[chubby]

My Bichon Frise is female, and now 1 years old.

SHe still needs to be taken out to pee every 3 hours, or she'll go indoors.

She has absolutely no concept of going inside is better than going outside...and this is what I've been doing:

1. Crate training at night so she can't have accidents. DONE!
2. Treating her and praising her extremely handsomely IMMEDIATELY after she goes outside for number 1 and 2.
3. Teaching her to "go pee pee" which she understands because she does it fairly immediately after I say the command words.
4. Coming home at lunch time so the longest she ever has to wait to pee is 4 hours.

I don't undersatnd?!?!?!? Why is my 12 month old not able to hold it beyond 3 hours?!?!? Why does she stil have accidents even if I'm taking her out every 3 hours?

I"M so frustrated, and I thought her blader would mature by now, and when I see 5 month old pomeranians holding it 8 hours it makes me really frustrated and upset.

I feel like this is ruining my mental ability to handle stress as I'm coming home everyday to accidents in her gated area, and always constantly cleaning up pee and poo left right an dcentre when I come home. When I'm home, I watch her CONSTANTLY and NEVER take my eye off her, which means I can't do anything fun anymore since I'm constantly stressed and making sure she's not having an accident.

She doesn't have a UTI or bladder infection, as she's sometimes able to hold it for 8 hours, and doesn't have involuntary bladder movements.

Please help me >.<

 

[Amaryllis]

This is fairly standard for bichons. My mom's was 2 before he could hold it 8 hours. You can't compare one breed to another or one dog to another. It's like asking why your son is taking longer to learn algebra than your daughter did.

Have you thought of training her to a litter box? We have members that have done it. It's really no different than going outside, and then you wouldn't have to stress about it constantly.

 

[chubby]

I have considered a litter box, but she will likely play around in it and throw the stuff all over the place .. she's very playful like that lol..

She is physically able to hold it for 8 hours, just some days she doesn't. There were quite a few times she held it for 8 hours so I don't really know what it is...her routine is the exact same every day and she gets fed the same every day

 

[odiesmom]

My bichon/poodle is almost 5 and still does not like to potty outside if it is too cold or wet and since I live in Alaska that is most of the year. She is wee wee pad trained so I always keep a pad down for her. She is better at pee'ing outside than poopin though she is so worried about her tushy being cold or wet she does this crazy handstand balancing on her front paws to potty outside. She will also wait till my yorkiepoo pees then will go in the same spot . I love her to death but she is an odd little dog lol

 

[chubby]

I left a pee pad for her at home today because I don't want to come home to yet another accident. But I don't want her to get accustomed to peeing on soft surfaces as I have area rugs. Any solution to this??

 

[titiaamor]

[She is physically able to hold it for 8 hours, just some days she doesn't. There were quite a few times she held it for 8 hours so I don't really know what it is...her routine is the exact same every day and she gets fed the same every day [/QUOTE]

I might suggest that she is able to hold it sometimes.

I doubt she is doing this for any other reason other than her being a bichon and being a physical maturity issues with this breed.

 

[chubby]

So now I'm confused.

At first people were telling me to pick up the pee pads because it's confusing her.

Now others are saying it's because she's a Bichon and not physically mature to hold it in yet.

Which is it?? Will having pee pads down for her while I'm away for long stretches of time be confusing for her? Or should I just keep cleaning up her accidents like I've been doing until she hopefully one day is able to (and wants to) hold it in?

 

[Rescued]

So now I'm confused.

At first people were telling me to pick up the pee pads because it's confusing her.

Now others are saying it's because she's a Bichon and not physically mature to hold it in yet.

Which is it?? Will having pee pads down for her while I'm away for long stretches of time be confusing for her? Or should I just keep cleaning up her accidents like I've been doing until she hopefully one day is able to (and wants to) hold it in?

It depends on the individual dog. Without seeing your dog, nobody here can with 100% accuracy "diagnose" the main cause.

have you thought about using a hooded litterbox?

Also- what kind of breeder did she come from? If the breeder didn't start working with them on potty training early, it can make potty training now much harder.

