# 2 year old Hav female still pooping/peeing in the house



## sandydlc

Hi everyone,

Sorry it's been so long since I've participated in this forum. I have a huge problem right now and I just don't know where to turn for help. 

We have two dogs - Paco, 13 year-old long hair chihuahua (who is lately having life-threatening health issues) and Lucy, our 2 yo female havanese. Lucy is a fantastic dog. She is sweet and I'm able to take her to work with me every day and she doesn't have accidents at my office at all. (I do have a three room area blocked off by a baby gate so her access to the entire office is limited.)

From the time Lucy was a puppy she never barked to go outside. I am the one primarily responsible for her and I take her out on a regular basis. We also use poochie bells on our back door but she'll curiously only use them if we're in the same room. If we're not with her or if we get busy, she doesn't make any indication that she has to go, she'll just find a corner of the house and pee or poop. Often it will happen immediately after she's been outside. I've had a very hectic travel schedule for work lately and my daughters (18 & 20) live at home and take care of Lucy when I'm not there.

Within the last month, poor Paco has been having heart problems and about a week ago was put on a diuretic. He literally has zero bladder control when on the diuretic. I've purchased some doggy diapers and a belly band is on the way. We now keep him in his ex-pen with pee pads or in his kennel when not in diapers. Unfortunately before we determined that he had no control, he has been peeing in the family room in the same area on our new carpet!!

My husband had to stay home today with our son (11) who's sick. He called me a few minutes ago and was extremely frustrated because Lucy had pooped in the house just after being taken out, and while we were on the phone, she peed. He claims that I either figure out a way to get her trained, or she's gone. I really don't think he's serious about finding her another home but he *is* very serious about me resolving her potty training problems.

I'm beyond distraught. It's bad enough to be worrying about Paco's health (we almost lost him last week - but that's another story), but to still be dealing with Lucy's accidents after two years is just too much. I also believe that she "stress poops" when I'm not around. She's most bonded to me in the family, though she loves and gets along with everyone, including my husband. I know that she's capable of holding her pee and poop because she's crate-trained and sleeps in her crate at night and has zero accidents during the day at work. Her only time to have problems is at home, most often after I get home from work or a situation like today where family members are home.

For today, I told my husband to just crate her until I get home. I know she'll be fine and I'm sure my son will let her out to go outside but at least I know that she won't have any more accidents.

I'm at my wit's end regarding what to do about her training. If I'm home, she's about 95% accident free, but I can't control what happens when I'm not there or when we're traveling. My biggest worry is that although the kids try their hardest, there are still accidents and they're probably not cleaning them as effectively as I am. I'm worried that the carpet is really going to smell and without adequate cleaning, the dogs will never stop having accidents. With Lucy it's both pee and poop but lately it's been mostly poop which is somewhat of an improvement.

Is it normal for a 2 year old havanese female to still be having accidents? Do we start training all over again? Should I hire a trainer to work with us? I don't know what to do and I'm almost in tears just thinking about not being successful at getting her trained and being forced to give her up. I've never given away an animal and knowing that Paco only has a few months left to live I think it would destroy our kids to lose both dogs.

Sorry for the novel but I'm really at the end of my rope with the training. Any help/advice that you can give is much appreciated. 

Thank you!!

Sandy


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## morridon

I have never had that problem with my dog, but I can say that I wonder if she is only copying your other dog. If it were me, I would contact a trainer. We are working with one now for other issues but you may get some insight into the problem. I am no expert, but that is what I would do.


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## dbeech

Hi Sandy,

Sorry Paco is having such a rough time of it...poor guy.

I think the best approach with Lucy is to keep her in an ex pen with a pee pad unless she has recently done her business outside. I got a one year female Hav a few weeks ago that was not housebroken at all It took three weeks to get her trained. I take my dogs out when they wake up, at lunch, mid-afternoon, after dinner and before bed. If Zoey, my new girl, did not potty at these times, she went right back in her ex-pen and then I would take her out again 30 minutes to an hour later. Right now, if I am gone for a couple of hours, I let her have free run of the house with my boy. If I am gone longer than a couple hours, I put her in the ex-pen. 

