|
|
housebreaking hints?
by Melissa
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
I have a 4 month old female maltese and I am having problems house training her. She has quite a few "accidents". I take her outside frequently and she usually goes outside, but we can't trust her alone anywhere, anytime inside. Many times she doesn't give us a clue that she needs to go. If we see her sniffing the floor, we take her out right away. Any hints or suggestions most welcome.
DISCUSSION:
Melissa, it sounds like you are not restricting your puppy's movements, something you have to do if you dont want accidents and you cant follow your puppy around the house all day. Keep your puppy in an area like the kitchen where accidents are easily cleaned. You may want to utilize a crate for training as well. Take up food and water after 6 p.m. to eliminate nighttime accidents. And, above all, have patience with your baby, because that is what she is. Good luck :)
Sandy, Puff & Trevor
You've come to the right place for advice! Maltese Only is a wealth of information. There is a special section from the Home Page that provides a lot of guidance on Housebreaking. Also, you can check out the Discussion Forums' Archives and access a lot of earlier discussions. Additionally, there are a lot of people here that can give you great assistance. I have learned from others that positive reinforcement is really important. When my little dog potty's outside, my neighbors probably think I have really gone goofy.... I tell him what a good boy he is, with lots of pats & cuddles, and he gets so happy. I had my doubts about crating, but I followed the housebreaking section, and it does work... on puppies, and older dogs as well. My little guy loves his "nap room". Setting a schedule is important, and patience is key. Some dogs housebreak practically overnight, and have accidently rarely. But I think 4 months is still a baby, and it's hard for them to control themselves at this age. Hang in there!
Denise R.
I too had a similar problem with Snowball but I found that patience, consistency, and most of all LOVE made a world of difference. They are like babies and they want to please us. I think you're giving your baby too much free run of the house and this is overwhelming and leading to frequent accidents. I would not take water away from a 4 month old puppy from 6pm on because they need to stay hydrated. I'd be too afraid of dehydration and would rather deal with the mess than have my little one sick. I think all your little one needs is time and before long you'll see the accidents getting fewer and farther between until they're
ALL GONE!!! Good luck and remember unconditional love. Kathy
Kathy
My Max did not catch on till he was almost 6 months. Hang in there. One of these days it'll take.
Sharon
Visit the Largest and Most complete Maltese dog website in the World
Please bear in mind when reading topics pertaining to health issues, that most of these questions were answered by helpful Maltese owners with no formal education in veterinary medicine. When in doubt seek a professionals advice.