# Potty Issue Advice needed



## JoysJasper (Jan 7, 2018)

Jasper is now 3 1/2 months old. He is being both potty pad and outdoor trained since Montana's weather is so harsh over half of the year. Jasper has his own "room" under the stairs situated in the short hallway between and living room and kitchen. It has a gate on it which open most of the day. He sleeps there at night just fine, and is confined very little, since we are retired and with him all the time. Jasper is doing really well using the Ritchie Potty pad and getting a treat every time. 

Here's the problem. Many times on his way to the Potty Pad he has dribbled in the hallway entrance to his room. The entire floor is wood laminate, while his room is vinyl plank in the same barnwood look pattern. Lately, several times a day he's decided to stop at the entrance and pee on the floor instead of making it ten inches farther and going on the pad. He is being caught in the act, or immediately following and is scolded and put on his pad with "Jasper! No! You go Potty HERE!" Then he gets confined to his room. He sulks quietly in his bed until we let him back out, and he''s very repentant when he gets to come back out. I'm using wee wee spray on the entire area but it isn't stopping the problem. Even when I am right behind him as he heads for the potty, he has sometimes just started peeing in the hall and all the way to the pad. 

What should do? Should I cover the area with more pee pads till he gets it? I tried putting one in the entrance today and he peed on it three times. I don't see this as the best answer. I need advice.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Well, first, He is still a small baby at 3 1/2 months. IT is expecting a LOT of him to have to go any distance to a potty spot. It is the job of the human at this age to make sure he is near the potty when he needs to go.

But the dribbling doesn't sound right... That's something I'd have checked out by the vet. 

Next, unless you catch him IN THE ACT, scolding him will teach him nothing. He's finished by that point, even if it was 3 seconds ago, and you are no punishing him for something different than you think you are. 

He is not being "repentant" when he comes out, nor is he "sulking". He is scared by your actions and trying his best to make up with people he loves. Dogs do not have the capacity to feel guilt or repent. If he could do better, he would.

All early potty training with puppies is the humans making sure that the right behavior happens often and the wrong behavior is PREVENTED. The more often he is allowed to pee in the same area, the more ingrained it gets in his fuzzy little head that this is the place to go.

You need to confine him more closely when you don't have eyes on-supervision (put an expen near where you spend time, so he isn't isolated in a hall) play with him outside the pen actively when you are SURE he has recently eliminated. Do your best to get him either outside or to his potty spot BEFORE he makes a mistake. (carry him if needed... I would have a potty closer to where he is playing for now) Take him to the correct spot and tell him your potty cue. If he goes, have a party. If he doesn't go, put him in his crate or pen. Take him out and ask him to go again in another half hour. Rinse and repeat until he goes and you can have a party. 

Unfortunately, there are no short-cuts to confinement and supervision. The more diligent you are, the faster you will have a reliable dog. (though it is WAY too soon to expect that yet)

And you will have to do your best to get ALL traces of urine smell out of that area where he has had repeated accidents. A lot of us have found that Anti-Icky-Poo is better at really getting rid of odor (that we can't smell but the dogs can!) than Nature's Miracle. At the same time, for a LONG time, until he is MUCH more reliably trained, I would not even allow him on the floor in this area.


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## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

I think Jasper is lovely, he looks like a sable with a collie collar, so ship him my way and I will set him up in a drywalled room with tile floors to dribble on. 

Seriously, what Karen said. Call the vet.

He does look a little forlorn. Could we have a close up picture of Jasper?


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## JoysJasper (Jan 7, 2018)

Thank you both for your response. I'm afraid I won't take you up on your offer to ship him your way. I'm too attached to him to let him go! He's in a drywalled room with a vinyl plank floor that is open to the living room. The hallway is short and actually extends past his room. His left wall in the photo is the living room wall. I couldn't set up an expen any closer than where this is now. There is no door on his room, just a gate that I close at night or if I need to confine him for a short time. He is in and out of his room all day, going in freely to drink or eat or even take nap or grab a toy he had in there. Where I sit in the living room I can see the entrance to his room just 12 feet away. 

I did do some research while waiting for an answer on the forum and found that I'm not the only one with a puppy this age beginning to pee next to the potty pad. I do carry him to his potty a lot, but I'm just going to have to be even more diligent.

