and snaps at the other dog when she is in your lap. I hope you are correcting that! The boxer has a perfect right to come up and see you too. Good luck with your new little one!
Yeah, I don't let her boss the boxer around. I tried putting her down when she does it but then the boxer tries to correct her too. The boxer is not mean but even the little swat she would give a boxer puppy is too much. So I touch her nose, say no and set her to my side. I'm really trying hard not to let her be one of "those" chihuahuas. They follow each other around if I'm not involved. I never leave them together unsupervised, she is crated if I'm not home.
I'm trying to have her tethered to me today to see if I can catch her when she starts to poo. Hopefully that helps. I do let them out to potty together. She has almost been peed on a few times. The boxer usually goes out, does her business (I've been praising her for it too, she's probably like "whatever!" but I'm hoping the puppy will see pottying gets praise) then comes back in immediately while the puppy either explores or huddles at the door, depending on the weather. I'm in Texas and my dogs think it's cold but to the rest of you it's probably not. It's also been raining the last couple of weeks. The rain is desperately needed but doesn't help the potty-training. I started using newspapers and potty pads upstairs for night-time and when the weather is yucky, it's working for pee at least.
I don't want to stay tethering because I have a 17mo son who likes to play with the lead. Of course I don't allow it but the fight for the lead gets old!
I'm trying to have her tethered to me today to see if I can catch her when she starts to poo. Hopefully that helps. I do let them out to potty together. She has almost been peed on a few times. The boxer usually goes out, does her business (I've been praising her for it too, she's probably like "whatever!" but I'm hoping the puppy will see pottying gets praise) then comes back in immediately while the puppy either explores or huddles at the door, depending on the weather. I'm in Texas and my dogs think it's cold but to the rest of you it's probably not. It's also been raining the last couple of weeks. The rain is desperately needed but doesn't help the potty-training. I started using newspapers and potty pads upstairs for night-time and when the weather is yucky, it's working for pee at least.
I don't want to stay tethering because I have a 17mo son who likes to play with the lead. Of course I don't allow it but the fight for the lead gets old!
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