I did Not Know Small Dogs Could Be So Fussy!

[whatdidyousay!]

Gosh! I forget how dogs are like this. I remember my old dog was fussy and made me to walk allllll the way to that spot where he would poop. It was about half miles away from my home. No problem with pee but poop. I missed my old furbaby.

I took Marty to park at 12AM last night to try and get him to poop before I when to bed! I did not want him pooping on my rug again! and he did not poop at the park! At least there was no poop on my rug when I woke up!!

 

[Buffalo]

Victoria Stillwell did something like that on one of her "It's Me or the Dog!" programs. This couple was having a BIG problem with their 4 or 5 dogs messing up the whole lawn, so she had them construct a white "potty fence" (sort of a picket fence) that marked off what was supposed to be the dogs' bathroom area.

The people had to work hard to train their dogs to use that area ONLY, but eventually it did work, and made their back yard so much nicer to use when the dog poop was confined to this one out-of-the-way area.

How did they train the dogs to use just this area? I want something like that so I don't have to search the whole ground for poops. I don't have an idea how to train a dog to do that.

 

[Beach girl]

First, decide on the area, and mark it off in a very visible way. She constructed a 3-sided fence. I think one side was actually the existing fence around the back yard, and the other two sides were this white picket-fence type arrangement.

Then put down mulch or something like that.

THEN - this is the important part - EVERY SINGLE TIME you take the dog out to do its business, take it to that area and that area ONLY. When the dog does its thing, praise and reward. Give a name to it if you are good with timing, so that the second the dog raises its leg, say softly "Go potty!" (or whatever word you use) so he ties the command in with the action.

(If you don't use your voice, give a hand signal.) You can also try using a clicker, so that you mark the desired behavior with a "click." (Google "clicker training" if you don't know what I'm talking about.)

BE PATIENT. It takes repetition and being extraordinarily consistent, which means EVERY. SINGLE. TIME., come rain, sleet, snow or sun, you take that dog to the one place you want it to use, and you are patient until he does it.

My dogs will consistently "go potty" on a gravel area under the house here, which is helpful when we get one of those notorious Outer Banks northeasters blowing through, with a lot of rain.

They will also do their business on walks, since we are not strict about the "one and only one" place. I just wanted to make sure that they know what the gravel area is for, and we use that often enough to reinforce it.

In my case, I also have a backyard agility set up, and they are NOT allowed to do anything on that grass. If they ever compete (well, it would be Casey competing), he would be disqualified if he ever has an accident in the trial area, so I want him to know there are some places that are ok while the agility area is definitely NOT OK for bathroom activities.

 

[jillio]

Yes, some of the people on my poodle list who are elderly, and/or live in apartments, and/or live someplace with a lot of snow for several months in the winter, train their toy poodles to a litter box, usually placed in a laundry room, sometimes out on a balcony or patio. It makes dog-ownership possible for people who otherwise would have difficulty getting the dog in and out several times a day.

Here's an example of one type that uses a pad of fake grass:

Amazon.com: RASCAL DOG LITTER BOX "BIG SQUIRT" 24 by 24 by 6: Kitchen & Dining

Note the reviews: several people loved it, one person was having problems training her dogs to it.

If you google "dog litter boxes" you will get a ton of hits, including the various products, training tips, etc. Generally it seems to work better for females than males, for obvious reasons. Definitely worth a try for very small dogs.

It was suggested to me because of the long days I often spend away from home.. And it would also be convenient to take the dog with me when I travel.

 

[jillio]

many times people with smaller/toy breeds, or people who live in high-rises, will teach their dogs to use a litter box, or fake grassy area in-a-box-thing. The little guys take longer to get bladder control as small puppies, often need to eat more due to higher metabolism - therefore, more coming out the other end.

the one thing that potentially creates a challenge then to help the dog generalize that "bathroom" can also mean: "outside anywhere" not JUST "on-grass/surface-similar-to-what's-in-your-house".

While there are exceptions, dogs as a group tend not to generalize well and they learn by association and repetition. So, the trainer/guardian needs to teach the dog the behavior of generalizing something.

My big guys also tend to search for that "sweet spot" to go in, though you can teach on-cue elimination. I haven't done that because for me I didn't feel the need.

Interesting.

 

[webexplorer]

whatdidyousay! ....I cannot hear you again. (Just teasing)

I have the same problem. I have two dogs. One of my dogs rather to be privacy and especially she refuses to poop with a leash on. @&*#!

