# Housebreaking an older dog



## Squirt (Oct 10, 2007)

I just acquired a 1 year old Havanese. I got her from a breeder who obtained her as a pick of the litter for a stud fee. He quit showing her when it became obvious she would not be large enough; she weighs 4.5 pounds. Both the breeder and my vet say she won't grow any more. 

Anyway, she's been at our house for 2 days. The first day we had no accidents in the house, she went outside and we praised appropriately. The second day she pooped outside twice, but urinated in the house three times. The last time she urinated, it was after returning indoors after being outdoors for about 30 min. This morning she urinated outside, then came inside and squatted in the bathroom, releasing a few drops of urine. I have not seen anything that resembles a signal that she needs to go outside. When she urinates she quietly goes off to the back of the house. 

Right now we do not have a gate to confine her in the living room. I will get one as soon as I can. We crate her at night and she sleeps all night with no accidents. 

My vet says I should crate her for a couple of weeks to housetrain her. My question is exactly how do I do this? I can't imagine leaving her in the crate every second she is not outside, but that is what I understood the vet to say. She doesn't mind the crate as long as we are in the room. In fact, as I was typing this she walked in the crate and laid down. When she is in the crate she gets upset and whines every time I leave the room, but quiets when I return. When she is out of the crate she is never more than two feet from my side (except when she quietly walked to the back of the house to urinate).

Also, how do I relate "go potty" with actually doing the deed. I can say that all day, but it is obvious she has no clue as to what she is supposed to do. When she does go, I praise and say "go potty" repeatedly. Is this the way to do it?

Thanks for your help.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

First off, :welcome: to the forum!

Crate training, like your vet suggested, would be the way I would go. She would have to spend about 80% of her time in the crate. The way you should do it is the minute she gets up and you take her out of the crate, take her straight outside and say Go Potty (say it only once). Wait. As soon as the does, pet her and praise her saying Good Potty, Good Potty. Make sure she goes. If you spend 10-15 minutes out there and she doesn't go, it's back in the crate. Wait 15 minutes. Take her straight outside (carry her if you must). Say Go potty again. If she doesn't go, it's back in the crate for another 15 minutes. And so on, until she goes. When that happens, Praise her LOTS.

Now give her play time inside the house. For puppies, this is supposed to be for about 30-40 minutes... since she's older, though, she might not need to go again so soon, but it's up to you how often you want her to go back into the crate. If you notice that she had an accident, then the play time has to be shortened. Does that make sense? Then it's back in the crate until her next potty time. The only time she's out of the crate is when you can watch her CONSTANTLY and it's her play time. That is it. This way, she is earning her freedom as she gets better at house training.

Good luck!


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## Squirt (Oct 10, 2007)

Thank you, Lina.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I agree with Lina. The crate will teach her she can't just go anytime she pleases. During her FREE time, just make sure you watch her closely and correct her if she has an accident. Catching her in the act and showing her where she should be going is the key.


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## Amy R. (Jul 1, 2007)

I didn't like crating my puppy during the day, period. To me (and I'm not judging anyone else) it seems inhumane, and I didn't want him to confuse day with night and mess up his sleeping so well in his crate at night.

So I confined him to an ex-pen while housebreaking him, with pee-pad instead. Since your dog is older with a larger bladder, you can probably forget the pad and just try the ex-pen as confinement. I put a bed and his food dishes and a toy in there as well, because they dislike soiling where they eat and sleep And I took him out constantly. 

He has been totally reliable since 6 mos of age and is now one and has total run of the house. So this is a variation you could try if the crate doesn't work out or you don't feel comfortable crating him. Good luck, and WELCOME.


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## Squirt (Oct 10, 2007)

Thanks for the replies. 

I am comfortable crating her during the day, but probably not quite as much as recommended. Twice this afternoon she has gone in there to sleep without being asked, and I didn't shut the door because we were right there in the living room. I am going to gate off the living room so that she doesn't have the run of the house, and let her out quite a bit while we are in the living room with her. I just took her outside with no results, so I put her in the crate (she promptly went back too sleep) and will try again in 20 or 30 min.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Squirt said:


> I just acquired a 1 year old Havanese. I got her from a breeder who obtained her as a pick of the litter for a stud fee. He quit showing her when it became obvious she would not be large enough; she weighs 4.5 pounds. Both the breeder and my vet say she won't grow any more.
> 
> Anyway, she's been at our house for 2 days. The first day we had no accidents in the house, she went outside and we praised appropriately. The second day she pooped outside twice, but urinated in the house three times. The last time she urinated, it was after returning indoors after being outdoors for about 30 min. This morning she urinated outside, then came inside and squatted in the bathroom, releasing a few drops of urine. I have not seen anything that resembles a signal that she needs to go outside. When she urinates she quietly goes off to the back of the house.
> 
> ...


Hi and :welcome: to the forum! What is your dog's name? She is very tiny at 4.5 lbs! Wow, and I thought mine was little. lol

Did you ask the breeder if she was potty trained to outside or pads or if she was having accidents there?

At only 2 days in her new home, she is still adjusting and so are you and your family. You can go back to basics and start with scheduled feeding and water, I think it is easier to housebreak if you do NOT leave food and water out all day long. Generally, they'll go poop within an hour after their meals. My girl goes about 30 min. after. Take her out every hour and say "go potty", I also would _repeat_ "go potty" while she was going, so she did learn what it meant, and then follow up w/ praise, treat, etc.