You should also get your carpets cleaned because they are attracted to the smell.

Good luck!


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## marlowe'sgirl

I agree with everything Debbie wrote. Go back to the beginning with crate/expen when you're not around to watch her like hawk. After a week or so of this - accident free, start slowly giving Lucy back her freedom to roam. 

Sometimes if they can find a corner where no one's looking that's where they'll eliminate. Just be sure they don't have those corners/dark rooms. While my Hav is trained, I do limit the space he has (ie not the upstairs). At about 8 months old we had a set back after I boarded him for a week where he'd run upstairs to pee then come back and play. Solved that with a babygate and haven't looked back.

Good luck! You can get her under control. The crate is your friend.


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## sandydlc

Thank you everyone for your responses. I think the real challenge for our family is going to be getting buy-in and cooperation from all family members including my husband on Lucy's new rules.

I just spoke with our vet and she recommended just starting over with the housebreaking from scratch as you suggested. She also recommended a diffuser that has pheromones in it that are supposed to help calm dogs and make them less likely to mark or have nervous accidents. Her suspicion is that Lucy's accidents are more related to nervousness when I'm not around than anything else. She also suggested to run a quick urinalysis to make sure that she doesn't have an underlying infection.

The vet also said it's possible that Lucy just wasn't ever trained completely and that we need to just really reinforce her training for as long as it takes.

Time to call the carpet cleaning company!! 

Sandy


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## The Laughing Magpie

Sandy, I just read your post. I too believe your pup was not completely house trained, they go through a time when they need constant reminders. I really feel for you, years ago I become the owner of two mill dogs (I still have one), not only were they not house trained, they were use to going in their crate and would go where they ate. It took a very long time, but along the way, I discovered the other members of the household, were not pulling their weight and were hiding it from me. I swear my DH would put newspapers all over the floor, turn on fox news and about 15 mins before I got home clean up!!!!! All the dogs needed at that point was someone to remind them to go out!!!! I was mad, upset, sad and at wits end. I had spent six months at home training and socializing these two dogs. In the end it took everyones effort, they had to understand it was no longer about the dogs, it was now about me!!!! Boy was I upset and mad at them all. 

I told them how disapointed I was with all of them. We got a plan together that they all agreed they could live with. I did put tile throughout the downstairs, the carpet looked good but the pad could not be cleaned, the kitchen had hardwood it too was ruined, warped. I also put in a dog door to the patio. It took about a year until we felt they could be left on their own. My kids who are now in their 30's playful call it "The Year of The Mom Bitch" and it is a favorite holiday topic, I don't care, I call the year I discovered my perfect family had Cloven Feet.

I can tell you are really at wits end and overwhelmed. You need to get everyone on board. Keeping the dogs in an area where it is easy to clean is a must, just take baby steps and go slowly. Do not do more then anyone can handle at first, then increase what needs to be done. You need time to think and some rest, so you can make a fresh start. Dogs need to get it, sometimes we get lucky, and for some of us it takes lots of work. I hope you find a plan that you can live with soon.


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## sandydlc

The Laughing Magpie said:


> Sandy, I just read your post. I too believe your pup was not completely house trained, they go through a time when they need constant reminders....
> 
> ...I can tell you are really at wits end and overwhelmed. You need to get everyone on board. Keeping the dogs in an area where it is easy to clean is a must, just take baby steps and go slowly. Do not do more then anyone can handle at first, then increase what needs to be done. You need time to think and some rest, so you can make a fresh start. Dogs need to get it, sometimes we get lucky, and for some of us it takes lots of work. I hope you find a plan that you can live with soon.


Thank you so much for your post. I appreciate that you understand my frustration which made me feel hopeful that a solution is possible.

Last night while I made dinner and ate dinner with my son (everyone else was off doing their own thing!), I put Lucy in her kennel. She whined at first not understanding why she didn't have freedom but eventually she settled down. I understand how important it is to stick to your guns with crate training and not feel sorry for them no matter how cute and pathetic they will try to look. After I was done with the dishes, we took her outside and then - while I was able and available to watch her like a hawk - she hung out with us in the family room and then I brushed her before going to bed. Paco wore his diaper (poor thing) and we had NO accidents. Mornings are usually not an issue and I'm now at the office with Lucy sleeping peacefully by my door.

