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Help Tate PEE on the PAD! (and save my sanity!)

2K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  fjm 
#1 ·
I know this seems backwards, but...

how can I get Tate to potty on potty pads?

Long story short: He is 70% potty trained (he has resisted all my efforts for the past year. At least we're past pottying on himself in the crate.:eek:hwell: Whomever owned him before must have just not cared where he went). 2 out of 5 times he will let me know he needs to go out, the rest of the time he will run off and hide and poop or pee. I let him out every few hours and force him to go to the bathroom (THAT, he has caught on to, thankfully. I'm glad "go pee" and "go poop" mean something to him!), but sometimes off schedule - if I am awake late at night like now and none of the other dogs need to go out - he will run and hide and go to the bathroom. Like he did just now. He HID AND POOPED!

I would like to train him to go on the potty pads when he is unable to go outside... or even go to the potty pad and not have to tell me he needs to go and instead just GO. (Does that make sense?) I know several people with medium and small dogs who do this with their pets - they use pads while they are away at work and go outside when they are home, so I know it isn't impossible. Help? :D
 
#2 ·
Do you reward him when he performs outside? And do you yell at him when he does it inside - or could it have happened to him in the past? Sounds as if he believes it is OK to do it in the house, as long as no one sees him do it ... I would go back to baby steps on house training - lots of rewards in the right place, a big sigh and no more for the wrong place, unless you actually catch him in the act, when you sweep him up and out as quickly as possible. I am not sure about teaching him to use pads - may prove more confusing to him about when it is permissable to do it indoors - but if you have a room with easily cleaned floors it might be worth leaving him in there with a pad when you go out - I'm assuming he is not crate trained? Well done for getting even this far with an adult rescue, by the way - it is always much more difficult changing established habits.
 
#3 ·
All my dogs get a small treat when they come inside if they do BOTH, they get loved on if they do at least one. He doesn't get yelled at for going inside, as I never actually catch him in the act, as well as he is very sensitive (anyone yelling at me, or me yelling makes him uneasy.)

He is crate trained, and hasn't had an accident in his crate for a few months... but I'm talking about while I'm at home, too. I tried tethering him to me, however he is so small that I ended up tripping over him the entire time and I felt bad for stepping on his little feet!

I was also hoping I could get him used to going both outside and on the pad because I watch (and am currently watching) my mom's greyhound brood. Tate can NOT go outside with them as they will think he is a bunny and most likely want him as a snack. I keep them apart as much as possible, but hate having to keep Tate in his crate most of the day (I feel cruel). Which... would be nice to put him in a room and trust he will potty on the potty pad and adorable Martha Stewart pad holder I bought (lol).

Awww, bless... the little poopy devil is asleep on my chest right now. But I'll have to put him in his crate in a bit to let my mom's monsters out to potty and eat.
 
#4 ·
Tricky one, especially with the greyhounds. Lovely dogs, but I am wary of them around small dogs too - although I might try an introduction through a baby gate, just to test the waters (more bad puns!). I think I would up the rewards for doing anything outside for a while, and take treats out with me so that he gets it immediately, making it very clear what is being rewarded. And then a big reward if he actually asks to go out. Other than that, careful watching is all I can think of - and if you really want him to use the pads, cover the areas he tends to use with them, and reward him if he goes on them. I gave up with pads pretty quickly - excellent in theory, but not so good when the pups learn to shred them all over the house!
 
#6 ·
...I might try an introduction through a baby gate, just to test the waters (more bad puns!). I think I would up the rewards for doing anything outside for a while, and take treats out with me so that he gets it immediately, making it very clear what is being rewarded. And then a big reward if he actually asks to go out.
My grey and one of my mom's are perfectly fine with small dogs and cats, two of my mom's are definitely NOT okay, lol. They have both tried to take his head off before... yeah... not fun!

I will start individually letting my personal dogs out to let him get a big reward for going potty. It's hard, because Tate's "hey, let me out I need to PEE!" looks just like Tate's "hey, is that attention you're giving someone else?!" and Tate's "hey, is that food? I want some!". All of my dogs and my mom's are bell trained, EXCEPT Tate. He has resisted the bell, too...

I have always trained my dogs to use indoor pads and they have also peed and pooped outside too! I trained them the classic way (limited space w/baby gates) and once they were fully trained, they had run of the house!
One thing that I have to add is that using washable pads is sooooooo much easier than the flimsy disposables, particularly when first trying to train them! They are larger, thicker and absorb much better! They don't slide around or rustle as the dog walks onto it and I have never in 15 years had a dog that would attempt to tear-up a washable pad like they do the disposables! Plus, if you start your training with a few "Pooch Pads", the dog is actually drawn to it by scent, you will see quicker results! (They sell "Pooch Pads" at PetSmart)
I will look in to the washable pads... I'm all about washable things (heck, I don't even have a kid and I've decided when I do I'll be using washable diapers rather than disposable.)

How did you direct them to go on the pad, though? Because I just had to shoo Tate off of the potty pad mat because he was laying on it like he was at a spa. :doh: He's being extra silly today, so that may have been a one time only kinda thing. (Mkay, today he also ate the petal of a daisy, and frolicked around like a baby Bambi even more than he normally does.)
 
#5 ·
I have always trained my dogs to use indoor pads and they have also peed and pooped outside too! I trained them the classic way (limited space w/baby gates) and once they were fully trained, they had run of the house!
One thing that I have to add is that using washable pads is sooooooo much easier than the flimsy disposables, particularly when first trying to train them! They are larger, thicker and absorb much better! They don't slide around or rustle as the dog walks onto it and I have never in 15 years had a dog that would attempt to tear-up a washable pad like they do the disposables! Plus, if you start your training with a few "Pooch Pads", the dog is actually drawn to it by scent, you will see quicker results! (They sell "Pooch Pads" at PetSmart)
 
#7 ·
He just ran off and peed. Gah. (He probably runs off an pees more than poop, but I can't see it if it is on carpet!)

I caught him in the act and whisked him up and outside, not raising my voice at all, I just told him that "we potty outside, not inside" (even though THAT is a big lie 'cause I sure don't potty outside, so I don't know what this "we" is! :D). Same thing that happens the few times I have caught him... scares the pee right back in! So now he is laying on the couch with me... bladder still probably ready to go.

I have blocked us off in the living room with baby gates and brought down the potty pad as well. So... either he hopefully TELLS me he needs to go or at least goes potty on the darn pad (and not randomly in the floor!)
 
#8 ·
I just told him that "we potty outside, not inside" (even though THAT is a big lie 'cause I sure don't potty outside, so I don't know what this "we" is! :D).
I have had some very strange looks from people who have heard me use "we" in similar contexts!
 
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