I attached a picture taken last week by his groomer with a fresh pedi, sani and face trim. He's so adorable!


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## Henry&Kate (Mar 29, 2017)

Jasper is so very cute. Love his colors. 

I guess my 2 cents is that at 3 1/2 months you almost have to be the one to realize that he needs to go. By the time he realizes it, it's almost too late. So by that I mean, oh we've been playing for 1/2 hour, he's going to want to potty soon, and you pick him and take him to the potty, either inside or out. And they do get pretty predictable - nap then potty, play then potty, eat then potty. But that means you're taking him to potty not relying on him to get there on his own. It won't be long before he has better bladder control. 

another alternative is to have a potty right where you're spending time with him, so he doesn't have to go so far. over the next few weeks you can move it closer to where his final and only potty will be. 

Good luck. He'll improve quite a bit in the next couple of months.


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## Svarner (Feb 22, 2018)

Oh my goodness, Jasper is adorable. He looks so much like Marley. We had the same issues when we got Marley. Through the advice of this forum and my reading lots of training articles, I learned how to be more mindful of confinement and supervision. Witin two weeks, at 4 months, it was like the lightbulb went off and Marley had very few accidents as long as I set her up with success. It should get better soon.


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## JoysJasper (Jan 7, 2018)

Thank you Svarner and Henry&Kate. I think you're right on. I have been depending on him too much to just run to his potty and he's not quite making it there before he goes on the floor just inches away. He was on my husband's lap in his chair last night while I ran to the kitchen. He wanted down, which is a clue! Instead of taking him to his potty, he let him down and told him to go potty. Jasper ran to his potty but let go on the run 18" from his potty. Dave's fault, not Jasper's. Sometimes, if I take him too often, and set him down on his potty and say, "go potty," he'll get frustrated with me, look up and bark and then go crawl into his bed. He's saying, "Mom! I don't have to go." 

As far as moving his potty closer, it wouldn't be much closer anyway. I've attached a picture of him on his "bearskin rug", which is in the living room right beside where I sit and a straight shot to his potty room right across the room. This is where he enjoys his chew toys and naps at my feet during the day. It is also "base" when he gets the zoomies.


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

Love all those photos. Good luck with the potty training.


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## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

Thank you for posting the adorable puppy pictures. I can tell you love your Jasper.

Puppy issues are tough while they are happening, but time and patience will win out.


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## jay_39 (Sep 1, 2017)

Those great posts of insight and advice on potty training. I've saved it for myself! I hope things with Jasper turn around quickly.


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## Cmward (Jun 28, 2017)

Marni said:


> I think Jasper is lovely, he looks like a sable with a collie collar, so ship him my way and I will set him up in a drywalled room with tile floors to dribble on.
> 
> Seriously, what Karen said. Call the vet.
> 
> He does look a little forlorn. Could we have a close up picture of Jasper?


Are you looking for a 4th lol? Jasper is a little cutie, he looks a lot like my little Nico. I was all set to get a black and white parti, the breeder turned out to be less than honest...and a little Nico a red sable Irish pied fell into my lap. I'm fascinated the sable coloring, it looks different every day.


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## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

Cmward said:


> Are you looking for a 4th lol? Jasper is a little cutie, he looks a lot like my little Nico. I was all set to get a black and white parti, the breeder turned out to be less than honest...and a little Nico a red sable Irish pied fell into my lap. I'm fascinated the sable coloring, it looks different every day.


Our sable puppies on this forum are so wonderful. I am also a fan. The transformations are so intriguing. My red sable Kosmo is almost all cream now, with a narrow strip of golden retriever color on his back and head. Zoey was a tricolor sable. She, after her drastic cut, has a lot of white and then silver and little bits of russet on her ears. There is a narrow stripe of russet on her back in the middle of the wide silver(grey) pattern.

People I have grown up with know I will go to shocking lengths for a laugh. I was worried that when I offered to take beautiful Teddy Ruxpin off his humamma's hands that she might think of me as an online stalker. (Like the villain fox in my boyfriend's grandson's Dora the Explorer videos who suddenly materialized out of the bushes.)


