# HELP - Toilet training a mini daschund



## Vixy G (Sep 26, 2012)

Hello,

We have had our gorgeous puppy for three weeks and she is 3.5 months old and I am slightly pulling my hair out with her toilet training. :mad2: We crate her at night and she seems to go through without any incident. However during the day is a different story. We confine her to the kitchen but the minute I take my eye off her she is doing her business even though I have just taken her out for 20 minutes beforehand. 

I have been trawling through the Internet and read that I should take her out and if she has not done her business put her back in her crate and try again in half an hour or so. If she has done her business she can then have a play in the kitchen and then go back in to her crate. 

Any advice would be warmly welcomed as I am about to take out shares in 'hard floor stain and odour remover' 

Thank you 

Vixy


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## Amy-manycats (Jun 15, 2009)

It sounds like she could be distressed about you leaving her in there. Do you leave her with anything to do or a yummy kong?

PS welcome to PF.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Vixy G said:


> Hello,
> 
> We have had our gorgeous puppy for three weeks and she is 3.5 months old and I am slightly pulling my hair out with her toilet training. :mad2: We crate her at night and she seems to go through without any incident. However during the day is a different story. We confine her to the kitchen but the minute I take my eye off her she is doing her business even though I have just taken her out for 20 minutes beforehand.
> 
> ...


Consistency and repetition is usually the key. if you are also using paper and training pads still or have them about that could be the problem too especially if she only toileted indoors on them at the breeders, it can confuse them and act as a cue that doing it in the house is the right place.

Taking them out frequently for short periods is usually better then infrequently for longer periods. Take her out every 30 minutes, you only need a couple of successes to start. If she starts to go use a word every time, eventually they associate the word with toileting so when learned you can use it as a toilet cue, when finished lots of praise and treats. Take her out after drinking,eating, play and sleeping too usually they need to go then. Look out for circling sniffing and scratching at the floor thats usually a sign they are looking to go so get her out quick, you dont always see this when younger though, as they sometimes dont realise the need to go or the realise too late.

Dont tell her off, it can make them nervous about going in front of you and more likely to sneak off and do it. Carry on making sure you clean up with the odour remover as smells left can encourage repeats in the same places.

Its possible that going into the garden and if you are getting fraustrated, its all become a tense affair, they can pick up on it. If you dont get successes out side after trying this for a day or so and she just wont pee with you standing about waiting, then still have her out, but get her running around after a toy or ball, inititally treat it like a play or training session, you often find when they are running about and their minds taken off anything else, sudddenly they will squat to pee or poop without thinking, you can then use the cue word when she starts and the praise and treats when finished. As aid once you start getting a few outside successes, you can start properly to toilet train.

Nights obviously not a problem as leeping in the crate solves that one.


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## apricot (Sep 25, 2012)

Hello,
we have had lots of mini dachshunds in the family. They have all, every single one, been difficult or impossible to house-train and never reliable indoors. We blame the long back (too far from brain to bladder)
Sorry to say this but 3 1/2 months is no time at all. You may still be struggling at 3 1/2 years.
apricot


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## Vixy G (Sep 26, 2012)

Thank you for all the advice and fingers crossed we will get there. I am probably expecting too much and must remember she is only 14 weeks. We had a relatively good day yesterday. Anyway I am going to start taking her out every 30mins and see whether playing with her outside with a ball will help. Fingers crossed! X


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## Strawberryearth (Apr 5, 2012)

I completely disagree with Apricot (sorry). I have a miniature Dachshund, Betty, whom is fully and reliably toilet trained- and has been for months. She has just turned 10months old. 

Expect a few accidents once the ball has gotten rolling, they are not robots and may make mistakes, but they can absolutely be toilet trained!

SDH's advice is perfectly sound, what I would have suggested too. Once you have that all important 1st wee/poo outside have a party! Make such a huge deal about it, special treats, lots of praise- peeing outside is super fun! After you have that 1 to praise the others should come thick and fast, provided you are consistant with your training.

I understand your frustration, you are outside for 20mins and nothing. Come inside and turn your back (to take off your shoes) and bam- wee all over the floor! If you catch them in the act, say a firm "no", pick them up (wee will stop mid flow) and hurry them to where they should go to finish the job. Then praise praise praise. 

