# Chihuahua puppy poops everywhere but where he's supposed to



## EasyBreezy (Mar 19, 2011)

I'll wake up in the morning and take him outside and be out there for nearly 30 minutes and he won't do anything. Then when I get tired and bring him back inside, he'll immediately sniff around for a few seconds and start pooping. Then I'll tell him no and take him back outside for another 20 minutes and he won't do anything.

This happens almost everyday. We've tried to use training pads too but he'll rarely use them. He only likes pooping on the carpet. Today I woke up and did the same routine. I took him outside for 15 minutes and he didn't poop. I brought him back to my room and when I turn around for a few seconds to open his crate, he started pooping. I took him outside again for a few minutes and he didn't poop. So I brought him back inside and put him in his crate, and 30 seconds later he had pooped in his crate.

How am I supposed to positively reinforce him if he doesn't do the right things  I don't want to just keep saying no or he'll think pooping in general is bad.

Edit: He's nearing 10 weeks old, we've had him for 2 weeks and it's always been this way


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## osdbmom (Feb 15, 2011)

He might be smelling that he went there before. Have you tried an enzyme cleaner, like natures miracle? even if you can smell it, dogs can.


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## EasyBreezy (Mar 19, 2011)

Yes I have an Enzyme cleaner and clean it up after every accident. He never poops in the same place twice though (unless it's his crate)


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## dilbert (Nov 1, 2008)

Sometimes puppies develop a preference for going on a certain type of surface. Since you are cleaning up the accidents with an enzymatic cleaner, it may be the surface feel that is attracting him. Do you have an area with a hard surface floor, like a kitchen or bathroom that you could limit his access to? You'll want to take him out every 45 minutes. Take him out on a leash. When outside, just stand there like a tree. No interaction. If he goes, give a major reward _immediately_ after he goes; 3 or 4 super yummy treats. If he does not go within 5 minutes, take him back inside and put him in his crate (which is sounds like you are doing) for 5 minutes. But if possible, keep him off the carpet. That may be what is triggering him. After 5 minutes, back outside for 5 minutes. Repeat until he goes outside (big reward). Then inside for 45 minutes.


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## EasyBreezy (Mar 19, 2011)

We just got back from being outside for 15 minutes, and when I put him in his crate, he peed in it :/

It just frustrates me because it's nearly noon and I've been up since 9 trying to get him to eliminate in the right place and haven't even eaten or showered myself. I don't mind cleaning up accidents, but I want him to play with his toys and get some exercise not spend hours in his crate or outside waiting for him to go.


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## RubyFeuer (Mar 30, 2010)

You could put him on a leash and keep walking him until he goes. Or you could put a pad inside that way you could go out then when you come back in let him go on the pad to poop then maybe he'll learn how to use that.


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## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

i think most people go through this with puppies, i know we did! i spent no more than 5 minutes outside saying 'be quick'. if he didnt go in 5 minutes then we came back in again and watched him like a hawk until we saw him sniffing. once there is something done outside then praise like mad, we always treated branston as soon as he's been to the toilet. it is a pain and you do feel like you are a yoyo, but stick with it and it will come eventually


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## EasyBreezy (Mar 19, 2011)

If this is normal behavior, then I guess it doesn't frustrate me THAT much knowing that all puppies do this. I do what you said, and watch him like a hawk until I start seeing him sniffing. But in my experience, the second he starts sniffing, he starts pooping. It's like he really really has to go but won't unless it's where he wants.


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## RubyFeuer (Mar 30, 2010)

EasyBreezy said:


> If this is normal behavior, then I guess it doesn't frustrate me THAT much knowing that all puppies do this. I do what you said, and watch him like a hawk until I start seeing him sniffing. But in my experience, the second he starts sniffing, he starts pooping. It's like he really really has to go but won't unless it's where he wants.