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## Cmward (Jun 28, 2017)

Marni said:


> Our sable puppies on this forum are so wonderful. I am also a fan. The transformations are so intriguing. My red sable Kosmo is almost all cream now, with a narrow strip of golden retriever color on his back and head. Zoey was a tricolor sable. She, after her drastic cut, has a lot of white and then silver and little bits of russet on her ears. There is a narrow stripe of russet on her back in the middle of the wide silver(grey) pattern.
> 
> People I have grown up with know I will go to shocking lengths for a laugh. I was worried that when I offered to take beautiful Teddy Ruxpin off his humamma's hands that she might think of me as an online stalker. (Like the villain fox in my boyfriend's grandson's Dora the Explorer videos who suddenly materialized out of the bushes.)


Haha Teddy Ruxpin's color is gorgeous, he came from a breeder that is a good friend of Nico's breeder. I'm watching Nico's color and one day it looks like he'll fade out like Kosmo and other days he looks very red (like today). He comes from Pillow Talk and Blue Temptation lines and most of the dogs in his pedigree have held their red or are black and white...So I've been watching Nico's roots closer than I watch my own lol. I've promised the breeders I will not let my trusted groomer cut anything off his colored areas yet lol. He has gorgeous areas of a dark reddish gold that I'd be thrilled if he kept. Heck I'd be thrilled if my hair stylist could tone my highlights that color lol.


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## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

Our fur kids do have enviably gorgeous hair.


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## JoysJasper (Jan 7, 2018)

I too envy the varied colors and texture of Jasper's hair! Thank you all for your loving advice. Jasper is already doing much better on the potty accidents and frankly, I'm thankful he's doing as well as he is! I've attached another picture for your enjoyment. Once the snow recedes in the mountains, Dave and I and Jasper will be jumping on our four wheelers and hitting the trails. Jasper will be harnessed securely into his own seat and sporting red XS Doggles and a medium gray hoodie. He'll get some looks to be sure!


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## Henry&Kate (Mar 29, 2017)

You made my day. Love jasper.


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## Cmward (Jun 28, 2017)

OMG I’m obsessed with the glasses and the sweatshirt! Where did you get the glasses?


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## JoysJasper (Jan 7, 2018)

I got both off of amazon. XS Doggles fit him perfect at 5 lbs. The hoodies run weird sizes. He wears the medium perfectly but will need a large by the end of summer, I'm sure. You can't see the hood in the pic but it has a drawstring. Three snaps along the belly makes it easy to put on. $20 for the Doggles and $10 for the hoodie. Everybody in Butte, Montana wears hoodies because our days go from cold to cool to warm to cool to cold again. It's just part of the everyday attire.  No reason for Jasper to go without!


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## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

Just watched this great potty training video:


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## Svarner (Feb 22, 2018)

That was a great video. Thanks for posting.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

Precious baby you have. I have an almost 12-week-old female Havanese named Patti. She automatically took to the idea of using a turf potty pad. Wow! was I surprised how easy that was. However, Patti often didn't quite make it and tinkled next to the pad. Problem solved with adding a larger area for doing her job. You might add another pad and later remove it when Jasper is older. That's my plan. 

I have a doggie door for another dog. I hope to train Patti to use it and go potty outside and use a indoor potty when it's not convenient. Right now I have her doggie bungalow and indoor potty room set up in the family room kitchen. Eventually, I want to move the indoor potty station to the utility room, that has an doggie door exits to the outside fenced area. I anticipate that may take a year to accomplish. Fingers crossed I can do it. :laugh2:


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## JoysJasper (Jan 7, 2018)

To update Jasper's potty progress, he is doing GREAT! He turned five months on May 5th, and he has had no accidents for weeks now. Instead of going to his room to potty he goes to the hall and looks at me to follow. Then he goes to the back door in the kitchen and stands by the door while I put on my shoes and coat. he wakes u around 5:30 every morning and now just does a short little whimper to let me know he's up and ready to go out. But he'll wait for me to get up and get dressed to go out rather than use his potty pad. He has the run of the main level of the house. (The upstairs is really just guest rooms). And I no longer even worry about him having an accident. IT IS AWESOME! I love this little guy!


