Archived Message

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Jeannie

Hello! We just bought a 12 week old Maltese female. Her name is Ellii. She is not housebroken at all. I have started to paper train her and she is not doing well at all. I take her outside and she is so fascinated with the grass, flowers, etc, that she doesn't do anything but eat them. I have left a little of her mess on the paper for scent sake. I have brought some of it outside for scent sake. I know this will take time and praise for her to get the picture. My real question is: If she does start using the paper, will it be difficult to transfer that habit to using the outdoors? Ultimately, I would like her to use the outdoors. We live in a second story building, so it's not easy to get her outdoors WHILE she is making her mistake. Some people have said that once she connects using the paper, she will ALWAYS use the paper. Is there anyone out there that has gone from paper to outdoors? Successfully? Thanks so much for your time. I live on Kodiak Island in Alaska, so being able to have access to these kinds of questions is a real Godsend. Thanks again.

DISCUSSION:

It is possible. We use both newspapers, when the dog is left at home while we are at work, and when we are home, we goes outdoors. We got our puppy in December, (in Minnesota, so it was very cold) so when he was brought outside to do his business, he always did it quickly, so he could get back inside where it was warm. When he started to go we would always say "go potty" and praise him when he finished. Now he can "go" on command which comes in handy, when you want him to go outside, before you need to leave the house. I think praise when your dog does the correct thing is very important, so just keep a close eye on her, and she will catch on. Some people use those wee-wee pads, but I heard in Alaska they can be pretty expensive. Good Luck!
-Patti

We originally trained "Princess" to use paper indoors. She caught on well. After about a month and a half, we started taking her outside for extended periods. She quickly caught on that it was o.k. to "go" outside. She prefers outside, but if it is not possible to take her for a walk (at 2:30 am!!!), she uses the paper without a problem. We adopted a second maltese puppy about six months later and he learned quickly from the proper rules from Princess. Careful about eating outdoor plants though! Some can be poisonous. There is a good section on this board about poisonous plants. Good Luck
-Chuck Norman

Here's my experience: I got my puppy 18 months ago on January 4th in the heart of one of the worst Boston winters ever. That was the winter that we had 110 inches of snow, and I decided early on that it was way too cold to take a tiny 10 week old puppy outside. (We did take her out for a few minutes here and there to play with a sweater on, but no more than 10 minutes or so once a day. (She likes to watch Dad shovel.)

When we first got her, she had accidents all over the house because I made the mistake of putting her newspaper in her dog crate. Her dog crate is big enough to a bed in back and paper in the front. I learned early on that dogs don't want to go where they sleep! (Would we?) Anyway, as soon as I moved the paper to a better location, she was instantly newspaper trained. We kept that up for the remainder of the winter (4 months). By spring, I wanted to teach her to go outside.

No matter what I do, my Chilli REFUSES to go outside. I'm lucky that my pup always tries very, very hard to be good and to please us. However, she thinks that paper is good, anywhere else is bad. I've done everything under the sun - brought messy paper outside, bought spray which is supposed to make them go and sprayed the outside area for her. I kept her outside once for a long time when I KNEW she had to go really bad. She just stood there crying and trembling until I brought her in to go. I've brought her around other dogs who went outside right in front of her and were praised for it. And when she's inside, she'll go on command. Outside, it means nothing!.

No matter what I try, she won't go outside. I've talked to my vet and done everything he's suggested. So I've officially given up. She's much happier going inside, and in the rain, I'll probably be too (for her coat's sake).

My expierence with this could be pretty unique - I'm not sure if others have had this problem and I'd love to hear if they have. I used to joke with my husband that as a last resort, he's have to start going outside himself to set Chilli a good example!

I think it is important for you to decide what will work out best for your situation early on. Lots of dogs go indoors and outdoors, but some don't. So a little planning can go a long way. Good luck!
-Wendy

Jeannie - If I lived in Alaska and on the second floor I would be the local newspapers best customer for endrolls! Some people don't like to use paper because the ends of the coat get stained. But, if you train your puppy to paper then get a sanitary grate (the kind they make to fit in VariKennels) and put that over the paper, you can eliminate the stained coat problem and the dog can do its business in comfort (and you don't have to go out in the cold either).
-Vivian-Fantasia Maltese

My little 4 month old male is trained to use the wee wee pads and he will also go outside. He has no problem doing both. I trained him first to go to the pad. Then I took a used pad outside. He caught on quickly. Remember to teach your dog a word or phrase to get her to eliminate when you want her to. Mine is "do your business." I like the convenience of the wee wee pad. I don't want to go out during a thunderstorm; why would the dog want to? I get the wee wee pads at K-Mart. $6.99 for 32. That is a month's supply or more.
-April B.

My two little ones have never once gone outside. both have been fully wee wee pad trained and it works perfectly for us. as far as cost goes i order a major supply from one of the catalogues so they do last me a good period of time. we live in florida and the fleas are horrible here so between that and being lazy too, i never wanted to start with them going outside.
-PAT

When I brought home our Munchkin, who is now 4 mo. old, I made the decision to train him to potty inside. I use human chucks, which are much less expensive than wee-wee pads in a Puppy John. In training him, I taught him to go on command, & now, even when we're outside, he will do his business if I tell him it's OK when we're in the yard or on a walk. I do know that a lot of people have trouble getting their dog to do both, so why not decide which you'd prefer & focus on that. If you say a key word or phrase like "go potty" when he starts to go & reward him when he's successful he'll soon get the idea. Once you get him to go on command, you can try to extend it to the outdoors as well. Keep us posted on your progress.
-Carole W.

Since I have lived in Alaska for 47 years, what with working (before I retired) and our long, sometimes harsh winters, I train my Maltese to papers first. I start paper-training while puppies are still in the whelping box with mom, then use both wee wee pads and the great outdoors when weather permits. While is Arizona this winter, I even trained all of the Maltese to use a doggy door to go outside--even the 7-year-old learned quickly. The "princess" however--my "special" which I am showing right now--is so trained to wee wee pads that I had to put them outside for her before she would potty. No one else has ever had a transition problem--they seem to understand instinctively. My special is the only one who will not go outside unless a pad is down. I cannot change it, so...I just put a wee wee pad outside for her. She has me trained too. (:) As long as she uses the papers, I'd go for it!!!
-Linda (Snow Angel)

My Lucas is 8 months old. I trained him to go on wee pads in a cageand he did great with that until my boyfriend's dog "taught" him to go outside. Since then, Lucas will still go both places, but I have been having alot of trouble wit him marking my furniture...this marking is a new thing, one I hope will end after neutering him. I go to a medical supply store and get the blue pads (wee pads) at a good price. I pay about 6 dollars for 38 or so. I have checked prices at drug stores and it is outrageous, as well as paying 7 dollars for 14 wee pads (the going rate in Michigan)I am a nurse, and use the blue pads all the time on my elderly patients. They work well, and are the basically the same thing as the wee pads....
-Missy