Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello there.

I'm new to this message board and I'm hoping to get some ideas and help regarding my 1 year old Silky named Charley. We rescued him from the Humane Society about 5 month's ago and all has been great with him, EXCEPT..... potty training. Now, don't get me wrong, he has actually understood that doing his business means going out his doggy door and into his special spot. All is great when the Sun is out and it's hot, but the minute it gets cold and rains, he loses control and decides to do his "business" on my carpet! We live in Colorado Springs and sooner than later the snow will be coming into town and I'm afraid that he's going to lose interest in going outside period. What are some recommendations regarding this issue? Do I begin to potty train him indoors? Kitty litter? I'm losing my mind here and I'm afraid that if I don't fix this soon, my Husband may want to get rid of him. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to give up on him, that would be extremely awful and not what I beleive in.

Thanks!

At the link below with my signature, read the articles "Housetraining Small Dogs" and "Housetraining a Urine-Marking Male Dog." They are listed in alphabetical order under those titles.

You might also find some help in the article "Housetraining Basics" at the same place.

It sounds like you need a sheltered place outdoors for your dog to go through and to. If there is no cold, wet, etc., then he'll surely be much more willing. Some people put a little overhead tunnel roof for the dog to go through to that covered potty place. Look at your outdoor area and think about it and see what you can come up with.

It might also help to have him wear a coat when he goes out. And do put him on a schedule. You may have to go with him, put boots and a jacket on him, hold an umbrella over him--think about options available to you.

You could fix the dog up with an indoor potty box, though I'm not a fan of that. I think it's better for dogs to be able to go outdoors. But if they can't, they can't. Very small dogs are very susceptible to cold and wet conditions. He's not just being a wimp. His body is different from that of a larger dog.

Be SURE to have him neutered, too. Housetraining can be downright impossible for some mini male dogs who are not neutered.
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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

Thank you so much for your reply. I'm going to think about how to cover his area. He is neutered and I know that he knows that going to the potty outside is the right thing. I just didn't realize that he could get that cold! I'm definitely going to invest in a coat this winter for him, that's for sure. Has anyone else encountered this "not wanting to go outside to potty because it's cold outside"?

Thanks again!

>>> Has anyone else encountered this "not wanting to go outside to potty because it's cold outside"?
>>
>>Thanks again!

It's very common with Yorkies. And I think Yorkies have the record of being the most difficult breed to housetrain. A Silky is similar, of course. Be sure to do the deodorizing explained in the articles I mentioned (access to them is free and requires no registration--they are provided by the Veterinary Information Network). And it's likely you will need to section the house somewhat, and not give him free access everywhere when he's not being watched. But I like baby gates better than crating for that.
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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

You might also want to actually go outside with him each and every time. Are you free feeding or feeding on a schedule? The scheduled feeding is really a good idea. Also, my dogs go to the bathroom on a schedule. They don't dictate when they go out, I dictate it for them. That isn't as mean as it sounds, but for my breed they'd be outside all day. For your dog, it's kind of the opposite problem. Yet, if your dog knows teh routine that this time of day he goes out, you may get less resistance overall.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles www.freewebs.com/performanceshibas