At my wit's end with wee

[thelastwingedthing]

We've had a lovely 6 month old chihuahua x for a couple of weeks now. His previous owner insisted that he is housetrained - never had any problems with him, apparently

He wees and poos wherever he happens to be standing when he needs to go. We've tried the standard advice of taking him out regularly (every 30 to 45 minutes) and staying with him until he goes then giving him lots of praise/treats. He couldn't care less about either and more often than not will empty out and wander off, ignoring both the praise and the treat. Still wees in the house within minutes of coming back inside.

So, we moved on to tethering. Made no difference. Last night I took him out for a wee, watched him "assume the position", brought him back inside. Within 10 minutes there was wee on the floor right beside my foot.

He sleeps in a crate overnight and holds his bladder perfectly fine. Otherwise it's a free-for-all. He even wees beside the spot where we feed him if he happens to be standing there when he feels the urge. Catching him in the act and interrupting him with a sharp noise followed immediately by being put on the grass doesn't do squat. It's like there's something missing in his brain, the bit able to make the connection needed. He's been checked by a vet and has no medical reason for this.

We are at the point of not being able to let him inside at all unless he's in his crate. It's not a problem here as it's quite warm and he's inside in his crate overnight, but I have to wonder what's the point of having a dog that can't be part of the family. Even having him outside without being trained can't go on for long because he goes all over the concrete. He's going to have to be rehomed if we can't get this under control soon.

[MyFriendsCallMeOh]

Have you tried keeping him I his crate unless he's outside so that he has no time anywhere he's not allowed to wee? I live in Texas and there are lots of chis here, I've heard that house training issues with this breed are relatively common.

[thelastwingedthing]

That's pretty much what we're having to do - outside during the day, crated at night and any time we all have to go out. It doesn't stop him using the patio as a toilet while he's outside. I suppose we could have him crated for periods during the day as well but that's just a management technique. I don't believe it would have any impact on his weeing inside or on the concrete outside if the opportunity should present itself.

[Dieu]

That sounds very difficult, but it may get better over time. My Shih Tzu boy wasn't reliably housetrained until 8 months.
Behaviourist? Doesn't sound like any of you are having much fun.

[foreverandalways]

This sounds so sad for both. Have u tried puppy training pads. I have an elderly pug who has wasted back muscles and has lost the feeling of needing to go. You must please stay and be patient with the dog and try the pads first. Don't give up on the dog X

[Dieu]

I'd be wary of introducing pads at this late stage, as you'd probably never get him to consistently go outside then, and it would delay things hugely. Different if there's a medical reason for them, but the vet has ruled this out in Op's case.

[LeaLeander]

He's still pretty young. I adopted 2 rescue chihuahua at 12 weeks and they took ages to get it. Even though they are so smart. I consulted a behavioralist when they were about six months and she said "you need to calm down. They are babies"

I do let mine use puppy pads indoors because I work all day. Sometimes they do and sometimes they wait till I get home. They never go off the pad. They are not crated.

It's hard but just be patient & use rewards outside.

[LeaLeander]

I just saw you've only had him for a few weeks. I think your expectations are unrealistic. He needs time to learn the parameters and routines of his new home. Put yourself in his shoes- a baby who's been shuffled around to bewildering places. Be patient.

[Veterinari]

It can take up to a year to reliably housetrain chihuahuas.
I'm afraid it's just a case of continuing the 'puppy' training.
Try and limit him to one room, maximum and ensure you keep up the regular outdoor access.

Clean urine with biological washing power solution to eliminate odours and prevent him from thinking that's his toilet.

You've had him for a short time and he'll be unsettled. It's likely to take a couple of months to resolve

[Princesspeach1980]

My chi X has been a nightmare to toilet train too, he's 9 months now and 99% of the time he's fine now. No advice other than persistence I'm afraid

[LeaLeander]

My chi don't like to be cold and balk at the door when it's chilly. Have you tried a sweater on him?

They are smart and desperately want to be good boy. Go wild with the praise and treats when he wees outdoors.

Isopropyl alcohol cleans urine very well.

[FarrowandBallAche]

Don't use pads or paper.

Go back to watching him like a hawk. If you can't watch him pop him in the crate.

Take him out every 20 mins or so. As soon as he wakes up, eats or drinks.

Go back to basics.

Why did the other people part with him? I wonder just how much housetraining they did? Also little dogs are notoriously bad for being clean in the house so don't lose hope.

[thelastwingedthing]

It can take up to a year to reliably housetrain chihuahuas

Ohh that's scary. I probably wouldn't have brought him home if I'd known that. I really didn't want to have to deal with toileting problems as I'm not well, hence not getting an 8 week old puppy.

I have been using an odour remover that I got from the pet shop.

He has a little parka that we put on him when he's outside. He seems quite happy to wear it. We also have a woolly jumper for when it gets a bit colder.

His previous owner had problems with her landlord and wasn't allowed to keep him. She told me she left the door open and he came and went as he pleased (we can't, we have indoor cats that can't be let out). I suspect she actually just left him outside most of the time.

