Potty training a small dog…some say it can’t be done. Well, I’m here to tell you it IS possible. BUT potty training a Chihuahua or other small breed dog is NOT easy.
Before we get into HOW to potty train your little dog, let’s talk about the reasons why it can be difficult:
1) Small dogs have teeny, tiny little bladders. It doesn’t matter if your little guy (or girl) is a puppy or adult…they have an itsy-bitsy bladder. If you are training a puppy under the age of 16 weeks, then you are also working with a puppy who literally physically can not hold their bladder yet…their muscles are not that well developed.
2) Small dogs get carried from one location to another. Without walking to a potty area themselves, how are they going to learn how to get there?
3) Hot summers and cold winters can be hard for both dogs and people, resulting in a reluctance to go outside (or stay outside) enough to properly learn their potty location.
4) Indoor potty training devices designed for small dogs (such as pee pads) can create confusion.
Now that we know the top four reasons it can be difficult to potty train a small dog, let’s talk about the three easy steps we can take in order to have potty training success!
1) Go outside. A LOT. Make sure you let your little dog walks outside himself. If he will not walk outside with you on his own, you may need to follow behind him instead of waiting for him to follow you to encourage him to keep moving in the correct direction. Once outside, make sure you wait long enough for a potty to occur, then follow the potty immediately with verbal praise and a treat. If your small dog is a puppy, your potty breaks will need to continue to be frequent until he is over 16 weeks of age. Your potty breaks will also need to continue to be frequent until you are having NO accidents. Every accident is an indication to you that you have not been outside recently enough, or you did not stay outside long enough on your last potty break.
2) Don’t let the little guy out of your sight! Small dogs are absolutely brilliant. Even if your little guy really seems to be “getting it”, don’t let down your guard! A smart dog who doesn’t want to potty in the rain, for instance, may run back to the door when you take him out, but sneak away from you once inside to have a potty break.
3) If you are choosing to train an indoor potty location instead of an outdoor potty, then you will need to make the location VERY clear. A simple pee pad is not different enough from a bath mat, for example, to prevent confusion and therefore mistakes. We would recommend using a less-confusing option such as the
Fresh Patch Disposable Dog Potty with REAL Grass
THAT’S IT!
In three simple steps, you can potty train your Chihuahua or any small breed dog! The challenge is in taking the initiative to go the potty location, stay at the potty location, and reward the potty behavior enough to eliminate any confusion or accidents. Teach your smart, sneaky little dog that going to the potty spot YOU want is worth it!
A weird problem I had with Matilda at first – she was a runt, and so scared when I got her. It wasn’t hard to get her to go on the pad, but when she did, if I overdid the praise, she’d get scared! She thought she was in trouble when I said “Good girl!!!” too loudly or enthusiastically. With lots of treats, though, she realized that “good girl” was a good thing.
She’s a year old, but I still use pads every day. It’s too hot, and I’m kind of lazy at times! But she always rings her potty bell and prefers walkies to using her pad. Do you chis use a potty bell?
My Chi doesn’t need a potty bell…she has a very loud, insistent whine when she needs to go, LOL. I also pair treats with potty training. It really helps!
what type and brand is best for a treat for a picky Chi
That’s a great question! Each Chi is an individual so sometimes it can be tricky to find the treat they like the most. If your Chi is really picky, you may have to venture out of dog treats and in to people food! Of our two Chi’s Porky Pig loves almost any treat (dog or human), but Polly Pocket prefers meatballs, steak, or bacon. Keep us posted on if you find a treat your Chi loves!
I have a 7month old Chi and a 4 year old, I have never had problems with my 4year old with accidents until with got my 7month old, I take both of them out, and the 7month old has the hang of it, but will often have accidents inside, what am I doing wrong, I did great with my oldest , but with the young one, I depend on my daughter to take him out, but like young adults she doesn’t take him out often, could it be he is confused, bc when she is at work I take him out as much as I can, I suffer from fibromyalgia and there times I can’t take him, so I depend on her. What do you suggest, bc the accidents fall back on me, bc I have to clean it up. Thanking you in advance for any suggestions you might give me.
If your puppy is having a lot of accidents it is most likely because he is not being taken outside enough to help his understanding of where to go. He also may not be able to hold that long. For example, of our two Chihuahuas, Porky Pig was spayed very young as she was adopted from a shelter, and because of that early operation she goes to the restroom much more frequently than Polly Pocket. Would you be able to train an indoor potty location in the event that you can not take him outside? If so, I would be glad to give you some suggestions on how to have better success with that training!
My little chihuahua learned to use potty pads. She follows me into the bathroom where her potty pad is almost every time I go which is pretty often. She will also go outside if we are away from the house. I’m very proud of her and me that I taught her and she learned to use a potty pad. She is 22 months old and weighs 5 lbs., she is my sweetheart fur baby.
That is excellent! We are a family of two Chihuahuas here. Porky Pig (11 months old and 4.5lbs) and Polly Pocket (2 years old and 3lbs). Porky Pig understands outside and has a potty pad with a raised edge to make it different from our bathroom rugs. They are both amazing little girls, and make friends everywhere they go. What is your baby’s name?