# Puppy refuses to use pee pad



## Chichan (Apr 1, 2014)

My dog is an 11 week old Chihuahua.
It's too cold outside for my Chihuahua to go outside where I live so we are trying to use a pee pad.
He was using a pee pad at the breeder's before we got him, but now he won't even walk on it.

We first tried bringing him there everytime after he'd eat, sleep, leave the crate, after play, and every two hours. But he just runs off and does his business elsewhere.
Second we tried leashing him there, but he'd just chew on the leash or stand off the pad as much as he could.
We bought a pen and lined the bottom with pee pada, and put him in there when he starts doing the circling and sniffing. We left him there despite his whining and still nothing. 
We've tried to catch them in the act, but his pees are so small he is literally done in less than a half a second. 

I've searched the internet up and down trying to find a solution to this issue, we're willing to try anything. 
Please help save our floors.


----------



## Darrin Greene (Mar 26, 2014)

Put him in a pen lined with pee pads and don't let him out for any reason until he does his business on the pads.


----------



## Chichan (Apr 1, 2014)

He's in there right now. He just woke-up and ate and then started doing the circling and sniffing. I picked him up and put him in the pen with the pads and now he's asleep again.
It's almost bed time for me. How long do I leave him in there? (he's been there for 40 minutes so far)


----------



## WonderBreadDots (Jun 26, 2012)

What happens if you take the puppy outside with a sweater or coat on?

Do you keep the potty pads in the same location? 

Have you tried putting the potty pads where the dog is usually going? I brought home a kitten and she went to the bathroom twice in the dining room. Instead of making her conform to where I wanted the litter box located I just put one of the litter boxes in the dining room. It was there for about a year, but is no longer located there.


----------



## Chichan (Apr 1, 2014)

WonderBreadDots said:


> What happens if you take the puppy outside with a sweater or coat on?
> 
> Do you keep the potty pads in the same location?
> 
> Have you tried putting the potty pads where the dog is usually going? I brought home a kitten and she went to the bathroom twice in the dining room. Instead of making her conform to where I wanted the litter box located I just put one of the litter boxes in the dining room. It was there for about a year, but is no longer located there.


I haven't tried since the breeder said not to bring him outside until the weather was warm and there was no longer snow on the ground.

I have them next to the door to make the transition to outside easier. 

He typically goes under my dining room chairs, so should I just put the pads in the dining room then? Since they can't go under the chairs.


----------



## Chichan (Apr 1, 2014)

Update: So after two hours of being in the pee pad pen and the dog just sleeping in it I decided enough was enough and I was going to crate him up for the night. I let him out and he decides to start pooping in front of his crate. I lifted him up and ran him back to the pen, only to get poop all over myself and my floor and none on the pad.


----------



## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

I brought my dog outside from the day we brought him home in February two years ago as an 8 wk old puppy. We went out in the cold, and in the snow. We had to shovel out the snow so he had a place he could go. We put him in a sweater. He hated it. It didn't do anyone any harm, however. We went out every 15-20 minutes in the bitter cold, and we all survived the experience.


----------



## WonderBreadDots (Jun 26, 2012)

Chichan said:


> He typically goes under my dining room chairs, so should I just put the pads in the dining room then? Since they can't go under the chairs.


I put the litter box on top of where the cat was going. I had to move a chair, but it was what it was. Put the pads on top of where the dog has already gone, under the chairs.

On a side note, my family had a chi mix when I was growing up. I don't ever remember it being too cold for the dog to go outside. We would put a coat on him and take him out.


----------



## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

Train him the same way you would train him to go outside.
An 11 week old chihuahua needs to be going to the bathroom every 15 minutes or so.

Keep him crated when you cannot watch him. Make sure he only has enough room to lay down and turn comfortably. Don't put pee pad in it.
Put the pad somewhere you want him to go. Take him to it regularly and if he goes mark it with 'go potty' and lots of praise. If he doesn't go in about 5 minutes, put him back in his crate for a few minutes and try again. Don't let him roam until he's gone on the pad.

Take him potty right after playing, naps, and meals, first thing int he morning and last thing at night, and then set an alarm for at least once during the night to get up and take him potty.

Don't punish him for not going on the pad, don't do anything but calmly pick him up and take him to the pad. Clean every spot he's gone with an enzyme cleaner like nature's miracle, maybe even soak a little pee onto the pad.

