Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got my Chi about a month ago, and he's always slept in my bed at night and never once peed or pooed in it.

Starting last week, he's peed in the bed twice. He will walk over me and pee like where my stomach is, then crawl back on the side of me and sleep.

After the second time he did it, I put him in this crate thingy with a blanket and slept next to him on the couch with it. He didn't bark all night, but I could feel the whole thing shaking b/c of him shaking........

Is this okay you think?? I'm attempting to graduate to having him next to my bed on the floor in his little crate thing. It's a crate you use for cats, like a pet taxi.

I'm just really confused on when and how the dog will start to let you know he needs to go to the bathroom.......I have to watch him ALL THE TIME, and once I see him about to go, then I take him out. Will I ever get to a point where I won't have to do that with him? Where he will let me know when he must go??

>>I got my Chi about a month ago, and he's always slept in my bed at night and never once peed or pooed in it.
>>
>>Starting last week, he's peed in the bed twice. He will walk over me and pee like where my stomach is, then crawl back on the side of me and sleep.
>>
>>After the second time he did it, I put him in this crate thingy with a blanket and slept next to him on the couch with it. He didn't bark all night, but I could feel the whole thing shaking b/c of him shaking........
>>
>>Is this okay you think?? I'm attempting to graduate to having him next to my bed on the floor in his little crate thing. It's a crate you use for cats, like a pet taxi.
>>
>>I'm just really confused on when and how the dog will start to let you know he needs to go to the bathroom.......I have to watch him ALL THE TIME, and once I see him about to go, then I take him out. Will I ever get to a point where I won't have to do that with him? Where he will let me know when he must go??
>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Some dogs will never tell you. I prefer to take dogs out on a schedule. Some tiny dogs just can't hold it all through the night. Something may have changed in the dog's body or schedule that is making it harder for him to hold it. Generally I don't recommend having a dog sleep on the bed until about a year of age, both because of training (housetraining and chewing) issues and also because the temperament is not yet formed.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

He's about 4 months, correct?

Not really sure, but just some thoughts...

Do you feed him at regular times? Do you cut off access to water at a specific time?

At 4 months with a little one I'm not sure I'd expect him to be able to go all night long without having to empty his bladder. I'd put it as borderline, some can and some probably can't.

For me I would error on the side of giving him some more time yet. I personally give even my hounds (40 to 50lbs) until they are 6 months with paper in their kennel. And when they are not in it do exactly as you say, watch them at all times. If they seem prone to "accidents" then they even stay on a leash with me. I follow the "schedule" method of letting them out. Then at 6 months I slowly make the paper patch smaller and then go to just crate time, no loose unattended time. By this time I've learned when they need to go out, xx amount of minutes after eating, at yy time and at zz time. So at those times I start giving them a key phrase, we use "go for a run?" and then take them out. By then I've already taught them that "go for a run" command is heard when they wee so it doesn't seem to take to long for them to make the connection.

In LaVie's case, once she was potty trained she would walk into the middle of the room, turn to face you and let out a single bark. A minute later another bark. Never yapp-yapp, just a single bark. But if you didn't answer to her Highnesses bark then there was trouble. She'd walk right in front of you and wee. Kind of like, "Look, I said I had to go. I meant it. I can't hold it." So, she quickly taught me what her signal was.

With our last puppy, the Pharaoh hound, we hooked a bell on the door and taught her to tap it. Her breeder does that and I thought it was pretty cool. It was quite nifty when we had the good fortune to doggy sit her uncle when her breeder went out of town, he knew what the bell was even in a strange house and would walk right up to it and tap it with his nose. There was no mistake he was asking to go out. This was just done with repeating every time we'd take her out, ring the bell, okay out we go. We started the bell on the door to the back yard. Then moved it to the gate at the top of the stairs. And now even have one on the third floor in the computer room (we live in a townhouse).

Hope this helps...

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tabitha
Kahla and Kayo

And in spirit, Miss LaVie

Thanks for that great advice......

In your response you mentioned making the paper area smaller, then using "crate time" what is that? and why did you do it?

Thanks again

Yes - he is 4 months

hi ash

there have been times that my male pottied in the bed. for whatever reason. he hasnt done it in months but when he was younger its like for some reason one night he would hold it the next he wouldnt. now if he has to go out at night he comes and licks my face to wake me up.

keep in mind you pup is still just a baby.

i tried the bell thing with my puppies but they didnt like it. so now my male will sit and look directly at me..not making a noise just looking and i know he has to go out. my female will paw at me and sometimes give a little yip and thats how she tells us. but if i dont get right on it they will potty right there.

my male hasnt had an accident in the house (with me) in awhile. i say with me because if my sister has him with her she doesnt watch his ques and he potties sigh

oh well

hope this helps

3

Thanks

I have him with me ALL the time, and mostly in my lap because I can't just stare at the carpet where he is at all night long.

I stick him in his little exercise pen w/ paper when I have to go upstairs and do housework etc....

He is really good about going outside when I take him out, I say "go potty" and he'll hop into the grass and go. When I take him out and he doesn't have to go, he'll just sit next to me and stare at me.

I take him out about every hour and a half, unless I see his little "movements" then I'll take him out right away.

This was my second night with him in the little pet taxi, and of course he's peeing on the blanket in there, but I will just have to wash it a few times a week I guess.........

Plus - he went to the vet and is on some kind of medicence b/c he had a parasite in his lil intestines, but apparently it's common in puppies and kittens. He didn't gain any weight in a month either, so the vet told me to start feeding him more. I'm up to feeding him about 2 cans of wet food a day.......One in the Am and one when I get home from work. He's actually behaving better and no more throwing up, so we will see

Thanks again for the help!!!