[Jeannie]

Hi everybody,
I have posted in another thread the fact that I have a new dog. His name is Rupert and he is a shorthaired black and tan dachshund. He is two years old. He is also not housetrained yet. The info on him at the shelter said that Rupert had been housetrained, and he would need a refreser course because he has been at the shelter for a few months. Ok, I thought. I discover that Rupert needs a tiny bit more than a refreser course sometimes.

I have decided to teach him to "go" inside on a pad. This is because if I do this, I won't have to deal with the weather (cool, hot, dark, rain, cold, etc.) I have instructions on how to teach a dog to use a pad inside and I have been using it and suggestion from the volunteer at the shelter. He (Scott) said that I should pick Rupert's favorite place to "go" and then put a pad on it and he should catch on. I did this, and much to my surprise that night Rupert used the pad two out of three times. I was thrilled. However, the next day (yesterday) he did not use the pad once, nor did he ask to go out. He simply found new "favorite places" and "went" there.

We need your help. I need suggestions on how to get him started on going using a pad, because if he can get started using a pad, he is smart enough to continue this. Rupert and I would appreciate any input that you have to share with us.

[CorkyMax]

Are you leaving a used pad down so he gets the hint he is to go there? I would place a clean one overlapping the used one until he pees on the new one and then dispose of the old one. If you are cleaning up too well after you dispose of the soiled one, he may not get the scent and thus not go there. Although to stop a dog from peeing where he has already done it--you shouldn't use a cleaner with ammonia as this smells like urine so maybe you would want to use an ammonia product for cleaning up when you do clean up there. And vice versa if you are cleaning the areas where he is not suppose to be going--Don't use anything that has ammonia in it!

Have you seen these threads in this forum? May get some ideas from them.
Beagle training?

Older dog house training

New rescued dog behavior

Can't housebreak 2 year old



Re-potty training Lab!?? HELP! :) The last post (#7) may be helpful.

[Jeannie]

Hi Corky/Max,
I am leaving the used pad down. However, I have not cleaned up in several spots. I am using just water on a paper towel--no cleaner at all. I will have to clean up (wipe up) where he has been. Lucky for us that I don't have a cleaner that has ammonia in it.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Jeannie

Hi Corky/Max,
I am leaving the used pad down. However, I have not cleaned up in several spots. I am using just water on a paper towel--no cleaner at all. I will have to clean up (wipe up) where he has been. Lucky for us that I don't have a cleaner that has ammonia in it.

Yes, I guess it is hard to get rid of the urine odor (Where you don't want him to go and dogs have a much better 'sniffer' than we do anyway.)--I just left you (in the above post) quite a few links that may help and also think in one of them it states to use some kind of scented cleaner to get the urine smell out. Now this is not for the area you want him to continue using--just the areas you don't want him to go!

I may have another link or two yet to paste here so will be back in this post with them in a minute or 2. You can search for more posts/threads by using the search box in this forum---It is explained how to do this in one of the links I gave you in my 1st post above.

I am also thinking I wish you could eventually do away with having him trained for peeing in the house and get him trained just for outside----Get expensive and smelly and a lot of time consuming clean-up work otherwise. I sure would get sick of it if I had to do it that way!

Be back with a link or 2 more!

Originally Posted by Jeannie

Hi Corky/Max,
I am leaving the used pad down. However, I have not cleaned up in several spots. I am using just water on a paper towel--no cleaner at all. I will have to clean up (wipe up) where he has been. Lucky for us that I don't have a cleaner that has ammonia in it.

Yes, I guess it is hard to get rid of the urine odor (Where you don't want him to go and dogs have a much better 'sniffer' than we do anyway.)--I just left you (in the above post) quite a few links that may help and also think in one of them it states to use some kind of scented cleaner to get the urine smell out.

I may have another link or two yet to paste here so will be back in this post with them in a minute or 2. You can search for more posts/threads by using the search box in this forum---It is explained how to do this in one of the links I gave you in my 1st post above.

I am also thinking I wish you could eventually do away with having him trained for peeing in the house and get him trained just for outside----Get expensive and smelly and a lot of time consuming clean-up work otherwise. I sure would get sick of it if I had to do it that way!

Be back with a link or 2 more!

Potty training.
This is (above) a pretty good one.

There are a lot of threads/posts on this subject in here and I am going to leave it to you to search out the rest of them---Just put the words: house training older dog-- in the search box and leave the 'dotted' threads and not posts-- that you will see. There are 3 pages to search out--I have already gone through page 1 and most of page 2. If you put your curser on the title of the threads listed (don't click yet!) It will show you a bit of what that thread is about--(so you don't have to click on all of them on the page if they are not about potty training)

Good luck! Hope something mentioned in these posts help! Keep us posted on how things are progressing!

[Todd]

As Barb brought up, you need to clean the areas where you don't want the dog to go well. House hold cleaners will not be enough. You need to purchase an odar nuetralizer made specifically for pets to do the job. Can get these online or at pet stores. This will nuetralize the smell. Remember, dog's noses are thousands of time strongers than ours. As Barb also suggested, I would place a new, dry pad above the soiled one but still keep the soiled one there for the scent in the area you want the dog to go on. Replace the newly soiled one with the past soiled one and throw the oldest one away so there is always a recently soiled one and a new one on top. If it's wet the dog may not want to step on it again. Could be the problem. If you catch the dog peeing or pooping elsewhere, correct the dog with a firm "no" or use a loud sound to stop the dog in the act and then bring the dog to the pad to finish hopefully. Always reward the dog with praise and treat him when he uses the pad. BTW... never correct a dog if you see the accident after fact. Have to catch it in the act.

Like Barb said, outside is much easier to train the dog to use. Inside encourages peeing/pooping inside so is harder to specify where it should go and what to and not to do in certain places. This may also confuse the dog when going outside because he will have to remember to go outside if he needs to and inside only on the pad though. Can be done but will be more difficult.