You have to be consistent, watch him like a hawk.

And then when it's warm enough to train him to go outside, do this all over again but remove the pads.


----------



## Brooklynsmom (Mar 19, 2014)

I agree, do not put wee pads in the crate that he sleeps in. At least from my experience, dogs will not go where they sleep unless there is no other option. I know it is kind of gross but if/when he has an accident dap the pee pad on it to soak up some of the urine. My puppy was more apt to go on the wee pad if it already had her scent on it. 

Also, We were advised to not take our pup outside until her shots were done but when she started shredding the pads (and after her second round) we just started bringing her outside and the transition was pretty painless.


----------



## goodgirl (Jan 14, 2013)

You've gotten lots of good suggestions. I would add it might help if you keep the pad in front of the sleeping crate in case he's not yet got the neurological development to hold his pee long enough to get near the front door. You can always put an old shower curtain or something under it if need be. Once he starts using the pad regularly you could then move it. Also, peeing and especially pooping, puts a dog in what they consider to be a vulnerable position. I wonder if he'd feel more comfortable if you place a kitchen chair or something over the pad?


----------



## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

When we first got Toby, he was good about not peeing in the house, but pooping was something else.. but he always ran to the same spot, so I put a puppy pad there and he started going on it. I rewarded him with a treat every time he used the pad. We were also walking him around our building (I wasn't aware you were supposed to wait, the person I'd gotten him from had already started bringing him to the dog park) and rewarding for pees/poops outside. 
He was born in October so he didn't have a whole lot of fur on him yet, so we put a coat on him. We tried to put boots on him but he wouldn't wear them lol.


----------



## Chichan (Apr 1, 2014)

goodgirl said:


> You've gotten lots of good suggestions. I would add it might help if you keep the pad in front of the sleeping crate in case he's not yet got the neurological development to hold his pee long enough to get near the front door. You can always put an old shower curtain or something under it if need be. Once he starts using the pad regularly you could then move it. Also, peeing and especially pooping, puts a dog in what they consider to be a vulnerable position. I wonder if he'd feel more comfortable if you place a kitchen chair or something over the pad?





WonderBreadDots said:


> I put the litter box on top of where the cat was going. I had to move a chair, but it was what it was. Put the pads on top of where the dog has already gone, under the chairs.
> 
> On a side note, my family had a chi mix when I was growing up. I don't ever remember it being too cold for the dog to go outside. We would put a coat on him and take him out.





BostonBullMama said:


> When we first got Toby, he was good about not peeing in the house, but pooping was something else.. but he always ran to the same spot, so I put a puppy pad there and he started going on it. I rewarded him with a treat every time he used the pad. We were also walking him around our building (I wasn't aware you were supposed to wait, the person I'd gotten him from had already started bringing him to the dog park) and rewarding for pees/poops outside.
> He was born in October so he didn't have a whole lot of fur on him yet, so we put a coat on him. We tried to put boots on him but he wouldn't wear them lol.





HollowHeaven said:


> Train him the same way you would train him to go outside.
> An 11 week old chihuahua needs to be going to the bathroom every 15 minutes or so.
> 
> Keep him crated when you cannot watch him. Make sure he only has enough room to lay down and turn comfortably. Don't put pee pad in it.
> ...


I've moved a bunch of pee pads under my dining room table (where he usually goes) including under the chairs. 
He peed in his crate last night for the first time while I was asleep. He usually barks and I let him out to go, but I guess he would rather pee in his bed than go on the pad? I hope he's more fond of the idea to go on them under the table. 
I'll be taking him out ever half hour for 10 minutes to the pee pads today and will report back if he uses them. 
Crossing my fingers. 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!


----------



## Chichan (Apr 1, 2014)

Update: He seems more comfortable on the pee pads under the chairs (less whimpering, tail up). 
He didn't go, but he willingly sat on them and walked on them. I'll be taking him out in another 30 minutes and hopefully he'll go this time.

Question: Should he get pets for being on the pad? Or no rewards until he actually goes potty on the pad?


----------



## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

Reward all contact with the pads and give a high value treat for use of the pads.


----------



## Chichan (Apr 1, 2014)

Update: He's used his pad 75% of the time today with number 1 and number 2, thanks everyone for your suggestions! They showed immediate results.


----------

