Another potty training thread

I'm sorry to beat the dead horse here, but I have some specific questions regarding my puppy after reading the copious amounts of potty training tips already listed.

I started out using potty mats because it seemed more convenient than having to go outside every hour (more so for my dog, who hates the cold, than me) but I see some valid points brought up here about them (e.g. they are confusing and lead a puppy to beleive it's okay to eliminate in the house.) She quickly learned to go on the potty mat (a good percent of the time at least) so I tried the method of moving it closer to the door at certain intervals, however, she just continued to pee in the same spot where the potty mat was originally placed, and hasn't gotten it since.

My biggest concern about taking her outside frequently is that it is too cold for her (I live in Maine, the dog arrived here only 3 days ago from Louisiana; the rescue league I got her through has some kind of exchange system) I have a sweater for her but it doesn't seem to make her any warmer. Also anytime we go outside it seems as if is she has no interest in doing anything but getting right between my legs or jumping up at me begging to go back in. I'm not sure if this is the cold or just insecurity. I've seen her eliminate right after coming in from outside where she just stared helplessly at me.

Last, and least importantly, what do folks recommend to keep them occupied while watching their puppies since they need such "constant supervision" I love to play with her and I adore when she naps in my lap, but it's hard to sit and watch her for all hours of the day...I have no trouble staying in to be with her, but sometimes I'd like to do something in the meantime. I've tried reading but doing that I completely miss her going sometimes.

Oh one more thing, what do people reccomend as a healthy treat for going outside? I have Old Mother Hubbard puppy treats but I use those for other things like teaching her to sit and stay or be in her crate at night. I want something special she will only associate with potty time.

(my puppy is a rat terrier mix and about 8 weeks old if that helps anyone)

any help would be appreciated, thank you

Congrats on your new puppy. I bet she's a doll. Those Ratties are really good looking and cute little dogs. You're doing a great thing by looking into things. I hope to see some pictures soon. *hint, hint*

When she shivers and hides between your legs, what do you do? How do you react?

Have you taken her out at other times for little walks around the yard or some playtime, associating being outside with a fun time even if just for 5 minutes?

How cold has it been lately. I know it fluctuates. (I'm originally from the N.E.) I now live in north Idaho and it can get well below zero F. It's been about 15 below in the nights the last few and around 0-6 during the day. It's not always that cold, and sometimes colder, but off and on. I have 4 smooth coated dogs and I don't bother with coats for potty breaks. They learn to hurry up when it's cold and when they get a treat immediately upon finishing. So when it's been 30 below zero, they still go out, do their thing and come right back in.

As far as a treat when your pup goes, anything she loves a lot would be appreciated by her, I'm sure. I normally use very small treats (pea sized) so the dog doesn't get fat. But something that is good enough to be a good reinforcer. She needs to associate what she's doing with a great time.

I love Kong toys. They're great for hard chewers and you can spread a tiny amount of peanut butter inside, put some doggie biscuits in there. A couple of my dogs like them just plain for gnawing on. And there are Nyla bones. I do not recommend any type of rawhide, pigs ears, bully sticks, greenies....anything like that. Very hard plastic or hard rubber. I imagine she'll be a tenacious chewer. My Chi's are hard chewers and can't have anything soft. So, we're limited to Nyla and Kong. LOL. But your dog might do Ok with other toys. Just supervise and make sure she doesn't break off any small pieces to choke on. Rope toys are fun, but again, those threads coming off I watch too...don't want them getting in their intestines. (Can you tell I'm paranoid?)

A couple of good romps outside or in to get her tired out, a few little lessons for obedience "tricks" will tire her brain out. It's important to let her get her energy out. Other than that, I don't know.....they do take a lot of our time and attention, like a toddler baby. LOL....can't get a thing done unless they're napping. If you have things to do, pop her in her crate for a while. Are you using a crate? It sure can help with the potty training. As long as it's not used excessively, they're a great tool. I use to need to get things done too when my Doberman was a puppy. So, I'd take him on a good romp/run/walk and tire his little bum out. When we'd come home, he'd take a nice nap in his crate and I'd do some chores. Then in the afternoon we'd do it all over again. LOL.

Well, let me know the answer to some of those questions and we'll try to see what can be done.

I am using a crate and she doesn't seem to mind it too much (she whines quite a bit at first and than usually calms down and naps).

Usually when we go out and she sits in between my legs or whines I just move away from her to see if she will go and exlore/play on her own, she mostly looks at me and whines and moves to wherever I have moved to...

