Any tips on house-training a 4 year old pug-cross?

[lizzyj4]

We've inherited a 4-year-old pug cross. She seems fairly settled now (we've had her for 3 months) but is still weeing in the house, however many walks she's taken for.

I've positioned training pads strategically around the house (the ones that are supposed to contain 'attractant'), but so far she seems to mostly ignore them and prefers to wee on the carpet instead. We'll persist with the training pads, but I wondered if anyone has any other suggestions or things that have worked for them?

I would not persist with the pads because all you are doing is still encouraging the dog to pee inside but on a pad.

Personally I would go back to basics as if you had a puppy and take them outside and treat and praise manically when they pee. If you can catch the dog in the act inside don't say anything just pick up (even if it leaves a trail of pee) then pop outside and again manically praise.

Definitely ditch the pads. As Bitey says, they're just encouraging her to go inside and as a result they tend to prolong house training.

Going right back to basics, as if she were a puppy, is definitely the right thing to do. As she's an adult you don't need to take her out quite so frequently as you would a pup but if she's got no house training whatsoever I'd be doing it once an hour to be sure to catch her whenever she needs to go.

This is a great guide to toilet training. It is aimed at puppies and as I said you don't need to go out quite as often with an adult dog but it's still great advice and she will catch on if you're consistent with her.

I have a pugcross too, tiny bladder and constantly peeing out on walks -the pads just encouraged her to constantly pee in the house.

As soon as we ditched them she has learned to hold until she is out.

Does she show any signs that she needs the toilet before she does it?
Mine circles for about a minute beforehand so enough time to quickly get her out into the garden. Try and get her into a routine as well that way she knows when toilet time is

Many thanks for the suggestions, we'll try those

She doesn't really show signs of wanting to go beforehand. But she does it when no one is looking, so I suppose if she disappears from sight, that's the sign. She's with me in the office most of the day and is fine there, never any accidents, but seems to have got the idea that weeing on the carpet is okay. I'll try without pads and see how we go.

She maybe still be smelling her scent on the carpet even after you've cleaned it up, I think you can get deterrent sprays to keep them away from certain areas if she's constantly doing in the same spot. I'm not sure if these are any good though.

I've got a spray called 'Simple Solution', it's a cleaning product for pet accidents. It doesn't contain any chemicals, just natural enzymes, and it's supposed to deter repeating fouling. It seems to work on our pug, he has stopped pooping in the house. I like the smell of it too, kind of like baby powder.

Thanks, that sounds good.