 

[chubby]

The breeder insists that none of the other pups in the litter are having this issue, and that because she was the runt of the litter, she will have more 'issues'. She is now 10 pounds, and 12 months old - within the proper weight range for a Bichon. Because her bladder capacity was so low for so long *i.e having to go every 2 hours until 8 months of age*, I had a pee pad down for her whenever I was away. I know this has set her back quite a bit, but there was no other option but to put her in an ex-pen with a pee pad on the other side.

She's only started sleeping through the night a few months ago (9 or 10 months of age) as before that she had to pee 2 times during the night. Now she is okay throughout the night.

I suspect the breeder did not do a good job with getting her jump started on house training. I don't know why any breeder wouldn't use the method where you have bedding/food on one side and then newspapers on the other side, but I don't know if he used this method let alone let her outside in the backyard to relieve herself. Again, she was so small, that it would've been really difficult to start her housebreaking process that early (i.e. taking her out every 15 minutes).

 

[Rescued]

The breeder insists that none of the other pups in the litter are having this issue, and that because she was the runt of the litter, she will have more 'issues'. She is now 10 pounds, and 12 months old - within the proper weight range for a Bichon. Because her bladder capacity was so low for so long *i.e having to go every 2 hours until 8 months of age*, I had a pee pad down for her whenever I was away. I know this has set her back quite a bit, but there was no other option but to put her in an ex-pen with a pee pad on the other side.

She's only started sleeping through the night a few months ago (9 or 10 months of age) as before that she had to pee 2 times during the night. Now she is okay throughout the night.

I suspect the breeder did not do a good job with getting her jump started on house training. I don't know why any breeder wouldn't use the method where you have bedding/food on one side and then newspapers on the other side, but I don't know if he used this method let alone let her outside in the backyard to relieve herself. Again, she was so small, that it would've been really difficult to start her housebreaking process that early (i.e. taking her out every 15 minutes).

the "seperate sides of an xpen" is really the only method for puppies that small. Toy breeds (as you know) are still notoriously hard to housebreak.

Do you currently give her water and food on a schedule? this could help you determine more specific pee times. Also, at this stage she should be confined to a small area of your house and not have free range- using an xpen or a baby gate.

 

[chubby]

Hi Rescued,
She gets water 24/7 as it's quite hot out and I don't want her to get dehydrated,

For food she gets fed every evening after our walk usually around 6:30-7pm.

She always poos first thing in the morning, and during our even walk and sometimes will have a poo accident sometime while I'm gone at work (9-5pm)

She is on a schedule which looks like this: (what's frustrating is she doesn't even care if she pees inside. She literally does it right in front of me, and stares at me while doing it. I treat her after every time so I have a feeling she doesn't see the positive association with going outside, or that going inside is so self reinforcing that she's happy to do that).

1. 8am - pee and poo
2. 12pm - pee
*will usually have a pee accident at this time
3. 5:30pm - pee (and poo during the walk)*
4. 8-9pm - *will usually have an accident during this time if I'm not watching her like a hawk. So I always take her during this time but I'm watching her like a hawk basically from 7-9pm which is onerous
5. 10:30pm - last pee before bedtime.

She's confined to a small area as I don't live in a house but a 1 bedroom condo, she has no access to the bedroom.

Even if I leave a pee pad down for her, she'll still pee right in front of me in the living room. I use a really good enzymatic cleaner, and she goes in various spots, though in the same general area (living room). I spend time on the floor with her so she associates it as a living area and not as a bathroom, but she's not really getting it still...

 

[Rescued]

a few more questions:

For food she gets fed every evening after our walk

what kind of food? are you feeding 1x/day instead of 2x/day for a reason? I would switch to 2x a day, as I've found that with my smaller dogs and fosters one meal will often cause them to get "plugged up" and lead to accidents, 2x a day seems to be less stress on the system and also easier to time when she goes.

I treat her after every time is she getting a treat even when she goes INSIDE?? This would definitely lead to confusion, she needs to be praised ONLY when going outside, or wherever you want her to go.

 

[osdbmom]

I have a 17 month old yorkie who is the same way. I have done the "right " things with her but she just doesn't seem to get it. If I take her out every couple of hours she goes outside. If I don't then she goes inside. She does not give me signals...no staring or barking or running in circles or sniffing the floor or going to the door.
I'm beginning to think its just how she is....we just have to deal with it Bc she is ours.

