Housebreaking, Biting, Crying, Oh My!


tanyaface

New (doxie) mom
Hi everyone!

We got our little Hugo right around Christmas-time and he's a pretty stubborn, feisty guy. He's 16 weeks old now and just got his rabies vaccine last week. Since then we have been trying to teach him to potty outside when we are home (he has pee pads and is gated in the kitchen while we are at work. My husband is home Tuesdays and Thursdays so it's only 3 days a week when he is left.) Problem is, he is NOT pooping outside. At this point he has not had a poop in 24hrs despite us bringing him out very frequently yesterday. It's cold and I think he doesn't like it, but he likes to romp in the snow.
We live in a 3rd floor walk-up apartment so getting him suited up with sweater, boots, harness, etc and out of the building is a bit of a to-do (and he bites furiously the whole time).
We've tried putting pee pads down for him outside, which works if he's hesitating to pee out there, but he just won't poop. We've tried the attractant spray but it just reeks and does nothing. I've stood out with him for over 20 minutes and he just ends up crying at me, wanting to explore or go inside.

We are trying to slowly move the wee pads towards the door, and he is okay to pee in the new pad spot, but still poops where the pads used to be. We only moved it about a foot away, and are diligent with Nature's Miracle to clean up messes.

I'm afraid we're confusing him but he simply can't hold it all day when we're gone, so the pads are necessary. He holds it all night and sleeps in his crate, so there are no crate-messing issues. I'm just concerned now about him not pooping outside! I've heard doxies are hard to housebreak and I don't want to be one of the unlucky ones. I'd really like to take him to work with me one day!


Now I move on to issue #2.. Biting. I know puppy mouthing is natural but this is more than that. He gets VERY nippy and draws blood. We tried yelping and folding our arms but he just lunges at us. We leave the room and it only works for a couple of minutes. "No" or anything like that just amps him up even more.
What's more is that, if leaving is the only solution, what do we do when he's biting us while we're trying to get him ready to go outside?
He lunges at our cats and bites their ears and legs, and the cats just take it. We're afraid of him hurting them so when we're not home we not only gate him in the kitchen but we make it impossible for the cats to get in there ( they are obsessed with stealing his food). No amount of distraction, clapping, etc gets him away from the cats once he's fixated. Our trainer says to utilize "leave it" or "drop it", but yeah right, there's no use, he gets way over the top, and when he pull him away he bites us. We can't lie down with him because he will chew our hair and nip our faces.

We spend tons of time playing with him and taking him out, and he goes to puppy classes and meets lots of dogs and people in our building, and I just don't know what to do. If we're in the apartment and need to leave him in the kitchen for a bit to do something else he barks and cries the entire time, but does not bark when left home alone (we recorded him one day on our computer). How do we get this to stop, because ignoring doesn't seem to do anything.

Sorry to throw this lot at you, but I need some real dachshund expertise here!

:confused:
 

Barron

New Member
Best Housebreaking for Barron

Tanya
Barron has an indoor dog toilet that works really great. We heard about it on dogtoilettraining.com. They had some great housebreaking tips there that worked for Barron. We tried the pads as well, but our dog didn't like to poop where he peed. Since this drains right away, his feet stay dry, and he goes back there to poop as well.
This really made a huge difference in our lives, as we both work full time, and Barron could not hold it for 9 hours. Now he has his crate (we leave it open), his chew toys, and his toilet. He is a much happier dog, and we have no more accidents here.
 

Sassy Doxie Lover

New Member
You definitely need the indoor grass mat, at least until it warms up...I couldn't get mine to go poo outside until it warmed up and I took her to the dog park repeatedly. After a few days and seeing the other dogs do it she just figured it out...dogs have a natural territorial urge to cover other dogs scents with their own. The biting is alpha you're doing the right thing by crossing your arms but also completely turn around from him if he comes around turn again keep your back to him til he calms down....if its extreme like jumping and biting even with your back turned then put him in another room til he's calm....don't give in bc of the barking and crying that's more alpha male coming out. He knows you'll let him out if he keeps it up...
 

tanyaface

New (doxie) mom
Thanks everyone!! He's pooping outside now but raises hell when we try to put his boots on, so we've given up on that (he really bites HARD when we handle his paws. We handled his paws all the time when he was really little but now suddenly it's a problem!)