I know what you mean with the sniffing and almost instapoop lol. Small dogs tend to be really really bad about that. I have a yorkie/shih tzu and when he was little he would do the same thing. Sometimes it was hard because he would just be walking then stop moving for a second and then move again and he peed lol. Hard to do with small puppies. It might take a while for him to get fully house trained, but just stick with it and don't get frustrated and after a while he'll be better. It took my little dog until he was about 9 months to be truly reliable with it.


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## EasyBreezy (Mar 19, 2011)

lol yes. He'll be playing with his chew toy and he'll stop for like 2 seconds, and then move again and I'll see he left a pee stain. I have no time to tell him no! But yeah, he's still young I guess. I'll keep at it  Thanks guys


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

I feel so lucky, my puppy is little and he always does 2-3 circles before he starts pooing, so I always had plenty of warning...


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## RubyFeuer (Mar 30, 2010)

lil_fuzzy said:


> I feel so lucky, my puppy is little and he always does 2-3 circles before he starts pooing, so I always had plenty of warning...


You should feel lucky lol btw whenever I see that little picture of Pixie I think she is the cutest poodle mix I've ever seen.


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## EasyBreezy (Mar 19, 2011)

HE JUST PEED IN HIS CRATE AGAIN. I don't know what to do


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## RubyFeuer (Mar 30, 2010)

Maybe he has a uti. Take a pee sample to the vet and have them check it. They'll give you what you need to fix it. You wait for him to start peeing then you put a little cup or something under him and there you go lol. Also with tiny dogs you need to take him out very often. With mine I took him out once every 20-30 minutes and after every meal, nap, and play time. I know it's a lot and it's annoying, but that's jut part of the joy of a small dog until they grow up. The reason I took him out so often was so he had no mistakes inside. That helped train him to know that he needs to go potty outside only because he never went inside after I started doing that.

"I don't know what to do" lol get used to it. It's no big deal really just clean it and move on. Don't even bother with getting frustrated and upset or else you won't enjoy your puppy because you will always be frustrated for the next few months.


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## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

branston used to pee/poop in his crate even after he had been outside, i guess they have to 'get' the fact thats its ok to go outside and that they can hold it for longer than they think. you also need to watch out for the 'double' pee ( i learnt that on here) they will often pee twice, so 1 outside and then another inside! as for 'i dont know what to do', clean it up, go outside and scream


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

The nice thing about him being little is that you can easily carry him around and he's not going to go potty when you're holding him. 

What I might try is to take him out, if he doesn't go potty just carry him around the house for 5-10 minutes, then take him outside again. If he doesn't go potty, carry him around the house for 5-10 minutes. And repeat as needed. The carrying him is really just to prevent him from going potty on the floor or in the crate, eventually he's going to have to give in and go potty outside and you can have a huge potty party. 

Good luck. Housetraining sounds so easy when you're reading about it... but even though it's simple, it's not always easy in practice.


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## EasyBreezy (Mar 19, 2011)

I don't mind cleaning the mess, I just hope I'm doing it right and that he'll learn eventually. Also, I keep reading about positive reinforcement, but its hard to postively reinforce when he doesn't do the right thing.


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## RubyFeuer (Mar 30, 2010)

And that's why you need to take him out very very often and be super super happy when he does go potty outside and give him treats and stuff.


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## RomeoSnow (Dec 23, 2010)

Um how much time do you have on your hand? Because I have a slightly time consuming method that works really well for me. 
I've successfully done this with a two year old pom who refused to go outside for anything, let alone pee/poo. 

The basic idea is to teach the dog about the outside world. 

