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.

The chihuahua half of him was longhaired so he does have a fairly thick coat. It's also not cold here. I only put the parka on him because of the wind, and that's only at certain times of the day. It's quite normal for dogs of all sizes to live outside here. I'd never seen an indoor dog until I was well into my 20s.

I already said that I took him on with the understanding that he was trained, and that I had no desire to have to house train a dog. You wouldn't punish or banish a human toddler for being unable to control its elimination No, but I'd make absolutely certain that nappy wasn't coming off unless I said it was. Until my health improves and I might be able to deal with the mess and the stench, he'll be getting no opportunity to use the carpet as a toilet. The kids can bring him in to play & cuddle on the couch, but his feet are not to touch the floor.

what on earth is wrong with him going on the concrete? surely that's OK, you just wash it down That's disgusting, and not something I'm willing to spend the next 15 years doing.

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. This isn't a tiny, trembling little teacup dog. We think he's crossed with a Jack Russell. He's already over 4kg and still has growing to do. He loves the kids.

I'm hardly throwing him outside and pretending he's not there for hours and hours on end! The kennel/tie-out is a strictly temporary arrangement, and only to establish the habit of going on the grass instead of the concrete. I know it won't help with training him for inside. I'm home a lot of the day and have a chair right beside the kennel where I often sit with him anyway. The kids can still bring him inside for couch time, and we take him for walks. When I'm not here to keep an eye on him he's in the crate, as he'd normally be when I'm not home.

I really like the little guy. He's a lovely little dog. Of course I don't want to have to exclude him from the family. I'd love to be able to have him with me all the time. A glimmer of hope, some indication that he's starting to get it, is all I need. When he wees outside, plays on the couch for a couple of minutes, then wees a metre inside the door when we put him on the lead to take him out, it makes it really hard to see any possibility of light at the end of the tunnel.

He doesn't need rescue. If we need to rehome him small dogs are in very high demand, especially young ones. and we can find him a home easily.

Ok it's official. You should never have control of a helpless animal. I wish we knew how to report you. Words fail me.

He's barely more than a puppy and has only been with you two weeks. You're expecting far too much from him and it's not fair to restrict his life to such an extreme because you're not prepared to put the necessary effort in.

It's not remotely unusual for any puppy to not be reliably house trained by six months, never mind a cross of a breed notoriously difficult to house train who has had at least two homes by the age of six months.

The kennel/tie-out is a strictly temporary arrangement, and only to establish the habit of going on the grass instead of the concrete.

Training is what will build up the good habits you want him to carry through to adulthood, not just tying him up where you want him to toilet or keeping him shut in a crate.

You might not have wanted a dog that wasn't house trained but now you've got one and he's not going to improve unless you put the effort in. If you don't want to put the effort in then rehome with someone who will.

I realise that, Trionic. That's the decision we're contemplating at the moment.

As it happens, house training has suddenly become a non-issue. We've just been advised by our landlords that he has to stay outside. They're happy for us to have him (we got permission before bringing him home) but they don't want him inside unless he's in the crate.

I haven't set up the tie-out because I wasn't happy that the location was sheltered enough and he couldn't get tangled around anything. So he's free to run and do whatever else he wants to do. We still need to find a way to keep him from toileting on the concrete outside.

Why are people unhappy about him being in a crate? Crate training is something that's commonly recommended for house training. It's warm and safe and he's only left in there for a long period overnight, when he's asleep.

From everything that you have said, surely you can see rehoming him is the best option? Chi's are notoriously difficult to train and a little research would have shown that.

But that aside, your current outdoor tethered, indoor crated situation is hardly ideal and honestly downright cruel to a young dog who should be in a home where it's stimulated physically and mentally and part of the family. Dogs are pack animals and yours is basically excluded from the pack unless your children fancy a cuddle. What happens when the novelty of the new dog wears off?!
Crating is not the problem, if this method is correctly used for training. Tethering a dog outside all day will only result in a multitude of other behaviour problems and there is absolutely zero chance the dog will learn housetraining in such a way. Please rehome him and think seriously about whether a dog is the right pet for your family.