I think I'm going to have the family sit down tonight or tomorrow and put together a plan for zero accidents. If we can make it 2 weeks, I'll be able to call in the carpet cleaner and then I think I'll stick with the zero freedom plan for Lucy for 2-3 months and by then, I have to think that no potty accidents in the house will be ingrained in her.

Again - thank you to everyone for the support. Sometimes it's very helpful to discuss issues like this with others who have gone through similar challenges. I'll post again in a few weeks to update on Lucy's progress.

Sandy


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## Julie

Cleaning the carpet and getting rid of any odor is top priority. She can smell things we can not see or smell.....I would clean the carpet first and any area where there could of been any sign of past peeing and pooping.

Having your family on board if they are to help is also key. No one can be too lazy to watch her and see signals she is giving.

I would crate her and she would only be out when you or your family members are diligently watching her. It may seem mean,but it is only being firm and consistant. Without that--you have yourself in the situation you currently are. You can do it and so can she! I think 2-3 months may be pushing it a bit........maybe 6 months to a year,but she is worth it. It just has to be a top priority -not only for you but for your family.

quote referencing time: then I think I'll stick with the zero freedom plan for Lucy for 2-3 months and by then, I have to think that no potty accidents in the house will be ingrained in her


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## lkwilson

My trainer also suggested that if there is a place they keep going back to, put a potted plant or something in that place. We had a spot on the tile that we used to keep a pee pad for Coach. I've since removed them all from the apartment and only use them on the balconys per my trainers advice. Well he kept going to that spot and peeing. i know it didn't smell, it was tile and i sprayed it down each time there was an accident, I think it was just where he had learned to go. So now there is a cardboard box there and so far so good.

Coach still whines at first when I leave the room when he is in a pen I set up in my office. I ignore him and he stops after a minute or two. 

I like your plan, good luck.


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## sandydlc

Julie said:


> Cleaning the carpet and getting rid of any odor is top priority. She can smell things we can not see or smell.....I would clean the carpet first and any area where there could of been any sign of past peeing and pooping.
> 
> Having your family on board if they are to help is also key. No one can be too lazy to watch her and see signals she is giving.
> 
> I would crate her and she would only be out when you or your family members are diligently watching her. It may seem mean,but it is only being firm and consistant. Without that--you have yourself in the situation you currently are. You can do it and so can she! I think 2-3 months may be pushing it a bit........maybe 6 months to a year,but she is worth it. It just has to be a top priority -not only for you but for your family.
> 
> quote referencing time: then I think I'll stick with the zero freedom plan for Lucy for 2-3 months and by then, I have to think that no potty accidents in the house will be ingrained in her


Well, I really can't get my carpets cleaned until I find a good solution for Paco who apparently now is mostly incontinent. He has an enlarged heart and has been put on diuretics. When on that medication, he pees without any control. The vet said it's like turning on a faucet, which is a very accurate description. I've tried doggie diapers but the ones I purchased were too small and his penis just pops right out the top. I figured out that if I put it on him sideways or just around his belly, it will actually hold and contain any small amount of urine before we can get him outside. We're taking him out about every 1/2 hour to every hour and the remainder of the time he's in the ex-pen with pee pads or his crate to sleep at night.

I purchased a belly band to try out with maxi pads to see if that's a better solution than the diapers because right now, I'm the only one who can get the diaper on correctly so that it doesn't leak which obviously is not a good long-term solution. Sadly the vet is only giving him another 6-14 months to live because of his heart condition, but as long as his worst problem is peeing and having to take medication, I'm willing to help him through his life as a senior dog. Once he starts suffering though, we'll have to make that tough choice.

Back to Lucy...after seeing how well she did last night and again today with no accidents, I do think that she's just so close but will need close vigilance for a few months to get her that last 5% closer to being fully house-trained.

Patience and her crate will be my best friends for a long while!! 