I've told the children he can only come inside if he's actually in someone's arms. The moment they want to put him down he needs to go either outside or into the crate. We are getting a nice cosy outdoor kennel for him today, and a tie-out line. He'll only have access to the kennel and the grass outside unless we've got him on a lead. Something has to work, I can't have the kids slipping and falling in puddles of wee.

[LilCamper]

Tying him outside will not teach him anything. you NEED to be there to praise him when he gets it right.

Plus it is not right for a companion animal to be tied up away from their people.

[LeaLeander]

You know, that is truly awful OP, and if I knew where you were in real life I would report you to the rescue or the RSPCA.

Chihuahuas are extremely social little animals and would be miserable crated, let alone put outdoors. It sounds like you made an extremely ill-thought-out decision to take this animal who already has been shuffled about more than it deserves, and now because it's briefly inconveniencing you, you are going to mistreat it some more. Shameful!

Aren't your kids able to look out for and avoid slipping in "puddles of wee." for god's sake.

Shameful!

[StuRedman]

Chihuahuas are notorious for taking a year or so to housetrain. Did you not research the breed at all before getting him?

Please don't tie him up outside. If you're not able to meet his needs then maybe you should rehome him.

My chi x is 16 months and pissed on my front room carpet this morning. It's one of the perils of dog ownership, surely?

[LeaLeander]

You need to empathize a bit. The dog doesn't exist for your pleasure or convenience; in taking it on you committed to providing a safe and comfortable home for a helpless, dependent creature.

The dog is barely more than a baby, has been shuffled around through multiple owners, now has only been at your place - yet again having to learn new house, new geography, new routine and what sounds like multiple new people including children** - for a few short weeks. And you are becoming impatient already and holding it to standards of behaviour everyone is telling you are unreasonable. And instead of adjusting your own expectations in a mature manner you are penalizing an innocent creature by intending to banish it away from the family and out of doors, because it cannot perform up to your unreasonable and unrealistic standards.

It might be time to admit error and rehome it, find a rescue group ASAP, before the dog is further traumatized.

** It is also often advised that Chihuahuas not be placed in homes with small children as the dogs themselves are scared by kids and their small size makes them prone to injury via rough handling. Again, was no research done in advance??

[Princesspeach1980]

I don't see how you can teach him if you keep him outside all the time, he will just get even more used to peeing whenever and wherever he fancies. Chis are not really an outdoor breed either, my pup loves to play in the garden, but needs his warm comfy spot in the house too. I think you can only bring him in and really persevere with letting out all the time, and praising loads every time. I kept a treat pouch hung on the back door handle to remind me to treat every time he went out.

[FarrowandBallAche]

Poor little dog.
Please don't shove him back in the cage every time he wants to go on the floor.

He needs toilet training properly. It's time consuming and hard work but something you must do as a dog owner.

[FarrowandBallAche]

How often is going to be in the kennel?

Chihuahua's are companion dogs, they do not like to be in their own!

Please rethink this.

[LeaLeander]

Another thing you must remember, OP, he is still small and young enough that he will urinate far more often now than he will later. I just looked online and Chihuahuas continue to grow for as much as 18 months. Your boy is only a third of a way through that growth period. His bladder is not ready for long periods without relieving itself.

Mine were going constantly when they were little. Now they easily sleep on my bed all night without needing to relieve themselves. It's just a matter of patience. He is nowhere near being a full-grown adult dog.

You wouldn't punish or banish a human toddler for being unable to control its elimination; please have some compassion for this little puppy and do not banish it outdoors. If you really cannot handle it call a breed-specific rescue group ASAP.

[SavoyCabbage]

Aren't chihuahuas Mexican. Won't it freeze to death outside?

We've had a rescue dog for three weeks today. We are absolutely exhausted with it all but it's part of it really. Like having a baby. For us, things have got easier in the past couple of days. And we are starting puppy training at the weekend which can only help I hope.

[TrionicLettuce]

Unless he's crossed with something that has made him radically larger and hardier than a pure chi then it's completely inappropriate to leave him tethered outside, kennel or no kennel.

Even if he is hardy enough to physically cope with being outside it's no life for a dog to be either tethered outside or shut in a crate inside. Shutting him away, either inside or out, isn't going to make the situation any better in the future. He's not just going to spontaneously house train himself, you need to train him to do what you want.

If it's really too much for you then there are loads of breed/type specific rescues that may be able to help.

[LeaLeander]

One of my rescue Chihuahuas is quite husky at 12 pounds (a bit overweight but mainly just large) - he does OK for a while outside in cold weather, only under supervision of course, I would never leave him out alone. And only for about 15 minutes max unless the temperature is reasonably warm to hot. The little one is just miserable when he is cold and could not sit outside for long in cool weather without really suffering. This breed is from a warm climate and doesn't have the fat reserves to live outdoors.

The point is though, this is a very sociable, curious loving and human-attached breed that wants to be involved in family life. These dogs are not cats who like to go off and sleep alone. It is just cruel to shunt one outside and/or close it off in a box where it will peer yearningly out looking for its humans.

I wish I were close enough to take the poor little guy.

[Dieu]

OP, please rethink. Your crate/kennel idea is all about attempting to put a plaster over the problem, without actually taking the time to fix it. His bladder control will improve massively. You need to be patient, hard as it is.