You may want to consider hanging bells. There is a thread here called "Ring the Bell" 
http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=386&highlight=ring+bell
or
http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=1851&highlight=ring+bell

Several Hav owners on here, including myself..have had *GREAT* success with this notification system, since Havanese are generally a very quiet breed and don't bark alot. I purchased small cow bells and ribbon from Michael's and hung it on the door. Teach her to ring that to go outside.

I can't answer any questions on caging, I've never used one, but hopefully someone can answer more question on timing, etc. I think there are some threads on it, too.

What a wonderful surge lately of new puppy/dog owners!  You'll find, you now own the best breed in the world and the Havanese community is the best!

Kara


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## Squirt (Oct 10, 2007)

So far Squirt's potty training is going well. We have blocked off the all rooms but the living room and have the crate in there as well (except at night when we move it to the bedroom). When she is out of the crate we are able to watch her constantly. I noticed her looking for a place to poo in the living room this morning so took her out where she did her business right away. She hasn't given me any signals that she needs to go, but perhaps I haven't given her much of a chance. If it has been 3 or 4 hours, I take her out.

She's been getting plenty of active play time, both inside and out, and plenty of walks. But I worry that all she does is sleep when she's in the crate, but then again I suppose she'd sleep a lot not in the crate as well. 

She has less anxiety in the crate if I leave the room. At first she hated it if I left the room and she'd whine or howl constantly. My husband come and go all he wants, I am the one she is attached to.

The breeder said they'd leave a door open and she would go outside when she needed to go. But I really think she just didn't get much attention once they realized she wouldn't grow enough to show. Plus their dogs are in outside a lot anyway -- I am in South Florida. Leaving a door isn't an option for us. 

Another consideration is that the breeder was in the process of moving, so she's had lots of different homes the last couple of weeks.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

Give some thought to the bells! They have worked great for so many of us, an open door is not an option in this house either!

I'm glad its going better  You can also let her sit with you on the couch (if she's allowed on furniture) and rub her belly and relax her, and also give treats. I did this with Gucci when she was a pup, sometimes. She will always come to that spot and nap or start hitting keys on my laptop when she wants some lovin'. That way, you can help her start to learn that she is "*SAFE*" outside of the crate.

I think its great that she feels safe in it....however, since she is now at her "_forever_" home, help ease her into a safe feeling no matter where she is in the house. Know what I mean?

I have never really understood how someone could give up a dog they have been attached to and love...I think it would be really hard.

Signals to go "potty" can be very subtle. Gucci would just tilt her head and look at me a certain way. lol, Granted, the bells are much much easier! She'll run to jingle those now. I bet over the next few weeks she will really get into the groove of things, just help her along and encourage her to be social with you and your family. Let her know its okay to take a nap at your feet during the day  And she is safe and loved.

Kara


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## Amy R. (Jul 1, 2007)

Signals to go potty are subtle. But I think they all give them. Biscuit walks up to me and gives me a penetrating stare. And sometimes does this at the door. Squirt sounds like he's doing great, considering all the changes he's been through recently. And he's now found a wonderful home!


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## Barney's Mom (Nov 24, 2006)

*Same signal, different dog!*

Barney also gives me the penetrating stares....when he wants to go potty! I didn't recognize this signal early on...just thought he was gazing at his favorite person in the world often during the day!!!!! Crazy me!

Now, when I catch him staring...I ask him if he needs to go outside and he then starts jumping around and if I continue to ask..he will then give me a bark or two.

I'm sure you all don't remember, but Barney was 18 months old when we "rescued" him...and it took about 8 months for us to get our routine down well enough to avoid all accidents...but we are on a roll right now! I can't imagine my life without him!

Marge


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

Hey Squirt----how's the house trainning going?


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## Squirt (Oct 10, 2007)

Thanks for asking!

Things are going well. I have had these two weeks off work so I am home with her all the time. Since my post we have had only one accident and that was my fault. I just took her out and she piddled. I came in and went back to bed, and Squirt stayed up with DH. She came and whined at my bedside but I ignored her, thinking she just wanted up in the bed with me. Pretty soon DH is telling me to get up to tend to her as she just pooed in the house. LOL I use the crate only for night time or if I am gone from the house. Otherwise we are watching her carefully and making sure she is never in another room alone. We also have the living room gated off if we can't watch her quite as close. Her signal seems to be standing at the door and looking at it. We're working on the bells, but she hasn't used them as a signal yet.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

That's great Peg! I'm glad that things are going well with Squirt.


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## Squirt (Oct 10, 2007)

I just thought I would give an update. We have not had an accident since my last post. Squirt is sometimes ringing the bell to go outside and sometimes standing at the door and giving a soft bark. She hasn't yet made the distinction between ringing the bell to go out side to potty and going outside to play, but we're working on it. Sometimes if she seems to be playing with the bell, I put it up out of reach. 

We are only using the crate at night but leave it open in the living room during the day. The living room is gated if we leave her alone in the house so she can't go in any other rooms. We're working on her separation anxiety and I really think it is getting better. She does better if she can see out the window instead of being in the crate.


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

Peg that is such great news! It sounds like Squirt is growing up!!


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

:clap2: Yay, Squirt! You go, girl! :cheer2:


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## Amy R. (Jul 1, 2007)

Sounds like you're doing a great job with Squirt!


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

That's a great update, Peg!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Peg, how wonderful that Squirt's been doing so well!


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