Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 2 1/2 year old chihuahua, which I absolutely adore! I got her about 7 months ago and she was already potty trained on a pee pad. I have had a ton of problems with her going potty, and sometimes pooping, in various places in my apartment. Usually she goes just on the floor by one side of my bed(next to her doggy stairs), on rugs(which I've had to get rid of all together in my house), and just recently in a certain spot in my living room(after I fenced off the door to my bedroom).

Sometimes she'll be absolutely perfect and go on her pad just fine. Other times, she'll go on the carpet by my bed half the time, and her pee pad the other half. So, she obviously knows that she is SUPPOSED to go on the pad, but I don't know why she decides not to sometimes.

I am not home for a large part of the day and she has free range of the house. She doesn't like anyone to see her pottying or pooping, so I've never actually seen her in the act, and then I don't know what to do to discipline her for going on the carpet or how to reward her for going on the pad. She can be very skiddish and frightened easily, so maybe she doesn't want to get caught in the bathroom going potty? I don't know.

I'm getting VERY frustrated with cleaning up after her all the time, and I just need some advice on what to do.

>>I have a 2 1/2 year old chihuahua, which I absolutely adore! I got her about 7 months ago and she was already potty trained on a pee pad. I have had a ton of problems with her going potty, and sometimes pooping, in various places in my apartment. Usually she goes just on the floor by one side of my bed(next to her doggy stairs), on rugs(which I've had to get rid of all together in my house), and just recently in a certain spot in my living room(after I fenced off the door to my bedroom).
>>
>>Sometimes she'll be absolutely perfect and go on her pad just fine. Other times, she'll go on the carpet by my bed half the time, and her pee pad the other half. So, she obviously knows that she is SUPPOSED to go on the pad, but I don't know why she decides not to sometimes.
>>
>>I am not home for a large part of the day and she has free range of the house. She doesn't like anyone to see her pottying or pooping, so I've never actually seen her in the act, and then I don't know what to do to discipline her for going on the carpet or how to reward her for going on the pad. She can be very skiddish and frightened easily, so maybe she doesn't want to get caught in the bathroom going potty? I don't know.
>>
>>I'm getting VERY frustrated with cleaning up after her all the time, and I just need some advice on what to do.

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

A dog disciplined for pottying in the wrong place will then often hide from people to eliminate, making housetraining even more difficult. You also risk creating really nasty temperament. To understand all this stuff better, read the articles under Housetraining and the article titled Defensive Dog Behavior at the link below my name (it's a free educational site run by a veterinary organization, with no advertising).
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47