Potty Training adult dog - in winter no less!

Mavis · Jan 16, 2015

Hi all; anybody have a problem getting their frenchie to go potty outside? We have had Bambi for three weeks. I think she was pretty much crated all of the time. Where we got her said to get a larger crate and put newspapers in the back for her to go. I didn't want to do that as we got her a sweet orthopedic mattress for her crate and she loves it. Anyway, the breeder's house was all tile and so I think Bambi is used to going on that. She only poops and pees in our kitchen which is tile laminate (thank god - she never goes on the carpet or messes in her crate - we keep the door open almost all of the time). I cannot get her to go outside and do her business (it's really cold here and there is snow on the ground). She just detests going out, although I put a coat on her. I'll stand in the middle of the yard but she immediately runs to the door and sits to go back inside. She will run to me when I call her but then she'll run right back to the door. I have given up trying to train her until the weather gets better (April at a minimum). Do any of your dogs go out in the cold? Do you take them out with a leash? How did you train them? Should I take her out on a leash after she eats and just wait until she goes and praise her? Can I retrain her

ray:, or should I resign myself to just cleaning up after her?

Alice Kable · Jan 16, 2015

How old is she? Is she a young adult? We got Buster 2 yrs. ago in Feb. and he was tiny (8 wks) and hated going outside. We trained him to go inside on potty pads. He got so he'd play with the potty pads and shred them so they went away, but by then it was spring and he'd follow his big Bulldog brother outside to do his business. When it warms up it would be good to leash her and take her out to potty.

Tgirl · Jan 16, 2015

I would make sure her crate is small enough that she doesn't want to go in there and keep her in there when you can't keep an eye on her. Take her straight outside and if she doesn't go, bring her back in put her back in the crate, and try again in 30 minutes. If she does go outside make a big happy deal out of it. If you are gone for long periods, you don't want to leave her crated so it's going to be more difficult to get her trained. She will eventually catch on. Good luck!

eeturk · Jan 16, 2015

I'm not sure if this would work since she's not really used to going on grass it sounds like, but it might be worth a try. I purchased a large washing machine drip pan on Amazon, put a layer of potting soil down and then a layer of sod down on top. My Frenchie loves it and I actually had to get a second one since he wanted to lay on one and potty on the other. Not sure it would work in this situation..but it could be an option to try (and it is cheap). I know there are also services that send them to you, might be worth it since its a shorter term thing.

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shortstuff · Jan 16, 2015

I don't know much about potty training in cold weather (we Californians really don't know anytbing about cold in gwneral

) but I do know that the longer she's trained to potty inside, the harder it will be to get her to go outside. Training on potty pads is fine if that's what you'll be sticking with, but it's confusing to train on them then try to re-train outside. Definitely do not give her any room to use her crate as a potty. It should be her den, with enoigh room to turn around andstetch out a little, but not enough room to use one side as a bed and one aide as a potty. A mixture of crate training and taking her out on a leash should do the trick!

blushy · Jan 17, 2015

I walk both my frenchies on leashes. Just treat her like a puppy. 20 mins after eating/drinking = walk on leash for up to 5 mins outside. If she doesn't go crate her & try again in 15 mins (as long as her crate is not so big as she will just "go"

Cold weather is tough, especially with puppies or little dogs (im training my new frenchie puppy & gosh I freeze myself!) so just stick with it

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davidh · Jan 17, 2015

it is hard to do in the winter. Ours hate the rain especially if it's cold too. Just be patient, you have some good ideas above. we also use the cotton reusable potty pads too, that helps.

Mavis · Jan 18, 2015

Thanks, guys. Oh, yeah, Bambi detests the rain!!! ha, ha! (I think worse than the snow, if that's possible.) Blushy, I am encouraged by your method being that you live in OH. I will have to put her harness on and take her out right after eating. She pees immediately after she eats. Breeder said she has never had a harness or been on a leash. She is a stubborn little missy when she doesn't want to do something - like move.

Tgirl · Jan 18, 2015

To get her used to the harness let her wear it around the house some while you are there to watch her. You may need to encourage her to walk with you. Give the leash a tug or two or three until she starts to walk then praise her and possibly give her a small treat. Once she walks a little on the harness, build on that by expecting more and more from her before she is praised.