Eventually she gets her way and we go in, I'm just worried it's too **** cold, haha. The weather has varied, it's been between 10-20 degrees for the past few days but there is snow all over the ground, and the windchill might be bringing the temperature down. I do have a rubber kong toy but she doesn't seem to be interested in it...she likes the kong tennis ball toy that I got her and we play tug of war with it. She also likes her stuffed hedgehog that has a squeaker in it.

Any help would be appreciated, what do I do when she goes between my legs? How long should we be out for and when? I've tried to observe her potty times but she doesn't seem to have any set pattern. I'd really like to cut the potty pads out of the training experience.

Our 2 papipoo pups have learned to potty outside even when the weather is cold. It has been as low as -30 degrees celcius here and that's very cold. They have learned to hurry up and go and then they know they can come back inside. Something we have been using for treats when outside is Cheerios. They get 1 cheerio when they go potty and another one at the door for coming back with us when called. Now they do their potty and look for the treat. Then they immediately run back to the door and wait for the second treat. It works wonderfully.

As far as getting things done during the day.........we have the pups barricaded in the kitchen which has been completely puppy-proofed and while I'm cooking or doing dishes or whatever, they are free to romp in the kitchen under supervision. I will sometimes even sit at the kitchen table and read or do needlework so that I am in the same room but I am getting things done. If I can't be in the kitchen then they go to their crates. They love their crates and usually a "go to your house" gets them to go to the crates with no argument. I try not to crate them for more than an hour or so at a time unless we have to go out.

Not sure if this helps but it is just some of the things we have tried. We also take them outside on the nice days for playtimes. If they potty on those trips great, if not, it's not a big deal. We just go for a potty trip soon after.

Enjoy your little one! They grow up way too fast.

Terrific advice from Missymom. But only one Cheerio? That's kind of stingy. LOL. Just kidding.

What I was getting at was to be sure you're not reacting or attending in any way to your pup when she hides behind your legs. Put her sweater on if you have time....sometimes when you think they have to go, you gotta get them out the door fast and there's just no time to put on a coat or sweater.

Another thing you might try is putting a pee pad down on the ground in your designated area so maybe she'll associate that with going. (preferably one which has a little urine smell on it)

I know it's cold but in time I think, if you persist, she'll get onto it. If she goes for a little walk and gets her bowels moving, that might help. If she looks like she's sniffing around, circling a bit, thinking about it, tell her in a soft, low key voice, "goooooood girl" to let her know she's on the right track. If she does go, the second she's finished, jack pot her with a really high value treat, cheese, hot dog and loads of praise and then bring her right inside. Give it some time. She'll get braver if you try not to make any fuss over her behavior of trying to get you to bring her in before going. I would give her 10 minutes and if she doesn't go, bring her in and put her in the crate for 10 minutes and try again. You want to increase the chances of her being successful even a few times. That will help her up the odds of her trying it again next time. Good luck.

A couple of thoughts from me. First, you have only had her 3 days, so to expect that she is potty trained on the pads would be unreasonable, let alone to move the pads on her. Gradually means very gradually moving the pads closer to the door, like first they are potty trained on the pads, then over the course of a week or two you move them closer to the door, not in 3 days time.

Secondly, I potty trained a very tiny pup last winter in northern michigan. She about froze to death when I took her out, and the people who gave her up did so because they complained she couldn't be potty trained.

SOOOOOO, when I took her out, I put her under my coat, then when we got to the potty spot, I put her down, the second she did potty, I picked her up and put her back under my coat and took her in. She learned so very quickly that going potty got her back under my coat and warm again. She was the easiest puppy I've ever potty trained, just due to her hating the cold....no potty, no picking her back up and putting her in my warm coat again. It got to the point I would put her down and she would hurry and go and scramble up on my boots and try to jump back into my arms as i was picking her up to snuggle her back in...cute cute cute.


I also did put a sweater on her at all times outside.

Thank you all for your help, I know I can't expect her to be perfectly trained in 3 days I just want to know I am on the right track...I want to be a good trainer and caretaker!

Milan just went pee outside for the first time!

Woooo!!! Congrats Milan!! Keep at it Lovetheratties....I've potty trained all three of my young pups at the same time basically so I know it's hard!

she is going outside for her business consistently now I'm so proud.

I have the same problem with my pup when it comes to going outside. Stu hides between my legs or tries his hardest tp get back inside. I think he is scared of the noise from the cars. He got the crap scared out of him a few weeks ago by a snow plow ( if he would have been a cat, he would have been on my head).. I have tried to bring him on walks away from cars ect, he will only go outside if it is really quite, other then that he uses his pads. He has a coat and booties. I reward him outside now when he does go, but half the time he won't even eat it because he wants to go back inside.