Melanie sent this question via Squidoo…
“I recently got a chihuahua puppy about 4 days ago, and having a horrible time with potty training her, especially at night time, when she’s in her crate. I have not been using the divider that came along with the crate, but I put a puppy pad on one end of the crate, and a towel at the other end. She cries constantly all night long, and poops(not on the pad) and tracks it all over the crate. It gets everywhere and I seem to have to give her a bath every morning. What am I doing wrong?? Should I use the divider? What tips can you give me for nighttime?”
This is our suggestion on how to deal with the problem:
Three questions to ask first to narrow down what the problem is
- Has your puppy been properly introduced to the crate or did you just start leaving her in it without any acclimatisation? She may be pooping in it out of anxiety or insecurity (The fact that her time in the crate is accompanied with endless whining also supports this idea). Make sure she is comfortable staying in the crate before you address any other problems. Sometimes it can take days (or weeks) before your dog is happy to be in the crate for any length of time.
- Is she having her last meal of the day too late? Puppies do need feeding more often, but you should try and make sure that her last meal or treat is a good few hours before bedtime and that you have given her every opportunity to have a bowel movement before you send her off to her crate for the night.
- Are you being consistent with her training and feeding/potty regime?
Ok, so you have answered the above questions to narrow down why your chihuahua is proving troublesome to house train, you can work on teh specifics. Here are my top tips for dealing with each of the above:
Make sure she is happy in the crate. This might mean going back to basics by tempting her in there with treats and toys. Leave something with your scent on it close by when she is alone in the crate and maybe even leave a radio on or a recording of your voice. Aim to have her staying in the crate without the door closed, gradually building up the time she spends in it and then closing the door for a few minutes at a time, with you close by at first, then leaving the room from time to time until you are sure she sees it as her “safe place” and not as some form of punishment. Also make sure you do not scold her for any mess you are met with on a morning, as she will form the association that a messy crate gets her your attention.
If necessary, discuss a suitable feeding regime with your vet or the breeder you got her from. Find out what the earliest possible time is that you can give her the last meal (based on her age etc..) and change your timetable accordingly. Then, make sure you have taken her outdoors every hour after that last meal until she has had a bowel movement outside (make sure she is praised for it too) – and always take her to the same spot, so she can focus on pooing in just the one place when at home.
Follow a schedule to the letter. Dogs like consistency. I would also advise that for the first few weeks you also deprive yourself of any lie-ins at the weekend, so that her first toilet break of the day is always around the same time to avoid accidents (you need to set her up for success)
Good luck
