I need help. I have a 6 mo old Shih zu / Pickineese mix that is trained to a puppy mat in the house as long as she is in the room with the mat. If we take her into another room she will pee without any warning. We take her outside every hour or so and she will still pee in the house even after she has gone outside. She doesn't bark or whine or give any singal that she needs to go.
I am soooo frustrated.
Any suggestions?

2nd question: I have read several times about having a crate to train your dog with. I have a dog carrier that is about the size of the dog. If I purchase a crate to keep her in durring the day when I am out (now she is in the laundry room), how big should the crate be? And do I keep a puppy pad in the crate with her or does this just prevent her from training to go outside?

Hi Maddie - There's no quick and easy answer to this, I'm afraid. I would tackle it in two ways. First of all, I would start by moving the puppy mat nearer and nearer to the back door, until you can actually move it to just outside the back door. You'll have to do it slowly so that she gets used to the new place each time, otherwise she'll just look for it where it used to be and pee there regardless. While you are doing this, you need to keep an eye on her and every time she squats, say "NO!" very firmly, pick her up and take her into the garden. I know you said she goes without warning - you'll have to be very vigilant. Most dogs will want to pee/poo after meals and when they wake up, and also after getting giddy when playing, so I would take her into the garden at these times and stay with her until she empties herself, and then give her lots of praise. In fact, whenever she does go in the garden, give her lots of love and praise.

Re crates, if you go to Dog crate and cage size guide per breed.Dog crates and dog cages -collapsible
there is a handy section there that explains what size of crate you ened for which dog. As for putting a puppy pad in there with her, It would depend how long she is going to be in there. I would think she wouldn't need one if it's only going to be a couple of hours - and at 6 months she should be able to hold her bladder overnight.

With time and perseverance you should solve the problem - good luck!

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Until you've been hugged by a bergamasco you've never lived!!!

Hi there,

I'm no expert but have been having similar problems so thought I would reply.

I have a Lhasa Apso puppy and she is just coming up for 6 months. We have now had her a month and up untill a week ago I was like you. She would go outside and then promptly come back in and mess in the house.

After some advice on here I decided I literally had to go back to the beginning as I had no idea how much training the previous owners have given her, now I'm pretty sure it was none.

For the last week I have been really rigid with her, most of the day shes only allowed in the kitchen unless I can watch her every move and have been taking her out every half hour/ hour. I quickly learnt her movements and exactly when she will need to go and I stand outside till I know shes been. The good thing about that is that u can reward everytime as u see them go everytime and in a week she is a different dog! no accidents indoors for 5 days and she pretty much goes on demand now as she knows theres a treat invloved.

She does have a crate which is useful for the odd hour or so u need to go out or get stuff done and she sleeps in hers at night. She never makes any fuss about being in there apart from a very sad face at bedtime lol and even through all the accidents we had she never once messed in her crate! she goes 7/8 hours at nite and a couple of hours during the day sometimes.

I totallly know how u feel that was me just last week, so I promise it can be done! and it makes you relationship so much better with them cos instead of being stressed you enjoy it so much more.

I hope this helps, good luck

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Hi Spellweaver,
Thank you for the encouragement and the great web site for the crate. I checked it out and had new confidence in shopping for a crate to meet Maddie's needs. I found one at Tractor Supply Co. that is only $45 and will give her a more open feel than her present carrier I am using.
I am hopeful that her wetting in the house is my lack of knowing how to train her and not a trait that she cannot help. I started limiting her to only the laundry area and her crate when I have to leave the house. So far (about 24 hrs) she has not needed her puppy mat. I have had to set a timer though and take her out every hour or 10 min after she drinks.
I love this little dog and am determined to get this right.
Thanks for your reply,
Maddie's Mom

Paula C.
How encouraging. To know that you had to start over with housebreaking at 6 months give me hope. The only difference is that I am the one who has owned the dog since she was 11 weeks old. I got her as a Christmas Gift for my 17yr old daughter who PROMISED she would care for her. Well, that is how we messed up. My daughter was not consistant and I didn't want to train her. Then Maddie was in the yard with us and ran into the road to greet people walking the neighborhood and she was hit by a car. When we got her to the vet and x-rayed, they were amazed that she had no broken bones or internal injuries. One week after she recovered, she went into heat which really limited the contact my daughter wanted to have with her. So, Maddie had surgery (this sounds like a soap opra doesn't it?) to be nutered. She has only been back to herself in the past 4 days or so. Now, with the huge investment I have in her, I am determined to train her and keep her as a companion dog for the rest of her little life!
So , back to square one. only the laundry room and her crate and frequent walks outside. I hope I can get this right.
Maddie's Mom

awww sounds like she has really been through the mill poor little thing, hope shes fully better now.

Its bound to have affected her to have had all that going on, but I really think if you stick with it you will see results fairly quickly. Maya (puppy) was a nitemare when we got her I really did at one point wonder if I'd done the right thing, my house was being trashed and I was worn out with it all. I've not had a puppy in a long time and I had no idea, niave of me to think that I was getting a 6 month old trained pup....wrong!! I really was wondering last week if there was any light an the end of the tunnel yet a week later things really are different.

I think aswell as I thought she was trained I let her have too much freedom to quickly. She had the run of the house which was silly and that resulted in so many accidents. Now shes only allowed in the rest of the house if I'm with her and that really helps.

She doesn't yet know how to tell she wants out so thats the next stage am just grateful shes going outside and not on my rug!

next thing for us is the car....she hates it! she messes as soon as we leave the house. So she is now in her crate going round the block everynite its less than 5 mins but 4 days in shes not had a clean run yet so its not all a bed of roses here yet either lol

put some pics on if you get chance would love to see her!

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Hi there

Hope i can help as i'm hoping to be starting a course in canine behaviour and dog training.

I have introduced clicker training to both my dogs and had fabulous results although it does take longer with the bassett hound than it does the Collie cross but it does work in the end some breeds do take longer for the penny to drop. My collie X house trained in one day. I troduced the clicker right from the start so he understood that click meant reward i also made a point of leaving the door open all the time until i knew he had it. Okay in the summer not so good this time of year the moment he started doing his business in the garden i clicked the behaviour he then returned to me for over the top praise and treat.

As far as letting you know when they want to go out this seems to be dependant on the dog Trip tends to hover around the door until you notice he's not vocal. my parents Shi tzu used to sit and whine in front of you. you then went through a list - sweeties, play, walkies weeweeies - and she would bark when you got to the one she wanted.
You can train dogs to give a clear signal similar to the ways hearing dogs for the deaf alert their handlers or the dog will develope its own way once he's learnt theres only one place to do it.

For loads of advise on clicker training from beginners to expert look up the following website
Learning About Dogs - Welcome

Let me know how yopu get on feedback would be appreciated