Once a while, they wake me up at 2 or 4 a.m. and they need to go out to bathroom. My problem is that she likes to sleep on the cement deck at night, and I refused to let her to stay there because of the raccoons and coyotes. Actually, I waited for her to get in the house for 15 minutes, and it turned out that she was sleeping outside. aaaah! I needed to sleep and pissed off wasting my time.

My solution is for my bedtimes to avoid them waking me up in the middle of nights. Of course, I take them outside at night and bring them in the house before I go to bed. For my bedroom, my old fashion expanding wood fence baby gate is much better than a metal pet gate because it is easy for me to open and close it quickly. The drawback for the metal pet gate that could trip you off because of the metal base on the floor when you have to walk over it. I think that you should get a wood expanding wood fence. You could find one at a tag sale.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

Victoria Stillwell did something like that on one of her "It's Me or the Dog!" programs. This couple was having a BIG problem with their 4 or 5 dogs messing up the whole lawn, so she had them construct a white "potty fence" (sort of a picket fence) that marked off what was supposed to be the dogs' bathroom area.

The people had to work hard to train their dogs to use that area ONLY, but eventually it did work, and made their back yard so much nicer to use when the dog poop was confined to this one out-of-the-way area.

I think more like the the dogs are training us ! LOL!!

 

[whatdidyousay!]

First, decide on the area, and mark it off in a very visible way. She constructed a 3-sided fence. I think one side was actually the existing fence around the back yard, and the other two sides were this white picket-fence type arrangement.

Then put down mulch or something like that.

THEN - this is the important part - EVERY SINGLE TIME you take the dog out to do its business, take it to that area and that area ONLY. When the dog does its thing, praise and reward. Give a name to it if you are good with timing, so that the second the dog raises its leg, say softly "Go potty!" (or whatever word you use) so he ties the command in with the action.

(If you don't use your voice, give a hand signal.) You can also try using a clicker, so that you mark the desired behavior with a "click." (Google "clicker training" if you don't know what I'm talking about.)

BE PATIENT. It takes repetition and being extraordinarily consistent, which means EVERY. SINGLE. TIME., come rain, sleet, snow or sun, you take that dog to the one place you want it to use, and you are patient until he does it.

My dogs will consistently "go potty" on a gravel area under the house here, which is helpful when we get one of those notorious Outer Banks northeasters blowing through, with a lot of rain.

They will also do their business on walks, since we are not strict about the "one and only one" place. I just wanted to make sure that they know what the gravel area is for, and we use that often enough to reinforce it.

In my case, I also have a backyard agility set up, and they are NOT allowed to do anything on that grass. If they ever compete (well, it would be Casey competing), he would be disqualified if he ever has an accident in the trial area, so I want him to know there are some places that are ok while the agility area is definitely NOT OK for bathroom activities.

I could not do this at my condo! I tried to get Marty go in the same spot but if is does not smell 'right' to him no dices! I took Marty out tonight when it was raining and there was a small flow of water in the street and bubbles where forming in the water and Marty was trying to break them!!

 

[whatdidyousay!]

whatdidyousay! ....I cannot hear you again. (Just teasing)

I have the same problem. I have two dogs. One of my dogs rather to be privacy and especially she refuses to poop with a leash on. @&*#!

Once a while, they wake me up at 2 or 4 a.m. and they need to go out to bathroom. My problem is that she likes to sleep on the cement deck at night, and I refused to let her to stay there because of the raccoons and coyotes. Actually, I waited for her to get in the house for 15 minutes, and it turned out that she was sleeping outside. aaaah! I needed to sleep and pissed off wasting my time.

My solution is for my bedtimes to avoid them waking me up in the middle of nights. Of course, I take them outside at night and bring them in the house before I go to bed. For my bedroom, my old fashion expanding wood fence baby gate is much better than a metal pet gate because it is easy for me to open and close it quickly. The drawback for the metal pet gate that could trip you off because of the metal base on the floor when you have to walk over it. I think that you should get a wood expanding wood fence. You could find one at a tag sale.

Marty might cry if he is fenced in and wake up people in my building. I hate to take him out late at night as we have a tons of chipmunks in our yard and Marty bark like crazy when he see one running around and he has real loud bark for small dog! I am up at 12 Am or later as the meds he take made him crazy with thirst and he drink a lot of water! And it looks like he will need to be on meds along time!! Marty been on meds since I had him!! Poor doggie!! I will have try and type louder for you!!

 

[rockin'robin]

Not only are (some) small doggies "fussy"....they are skittish....bitchy...attention whores...nippers..."queens of the hop" (or they think so!)....My Pomeranian is my baby, but she had an attitude time to time....(she also "owns" the yard").

