Yes! You are right - and there in lies the problem. Those first few months are formative, but it was something I figured she'd grow out of. The family who first had her were not exactly "high class" and she was lucky to get out of there. Husband always comments on what a lucky dog she is. The worst part of all this is trying to stop her from peeing in her kennel bed. I put old towels in there for bedding and she soils them every night. I have to start a load soaking in bleach all week to get them all washed (as a full load) by Friday. This is inconvenient if we need to do a load of our own clothes between then. Plus we are rural and on a septic and I don't think bleach good for septics.
This, and her peeing all over the house is the main reason why I thought she would take to the litter box. Since I can't be there all night to make sure she does not pee/poop her bed, I am perplexed as to how I am going to get her stop doing it. As I said before, she has free access to the "pottybox" all night and all day, yet she still messes her bed and the floor. I thought dogs were "fastidious" and clean about their "den" but this one seems almost to like it.I have a pee pad with a paper towel that has some of her pee on it in the pottybox and she still does not get it. Thanks for your suggestion! Kelly --- In [email protected], Mommabear7772004 <mommabear7772004@...> wrote: > > Hi , it sounds like since she was outside as a baby she learned to just drop > anywhere and pee. If pee pads are too costly right now ( and I totally get > that ) how about newspapers ? You can usually get local free papers at any > store. Put her in smallest room totally > Lined w papers , may take quite a while > and gradually remove them a tiny bit at > a time to see if she "gets " where to go. > Worth a try ! > > Sheryl > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 27, 2012, at 6:08 PM, "skyforme1970" <skyforme1970@...> wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > I have a nearly 2 year old spayed female chihuahua mix. She is only about 5 > > lbs and very sweet. She came toddling up our driveway one rainy afternoon > > when she was only about 3 months old. No one claimed her so we took her in > > knowing nothing about chihuahuas. From what I heard from the neighbors, she > > was a litter mate escapee and the people who had her never let her or the > > other pups in the house, so they all stayed outside in the backyard. > > > > No matter what I do, I cannot seem to house train her. We had to lock her > > in her kennel at night so she would not tear the house up as we slept. As a > > result, she had gotten used to peeing and sometimes pooping in her bed > > since (I assume) she could not hold it all night. This is without fail > > every single day. She will pee anywhere she sleeps (her round cloth bed, > > her kennel bed and the kid's beanbags). She also has no issue with peeing > > on tile or rugs or carpet RIGHT in front of us all while innocently looking > > us in the eye. It's like she has NO concept whatsoever that this displeases > > us greatly even tho she has been scolded for it more times than I can count. > > > > It does not matter if we take her outside for potty right before bed or > > withhold food and water after 3 pm. She has no problem letting us know when > > her water or food bowl has gone dry or to alert us for her other wants and > > needs. Just the potty thing. I kept thinking she'd grow out of it, but she > > has not at nearly 2 years old. (born in Feb 2011) > > > > As a result, since she is so tiny (and smart, I think) I got the bright > > idea to try and litter box train her. I've tried using kitty litter, then a > > pee pad, then even cutting iceplant from outside and putting it into the > > box for her to pee on since that is what she usually does on it when we > > take her out for a potty break. > > > > I call the litter box her "pottybox" thinking it was best to give it a name > > she might identify it with. She has used it a grand total of twice in the > > last 6 weeks of trying to train her. When she has an accident, I take the > > soiled towels and put them in her pottybox so she knows/smells/sees what it > > is there for. I also tell her "go potty" like I do when she is outside. > > > > Recently we moved her to the laundry room at night and use a baby gate so > > she can still see out into the house. I now leave her kennel bed open so > > she has free access to the pottybox, but she still prefers to sleep in her > > own waste. > > > > She has no issue with jumping into the potty box, and will do so just by us > > telling her to, but she will just sit down and look at me like "what do you > > want me to do?" > > > > She is ruining our house and I've never been closer to giving up after two > > years of this constant messing with no end in sight. I cannot keep her > > outside as we live in rural area and she would not last an hour out there > > so a house dog she must be. > > > > I am not a quitter, especially when it comes to animals, but this (and her > > constant "glee peeing" even when seeing the SAME people over and over but > > that is another story) is turning in to a real deal breaker. I have never > > had such a high maintenance, and frankly such a PITA dog in my life, but we > > love her very much. > > > > I'm sure this has come up a million times, but if anyone has some > > suggestions that might help, I'd appreciate it. We are very low on money so > > buying yet more "training aids" is not possible right now. Plus, I feel > > that I have spent enough on all this and she has what she needs, except the > > message I am trying to get across to her. Breaks my heart to think of > > giving her up, but if we can't resolve this, I will have to re-home her to > > someone who understands the breed better than I do. Thanks for any help you > > can give us for this sweet little girl. > > > > > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! 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