We definitely have our hands full with the alpha pup of the litter. I've noticed he gets way more bitey when he's tired as well. Just like a toddler he needs us to let him know when to nap!
I just can't wait for teething to be over! :(
 

Beeb

New Member
Hi everyone!

We got our little Hugo right around Christmas-time and he's a pretty stubborn, feisty guy. He's 16 weeks old now and just got his rabies vaccine last week. Since then we have been trying to teach him to potty outside when we are home (he has pee pads and is gated in the kitchen while we are at work. My husband is home Tuesdays and Thursdays so it's only 3 days a week when he is left.) Problem is, he is NOT pooping outside. At this point he has not had a poop in 24hrs despite us bringing him out very frequently yesterday. It's cold and I think he doesn't like it, but he likes to romp in the snow.
We live in a 3rd floor walk-up apartment so getting him suited up with sweater, boots, harness, etc and out of the building is a bit of a to-do (and he bites furiously the whole time).
We've tried putting pee pads down for him outside, which works if he's hesitating to pee out there, but he just won't poop. We've tried the attractant spray but it just reeks and does nothing. I've stood out with him for over 20 minutes and he just ends up crying at me, wanting to explore or go inside.

We are trying to slowly move the wee pads towards the door, and he is okay to pee in the new pad spot, but still poops where the pads used to be. We only moved it about a foot away, and are diligent with Nature's Miracle to clean up messes.

I'm afraid we're confusing him but he simply can't hold it all day when we're gone, so the pads are necessary. He holds it all night and sleeps in his crate, so there are no crate-messing issues. I'm just concerned now about him not pooping outside! I've heard doxies are hard to housebreak and I don't want to be one of the unlucky ones. I'd really like to take him to work with me one day!


Now I move on to issue #2.. Biting. I know puppy mouthing is natural but this is more than that. He gets VERY nippy and draws blood. We tried yelping and folding our arms but he just lunges at us. We leave the room and it only works for a couple of minutes. "No" or anything like that just amps him up even more.
What's more is that, if leaving is the only solution, what do we do when he's biting us while we're trying to get him ready to go outside?
He lunges at our cats and bites their ears and legs, and the cats just take it. We're afraid of him hurting them so when we're not home we not only gate him in the kitchen but we make it impossible for the cats to get in there ( they are obsessed with stealing his food). No amount of distraction, clapping, etc gets him away from the cats once he's fixated. Our trainer says to utilize "leave it" or "drop it", but yeah right, there's no use, he gets way over the top, and when he pull him away he bites us. We can't lie down with him because he will chew our hair and nip our faces.

We spend tons of time playing with him and taking him out, and he goes to puppy classes and meets lots of dogs and people in our building, and I just don't know what to do. If we're in the apartment and need to leave him in the kitchen for a bit to do something else he barks and cries the entire time, but does not bark when left home alone (we recorded him one day on our computer). How do we get this to stop, because ignoring doesn't seem to do anything.

Sorry to throw this lot at you, but I need some real dachshund expertise here!

:confused:
I hope I can help with your issues. I was having a TERRIBLE time training our new Doxy pup and no matter what we did it wasn't working. Talked to a trainer and he suggested we put small bowls with a little food where she was going so she would get the connection not to poop/pee where she would eat. It worked like a charm and what I thought was going to be an un-trainable dog turned into an amazing dog who truly gets it! Maybe this will help for you?

About the biting: When I got bite I would grab the back of her neck with my hand, put my mouth right next to my hand, growl and shake her, like her mother would do. Her mother would have used her mouth/teeth to do this. I just use my hand to shake and have my mouth there like it is my mouth and not my hand (again, this amazing trainer advice) and she doesn't realize it's my hand and not my mouth. It took several times but she got the message and no more biting!! Also hopes this helps! :)
 

vizzla

New Member
If you let him poop inside when you are at work I think he doesnt see the point of doing it outside other days? It is important that the dog never gets to do inside so it gets it quick that potty is for outside.

If you cant be with him some days, can you get a dog-watcher for the time when you are at work? My parants in laws has our dogs days when we work. Maybe a neighbour or an relative can be with him instead of him beeing alone?

He is a young boy so you need to be patient about the biting. Just stop any contact with him when he is biting. Dont punish his just stop what you doing and ignore him, give him a bone to chew on.

Good luck!
 
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