Why is it so hard to train small dogs to go potty outside?

1. 54

   michelel22posted 15 years ago

   I must be clueless.  Just got a new pup/mini-dachshund and he is driving me crazy.  We go outside every two seconds and he still comes inside to take a pee!  My lab was easy to train.  Everyone keeps telling me that small dogs are harder to train.  Need help.

   replyreport
   1. 72

      raisingmeposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Small dogs are harder to train because they have smaller bladders - I was at my wits ends, thinking I was the stupidest dog owner alive with my two Papillons until I read that toy breeds do not have full control of their bladders until the age of two - one is now three, the other just turned two - presto (well not exactly presto given that it's been two years) but no more "accidents" in the house.  Silly me, now I have a four month old pup so I get to go through it all again - I find that puppy pads in easy to get to places keep about 80% of the messes of the floor.  Don't buy the cheap store brand generic ones as the pee just soaks through them faster than you can pick them up off the floor.  Arm & Hammer makes good ones and they have a scent in them that attracts the dog.

      replyreport
2. 70

   earnestshubposted 15 years ago

   Patience and consistency with rewards. This hub may help read near the top.
   http://hubpages.com/hub/Puppy-behavior-training

   replyreport
3. 82

   habeeposted 15 years ago

   Thank goodness my Great Danes were super-easy to potty train!! lol

   replyreport
4. 86

   izettlposted 15 years ago

   They spend more time inside than outside. Big dogs are better in inclement weather and owners tend to leave them outside longer. My chihuahuas learned to go potty fast if they didn't like the weather because I would leave them outside until they went- keeping track of their eating patterns and knowing when they should go potty (i.e. 1 hour after eating)helps. I honestly had no problems training 2 male chihuahuas. I used a reward system and kennel training. 
   Girl dogs have more bladder control problems.

   replyreport
5. 82

   Whitney05posted 15 years ago

   I agree with raisingme. Small dogs have small bladders, meaning they just need to go out more. My yorkie wasn't fully house trained until he was about 3 or so, and Lord knows it wasn't for lack of trying. What stinks is right when I get him really good, he's now 10 and is losing control again. That's the definitely downfall on small dogs. Puppies and older dogs both lose bladder control and have to go out more, there are only a few years in-between that you get a really good house trained dog.
   
   izettl, Big dogs can spend just as much time inside than outside. I have 2 big dogs in the house. Outside dogs in general aren't going to have a house training problem. Big dogs are house dogs too.

   replyreport
6. 91

   gracenotesposted 15 years ago

   Well, I agree about the toy breeds.  My toy poodle certainly took her time getting fully house-trained.  Definitely more than a year.
   
   My mom had a large stray dog show up as a pup (maybe 1.5 years old), and mom let her stay.  A chow/husky mix, she lived outside for the longest time.
   
   As she got older, she got spoiled, and besides that, it's hot in South Texas with her coat (even though the groomer shaves it off during the warm months).  So mom let her in the house more and more during the day.  She spends hours inside the house sometimes, and has perfect potty manners.

   replyreport