Sandy


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## The Laughing Magpie

I am so happy you are making a new start!!!! It should be zero tolerance with the whole family. I too know you can do it. My Lhasa is on enacard and lasik both are hard on the kidneys and bladder. Boo Boo has a Cardomypathy, they told me yesterday if he keeps it up and does not have other problems, he will most likely have months, this lifted my heart!!!!! He has a upper respiratory infection right now, I never thougt I would be happy to hear of an illness, but this is why his breathing is funny. Boo Boo is one of the mill dogs I told you about. I get up early and give him his drugs they usually work max at two hours so he is in the habit of dragging one of the floor pillows to the dog door and camping out until he has the urge and then he makes it out just not off the porch sometimes. Just be aware that the first two hours after the pill they will go the most and try to keep your baby in an area it won't bother you as much. When I am leaving for a few hours I lock all the dogs in the kitchen and back hall area, so if there is an accident it is easy to clean, this takes a big load of worry off me. So if you try to pin point and plan for the biggest pee of the day the diaper will be able to accommodate most accidents. I know you will get through this, just go slow.


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## Julie

It sounds like you have a good plan of attack and will be successful. :thumb:

I hope the belly bands help you better with your incontinent dog. That has to be hard. I see this situation occasionally at the vet clinic,but have never experienced it myself. I'm not sure what I would do given the circumstances. My hats off :yo: to those of you who deal with this issue.


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## Tony & Milo

Sandy – my heart goes out to you. You sure do have your hands full. I can’t say that I have any wonderful suggestions on how to house break your pup since mine are 8 months old and still not house broken either. I so can feel your frustration and have been there also more times than not. I think your stagey of starting from the beginning again is a good one. By having Lucy more contained at least you will feel a bit more in control of the situation and can go from there. It will give you a bit of breathing room. I hope that your new approach will ease some stress for you. Keep us posted.


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## littlebuddy

i agree with everyone as well. plus, perhaps your hav is picking up on the stressful situation regarding your other dog and is reacting to this situation. i know when i had to fly home for a sick family member my stress level was sky high, boy could the dog pick up on it. be patient and consistent. keep us posted.


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## Suzi

I'm sorry to here that we have two dogs on this trend who are sick That makes me sad. You have a lot going on . Hope you had a nice Easter.:hug:


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## sandydlc

Wow - what a great group!! We had an almost accident-free weekend. Yesterday after running errands in the afternoon my son took the dogs out while I was running laundry up and down the stairs. Since I knew that Lucy had been out, I blocked her in my room with me while I started folding laundry and she kept jumping up and down from the bed, being a spaz. About two minutes later I see her squatting in a corner and pooping!! Argh!!!

So, she wasn't being a spaz, I just misread her signals that she obviously wasn't let out long enough and didn't finish her business and she was trying to tell me she needed to go out while I thought she just wanted to play. I really need to learn how to speak "havanese". It would make like so much easier!!

Thankfully this time I caught her in the act and I was able to tell her "NO!!" very loudly and had her smell the poop then put her in her crate for about an hour. She whined but I think maybe, just maybe she connected the crating with the pooping incident. I took her out after that and the rest of the evening we had no issues with either dog. 

I did have to put down some thick plastic sheeting under Paco's ex-pen. When he does use the pee pads (I have two layered in the corner of the ex-pen), he somehow manages to go on the edge or in between them every time and gets our hardwood floors soaked with pee. At least his pee is not very concentrated because of the diuretic but since I don't see the situation with the ex-pen going away anytime soon, I need to protect my floors. The laundry room is just too dark and far away from where the family lives to think about putting him there.

So, we're making progress, slowly but surely. I just wish the darn belly band would arrive in the mail already!! I might have to run to Petsmart to see if they have any other solutions or at least get him slightly larger diapers until the belly band comes in.

Thanks everyone!!
Sandy


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## Tony & Milo

I find that learning my pups’ signals as to when they want to go out the hardest. I grew up with dogs that just went to the back door and barked – end of story. I still cannot figure out what Tony’s signal is. I think Milo’s is coming up to me and poking me in my leg with his nose. Not real sure about that though but he is being let out when he does that!!!!


