# Advice for my puppy's potty training please



## nickiklaus (Dec 10, 2011)

Please give me advice for potty training my puppy ! this is the story: 
She is a 8 month old havanese 
We got he at 5 months old and she came already trained to go on pee pads (the breeder did) 
So we decided ok we will do that ! (we had originally planned to train her to go on the balcony Because our other dog does this. she goes on the balcony and on walks. SO we stuck to the pee pads up until a week ago. Because i don't know why but she started to pee wherever, whenever completely missing the pee pads.
So one day while i was sleeping apparently she peed completely in the center of the room not near pee pads right in front of my Dad. My dad got angry said NO BAD GIRL nose rubbed on the pee, and put her on the pee pads to say go only on the pee pads ! (he did this when he caught her in the act, not after) well apparently she did not understand what he was trying to say because it has been 3 days now she has never peed on the floor in the house now she only pees on walks (2 walks a day) and if she can't hold it, her bed or on blankets (places we won't find it) While it's great she pees on walks now (she didn't used to) i want her to pee on the balcony like our other dog. WHY? because, i don't like how she has to hold it in for hours and i don't wanna take her for like 5 walks a day because we are on the 7th floor and there is no elevator. 
SO now we are just surveilling her all the time and hoping that she pees in the house to say NO! nose rub and put her on the balcony so she understand we want her to pee on the balcony.
Right now she is holding it in until she can get walked in the morning and evening, and i don't like that.
ANYWAY now you know the story, please tell me how i can train her to go on the balcony? and to make her not so afraid to go in the house so we can catch her ! lol  
Thanks in advance ! 
Nickiklaus


----------



## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

You shouldn't be TRYING to catch her and punish her, you should only be trying to get her to go on the pads as much as possible and rewarding her for that. It seems like you've made her too terrified to go on the balcony, she believes that's going to get her punished, she knows for sure walks are safe so holds it until then or hides it. Unfortunately we tend to think we're teaching something when the dog is actually learning something entirely different. Chances are your dad was still angry with her when he brought her out to the pads and put her there angrily, likely still with a mad voice, it certainly didn't help her feel like it's safe going out there. Even if he didn't she's probably just trying to be as safe as possible, she doesn't know if the balcony is a safe place to go, she doesn't want to risk getting punished. I would try to prevent all accidents, supervise her very, very well. When she can't be supervised she should be contained to a crate or a play pen or to a small room or the balcony (if that's safe...not too hot/sunny, no birds of prey, no way she can jump off, etc.). 

How often do you bring her out to the pad to try and go? She should go out every few hours, it might be helpful for her to see the other dog go pee, many dogs like to pee over another dog's pee. Whenever you see her go potty on the balcony she should get treats and praise, maybe then go in and play with her, it should be a big deal. If you catch her in the act don't rub her nose in it, interrupt her, scoop her up quickly and run her out to the balcony. If she finishes out there praise and treats, if she doesn't oh well, go clean up. 

The key to housebreaking is preventing accidents and rewarding going outside, dogs are creatures of habit, if she only goes on the balcony she'll only want to go on the balcony.


----------



## nickiklaus (Dec 10, 2011)

Thank you for your reply 
She does not go on the pads at all ever since my dad got angry with her. GAH if only he hadn't ! she wouldn't be so scared to pee, and it would be so much easier :-( 
I put her on the balcony ever few hours and pretend i am not watching her so she pees but no luck yet :-( she only pees twice a day now (on the 2 daily walks) she used to be pee constantly when she was on pee pads. Btw we leave her the pee pads its not like we have taken them away she just doesnt go on them ( she only pees on walks ever since he got angry with her. Or on the blanket and her bed when she couldn't hold it anymore (if only we had caught her :/ ) Also everytime my dog wants to go out (she scratches the door to go out ) i put the havanese with her but still nothing...


----------



## Gally (Jan 28, 2012)

If you do catch her going where she isn't supposed to just gently startle her with an "Eh eh" noise to get her to stop and take her out to the correct spot. No yelling or rubbing her nose in it. Hopefully she will finish going where she is supposed to and you can praise and treat her there. Throw a party for her, make it super special because you are trying to overcome some really bad experiences involving pottying.


----------



## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

Maybe try taking her on the balcony with your other dog and when they pee praise the shit out your other dog with lots of treats and affection. Perhaps your new dog will mimic the behaviour?


----------



## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

take her to the balcony often or walk her often. living on the the 7th floor
doesn't mean your dog has to suffer. you shouldn't rub your dogs nose
in it's pee because you won't take her out often or any other reason.


----------



## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

I started using real grass on my balcony for Tiffa and it's working really well. I started ordering patches of sod on Amazon (just look up dog grass) and now I'm growing my own by rotating two boxes. When one dies, I re-seed. I also keep a pee pad out for night time when the patio door is closed. It takes a while longer for some dogs, especially smaller breeds.


----------



## nickiklaus (Dec 10, 2011)

Oh i didn't know noserubbing was bad... thanks for informing me ! 
Yeah she hasnt had any accidents for like 3 days now she just pee/poop on the 2 daily walks she doesn't seem like she needs to go out more when she gets walked in the morning sometimes she doesn't even pee! and only pees in the afternoon walk 
I am taking her out to the balcony every few hours with the other dog thanks kittykat i will try praising my other dog and hope she does the same 
Also i am going to try and teach her to go on command so on the balcony i can tell her the command and hopefully she will go 
and mischiefgrrl unfortunately i have looked into real grass for my balcony too but in japan they only sell those fake plastic grass :-( 
I also have a grass (plastic grass ) pee pad called potty patch she used to go on it all the time when she was younger before the pee pads (we moved it to the balcony coz it stinks too much to keep it in the house) but she wont even go on it !


----------



## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

Are you certain she's not going somewhere in the house? My uncle taught his dog with a lot of punishment and thought his dog was housebroken. Eventually his house started to smell like pee. He knelt down on the floor to try and sniff for a pee spot but when he stood up his knees were soaked, most of the carpet was wet. Turns out the dog had been going under the couch to pee for months and it slowly seeped out through the rug. They wore shoes in the house so never noticed that the rug was getting wet until it started to stink really bad. Supervision and confinement when you cannot supervise are very important to prevent this from happening.


----------



## nickiklaus (Dec 10, 2011)

Yes i am sure shes not going in the house its a small apartment with wood flooring 
BUT I HAVE AMAZING NEWS ! 
SHE WENT ON THE BALCONY ! wooohhoooo !!!!!! and she knows too because i have already put her on the balcony twice and she peed twice !! she finally understood !! ! hallelujah !
the way i did it was i put her out there and closed the door to the balcony and did the curtains so she felt like nobody was watching her !  and gave her a treat when she came back in ! (couldn't give when she did it because i am not with her when she does it)


----------

