# Mill puppy house training



## princessp (Aug 2, 2009)

Sorry if this has been answered before, but I searched and didn't find anything about this. We have 2 Havs, Sami and Darin. Both were rescues, but Sami was from a pet rescue shelter and Darin is a puppymill survivor we got thru HALO. Sami was potty trained in about 6 months (she was 11 months when we got her) and she mostly goes outdoors, but will use the pee pads if we aren't home. Darin (who was 5 months old when we got him and is now almost a year old) has learned to use the pee pads for peeing very consistently, or will go outside with the other dogs. However, pooping is another story. He will go in the general vicinity of the pad but because he "travels" around, it doesn't end up on the pad. I didn't want to use a crate for him because of him being a puppymill dog, and because we tried crate training Sami when we got her and she would just go in the crate and made a huge mess.

We bought some gates and tried putting Darin in the gated area, but it is too big (we really don't have a good area in our house to gate) so he didn't always poop on the pads and would do it by the gate, and made a big mess. So, this weekend, be got an expen and I put pads down in it, but when I came home, he had slid the expen around, all the pads were bunched up and the poop was spread all over. He doesn't seem to care if he steps in it which is what makes crate training work, the dogs don't want to eliminate where they eat and sleep, etc. 

Since he is so skittish, if we do catch him in the act, and say "Go outdoors" it freaks him out and he runs from us, flinging poo everywhere. 

I am mostly concerned with what to do with him while we are not at home. He isn't alone for long periods, since my oldest son is home between classes at community college and I get home from work at 2:00.

Thanks for any advice.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

It sure sounds like he's doing well to me, but I can also understand not loving it when there's a mess. If he is close but sorta misses the pad does he stay out of it when not penned in? Have you tried leaving two pads down. ots of owners with pad trained pups say they don't like to use the same pad for pee as they do poop. Could you put in a doggie door? Some people use a doggie door to an outside enclosure for potty time.

I'd love to do the doggie door thing, but I have a poop eater and he would think it was an outdoor restaurant. uke:


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Vicky, I totally understand your frustration. Galen is a mill puppy until 4 months. She could care less what she lies on or walks in. She has access to the outside many times a day. If she happens to have the urge when she is out she goes, if not 5 minutes later she will go in the house when the urge hits. She doesn't try to hide so I know she does not get it. Dogs that hides know they are not supposed do what they are doing.

To give her some credit&#8230;&#8230;occasionally she will come to me, we go out and she does her business. If we are in the room with the pee pad she uses it. I am constantly cheering her on when she does go outside or on the pads. Close to the pads even counts, just not on my rugs or carpets. She just about has me house broke, so we go out at least once an hour.

The difference in Galen and Smarty are many, one major thing is their cleanliness. Smarty would never lie down on a dirty pee pad, she wouldn't even walk on it, but not Galen dirty or clean it is the same to her.

If I do catch her in the act she is given a sharp "NO" and out she goes or to the pads. I'd rather not have pads in the house but for now there is no other option with her.

This was one of our experience with Galen

http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=9115&highlight=galen+adventure


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## princessp (Aug 2, 2009)

We do use multiple pads. I put them down where I noticed he was going the most, and it worked, for the most part. He always pees on the pads and will pee once on each pad, and then start over if need be! And, yes, when he is not penned up, he will poop close to the pads, but usually misses by a few inches. I even keep one or two pads in the bedroom and sometimes will hear him peeing on the pad in the middle of the night (which is OK). We don't have any carpeting in our house, so I don't have to worry about rugs getting messed up.

Sandi, that was too funny about Galen and the bathroom mess! Darin has made great progress since we've had him. He always goes out with Molly (our non-Hav) who never goes in the house! He is now starting to come to us when we are standing and loves to come up and cuddle on the couch. I usually lay about 3 pads down in the dining room, which is where he likes to go, along the back wall. I just don't know how to get him to quit moving around so much while he's in the act so it stays on target!


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Vicky, I’m glad my Smarty is totally house trained she is a circler when she poops. Round and round she goes. She would always miss a pad now it is always in our wooded area


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## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

I think rescuing those animals was just a wonderful thing (Vicky and Sandi)!

If you need an exercise pen that doesn't move around, I got a great one with a lid at http://www.digitpet.com/product_group.cfm?cid=1001,2006,3022&pid=12050M
Before I got this one, he moved the old one around, and it almost collapsed on him. 
The new one from digitpet doesn't move at all. I still use it when I'm gone because he will, despite being almost three, have accidents if he's scared, excited, etc. It's huge, and you can fit a bed, pee pad, food and water, and they still have room to walk in. You could also get an extra large crate with a pan floor, so that it doesn't feel like you are confining them in a small crate. Marble goes in circles, too, so I can see where you're having a hard time keeping it on the pee pad.

Perhaps someone else with a rescue will have some advice on the potty training. Keep up the good work!

Gina


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Vicky, I have to say that the problem you are experiencing seems to be very common with the mill dogs. My foster from the WI puppy mill was in the mill for about 5 years. She knew nothing about outdoor or pad pottying. Whens she came to me, I just took her out A LOT, and although she would not let me hug her, we still had big potty parties when she went outside. Maddie also seemed to think nothing of just going anywhere- as that is what she did for so long. Her new adoptive father says that she still is not very good at making it to the pad (they live in an apartment) 
I am not sure if there is too much you can do, except maybe be very diligent about taking him out - say every 1/2 hour. I know it is a pain, but perhaps if he continually goes outdoors, and you treat and do a potty party, he will eventually "get it" 
My Mill girl was a big challenge in many ways BUT such a blessing, and a wonderful experience for me and my pups. I love to hear all about her milestones and progress. 
Good luck to you.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Vicky, this is such a huge challenge. Even getting your Hav as a puppy doesn't mean the housetraining will go perfectly. I have seen and cared for, at our SPCA, many dogs/puppies seized from mills and I know how next to impossible it can be to get them to understand that you don't want them eliminating in the house or crate. I give you props for trying and for loving Darin and wanting to find whatever works best for him. Has HALO's or HRI's sites helpful with this issue?


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