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## sandydlc

Tony & Milo said:


> I find that learning my pups' signals as to when they want to go out the hardest. I grew up with dogs that just went to the back door and barked - end of story. I still cannot figure out what Tony's signal is. I think Milo's is coming up to me and poking me in my leg with his nose. Not real sure about that though but he is being let out when he does that!!!!


In that sense Paco is an excellent dog because if he needs to go out, the whole world knows. He's always been very good about going to the back door and barking. With his current health situation, the minute he wakes up in the morning, he starts barking in his crate because he needs to go *NOW*. Even if it's 4:30 am, we get up and take him out.

Lucy is almost too polite. She literally never barks. The only time we hear her is when someone comes to the front door at home or someone new comes into my office and then she lets us know. She is a smarty-pants though. One day she was at the office with my husband (I was out) and he forgot to fill up her water dish. She pushed it across the floor to his office door until he noticed that she needed water. Now tell me that this smart little girl can't find a better way of telling us she needs to go out??!!!

I keep dog treats in my "inbox" on my office door for employees to give her a treat if they feel like coming over to say hello to Lucy. She has learned to look at the employee, look at the treats, look back at the employee - until they figure out she wants a treat! So smart!

We're so close on the peeing/pooping outside and I'm not going to let up with her training until she's 100% there.

Sandy


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## Tony & Milo

Sandy – I am glad to hear that things are getting back on track and Lucy is doing better with it. These pups are so smart. Maybe smarter than we give them credit some times!!


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## hdmarla

Sandy,
I have not done a formal introduction here yet and I've been a lurking member a little while. But I wanted to tell you that I so know where you are coming from with Lucy. My Softail is 20 months old and is a fixed male, and 2nd dog in my household (Bichon 3 yr old fixed male). My hav, however, is totally frustrating me with his not letting me know when he has to go potty. We go a few weeks with no accidents, and then last night a 1/2 hour after my husband took him out, I decided to wash my face up for bed, and meantime he peed on our bed. He hasn't done that for months! Usually the accidents we have in the house are poop related. Needless to say, I will have to watch him even more closely than I thought I was. Both dogs are kenneled much of the day, as we're at work, but it also seems like my Hav cannot "hold" his pee for very long.

I'm so sorry to ramble on, but I wanted to let you know that you're not alone, Sandy. And I'm glad you, Lucy and the family are working on this for 0 potty accident tolerance! Keep up the good work!

Marla/IA


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## LilyMyLove

It sounds like everything is going well but please do not put her face in her potty, she knows she did it, and putting her in the crate for punishment makes it an area she will grow to dislike and associate with bad things and angry feelings. Havs are sensitive dogs, emphasize the positive!


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## Thumper

The ribbon with bells hanging on the door has been a godsend, otherwise she wouldnt' know how to notify me that she needs to go, 

Upstairs in bed has been a problem, but she now just licks my hand to take her out, took awhile for her to decide to do that, she would just sneak and pee on the bathroom rug...

Kara


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## Carter

*Oh My goodness sounds like you are talking about my Lucy*

I just called a dear friend to tell her that if my husband came home and found all the mess in the dining room from my 3 year old havanese, Lucy, he would find her a new home!! She found this forum and the first post was about your two year old Lucy. Thanks for all of the advice. I am going to clean the carpets and then go back to crate boot camp. One question - she has never learned to let us know that she needs to go out. How do I train her to do that??


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## Miss Paige

My Miss Paige will potty in the house when it rains-it has nothing to do with the fact that she is potty trained-it has to do with the fact she hates the rain and will not get wet-she thinks she is sugar & will melt. And I just clean up the problem and go on. 

Good luck with the potty training but in the end I am sure things will work out.
Heck Carter-if my hubby said Paige would have to go I think it would be a losing battle-for him-LOL.


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## HavaneseSoon

Jack still has an accident once in awhile. Like the last few days....I am changing foods. And.....he would rather do the smell the stuff and junk first before doing his business first. 

Dexter would hold out forever!