He's not tethered outside. We didn't go ahead with it because we couldn't set it up safely. He has access to a large secure yard with plenty of shelter. Right now I can see him through the back door chasing skinks in the grass.

Yes, we are reconsidering whether a dog is right for us, but not because we can't have one inside.

korma I've had dogs most of my life. All of them lived outside. I've never attempted to have a dog inside before and I haven't enjoyed the experience so far.

Good luck reporting neglect and cruelty that doesn't exist. He's well fed, watered, exercised, trained, played with, cuddled, provided with shelter and has all his vet needs met. No one here would want to know.

Going outside to find piles of poo and soaked-in wee on the patio isn't disgusting? What are your hygiene standards like?

PLEASE don't keep him. He will never be what you want. He will never learn if you don't teach him.

The chi rescue will take him and home him with someone that understands the breed and how to make them happy.

Feel SO sad for this little guy

What a horrible situation. I've seldom encountered someone so lacking in basic empathy for living creatures. Praying something intervenes to get this poor dog to a more suitable and loving home.

You wanted an animated stuffed toy for your kids not a real dog OP. And he suffers mentally due to your epic fail.

His quality of life WILL suffer OP, as a result of him being kept outdoors. You should have gone for a different, and not a companion breed, if that's what the situation was going to be.
Yes, you have been dealt a rough hand, by some eejit who told you that the dog was housetrained ... but none of this is the dog's fault.

You pick up piles of poo and wee will rinse off onto the grass. If you are really bothered by it you can also use an antibacterial fluid too.

You are mentally abusing this puppy.

Thing is with consistency and patience you can train a dog to toilet outside quite quickly. Yes it's hard work but as dog owners we owe it to our pets to train them and give them the best life we can.

I know some breeds like to be outside but there aren't many. Especially toy breeds, I feel sad thinking about the OP's little dog.

I hope she sees sense and re homes it.

Why did you get a dog in a rental property without checking first with your landlord that it would be acceptable? I've lived overseas in various rentals for 20 years. Not one landlord accepted pets.

The statement about owning dogs all your life doesn't make you an authority on them.

I have had a vagina for 44 years, that doesn't make me a gynaecologist!

There's a huge culture clash going on here. I don't know where op is but not uk. In uk barely any dogs are kept outside except working dogs which I'm sure are well looked after and are maybe breeds bred that are used to this like hounds and sheepdogs. Then there are unloved and uncared for dogs who get stuck outside. In uk we believe our animals should live with us, eat with us and frequently sleep with us. We treat them like our children often. Maybe other cultures see our behaviour as highly bizarre. Here we keep our furry friends indoors, having plenty of fresh air in gardens and nice long walks with us. Your landlord's reaction reflects this difference. Would it never occur to him that a dog would live in house seeing as you said you sought permission. Maybe a better idea to seek advice from local, like-minded dog owners.

Crating isn't a problem if the crate us a positive indoor refuge where the dog goes by choice, and chooses to stay. Crating is a problem if it's used to imprison a dog because you aren't able to train him. Ideally crates should never be locked unless for safety. If you have to close your dog in his crate, you're imprisoning him, which is no better than tethering him.

I accept that there's a culture clash here but there's also overwhelming scientific evidence that dogs are social animals and do suffer without companionship. Appropriate training also reduces the risks of dogs developing behaviour oroblems later in life. Basically you get out what you put it.

It sounds as if you live in a culture where animals don't have any intrinsic worth and are valued only for what they bring to your life without any consideration that you have a duty of care to ensure their welfare, including behavioural needs. It seems that if they don't 'fit' easily into this niche then there are easy disposal options through multiple rehoming experiences (again predisposing to significant behavioural issues)

You may not be around to see the impact of your actions and attitude OP but I can guarantee that your dog will live it. There's plenty of evidence out there.

The short version is: anyone who would do that to a dog is an utter asshole. I certainly hope karma does its thing in this instance.