# Desperate ! Pippa's almost 3 and STILL not potty trained.



## wanda (Mar 31, 2013)

It's totally my fault,not hers.This is my first time ever raising a dog from infancy.And I'm not computer savvy,so I had no clue that I could go to the internet and find places,such as this,to help me on my journey.My husband and I fell in love with her immediately,even though neither of us knew how to raise a puppy in the house.We both had only had outdoor dogs.Then,my husband talked me into letting her sleep with us when she was only a few weeks old.Which was a major mistake,because she would have "accidents" during the night (sounds so gross,I know).Also,neither of us had ever used a crate,so it seemed "creul" to lock her up in there...lol...so my husband would let her out almost as soon as I would put her in it.So,needless to say,we haven't done very well in the potty training.She will go pee and poo both real well when we are outside.But ,inside ,she will "occaisionally" use the pee pads,but she mostly potty's anywhere on the floor's,AND our bed and couch !! To the point that we are going to have to purchase new ones soon.Also,she will potty on our clothes,towels,blankets,. I am partially disabled,so going outside real regular is very hard for me. We are definately not mean to her,nor is she alone a lot,so I don't think this is actions because she is mad at us.Is there any hope ? Have I just totally screwed up in the training department ?? We will never get rid of her,but I sure wish I could get her trained.Any suggestions??


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

To get her trained will mean taking her back to the very beginning, as if she were a tiny puppy. And then, it will probably take longer than it would with a puppy, because she already has very well established bad habits that need to be overcome. I really think you need a local trainer who can work with you intensively to set your little girl up for success. It may take some creativity because of your disability, and someone local can help you find a system that works for both you and her. You will also need to insist that tour husband harden his heart and do what is right to get your girl trained, becuase it's the right thing to do for HER as well as for you two.


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## Beau's mom (Oct 6, 2011)

In the meantime -- doggy diapers. It will at least give you peace of mind about your house and furniture. Most pet supplies stores have them. But, work on getting a trainer to help.


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## swaye (Mar 28, 2013)

krandall said:


> To get her trained will mean taking her back to the very beginning, as if she were a tiny puppy. And then, it will probably take longer than it would with a puppy, because she already has very well established bad habits that need to be overcome. I really think you need a local trainer who can work with you intensively to set your little girl up for success. It may take some creativity because of your disability, and someone local can help you find a system that works for both you and her. You will also need to insist that tour husband harden his heart and do what is right to get your girl trained, becuase it's the right thing to do for HER as well as for you two.


Do not dispair. Many older rescued dogs have learned not to go the house. It will take perseverance and consistency. There are sites on the Internet how to house train an older dog. I think the ASPCA has some info. Karen has given good advice and encouragement. She is very savvy Hav person. However, I know that trainers are not always an option for many, either geographically or financially. If this is an option for you, please go there first and as soon as possible. A positive reinforcement trainer is what you want. As you know Havs do not respond well to harsh training methods. Good luck and come back with questions and progress. People on this forum care about the Havs and their owners.


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## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

You can go to www.havaneserescue.com they have links to all types of training. Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

wanda said:


> It's totally my fault,not hers.This is my first time ever raising a dog from infancy.And I'm not computer savvy,so I had no clue that I could go to the internet and find places,such as this,to help me on my journey.My husband and I fell in love with her immediately,even though neither of us knew how to raise a puppy in the house.We both had only had outdoor dogs.Then,my husband talked me into letting her sleep with us when she was only a few weeks old.Which was a major mistake,because she would have "accidents" during the night (sounds so gross,I know).Also,neither of us had ever used a crate,so it seemed "creul" to lock her up in there...lol...so my husband would let her out almost as soon as I would put her in it.So,needless to say,we haven't done very well in the potty training.She will go pee and poo both real well when we are outside.But ,inside ,she will "occaisionally" use the pee pads,but she mostly potty's anywhere on the floor's,AND our bed and couch !! To the point that we are going to have to purchase new ones soon.Also,she will potty on our clothes,towels,blankets,. I am partially disabled,so going outside real regular is very hard for me. We are definately not mean to her,nor is she alone a lot,so I don't think this is actions because she is mad at us.Is there any hope ? Have I just totally screwed up in the training department ?? We will never get rid of her,but I sure wish I could get her trained.Any suggestions??


 She has been spayed right? Some females develop incontinence due to spaying early. You might want to also check for a bladder infection just in case that might be her problem. The best first step is to totally get all the areas she has had accidents cleaned and the smell gone. I was told vinegar and hydrogen peroxide will take the odor out. You can find the amounts on line. Your next couch should be one like fake leather .It would be a drag to buy something and have her ruin it. I'm in the same boat here but not as bad. Mine do really good when I'm home. I trained with a bell at the door and that works good. It takes a lot of consistency to house train and it sounds like the bed has been a problem so that would be a good baby step to have her sleep somewhere else for awhile. I bought some backing soda carpet powder to try to get some of the sent out but really need new rugs. Mine do 99% better when their environment is totally sanitized where they don't smell the old accident. Some people have their dog leashed to them all day to really control where they are going and what their doing.I don't know if that would work for you being handicapped? Mine have had a few accidents on my bed and I have no idea why. I raised them to sleep with me and for the most part its fine.If I leave towels or clothes around one (I think its zoey) Will pee on them. I contribute these accidents to training her on a washable pad and then potty pads.She never goes on hard surfaces. So for now you could try the carpet backing soda for animals on your couch and read the directions. It might help.I don't like crates I wouldn't leave mine for more than a couple hours I think its mean IMO.


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