In essence this is my formula. 
*note, it's vital to carry doggy a little as possible.
Dog on leash.
Walk outside.
Let dog sniff for 20 sec max. If no sniffing, fine! No talking from you. 
After 20 sec, say "let's go!" or dogs name, or anything else you want. (signifies the commencing walk behaviour.)
Walk for 5-10 minutes.
Stop at a pee/poo spot other dogs use. fire hydrant, green spot, tree, ect.
Give your dog about 30 seconds,
- if they do nothing, walk in a small circle with them to show the idea that we are hanging out here for now. 
-if dog sniff's, excellent! Calmingly tell them good boy/girl. but don't say too much, *idea being we want her to do it themselves, natures way, no confusing words. Let them walk around until they go, or stop sniffing.
-if dog pee/poo's Perfect! they get it. Calmingly tell the,, good. and after they pee/poo let them do their favourite thing (cookies, running free, ball, being cuddled or carried.)
*idea being that pee/poo outdoors make humans REALLY pleased and I (the dog) get cool things for it!

If they did nothing, no sniffing, or no pee/poo. 
Just walking in a few circles, giving about 30 seconds for them to decide what they do. 
If still nothing it's okay, just find a nice spot to chill for a few minutes.
Maybe give some water, or do a couple of plays/treats/tricks, whatever it is you guys do, maybe play with that chew toy.
After wards repeat everything above.
Trust me. it works. 
Even if your dog still has accidents inside. 
if you keep this up. 
Do it 4-5 times a day, or idk how your pup is maybe more often.


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## RubyFeuer (Mar 30, 2010)

RomeoSnow said:


> Um how much time do you have on your hand? Because I have a slightly time consuming method that works really well for me.
> I've successfully done this with a two year old pom who refused to go outside for anything, let alone pee/poo.
> 
> The basic idea is to teach the dog about the outside world.
> ...


Excellent ^^


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

RomeoSnow said:


> Um how much time do you have on your hand? Because I have a slightly time consuming method that works really well for me.
> I've successfully done this with a two year old pom who refused to go outside for anything, let alone pee/poo.
> 
> The basic idea is to teach the dog about the outside world.
> ...


If the dog isn't fully vaccinated, going to a pee spot that other dogs use isn't an option. But, that gave me an idea, you could take some of the poo from inside and put it outside where you want him to go. Same for urine, just soak it up with something and then wring out a few drops outside.



RubyFeuer said:


> You should feel lucky lol btw whenever I see that little picture of Pixie I think she is the cutest poodle mix I've ever seen.


Heh thanks I might be biased but I think so too


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## Kodiak (Mar 14, 2011)

take the poop outside and drop it in one spot, let the dog sniff, say good potty! you can do same thing with pee on a paper towell

i tell my dog good potty when he goes outside...he looks at me for about 5 minutes refusing to go and i say go potty and he normally does. 

Small dogs can be tricky cause their stubborn and have smaller bladders. make sure everything is super scheduled, food at this time, outside 15 minutes later, out again every 30 minutes. 

with the kennel, he should only have enough room to turn around in the kennel until potty trained. he shouldn't have enough room to poop on one side and sleep on the other. eventually he will stop pooping in the kennel because dogs dont like sleeping in poop.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

You've gotten lots of good advice! Here's the thing, though. A few people have mentioned not staying out longer than 5 minutes. That's important. You mention staying out 10 or 15 minutes. 
I don't know how old your pup is, but puppies get distracted outside very easily. There are lots of sights, sounds, and smells that interest them outside. So, if you take him out, and say "go potty" each time, after a few minutes, he's not listening to you about going potty anymore, he's distracted and investigated the sights, smells and sounds. He's not focused on going potty, he's found more interesting things to do. 

That's why you only stay outside 5 minutes. That way, he may still be focused, and sniffing out a potty spot. After much more time than that, he's probably not focused on going....
So, 5 minutes outside to try, then 5 minutes inside, then back out to try for another 5 minutes, and if not, 5 minutes inside. You get the point. Now, you say he pees in the crate when you bring him back in. Don't put him in the crate, then. Use a leash to tether him to you, so you can SEE what he's doing, and when he starts to squat (after he didn't go outside and you brought him in) make a noise to interrupt him, and rush him out to see if he'll finish. Usually, a pup will stop mid pee or poop if you interrupt them with a clap or noise. 
And, the best tip is take him out to pee/poop way more often than you think you should!


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