I am ready to pull my hair out...

MisssAshby

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#1
We have a 5.5 month old dachshund who will not potty train.

She is getting let out about every 1 - 1.5 hours when we are home. She will come inside after being outside for 15 minutes or so and pee/poop in the floor. :mad:

I've also tried adding a reward treat after she goes outside like she is supposed to and it has made ZERO difference.

She is also using her crate to go to the bathroom in. If her crate is open she will go inside the crate long enough to pee/poop and then get out of it. It's like she thinks it's the toilet for her. Anytime she is crated she will use the bathroom in it.

She has finally stopped chewing/biting for the most part. She will have an occasional accident, but after being corrected it stops.

The crate we have right now is a bit big for what she actually needs, so I think that might be the problem with the crate. I'm going to get her a smaller crate and see if that helps.

I don't know what else to do. Both of our adult dachshunds were pretty much house broken within a matter of weeks -- besides an accident here and there.

Any advice?












....or does anyone want a really cute dachshund?
 

Maxy24

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#2
After she goes potty in the crate it needs to be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner otherwise it will smell like the potty place. get the smaller crate, if the dog can use one side as the pee place and the other as the sleep place then she will. Now does she potty when locked in the crate or only when it is open? What I usually recommend is anytime a dog does not go outside after 20 minutes is to bring her in and crat her for 10 minutes then go back out and repeat. Since she's pottying in her crate it might not work but try that once you get the smaller crate or a crate divider t make it smaller.

If she continues to go in the crate then you'll have to go on super dog watching duty and tie her to yourself. If she does not go when you are out with her then bring her in and tie her leash to you so she must always be with you and you can watch her behavior. At the first sign of potty behaior (sniffing, pacing etc.) pick her up and g outside with her. Stay out for about 15 minutes and if she won't go then back in and repeat. While outside walk around the yard at a leisurley (sp?) pace to get her bowels moving.

If she is a "dirty dog" (dog who potties in a crate ythat is the appropriate size) then you'll have to watch her very closely all the time in order to prevent accidents.

Start feeding her in her crate so it is more of a eating place than a pooping place, it might help, might not.
 
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#3
A couple of things...

If your dog isn't doing well with crate training, you might try doing "umbilical cord training" with your dog... this is a good method for dogs who just don't seem to be getting it. It's probably best to start this on a weekend or at a time when you'll be spending a lot of time at home with your dog.

You'll keep the dog on leash with you in the house at all times, which will prevent her from sneaking off and having accidents. If she tries to have an accident, she'll be right there next to you so you can catch her, stop her and get her outside to finish up.

Since she's a little one, you can also carry her around or have her in your lap... the idea is just for her to not have one unsupervised second in the house.

You should definitely get a smaller crate... one just big enough for her to stand up, turn around and lay down in is the right size for most dogs. Also, you can experiment with bedding in her crate... some dogs have more accidents in a crate with bedding, some have more accidents without bedding, so try both to see which is better.

Also, you can try feeding her in her crate (it's fine to have the door open when you do this), and try giving her a special treat that she gets only in her crate... a pig ear, a peanut-butter and kibble stuffed Kong toy, etc. This will help her to stop thinking of her crate as a toilet!

If possible, try to have her in her crate only when she's empty... put her in for short periods after she's gone potty outside and when she hasn't just had anything to eat or drink.

Teach her to potty promptly when she goes outside... it sounds like she's getting distracted when she's out there and not getting the job done. The easiest way to do this is to take her out to a specific potty spot on leash and wait a couple of minutes for her to go. Praise her and let her run around and play as a reward if she goes. If she doesn't go, take her inside, supervise her closely to prevent accidents, then try again later. Do this consistently over a couple of days, and she'll learn that she doesn't get to have any fun outside until AFTER a successful potty, so she'll be motivated to go quicky.

I hope this helps!
 

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