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## The Laughing Magpie

It's not that Lucy has not learned to tell you when she has to go out, you have not learned her signels. Each dog has a different set of signels some don't seem like signels at all. My guys have different signels Yogi whines before pooping it is a different sound. Misty is sneaky I don't look for signels...I hear her sneaky tap...then her toe walk. Khloe will make sounds and has learned to ring the bells...if we ignore it she'll go to the rug by the dog door and hikes her leg and of course if we don't hear the bells, what good are they. Boo Boo is 15 he takes a heart drug and prednisone every other day, when he needs to go it's timely, he has trouble going down the stairs, so if I don't take him out several times a day he gos on the kitchen floor (no biggie there) it is my fault.

House training is difficult enough and if you have a spouse who has a lower tolarance or bigger expectations, you need to find a way to train Lucy and keep hubby ok (happy comes when she is trained), when you go out you will need to crate her unless, you have an area with a floor that is easy to clean (even hard floors need to be cleaned well and check the walls) and can leave her there when you go out. Crating when you are away is fine as long as you do not keep them there all the time, you must take them out when you first let them out and make for sure they are calm, party comes after the pee. Training takes patience, but you really need to keep a balance in your home life, so it's does not become a hugh problem. Two years old is a great learning time for dogs, so training this time around should be better all around. Lack of house training is the number one of the common reasons dogs end up in the pound or rescue, that tell us all it is not easy.

Since this is a hot button issue already, I suggest you do most of the training but, don't let hubby off the hook, if he comes home first, he must take her out and ""wait" until she goes, even if he puts her back in the crate after. At first they may take awhile to settle down and go, that is why you try to keep her calm when taking her out of the crate. Wishing you success and this is a great place to vent or share your worry, most of us have been there at one time or another.


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## misstray

Havanese signals can be really subtle. Lots of them seem to think staring at you is a good signal. I have an indoor system in my apartment so signals there aren't a huge thing. Where I really learned his signals was at work where he's in an ex-pen. He stares at me (usually while sitting on top of his crate) when he wants to pee. If he needs to poop (which is very rare at work now) he has a very very quiet whine he uses. 

Where he annoys me is when he's clearly giving signals and I take him out and then he just stands there. I absolutely know he has to go, but he refuses. 

Just wondering if you could have an X-Pen setup with crate and indoor potty solution and work from there.


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## The Laughing Magpie

Tracy, I wonder if its the same quite whine Yogi has.


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## misstray

The Laughing Magpie said:


> Tracy, I wonder if its the same quite whine Yogi has.


It very well could be. It's really soft and easy not to hear!


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## krandall

The Laughing Magpie said:


> Sandy, I just read your post. I too believe your pup was not completely house trained, they go through a time when they need constant reminders. I really feel for you, years ago I become the owner of two mill dogs (I still have one), not only were they not house trained, they were use to going in their crate and would go where they ate. It took a very long time, but along the way, I discovered the other members of the household, were not pulling their weight and were hiding it from me. I swear my DH would put newspapers all over the floor, turn on fox news and about 15 mins before I got home clean up!!!!! All the dogs needed at that point was someone to remind them to go out!!!! I was mad, upset, sad and at wits end. I had spent six months at home training and socializing these two dogs. In the end it took everyones effort, they had to understand it was no longer about the dogs, it was now about me!!!! Boy was I upset and mad at them all.
> 
> I told them how disapointed I was with all of them. We got a plan together that they all agreed they could live with. I did put tile throughout the downstairs, the carpet looked good but the pad could not be cleaned, the kitchen had hardwood it too was ruined, warped. I also put in a dog door to the patio. It took about a year until we felt they could be left on their own. My kids who are now in their 30's playful call it "The Year of The Mom Bitch" and it is a favorite holiday topic, I don't care, I call the year I discovered my perfect family had Cloven Feet.
> 
> I can tell you are really at wits end and overwhelmed. You need to get everyone on board. Keeping the dogs in an area where it is easy to clean is a must, just take baby steps and go slowly. Do not do more then anyone can handle at first, then increase what needs to be done. You need time to think and some rest, so you can make a fresh start. Dogs need to get it, sometimes we get lucky, and for some of us it takes lots of work. I hope you find a plan that you can live with soon.


