Housetraining older chi's

[iluvmydoggies]

My chihuahua's, Joey and Cocoa Bean, are 3 years old and we have tried to house train them but it doesn't work. Do you guys have any ideas?:confused:

[DragonLady]

House training your Chihuahua should be relatively easy if your Chihuahua understands the rules you give him. Confusion over what he is or isn't allowed to do is what causes the problems. You, as the owner and master of the dog, have to take control of the situation and outline the rules the dog must follow. Chihuahua's learn through repetition and consistency. If you are not consistent with what you ask of him then he will not be consistent with his response to your expectations.

Chihuahua's are particular about where they "do their business". As a rule, they do not usually like to defecate or urinate where they sleep. That is a good place to begin with house training. Keep your dog confined to a small sleeping area during bed time and then, when you get up first thing in the morning, take him to wherever he is allowed to go to the bathroom. Leave him there until he "does his business". When he is finished you should praise him for being a good dog. Do this consistently and he should eventually learn the routine.

"Routine" is the key word here. Whether you start with a new Chihuahua puppy, or if you bring home an adult Chihuahua, he has no idea of where his bathroom area is unless you point it out to him. He may not learn it right away and he may make a mistake or two along the way.

Don't be too harsh on him at first. You don't want him to think that he's going to get a spanking or have his nose rubbed in it any time he goes to the bathroom. That doesn't work. He will just wait until he thinks you aren't looking and then he will "do his business" and get away from it before you find out and spank him. Punishment, in the form of voice reprimand, should be inflicted, ONLY IF YOU CATCH HIM IN THE ACT. If you don't catch him within a few seconds of his relieving himself then you are better off to ignore his mis-cues and focus on the things he does properly. Praise him for doing well. Make sure to remove any scent of the accidents by using an enzymatic cleaner like Natures Miracle. Without removing the scent the dogs will continue to use that place as a potty spot. A black light held 2"-4" from the floor will cause any urine to glow so you can be sure to remove it all.

An intelligent Chihuahua usually wants to please his master. He will feed off of the tone and emotion in your voice. In most cases, if you tell him "bad dog" in a stern voice he will understand that you are displeased with him and that is enough punishment. He should respond equally well to praise for a job well done.

It's all right to give the dog small rewards when he goes in the right place.
It is a good idea to use one word that is always a signal that it is time to go "do your business". At our house the keywords are "go potty". If we say to the Chihuahua's "let's go potty!", that means it is bathroom time. We have a big fenced yard and the Chihuahua's are let out early in the morning, several times a day (or all day in nice weather), and again just before bed time. Anyway, whether you use "out", "potty", or whatever, pick one word or phrase that your Chihuahua will come to understand means that it is toilet time.

Understandably, the best way to train your Chihuahua is to be there with it all of the time. That isn't always possible for most people but you still need to be sure you spend as much time with the Chihuahua as is necessary to get him to bond with you and to want to please you. If you must be absent from your dog then leave him in his sleeping quarters until you get back and then let him out to go to the bathroom.

Most adult Chihuahua's can learn to hold it for eight to ten hours if they have to. Don't punish him if he has an accident while you are gone; just take him out to "do his business" and praise him if he does it in the right place.
Pay attention to your Chihuahua's toilet schedule. Their elimination's are pretty predictable if you tune in and watch. Adults usually need to go at least two times a day and young puppies more often. You can teach your Chihuahua to eliminate upon command with time and patience. Watch your puppy carefully. They will often start looking for something when they are about to go.

Catch the puppy at that point and take him to the toilet area. Praise him wonderfully if he does what you want him to. You may be surprised just how much the puppy responds.

Male dogs who "mark their territory" can be one of the most frustrating of house training situations. Having the Chihuahua fixed is one very good way to offset the problem. Fixed males are usually extremely clean house dogs. However, if fixing is not an option, then you are back to square one. Repetition and consistency, reprimand and praise applied at the right times, and spending time with the Chihuahua are your best options. Having two males in the house can double the problem because when one "marks" then the other will want to "mark" the same spot.

Remember that when you try to stop your male from "marking", you are going against something that ?mother nature? built into him to do instinctively. Male dogs are physically unable to empty their bladder with only one elimination, and can usually urinate ?at will? so you have to teach him the desired behavior. Be patient and consistent and you should end up with a Chihuahua that understands and behaves like you want him to. If all else fails a belly band worn indoors will keep your furniture free from marking. This is a "cummerbund" that velcro's around the dogs tummy covering the penis. You line the fabric with a absorbent pad so you can dispose of any urine released.


If you live in a situation where your Chihuahua has to live indoors and be paper trained you might want to try what one lady we know did. She put down a piece of plastic with newspaper over it in one room of the house. Next she filled a plastic two liter pop bottle with water and sat it on the paper. She smeared some dog urine on the bottle and that became the only place in the house where her male was allowed to "mark". He eventually learned to use the bottle as an outlet for his "marking" and left the rest of the house alone.

Through the years we have talked to a great number of people about house training Chihuahua's. We have had a variety of feedback about various problems that people encounter. Some people call back two weeks after buying a Chihuahua and say they have it house trained already. Others call back a year later and still have a problem. Options include paper training, crate training, outside training, "pee pads", and others, but nothing works unless you and the Chihuahua have an under- standing about the acceptable routine. If you can train him he can learn from you.

In closing I have to say that there are always exceptions to every rule, and now and then we encounter Chihuahua's with some problems. Chihuahua's have a brain, and like humans, sometimes the brain is faulty and the Chihuahua is slower to some degree. If you have a Chihuahua that seems to be absolutely untrainable you may want to have an animal behavioral specialist evaluate him.
However, with perseverance and patience, your Chihuahua should eventually house train.