There may be occassions where you have to out-stubborn them. We had Betty in March and it was freezing! She would sit at the back door and cry when we took her out for a wee (who wouldn't when there is a soft fluffy, warm carpet inside to pee on!?). OH used to cave and let her back in, I was a lot meaner than him and kept her outside until she went. Even if it meant standing outside for 20mins at 11pm! She finally went, got her praise and treat and (even better) got to go back inside! Winner! 

You will get there, keep at it.


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## Vixy G (Sep 26, 2012)

Thank you so much that is really helpful. I feel a lot more positive about it and hopefully we will get there before too long. The last two days have been much better, so fingers crossed.

X


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## Jennac (Mar 12, 2012)

I have to agree with everything Strawberryearth has said and I'm afraid I also have to disagree with apricot (sorry!) 

I rescued a mini wire dacshund when she was a couple of years old, she came from a breeder that kept the back door open (she had a big house, lots of land and spent alot of time outdoors) so the first week I had Freddie she had a few accidents indoors. We had her over the really cold January and there was many a morning a 6.30am you would find me in the garden in my pj's freezing cold for about 20 minutes and also at 11pm!!

I had to take Freddie back to her breeder due to some agression issues (see other posts) and have recently got another mini wire dacshund. He will be 14 weeks on Monday and is already getting the gist of things! He has the run of the kitchen when I am not there and at night and will relieve himself on paper/pads there but I take him out when he wakes up, after he's eaten, played etc and in the last week he has even gone to the back door to be taken out or taken himself outside when the door has been open and done a wee.

We do keep and eye on him when he has full run of downstairs when we are at home but he hasn't had any accidents for about 2-3 weeks and even if we're not quite quick enough, he still goes on his paper in the kitchen (not great and alot of people would argue not to use but it works for us as he rarely uses it when we are there as we are very strict about taking him outside.)

He also spends alot of time at my parents house and is getting the message there too. We do alot of praise, use 'wee wee's' and say 'good wee wee's' and 'good 'boy' whilst his doing his wee and treat him after. He seems to be going alot quicker once taken outside aswell, rather than sniffing around for 15 minutes then running to the back door!!

Dachshund's are intelligent and if you have one that is quite food orientated, like my old one and current one, then it does make life simpler. For me, it seems as soon as they learn something you have no problem after that, be it a trick or simple sit - Jeffery learnt to sit within 2 days at 11/12 weeks old and seemed to pick things up in his first puppy class last Monday even though he was the youngest.

I would take SDH's advice and just keep at it and be vigilant! It's hard work but so worth it in the end and you will feel so pleased once she is going outside, I know I did!


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## Vixy G (Sep 26, 2012)

Thank you so much for your advice. We have just been to the in laws for the weekend and Phoebe did not have one accident inside. Fingers crossed that she has the gist of it and we will have a good week. X


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## blitzens mum (Jul 15, 2012)

its like everything else, patience and consistency is whats needed, taking him out every 30 minutes during the day is what i did with bllitz and it worked


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Vixy G said:


> Thank you so much for your advice. We have just been to the in laws for the weekend and Phoebe did not have one accident inside. Fingers crossed that she has the gist of it and we will have a good week. X


Great news with persistence Im sure you will have it cracked in no time. Often with dogs like kids just when you never think they are ever going to get it they suddenly often do.


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## jbw54 (Apr 24, 2012)

Strawberryearth said:


> I completely disagree with Apricot (sorry). I have a miniature Dachshund, Betty, whom is fully and reliably toilet trained- and has been for months. She has just turned 10months old.
> 
> Expect a few accidents once the ball has gotten rolling, they are not robots and may make mistakes, but they can absolutely be toilet trained!
> 
> ...


I agree with strawberryearth, mine still don't like going out if it's raining i often take the golf brolly out with me - but at least they get to the pee post and then rush me back in


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

I think everybody is right that its just repetition and frequent trips out to the toilet area that will work.
Also Im between the other 2 opinions on house training Daxie's!!LOL I have a Chiweenie and she took about 10 months to train successfully. Daschshunds are one of the more difficult breeds to house train, but not impossible. Its just that it might take months instead of weeks to get to where other breeds of puppies will be!!


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