I agree with what everyone has said so far. I also wanted to add an observation. I spend a lot of time with people who are very serious about their dogs and their training. MOST of them keep their dogs confined more than most "pet owners" do. They realize that good quality time with their dogs is much more important to the dog than leaving them loose all the time. Dogs spend a good portion of the day sleeping anyway, and as long as they have a comfy, cozy, familiar place to sleep, they don't care whether it is in a crate, an ex-pen or on the couch.

So when they CAN'T be spending quality time with their dogs, the serious dog trainers I know, whether they are professionals or amateurs, keep their dogs confined to a space where they know the dog will be safe and can't get into trouble. The goal is always to set the animal up to be successful. Now, eventually, older dogs may "earn" the right to more freedom, but not until they have proven that they can handle it, and this is typically LONG after most pet owners would be taking the chance and hoping for the best.

Eta: I just realized this was an old thread, but what I wrote is just as applicable to new people with the same problems


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## krandall

Julie said:


> I think 2-3 months may be pushing it a bit........maybe 6 months to a year,but she is worth it. It just has to be a top priority -not only for you but for your family.
> 
> quote referencing time: then I think I'll stick with the zero freedom plan for Lucy for 2-3 months and by then, I have to think that no potty accidents in the house will be ingrained in her


I agree with you completely, Julie. This lucy may need to be confined when she is not being supervised for a very long time. She has learned for two years that, from her perspective, it is OK to pee and poop in the house. This is a long-set habit, and it is going to take a long time to replace it with solid GOOD habits.


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## sandydlc

An update on my Lucy - she finally learned to use her poochie bells but I have figured out that she does stare at me when she needs to go out. We just take her out on a regular basis and she rarely has accidents now. She's not perfect but my husband is so in love with her now (those eyes!!), he's been much more forgiving when she does make a mistake. 

Dogs take time, patience and love and they do eventually learn. I do think that in my experience, female Havanese take longer than other breeds to house train. That being said, I would get another in the future. Lucy is just a wonderful dog. 

Sandy


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## misstray

Ooops. I hadn't noticed the thread was a year old!


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## krandall

misstray said:


> Ooops. I hadn't noticed the thread was a year old!


I didn't either until I'd already posted.:biggrin1:


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## Miss Paige

Me either.


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## The Laughing Magpie

Well we need updated pictues of Lucy. Glad to here it all is going well.


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## tokipoke

I know this is an old thread...

But I got Louis as a 2 year old adult. He was not housebroken. I've worked really hard to put him on a feeding schedule, monitor what he eats, how much he drinks, taking him out after eating/sleeping/playing, and watching him in the backyard to make sure he potties, walking him to make sure he poops... it was very tiring at first but now it's become so routine, I can almost sense when he has to pee and poop now.

However, I still don't trust him to be free in the house without me watching him (learned from past mistakes!). It's really frustrating when other members in the household can get so lazy about certain things that need consistent reinforcement, like housebreaking! Like krandall said - I am one of those dog owners who utilize the crate. I love the crate. If I cannot literally have eyes on Louis, he goes into the crate. Now, I know some people think I crate my dogs "too much" and that I'm super strict. They really aren't crated all day! They get really good quality play time, one-on-one time, and training. Just last night Louis got a 2-3 mile walk, then an hour of fetch, wrestling, chase, and hide and seek. After being active, I crate them to put them "down for a nap" as you would a toddler, and I do other activities for myself. I believe it's better when you can focus all your attention on your dog when you can anyway - why would you want to be reading or trying to talk on the phone and have your dog just wandering around the house? Louis still sleeps in the crate and will continue to do so. I don't see myself changing that. I think I've gotten a pretty good routine, but on the downside - Louis will refuse to eliminate for people he doesn't trust. This worries me because I will be leaving him with a friend for a week who has five large dogs. Although she has a doggie door, I don't see him using it because he is scared of it. I hope he can get into a good potty schedule over there... but of course it all depends on the vigilance of my friend. I find it's harder to train people than dogs LOL.


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