Retraining my adult Chihuahua

[toomoody]

For his first two years, Pico lived in a house with a dog door and a nice yard and he got really good about going out whenever he needed to go. Unfortunately I had to move where I couldn't keep him for the year. For a few months he stayed with my girlfriend who took him out on a leash. That didn't work so well b/c she and her roommates were regularly gone for long periods of time and Pico's bladder isn't so big. He's now living with my mom, who has a much more regular schedule and can walk him in the morning and early afternoon and so his accidents have decreased dramatically.

Now here's the fun part for my poor confused friend. I will be moving to an apartment that allows dogs in a few weeks but he won't have a dog door and I won't be able to walk him regularly like my mom does. I was thinking about trying to litter train him, at least for the mid day when he is home alone, and then doing the leash thing at night (at least when the weather is nice). Is this feasible? And will I go crazy trying to teach him?

I'll probably have about a week of being at home all day before i will have to start leaving the house regularly again. Will this be enough time to get him at least pretty far on his way to being litter trained?

[bubbatd]

I'm glad you'll be there with him for a week. The poor boy must be terribly confused. I've never litter box trained a dog. I think he's get a hang of it with pooping ( especially if you put a small piece in box for scent.)...but how does a male dog pee in a box ??? I'd be interested to know.

[emc]

Although some dogs do fine about doing their stuff outside or inside, many dogs will get confused and it will hamper them getting totally housebroken. I suggest that he either be potty trained to go outside or use the litterbox. If you choose to ltterbox train him, it will probably mean potty training all over again and the best way to potty train a dog is using the crating method.
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[toomoody]

As for how a male dog would pee in a litter box... He squats. Not sure why, but he has never once lifted his leg. It was really funny a year or so ago when my roommate's girlfriend has a female chihuahua and i often walked the two of them together b/c pico would squat and her dog would lift her leg. Talk about confused.

And as far as crate training, I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and do it. I decided early on to give him the run of the house so being crated is going to confuse/upset him. He's too social/active for that sort of thing.

[bubbatd]

He must have been neutered before he learned to lift and mark... that's a plus for you !

[nedim]

omg, what a coincidence. I was recently going to adopt a chihuahua named Paco!