# Please help me housetrain my puppy



## Rosalind (Oct 4, 2009)

I have a 15 week old Lhasa Apso puppy, and I have been struggling to housetrain her for the last 9 weeks. 

The breeder I bought her from assured me she was paper trained but it was obvious as soon as I got her home that this was not so. All she did with the paper was rip it to shreds so I bought her some puppy training pads. She did use them as a toilet, along with all the carpets in the house!

I then bought a 'cage' in which she has her bed and this is right next to the back door and garden, and I put a training pad on the floor at the end of this space. I have blocked her access to the rest of the house to protect the carpets. Since then she has only used the mats, and the garden when the back door is open, but as soon as I let her into the house she immediately wets on the carpets again.

I am in a very difficult position because I have recently divorced my husband but we are still living in the same house which belongs to him, and he has told me to either get out, or to get rid of my puppy immediately because he is tired of the dirt and mess she is causing. I have been trying to find somewhere else to live but without success so far. I also have very bad arthritis and am in constant pain and will be having major surgery because of this soon, so this isn't helping either.

I don't want to part with my puppy - I love her very dearly - but unless I can sort out the problem of house training her very quickly, she will have to go. Please - can anyone help me?


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## SEVEN_PETS (Aug 11, 2009)

Do not use puppy training pads. it will confuse her. after every meal, every 40 minutes, when she wakes up and before she goes to bed, take her outside and wait until she's gone toilet.


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## Rosalind (Oct 4, 2009)

to work and am out from about 10.00am till 2.30pm and 5.00pm till 9.00pm three days a week. Also, by the time I manage to get downstairs each morning, my puppy is already awake and has urinated and moved her bowels. Should I fasten the door of the cage when I go to bed so she can't do this?


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## Rosalind (Oct 4, 2009)

Sorry - the first part of my reply has not been published. I said thank you to Seven Pets and added that what she suggested was not always possible as I have to work.


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## Dundee (Oct 20, 2008)

You may have to get up a little earlier in the morning and make sure she goes last thing at night. Do you have someone who could come in to her while you are at work? If you are leaving her to get on with it, it will take longer as she has learnt to go indoors.


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## SEVEN_PETS (Aug 11, 2009)

Rosalind said:


> to work and am out from about 10.00am till 2.30pm and 5.00pm till 9.00pm three days a week. Also, by the time I manage to get downstairs each morning, my puppy is already awake and has urinated and moved her bowels. Should I fasten the door of the cage when I go to bed so she can't do this?


so she's left 8 hours a day? this is the only way she'll learn. she's 15 weeks old, she should be able to hold her bladder/bowels are 4 hours at a time. You should lock her in the crate as she won't toilet in there, if she's given the whole room/house, then she'll toilet in there. for getting downstairs, wake up 15 minutes earlier so you can get her outside.


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## dexter (Nov 29, 2008)

you had her from 6 weeks of age ?????


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

She's left alone too long while you're at work, and what's going to happen to her when you have your surgery and are recovering? 
If you are going to keep the puppy you will have to get up earlier, maybe even taking her out in the middle of the night. Lhasa Apso's have a reputation for not being one of easier breeds to house train, so you need to be consistent and be there to let her out and make sure she 'goes' frequently. I appreciate you're in a miserable and awkward domestic situation, but this was probably not the best time to get a puppy.


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## Rosalind (Oct 4, 2009)

My thanks to all of you for your advice which I will follow, starting tomorrow morning.


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## sallydog34 (Sep 5, 2009)

I would try and figure out somethign with your husband.. and hun. dont let the small things stop you. so many people these days sweat such small things and jump to divorce. But im sure if your divorced there are good reasons.. idk and it is not my buizness. Anyhow. Keep to a routine schedule with the dog. That is the most important part of potty training.

Good LUck


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## Rosalind (Oct 4, 2009)

Hi sallydog34,

Thank you so much for your comments and advice, ALL of which are appreciated more than you can know. I will do my best to establish as regular routine as I can and hope this solves the problem. Just hope I'm given enough time for it to work!


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## ad_1980 (Jan 28, 2009)

hey hon.

your puppy is a baby. baby can't hold his bladder for so long at that age. Give him time. I'd be more worried if he was around 6-8 months of age.

I would suggest you take pup out every 20-30 minutes when you are at home plus after every nap and feed. 

Your pup won't actually really get the message properly that outside is pee pee area until he's matured a bit more - ie until he's 4-6 months of age and he's not going to automatically know where to go unless he's been trained.

So if you take this darling out as regular as possible when you are at home and praise him every time he does a mess outside, by doing that he'll learn he's been good. Also if he seems to be doing things in the house which signal he needs a wee immediately pick him up and take him outside. 

He'll learn eventually that he has to mess outside. don't worry!


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