Help with House Breaking

[Zoey]

Hello all,

We have a six month old half basenji and half corgi female. She looks and acts mostly like a basenji. She can sit and shake and go down and we are working on come. The mistake I believe we made is when house breaking her we used the puppie pads. She is getting better with peeing outside but she thinks the pad is where she has to go #2. We take her out and then she can be in the backyard for a long time and then she will come in and go on the pad. We have tried the baby gate and she just jumps right over it.

We realize we have to be the pack leader and are doing that but not in the house training part. Any suggestions on how we can change her thinking about where she should go?

Thanks!

[JazzysMom]

I know there will be others with better ideas, BUT I think I would put the potty pad outside the door, then each day move it farther out until it is in the yard where you want her to go. Then remove it.

[WBL]

Jazzy's mom suggested just what I was going to, some dogs it can't be a drastic move, maybe 6-12 inches at a time

[Quercus]

@JazzysMom:

I know there will be others with better ideas, BUT I think I would put the potty pad outside the door, then each day move it farther out until it is in the yard where you want her to go. Then remove it.

I think that is a great idea! Put the pad out there while she is watching. Just a little at a time. You may have to set it IN the door the first. Lucky you that you live in Florida, so you can GET your puppy to go outside!

[Barklessdog]

I would also try taking her on walks regularly. The exercise & marking/ sniffing should get her to go regularly if you do the walks at appropriate potty times of the day.

[Ninabeana26]

The directions on the box of potty pads I bought for my pup says that as time goes on you not only move the potty pad closer & closer to the door you take them out of to eliminate but you also begin folding it to make the area smaller. Eventually you actually move the pad outside to the area yuo want the pup to eliminate in & by that time the pad should be fairly small. Try that & hopefully it would help!

What part of FL do you live in?

[Zoey]

Thanks for all the sugestions. We haven't tried making the pad smaller and will do that along with moving it a smaller amount. We take her on long walks and she will not go…it's wierd. I am near Clearwater Florida and the temp today is 78. Sorry to all you who are living in the cold. I am traveling to Chicago next week and will get a taste of it. Thanks for the helpful tips!!

[Ninabeana26]

@Zoey:

near Clearwater Florida and the temp today is 78. Sorry to all you who are living in the cold. I am traveling to Chicago next week and will get a taste of it. Thanks for the helpful tips!!

Ah I live in Melbourne, Fl on the east side of the state where the temp today is around 78* as well. I love it as I am sure my basenji does as well. No cold paws/butt for him! :p

[dmcarty]

I was going to take some days off this week to go to Florida as my hubby had some time off - but he decided no he really didn't want to - so I'm in MN where it was -15 this weekend (without counting the wind). My basenjis are more resigned to the cold weather than everything but really don't like it much.

[Zoey]

Nice place you live in Nina! Carty I envy you wearing lots of sweaters and coats and pretty scarfs to keep warm. In Zoeys world today she had a blast! After waking up and eating she decided that while I worked she would get into the bathroom where my son left the cabinet open on his way out the door to school. Oh yeah….you guessed it! Toilet paper all over the living room and a pink and blue sponge added in for color!
Ahhh a day in the life of a puppy...I hope we all make it through this stage.
It has been raining buckets here today so I am thankful for the puppy pads.
On a brighter note...she learned the command down or as my son says..."get low". I know she is a bad girl wanting to be good...lol