Cbrugs · Jan 18, 2015

Luckily Jax doesnt have issues with going in the rain or snow. He actually gets the zoomies after coming back inside when it is raining.

blushy · Jan 19, 2015

Mavis said:
Thanks, guys. Oh, yeah, Bambi detests the rain!!! ha, ha! (I think worse than the snow, if that's possible.) Blushy, I am encouraged by your method being that you live in OH. I will have to put her harness on and take her out right after eating. She pees immediately after she eats. Breeder said she has never had a harness or been on a leash. She is a stubborn little missy when she doesn't want to do something - like move.

Tgirl said:
To get her used to the harness let her wear it around the house some while you are there to watch her. You may need to encourage her to walk with you. Give the leash a tug or two or three until she starts to walk then praise her and possibly give her a small treat. Once she walks a little on the harness, build on that by expecting more and more from her before she is praised.

Like tgirl said just keep the harness on her at all times.

We used a leash for Isabelle at first but her constant tugging (she's so strong) lead to developing cherry eye and needing surgery to repair it. It just kept putting too much pressure on that area, so just put a harness on her, and leave it on her. Isabelle wears hers at all times besides a bath, or brushing time. (Her recall isn't very stable either, our 11 week old puppy has a better recall than her) so I wouldn't want to risk her getting out and not even having a collar or harness to grab on her...

Titan has a collar but right now since he's so small and it's cold and snowy and even raining too he gets carried outside and set down in the grass, he runs off to do his business? And runs back to my feet, although I don't know how long this will last I praise praise praise the entire time he sniffs around, pees, and has a poop. Then when he returns to my feet I pet his head and back and praise again before returning to the house.

I praise for the sniffing because that usually leads to going at least pee

and since he has no previous training... Similar to your older dog. It's going to take probably double the work to break her bad potty habits, but just try your best to stay positive while doing it, I know this will be a stressful time. It's really hard remembering it isn't their fault. The previous owners (or breeder if it's a puppy like mine) just didn't take the time to establish pottying outside.

I know people living in apts sometimes prefer indoor training to prevent illness as well, so everyone is different but it's tough once you want to change it!

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Mavis · Jan 20, 2015

Thanks guys. I am learning so much from this site. I bought her a harness a few weeks ago and will put it on her. It looks like a little bra. :blush2: Never thought about keeping it on her but that is a great idea.

blushy, I am just amazed that they don't fight you about going potty outside. I'm assumed you have a sweater on them? OMG, they are like children. Does it seem that their feet get cold?

blushy · Jan 20, 2015

Mavis said:
Thanks guys. I am learning so much from this site. I bought her a harness a few weeks ago and will put it on her. It looks like a little bra. :blush2: Never thought about keeping it on her but that is a great idea.

blushy, I am just amazed that they don't fight you about going potty outside. I'm assumed you have a sweater on them? OMG, they are like children. Does it seem that their feet get cold?

Isabelle doesn't fight at all. Titan is a little tiny thing so he shivers & it takes a couple minutes longer haha!

Neither of my dogs wear sweaters. They live in Ohio, they better get used to this! They both eat snow, too. Their feet turn to little ice cubes but as soon as their back in the warm house it's fine.

Just stay on the consistent pattern & she'll get it! Don't give in to the stubborn bulldog nature!

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Squishy Walnuts · Jan 21, 2015

I don't put a sweater on my dogs when they go potty either and I'm in Canada. To ensure they don't relieve themselves on the deck I have to be encouraging by clapping my hands and saying things like 'Go potty! Good dogs!'. I sound like an idiot but it works. Uma doesn't need it but Wally will go on the deck if I don't watch him.

Mavis · Jan 22, 2015

Actually, it was a beautiful day here (cold but sunny), and Bambi followed Ginger outside twice. I was shocked. (I think part of it was to smell the hibachi that just had pork steaks grilled on it the night before.)

She liked being out and then I think she started to get cold and then didn't. She didn't pee, but I will work on it especially on the nicer days.

blushy · Jan 22, 2015

Mavis said:
Actually, it was a beautiful day here (cold but sunny), and Bambi followed Ginger outside twice. I was shocked. (I think part of it was to smell the hibachi that just had pork steaks grilled on it the night before.) She liked being out and then I think she started to get cold and then didn't. She didn't pee, but I will work on it especially on the nicer days.

You may have to walk her on a leash for the winter weather, then once spring hits she'll understand what you want her to do

seeing the other dog was probably helpful, though!

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