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

Awesome!! Gives me hope. My previous dogs have ALWAYS been house broken. And, we've always had a doggie door for them to leave and come out as needed. Now retired and living in Colorado during the summer and sometimes going there during the winter, it would be helpful if our baby to go indoors or outdoors when weather permits. I tell you right now I'm very conflicted about indoor potty training. Thanks!


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## JoysJasper (Jan 7, 2018)

I am keeping the grated potty pad available for Jasper to use if necessary. He is choosing to go outside, but has used it to pee three times in the past three weeks. When the snow flies again, I'll be glad he has that option to give us time to shovel. I also don't want to have to worry about him when we have to leave him home. I know if I was locked up and desperate, I'd find a place to pee!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Mikki said:


> Awesome!! Gives me hope. My previous dogs have ALWAYS been house broken. And, we've always had a doggie door for them to leave and come out as needed. Now retired and living in Colorado during the summer and sometimes going there during the winter, it would be helpful if our baby to go indoors or outdoors when weather permits. I tell you right now I'm very conflicted about indoor potty training. Thanks!


Well, remember that "indoor potty training" is STILL being "house broken". It does NOT mean that the dog just goes where they want. If mine don't have a litter box available, they will all ask to go out. In fact, they MOSTLY ask to go out, even WITH a box available.

Also, be VERY careful about letting Havanese use a dog door and going out unsupervised. They are easy pickin's for coyotes or mountain lions.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

JoysJasper said:


> I am keeping the grated potty pad available for Jasper to use if necessary. He is choosing to go outside, but has used it to pee three times in the past three weeks. When the snow flies again, I'll be glad he has that option to give us time to shovel. I also don't want to have to worry about him when we have to leave him home. I know if I was locked up and desperate, I'd find a place to pee!


That's exactly how I feel about it!


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

Thanks so much to you and many other experienced Havanese owners for your helpful posts. I've learned and pick up many good ideas. 

I have a playpen that has/had a crate with space to play and turf pads. (I say had a crate because she's figured out how to climb on top of the crate ... now she has a bed and the crate will be in our bedroom. Fearing ... Next she'd be trying to climb out of the x-pen.) 

The playpen gate opens into a family room kitchen where she can run back and forth. We close it if no one is there to watch her. Patti will be 12 weeks old next Wednesday. She had one accident on the kitchen floor the first week but since then has gone into her "bungalow" to go pee or poop. This seems to just be a natural instinct as I did not do any training to encourage it except provide access. We take her outside frequently but she's preferring the turf pads. Sometimes waiting to come back inside to go. :| 

Eventually, I want to take down the playpen and move the indoor potty station to the utility room or another area. 

How do I do that?

I understand it takes - at least - 6 months for a Havanese to be house broken and expect the x-pen to stay up for a year.

In Colorado there is no doggie door access. I anticipate she will use the indoor potty station the majority of the time because we are in a three story 1,100 sq ft townhouse with no yard. We'll walk her a couple of times a day. 

I suppose I'll need a indoor potty area on the main floor and bedroom area. I don't know what to expect. The townhome is small but multi level. Patti's pretty darn smart and maybe one potty area on a multi level would eventually work. 

In Oklahoma we have doggie door access for a Golden-doodle. There is a small fenced area outside the doggie door to keep dogs in and critters out. However, at night Patti will not have access to the doggie door. I'll need to see how things play out regarding this. We live on 11 acres and do have coyotes but typically no mountain lions. I've not heard of a bear in this area. There are lots of those in mountains in Colorado. They come to town and are frequently inside peoples homes and cars. :surprise:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

We don't have mountain lions in New England (or so few that they are not a problem) but we DO have Coyotes, and they take small dogs pretty regularly. And they can easily scale a 6' fence carrying a small dog or cat.

We have one litter box upstairs, one in the corner of the kitchen, and one in my office. We wouldn't need to office one, except that that's where the dogs are gated when we are not home. They rarely use the one upstairs anymore, but every once in a while I will find it has been used, so I keep it there. I suppose we could gate them in the kitchen instead, but that would take 3 gates instead of one, and 2 of them would have to be over-sized ones across wide openings.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

Thank You!!! So ... how did you transition from an x-pen to potty stations in other rooms?


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