One of my neighbors told me the other day, that she had a Pomeranian once, and that it was "the dog from Hell!"...HAHA

I do love Yorkies and Shistzu's, tho....

 

[Bottesini]

Marty might cry if he is fenced in and wake up people in my building. I hate to take him out late at night as we have a tons of chipmunks in our yard and Marty bark like crazy when he see one running around and he has real loud bark for small dog! I am up at 12 Am or later as the meds he take made him crazy with thirst and he drink a lot of water! And it looks like he will need to be on meds along time!! Marty been on meds since I had him!! Poor doggie!!

Even if he has to take medication, it is obvious that he really loves you. I bet he knows he got a good deal when you adopted him.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

Even if he has to take medication, it is obvious that he really loves you. I bet he knows he got a good deal when you adopted him.

The probable with being on meds it make Marty really hungry and thirsty and as you know the more a dog drink and eat the more he need to go out! So I have take him out a lot, and some nights I am just too tried to stay up so late. I am not young anymore! Marty get so thirsty he will try to lick the sweat of my water bottle!

 

[Beach girl]

Aw, poor Marty! I hope eventually he gets better and won't have to be on meds for the rest of his life.

Re: small dogs and the "queen of the hop" behavior: sometimes this happens because people let small dogs get away with stuff they would NEVER let big dogs get away with. Like jumping up on you, begging for food from the table, being overly mouthy in play, and so on. You wouldn't let a German Shephard jump on you because it would be chest-high and you'd get knocked over, but an itty-bitty l'il ol' cutie Pom or Yorkie - oh, they can jump up, because they're still only shin-high when they do!

And that's how people end up with spoiled, bratty little small dogs, because they've trained the dogs that they can do whatever they please, instead of training whatever good behavior the owner claims to prefer.

 

[webexplorer]

Marty might cry if he is fenced in and wake up people in my building. I hate to take him out late at night as we have a tons of chipmunks in our yard and Marty bark like crazy when he see one running around and he has real loud bark for small dog! I am up at 12 Am or later as the meds he take made him crazy with thirst and he drink a lot of water! And it looks like he will need to be on meds along time!! Marty been on meds since I had him!! Poor doggie!!

That's true about crying or barking. I didn't think of that one. I didn't read your post about the medicine, and how long you adopted your dog? What kind of the medicine if you don't mind?

 

[LDNanna]

You all have some great ideas and all of your pups sound cute and smart. (not as cute and smart as my own though, ha)

My kids (dogs) are spoiled horribly. They have a dog door and they go in and out at any time they wish. Sadly my back yard looks like a game of tic tac toe. I do clean it every weekend. I cant during the week. The heat wave bakes everything though so it works out well. So easy to clean then.

 

[Beach girl]

You all have some great ideas and all of your pups sound cute and smart. (not as cute and smart as my own though, ha)
My kids (dogs) are spoiled horribly. They have a dog door and they go in and out at any time they wish. Sadly my back yard looks like a game of tic tac toe. I do clean it every weekend. I cant during the week. The heat wave bakes everything though so it works out well. So easy to clean then.

It is an interesting fact of dog owners' lives that

a) all dogs are cute and smart

b) no dog is ever as cute and smart as one's own.

 

[LDNanna]

It is also a known fact that cute and intelligent dogs mirror their human companions.

 

[Beach girl]

Oh, that is absolutely true. Without question.

 

[dogmom]

Beach Girl, I really agree with you regarding the small dogs getting away with stuff - "oh how cute!" while even a certain perceived look from one of mine is enough to send people across the street <sometimes desired on my part> OR to get the wrong kind of attention in the form of police/BSL and so on.

Dogs do what is reinforced for THEM; I tell this to people in our classes all the time.
So - even ONE time, someone looks at, talks to, laughs/smiles at, shifts her body away or toward - a dog who is jumping up on you, or the table or whatever - ONE TIME - then that dog has been reinforced for that behavior. It doesn't matter if the person never meant to engage the dog, or doesn't like dogs, or actually wanted the dog to go away - the dog doesn't see it that way. Slot machine effect - if there's a chance what worked for the dog before MAY work again - he'll do it again.
Behaviors can also be self-reinforcing - dog LIKES jumping, just likes it - the act of jumping up might be more positively reinforcing than any punisher the person may try.

 

[Beach girl]

That's when you enroll said dog in agility class.

My theory of dog-training: always provide an outlet for what the dog naturally likes to do. Corollary: do not buy a breed of dog that likes to do something you just can't stand (digging, herding, barking, following a scent, whatever that behavior might be).