Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This will be slightly long for you can understand everything I have been doing.

Ayla is a toy Shih Tzu that has been trianed to go on Wee Wee pads. It was my hope to get her up to a litter box at some point.

She has pad #1 in her confining area and pad #2 is in the kitchen near the opening of her area. #1 has a crate pan under it that she will use, even if she pulls the pad out of. (I think she uses it because she is confined and has no choice)
#2 she will put her front feet on while her hinny is off the pad. If I put the crate tray down in #2, she will use it with all four feet inside. However, after a couple of times, she will then pee on the floor. Previously, when I tried doing this, she started using an area carpet so I went back to the pad until she was older.

If #2 pad is up for cleaning, she has gone to #1 a couple of times. She has also gone on the floor in the #2 spot where the pad should be.

She gets praise and a favorite treat when she does right and a disappointment voice when not, which has worked well for us, but since she has total access to the pads, she doesn't need to tell me she has to go so I can keep watch over her.

So, should I be patient and wait a little longer to try again? I would like her to get to the point of one pad (hence, litter box) but at the moment, just getting her to use #2 on a tray will be good. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

I don't know if I understand exactly what's going on, but when the litter pan is under #2, she'll go there, and when it's not, she'll only half stand on the pad, right?

And you said after she goes a couple of times on #2 she will start to use the floor? Are you cleaning the pads up between uses? I know some cats will refuse to use their litter box if it is dirty, and I've never met a dog that will go in the same place twice unless it's been cleaned up.. Maybe it's possible that she just won't go on a pad that's already been used?

I tend to think that's the case mainly because I grew up with shih tzus and my mom has one now and every one I've ever met tends to be sort of stuck up and they have a strong aversion to getting their paws dirty. Everything has to be nice and clean all the time.. We have to take my mom's dog to the tennis courts to let her run because she will not run on grass.. If you put her in the grass she will hop out as soon as possible, keeping as many paws off the ground as she can possibly manage..

That's too funny.

No, she will use the pad over and over again if it is on the floor so that is not the problem.

See, when her front feet are on the pad, she is close enough that the pee goes under the pad, between the plastic and floor. So usually I wipe the underpad and the floor up (I use vinegar and water)since the pad technally isn't wet. When the pad is in the pan, she cannot do this so all goes on the pad.

I forgot to mention that she is 5 months.

>>I tend to think that's the case mainly because I grew up with shih tzus and my mom has one now and every one I've ever met tends to be sort of stuck up and they have a strong aversion to getting their paws dirty. Everything has to be nice and clean all the time.. We have to take my mom's dog to the tennis courts to let her run because she will not run on grass.. If you put her in the grass she will hop out as soon as possible, keeping as many paws off the ground as she can possibly manage..

Leah, I wish someone had told my Katie that. She loves to get dirty. Maybe she's the exception to the rule.

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Mary Lou & Katie

LOL That is really dirty Mary Lou.

>>LOL That is really dirty Mary Lou.

Needless to say Katie had to have a bath right after that picture was taken, Dee. LOL
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Mary Lou & Katie

Heh, that is so funny.. Including the one that my mom has now I had four growing up and the neighbours always had an assortment of toy breeds, always at least one shih tzu.. I've never seen one that would willingly step on dew-covered grass, let alone walk through mud It could just be coincidence though, and maybe the way they're raised has something to do with it

>>Heh, that is so funny.. Including the one that my mom has now I had four growing up and the neighbours always had an assortment of toy breeds, always at least one shih tzu.. I've never seen one that would willingly step on dew-covered grass, let alone walk through mud It could just be coincidence though, and maybe the way they're raised has something to do with it

Well, Katie was younger, Leah, when this happened. I put her out in the yard for a few minutes and went back in the basement...thinking that the ground was too frozen for her to get into any trouble but she found some leaves which apparently kept the ground from freezing up too much and she had a ball digging to China. LOL Boy, was she a mess. She also likes to dig in the sand but that's not quite as messy. You can just brush the sand off.

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Mary Lou & Katie

What an adorable photo!