? for chihuahua/toy dog owners

[Jenn]

Hi guys! I have a potty training question for you. When we got Maya from the breeder, she was being litter box trained. Initially, we thought it was a great idea - a dog that you don't have to take out to go potty. But Maya has no interest what-so-ever in the box. If I put her in the litter box, she promptly jumps back out. She will relieve herself next to the box, but never in it. It is much quicker if I just take her outside to go, and then reward her for going potty outside.

My question is, those of you who own a chihuahua or toy breed, do your dogs go potty outside, or do you have them litter box trained? I'm just trying to figure out if I should ditch the litter box, since I don't mind taking her out, or if I just need to put more effort into that training. She is only 3 months, and we've only had her less than 2 weeks, so I know not to expect overnight miracles. But I've never owned a dog this size before and wondered what everyone else does. Thanks!!!!

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

I have 2 mini-weenie dogs and they both go outside to do their business. I tried the litter box trick when they were younger, to no avail. Like you, I found it easier to take them outside and it also got me my exercise in and it helped with the hyperactive behavior they can sometimes show..( the whole doggie Napoleon Syndrome thing )

 

[Riven]

We will never own another dog under 10 lbs... they are so difficult to house train, so I say any way you can get her not to potty all over the house is a good way!

My mom has 3 yorkies and two toy Australian Shepards, and she tried the potty box with no avail. I tried it with my yorkie, he used it a couple times, but that's it.

Good luck, potty training takes patience and time.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I have a doxie and a yorkie and I've potty trained other small breed dogs that I've fostered, including an extremely stubborn chi-weenie. I trained all of them to go outside because to me, that's more natural for them. A litterbox is natural for a cat because they like to bury what they make, but dogs tend to want everyone to see what they made. All six or seven of them did really well with outdoor training. I've found with anything inside the house to prevent accidents just confuses them and encourages more misses than hits.

 

[lilchinchilla]

My girls go both outside and on a pad (not a litter box). We chose to keep the pad around as they grew up, because for us, we are often not always home and the places we go, they can't go with us. They are really well pad trained, don't usually miss the pad though one girl has this weird thing with liking to walk while she goes #2. Ha ha.

My husband dislikes the pad, but I reasoned with him, if we aren't home for one night, what does he expect them to do? They can't be holding themselves all night long. When we are home, they go outside for a walk or in our yard to do their business. I have poms btw.

Now, I have a friend who has chihuahuas and she, I hate to say it, has got to be the laziest person with her dogs. I have visited her home and seen her chihuahuas pee on her Christmas presents, poop in the middle of the kitchen floor, etc... I suggested pad training to her or housebreaking, but she just seems too lazy about it.

Haven't been back to her home since two Christmases ago, and my husband won't let her come visit us if she is planning to bring her two chi's with her. The last time they visited, her dogs peed in the middle of our livingroom carpet, and pooped down the hall. Ryan was practically having a heart attack over it (he is a real real clean freak.).
So I would suggest either housebreaking (which is super easy) or pad training, for those times you might be out grocery shopping or whatever, and can't make it home to take your dog out for pottying the moment they need to go.

 

[Chinwawa]

I have a 10 year old chihuahua and a 4 year old chihuahua. I pad trained them on reusable cotton hospital bed pads that I launder. It worked for us because I am not a morning person and I don't want them out in the extreme cold in winter. I also live in a second floor walk up and cannot let them out anywhere quickly.

If I had it to do all over I would have trained them to go outside. I have to have the pad in the bathroom and that does not work with guests to say the least and I have to do a great deal of extra laundry.

However they trained quickly because the pad was right there and I could put them right on it when they signaled they had to go. Also I do not have to worry in the least if I cannot get home on time.

 

[eroomlorac]

My pug and papillon both go potty outside, as does my Border Collie. I don't really like any dog potty in the house, litter box or not. Also, I think it's important for the mental health of dogs, especially the smaller breeds, to be treated like real dogs. They like to go outside and sniff around. Just my opinion.

 

[3CsMommy]

Having an indoor option can be a good idea in the winter (I see you're in WA), but maybe switching from a box to pads or (if you have the space) a kiddie pool would be more appealing to the dog?

 

[Jenn]

My husband was interested in her being litter box trained, especially in the winter months, but I'm in northwest WA, on the coast, where temps are more moderate. Our cold spells are short, and I don't think a brief visit outdoors in a protected area would hurt her. My dobie, obviously a much larger breed, but yet one that hates the cold as well. The cold weather just encourages him to finish his business quicker. I'm a stay at home mom, and rarely gone for too long out of the house, and I'm thinking should be ok in a crate until I get home. She makes it through the night in her crate without an accident. My desire is to train her to go outdoors, just like the dobie, and it sounds like a lot of you are doing that with your small dogs. If she had more interest in using the litterbox then I may have pushed that direction, but if I can just figure out how to make her understand that outdoors is the only place to go potty, then I think she can be successfully potty trained. It has just been many many years since I've had to train a puppy!