Hello all, I need some help please! I am the happy new owner of an 8 week old, female Miniature Dachshund. I have been working on housebreaking her on a pee pad, the scented kind to attract her, as well as using a spray, sprayed on the pee pad to increase her attraction. She goes wonderfully if I am there and consistent with her about making sure she goes.

However, when my husband and I leave home she destroys her box and the pee pad, she will rip it out and then chew up the box it was in. I have no idea why she is doing this and dont know how to get her to stop this behavior.

Also, even after she has peed on her pee pad, she will then later take a toy and go hang out on this dirty pee pad. Why is she doing this?

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!!

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by signvm

Hello all, I need some help please! I am the happy new owner of an 8 week old, female Miniature Dachshund. I have been working on housebreaking her on a pee pad, the scented kind to attract her, as well as using a spray, sprayed on the pee pad to increase her attraction. She goes wonderfully if I am there and consistent with her about making sure she goes.

However, when my husband and I leave home she destroys her box and the pee pad, she will rip it out and then chew up the box it was in. I have no idea why she is doing this and dont know how to get her to stop this behavior.

Also, even after she has peed on her pee pad, she will then later take a toy and go hang out on this dirty pee pad. Why is she doing this?

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!!

HI! Good forum here--you will prob. get more (and better) answers but it will prob. not be today. Seems like a lot of members are doing other things on the weekend. The things she does when you are gone sounds like separation anxiety to me. She is very young yet---How long have you had her and how did you acquire her? She probably has a lot of adjusting to do yet. I'm not sure if she is old enogh yet to have total control over bowels yet either.

I'm just giving you some things to think about--I'm no expert here. But was wondering if the reason for hanging out on the used pad---Lol, it is a familiar smell to her and if she doesn't feel too secure yet--sort of 'marking' this as her secure zone? And as far as all those scentedpads and spray to attract her--maybe they attract her too much? Not saying this will help, but wondering if you just used regular newspaper for a bit and see what happens---couple, three days or so--experiment!?

And there may be some ideas in this forum already----Go up to the 'blue strip' across top of page--find word search and click it and put words like separation anxiety; potty training; etc.--you get the idea. Will bring up all posts (or threads--depending which word you chose--try 'em both) with those words you entered. Happy Hunting! Hope I was a little help at least.

There is a post by GreenDog that you might be interested in seeing. It is a 'process' to get you there, but here goes--There is a blue strip across top of page--click members list--click on the letter G--keep clicking on page #'s--You want to get to page 40--then find GreenDog--click--Will bring up his profile page--click on statistics--click on find all posts by--find the one called House Training your Dog---will be dated 12-18-07.

I too am using the pee pads with my 14 week old Shih-poo, we have had her for 6 weeks and it hasn't been an easy road. I have found using a crate to be a huge help and that way I can always keep an eye on her when she is loose. So maybe a crate would help you too.

Hi
I am new to this site, but I have a few years of knowledge about pee pads to back me up I have 3 dogs, 2 which use them. I do not buy the additional spray, they just go on them... Lilly is now 3, but I had got her when she was 12 weeks old. It took about 2 weeks before she would even pee on it, never mind poop. That took about a month. So you still have some work ahead. Some dogs just don't get the concept & refuse to use them, like my other dog. So, with that being said it is great that your pup is at least using them when you are home. Tearing them up when you leave does sound like seperation anxiety, or maybe trying to be playful to keep herself occupied when you are away? I don't personally crate train, but I heard it does work wonders...

Sounds like you are having some separation anxiety for sure.
Where is she when you leave her? A crate is a good idea. Remember the point though is to get her off the pee pads. Try short periods of time in the crate without the pee pad and reward. Make sure she doesn't have enough room in the crate to pee in one spot and sleep in another.
Does she have a toy or shirt that smells like you so that she doesn't have to be anxious when you go??

I haven't had this issue, luckily, but I have been reading a lot about housebreaking lately. For some reason, some dogs like to shred those pads to pieces. There are several other options...there are actual pad holders, so that they can't get to the corners and tear the pads apart. As far as her going and laying on the wet pad, I don't have any suggestions for that, other than change the pad as soon as you notice it is soiled. Good luck!

Originally Posted by Corky/Max

HI! Good forum here--you will prob. get more (and better) answers but it will prob. not be today. Seems like a lot of members are doing other things on the weekend. The things she does when you are gone sounds like separation anxiety to me. She is very young yet---How long have you had her and how did you acquire her? She probably has a lot of adjusting to do yet. I'm not sure if she is old enogh yet to have total control over bowels yet either.

I'm just giving you some things to think about--I'm no expert here. But was wondering if the reason for hanging out on the used pad---Lol, it is a familiar smell to her and if she doesn't feel too secure yet--sort of 'marking' this as her secure zone? And as far as all those scentedpads and spray to attract her--maybe they attract her too much? Not saying this will help, but wondering if you just used regular newspaper for a bit and see what happens---couple, three days or so--experiment!?

And there may be some ideas in this forum already----Go up to the 'blue strip' across top of page--find word search and click it and put words like separation anxiety; potty training; etc.--you get the idea. Will bring up all posts (or threads--depending which word you chose--try 'em both) with those words you entered. Happy Hunting! Hope I was a little help at least.

There is a post by GreenDog that you might be interested in seeing. It is a 'process' to get you there, but here goes--There is a blue strip across top of page--click members list--click on the letter G--keep clicking on page #'s--You want to get to page 40--then find GreenDog--click--Will bring up his profile page--click on statistics--click on find all posts by--find the one called House Training your Dog---will be dated 12-18-07.

Originally Posted by puppymamma

Sounds like you are having some separation anxiety for sure.
Where is she when you leave her? A crate is a good idea. Remember the point though is to get her off the pee pads. Try short periods of time in the crate without the pee pad and reward. Make sure she doesn't have enough room in the crate to pee in one spot and sleep in another.
Does she have a toy or shirt that smells like you so that she doesn't have to be anxious when you go??

Yeah, the crate should only be big enough for the pup to stand, turn around and lay down. They generally won't relieve themselves in the same place they sleep or eat, so it's important that the crate not be too big to allow them to do the above and relieve themselves in a corner of it.