 

[chubby]

a few more questions:

For food she gets fed every evening after our walk

what kind of food? are you feeding 1x/day instead of 2x/day for a reason? I would switch to 2x a day, as I've found that with my smaller dogs and fosters one meal will often cause them to get "plugged up" and lead to accidents, 2x a day seems to be less stress on the system and also easier to time when she goes.

I treat her after every time is she getting a treat even when she goes INSIDE?? This would definitely lead to confusion, she needs to be praised ONLY when going outside, or wherever you want her to go.

I only treat her when she goes outside. I give her liver and chicken treats and I usually give her 2-3 pieces and praise as well.

She eats pre-made raw food - Tollden farms. Right now she has Beef & Vegetable and Chicken &Mackerel blends. She eats about 5 ounces a day based on her ideal adult weight (12 pounds so 2-3% of that). I only feed her once a day because she always seemed a lot more hungry at dinner time than in the morning (i.e. because we're more active at night, and she sleeps most of the day). How do you suggest I split up her food? If she eats after her morning pee/poo wouldn't she have to poo again after? By then I might be away for work already :s Also, do you think I should feed her before we go on our walk in the evening?

 

[chubby]

I have a 17 month old yorkie who is the same way. I have done the "right " things with her but she just doesn't seem to get it. If I take her out every couple of hours she goes outside. If I don't then she goes inside. She does not give me signals...no staring or barking or running in circles or sniffing the floor or going to the door.
I'm beginning to think its just how she is....we just have to deal with it Bc she is ours.

It is somewhat comforting to know there are other dogs like Butters, it's just really frustrating as I feel I have to buy pee pads and urine cleaner for the rest of her life and I'd like to spend an evening with her without worrying about her peeing.. Also slipping in puddles of pee and getting injured as a result is not fun

 

[Rescued]

I only treat her when she goes outside. I give her liver and chicken treats and I usually give her 2-3 pieces and praise as well.

How do you suggest I split up her food? If she eats after her morning pee/poo wouldn't she have to poo again after? By then I might be away for work already :s Also, do you think I should feed her before we go on our walk in the evening?

Not much help since today is a monday, but i would start splitting up the food on a weekend and see if anything changes over two days.

if treats dont motivate her....what does she really enjoy? One of my dogs loves chasing a toy, so his "reward" when he was housetraining was to fetch a toy after he went outside.

also, this can get messy and probably wouldnt be ideal if you aren't on the ground floor, but for the first week or two of my foster puppies, i'll pick them up in the middle of peeing inside (if i catch them) and loudly say "AAAT!!" (or no, whatever you use) and usually the startle causes them to hold their pee for a few seconds, giving you time to race outside and set them down. As soon as they resume on the grass, praise them. This ONLY works if you catch them WHILE they're going- as soon as they stop, they can't associate that puddle with what they were doing two seconds ago.

this helps with just the "idea" that going outside is the desired behavior, but as soon as they seem to understand the "NO! inside" .... "YAAYYY yesss good puppy good girl yayayayay!!!! outside" we shift to prevention as much as possible.

when she pees outside- HUGE party! bring out a toy and give it to her when she pees, cuddle her, scratch her butt, feed some liver or hotdog, ect ect.

 

[kafkabeetle]

A relative of mine has two maltese who are exactly like this. She takes them out every few hours when she's home and has a pee pad down all the time (especially when she's not home) just in case. She claims they've never been able to hold it. I'm not sure how old they are but they're both 2+ years old. I've always been inclined to believe she was doing something wrong with her training, but who knows. I hope you're able to find a situation that works out well for you. It may mean keeping pads down if you don't mind that. IMO it'd be better than having her go in other inappropriate places.

 

[Rescued]

and also- i start verbal praise AS SOON as they start peeing, and continue all the way until they're completely done and walking again. start BEFORE they get done.

I know you're probably already doing a lot of this, but just figured I'd throw it out there in case any of it helps. Housetraining is arguably the worst part of owning a dog.

 

[chubby]

Thank you, I will try to be diligent, I guess just sometimes i wake up and I feel really angry and bitter about it, and I feel like i'm putting 1000% effort into it but getting nowhere >.< I appreciate all your help though

 

[osdbmom]

I keep mine crated when I'm gone and very rarely does she go in the crate...but if I let her out into a pen or small room I know she would lee in it.