PLEASE do now allow anyone to put her outside. Chihuahuas are not made for outdoor living. They are not very able to tolerate the heat or the cold. Also, they are people dogs. They do not want to be outside alone. Please do anything and everything you can - but don't do this.
Gracie may never TELL you she needs to go out. Some folks have been able to train them to ring a bell on the doorknob or go to the door and bark or some such other notification - but this is EXTREMELY rare.
If you want to train her, you need to start her over at square one. Please read the following articles. Most articles focus on going outside, but if you decide to train her to go inside on a pee pad (like my Angel and daughter's Cali do) - most of the information holds true for that, too.
I made the decision to train Angel to go inside because when I got her, I worked and there was no one to let her out at appropriate intervals. She was 6 weeks old then - there was no way she was going to be able to hold it for 8-10-12 hours. So this was the only fair thing for her and our situation. If I got another, I would still use this method even though I'm now retired and am home. This way, you don't have to worry if you're away somewhere longer than they can 'hold it'. You don't have to rush home because 'it's 2:00 and that's her time to need to go' or whatever. You don't have to go out with her or watch her while she's out. She doesn't have to go out in the heat or cold or rain.
A number of folks are finding out that they can't just let their chihuahua out to go potty or to play (without being there with them) just because they have a fenced in yard. Coyotes, hawks, dog snatchers, and other dangers are presenting themselves even in fenced in yards and even in cities. It only takes a split second. Or she could find a little hole in the fence and get out front. Or... Many folks on another of my lists are talking about these things happening. And they don't all live 'out in the country'. I live in the middle of a city with a population of WAY over one million. And darn if I didn't look out just a couple of months ago and there was a hawk at the end of our driveway. You would NEVER have been able to get me to believe that could happen here, even though I was hearing about it from others. I might not have to worry because Angel weighs 17 lbs and might not be mistaken for 'prey' - but you said Gracie weighs how much?
So, whichever route you choose to take - and I believe you're saying the inside route - you need to start at the beginning. An area that is large enough for six pads is TOO big an area to ideally start her with. Select/cordon off an area that is about large enough for one pad, her bed, her food and water. Period. You need to be able to see when she goes - so you can Immediately give her SOOO much praise and a treat. Then she gets a little while outside the area. But even so,
she doesn't get outside time unsupervised. That's asking for trouble. She gets to be WITH you, with you watching her, for a bit. If she happens to start going while out, tell her no and get her back to her area. If she goes ANY, even a drop after you put her back in her area, Praise and Treat. Some articles even mention tying her to you when she's out so she can't get out of your site to be able to go somewhere you don't want. I think I've written this correctly - you can verify (and get more info) by reading the articles.
Those places she's already going. You need to get them cleaned with some type of enzyme or something that will get the smell out. Even if You can't smell it - she can because their sense of smell is way better than ours.
One thing you might also try is putting a piece of her poo on the pad. Maybe that will inspire her to do that there, too.
It may be hard to break her of the bathroom rug. Can you just do without a rug for a while? Or after you use it after a shower, put it over the side of the tub?
As for your husband's area - can't you put a puppy/baby fence in front of the door? How much trouble could that be as opposed to putting her out. It's not hard to open and close - your husband could probably even step over it without ever moving it - I can, and I'm not that tall. He knew you had her and she was an indoor dog, right?
MANY folks live with chis in the house that are not potty trained. They just love them and even though they are sometimes frustrated by it, they just deal with it. And if you took a poll, you would probably find 8 or 9 of 10 folks chis sleep with them. That's not to say she has to. She does need a soft, comfy, warm spot though.
What good does yelling at her do except make her afraid and behave worse? What good does yelling at a human do?
And frightening her may also cause her to go where you don't want her to. If you (HE) punish her or yell at her for going in the house (after the fact - more than 15 seconds after she did it), what you will be reinforcing is for her to HIDE it. That's not what you want.
And scaring her to the point of biting is Definitely not doing anyone any good. She doesn't deserve that. And I hate to see anyone get hurt.
Here are the links, if you've gotten this far:
Housebreaking 101
Marie
On 11/13/06, kdukes1961 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi Brenda,
Well, that is a good answer for me. Here's what happnened with
puppy pads. We confined her to the kitchen/dining area which is
huge, while we went on our honeymoon for 2 days. I spread 6 puppy
pads all over the area. She chose one and used it the entire time
but only peed, not the other. When I got home, I took her out and
she did her other business. Since then I tried putting a puppy pad
in the same area, and leaving the rest of the house available to
her. She never went to the pad. Her favorite places are, my husbands
room where he puts his what I call toys, and the bathroom rugs. I
know she's older and I've let her get away with the bathroom rug
part for years simply because they were washable and replaceable and
it was just me and her. Now with a new husband in the picture he is
really hard on her. He believes dogs do not belong inside. She has
slept in my bed all her life and now she's not allowed. Either I
married a monster or I've just spoiled my little Gracie. It has
gotten so bad that she hides under my bed and will snap at my
fingers when I try to get her out. And she definately will bite him
when he tries because he yells at her. I guess I will start her out
again by confining her to the kitchen area with puppy pads and see
what happens. Thanks so much for your help.
Karen
--- In [email protected] , Brenda Walsh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
>
> You can't put her out permently, she's too small and they don't do
well outside. Will she go on a pee pad? I don't really see a
problem if she goes on a pee pad. My Little Man never goes outside
to go potty,where we live isn't really a good idea to take him
outside alot. Take care.
> Brenda
>
> kdukes1961 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hi,
> It's so wonderful to have a group just for chi owners. My name is
> Karen and I have a 6 year old female chi named Gracie. Gracie was
> spayed before age 1. I have tried everything to train her to go
> outside. She will go outside but she still goes inside if I am
> sleeping or doing something like making dinner. She won't tell me
that
> she needs to go out. This is driving my new husband crazy and he
wants
> to put her outside permantly. Any helpful suggestions or advice
would
> be greatly appreciated. This dog is my child and I don't want her
> outside. Thank you.
> Karen in Mississippi
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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