I have a 8 month old chihuahua male. We live in an apartment and work 8 hours a day so our only option was to litter train him. I read things here and there about organic litter in case they eat it etc so I was sure to use the proper litter safe for him. I also make sure I walk him to the litter box just like you would if you were taking him outside to potty.giving him the verbal command and then treat him when he goes. During the day he is in a play pen with toys, bed, and a litter box which he uses every time consistantly. I would love to eventually let him have the apartment to roam during the day if he would use the litterbox like he does when hes in his large play pen area.
when I get home I immedietly take him potty and then watch him. He is wound up and hyper and has a very funny relationship with our cat they play and cuddle together the cat even cleans the dog like a baby they tend to play chase with each other and I let them get tired of each other then I start working with him on his tricks etc. The past couple days hes been good but there are moments where even though I take him potty he will poop on the floor somewhere in just a split second. for example he may beat me up the stairs when he follows me and as i get to the top of the stairs he has pooped. Is there any other trick or method I can do to fully train him?
I understand consistancy is key. I am trying really hard to work with him.
one time i was laying on my stomach on the couch watching tv and he jumped on my back i thought he was going to lay down like he always does instead he squats and pees all over my back. Ive seen dogs in a leg hiking mode outside where theyve also wandered over to the owners leg to mark their territory or like most dogs if you just walk in the door and they get excited they may urinate however i didnt take this as a marking of territory and he was not wound up or excited. he is young and has been checked for any medical/bladder issues and he has nothing medically wrong. why would he do this?
Same goes with pooping he once pooped on the arm rest of the couch with not even stopping to go he just ran across the love seat to the couch pooping as he ran. its decusting and embarassing if someone were to be at our home when he does this. I try to watch his body language for signs and im usually really good at knowing when he has to go but sometimes he really dosent even give me a chance to know if he has to go.theres sometimes when he wont poop all day and other times he poopes twice in a row. hes given a bowl of food to freely eat during the day when hes locked up. i have the litterbox positioned in the middle of our apartment in plain view for easy access. it is an automatic litterbox which is maintained and kept pristine clean at all times. what is going on here? what am i doing wrong?
Potty training
Do you have your dog on a set feeding schedule? Feeding morning and night, the bag of dog food you use will have a suggested serving size depending on your dogs weight. Dogs will need to go to the bathroom 10-15 minutes after they eat or drink. Then, just like a baby, he will develop a pattern of when he needs to go to the bathroom. As you said, consistency is the key.
Also, what kind of food are you feeding him? A low quality food will pass through his body with minimal absorbance causing him to go to the bathroom more often.
Also, using nature's miracle or any type of spray that will deodorize the urine will help. Although, from what it sounds like, urinating is not his major issue. Was the peeing on you an isolated incident? Dogs will also pee if they feel scared or intimidated, and with chihuahuas can be a common occurrence.
Is your dog neutered?