Archived Message

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Olivia

My 9 week old Maxxi does not want to go on the paper and will not even consider a wee-wee pad. She prefers to go all over the carpet and lino. Any suggestions sans the "crate". I really have a hard time warming up to that idea. Will appreciate any help you can offer. Thanks!

DISCUSSION:

The pet store sells a portable fence that I use with my puppies. It can be shaped many ways. I shape it in a rectangular form and put a paper at one end, food and water and toys on the other end. I have a metal pan that I put the paper in, like a puppy john, to keep the puppy from shreding the paper, making it another toy. I know it seems cruel to confine a puppy, but it is better that the puppy becomes house trained, because in the long run, it will enjoy more freedom and you will be comfortable taking it to visit friends, etc. After paper training is done, I start letting them use the dog door and put a paper, used, out side. They learn to use it outside as well. Mine are trained to both, which helps on rainy or cold days when I do not want them outside, or when traveling. They go first to the dog door, if it is not open, the go to their paper area. I do not allow my puppies on carpet. I use dog gates to keep them from those two rooms of the house. When they are completely house trained, I let them on the carpet for visits, but watch them closely at first. There is something about carpet this is fun to go on. It takes a lot of patience to house train. Just about when you think they will never get it, they surprise you and get the concept.
-Marsha A.

Dear Olivia and Maxxi, I did the same as Mardoin...with the portable fence/puppy playpen. I made the area very small...so that the puppies had their bed on a raised canvas & pvc pipe platform....and the grate/tray with newspapers at the other end. They could only go from the bed to the potty area.

If you take them out of this caged area...my vet told me to put them back in this area every hour, and they will catch on. Sometimes little puppies are given too big of an area. You can purchase trays and grates to fit over the top from several catalogs that sell cages. Or you can buy a boot tray and closet organizer shelf to put on the top as a grate. The grate is nice for me....as "oners" :O) flow right thru to the newspaper. I would have to constantly clean off "twelve paws" =:o ....so this really helps me. And Mardoin hit it right on the nose.... :O) It takes a lot of patience and endurance!! Good luck, and if I can help in any other way, you can e-mail me. I sure am not an expert, but sure willing to listen!! Good luck!!
-Bel and the m & m girls

Olivia, Do not be disheartened. Nine weeks is so young. He's too young to have too much unsupervised freedom. He probably does not have the control that an older puppy would have. To expect a 9 week old puppy to have control is like expecting a baby in diapers to use the toilet. Every time you have problems with paper training, revert to square one. At this age he should be given the opportunity to potty in the designated area before and after, play, eating, and sleeping. I don't like the crate training method unless you are at home a lot.
-Sharon