Chikey has been such a joy to have around the home these days. The initial few weeks was bad - I forgot how stubborn dachshunds were and how difficult it can be to toilet train a puppy. For many days, he broke out of the confined area and none of the fences worked.
And when we finally had to confine him in a room, he barked incessantly and was simply dirtying the whole room by eliminating outside the tray then pacing everywhere! It was a nightmare to come home and having to mop the room several times and monitor him yet end up having to clean up as he has accidents.
Because both of us were working, I rushed home by 6pm everyday just so I can quickly feed him and hopefully toilet-train him. But when we caught him peeing and brought him to his tray, he simply refused to pee till we happen to go to the toilet. It drove us crazy really and we ended up trying to confine him in a playpen, so that he can be praised and let out after he pees in the right place. It may sound like a good idea, but he simply refused to pee nor poo. This 4-month old puppy outwits us and out-waits us. He can hold from 6pm to 12am till both of us wanted to sleep and brought him into the room - he then find somewhere to pee. It doesn't help when he's so small and simply pee by bending his butt slightly downwards.
He simply slept when we confine him!
We bought a few pee trays, pee pads, 2 toilet-training aids, read so many books and forums to try to toilet-train and stop his incessant barking. Initially, he refused to even walk on his leash nor go out.
We came a long way. I realized that he likes to pee and poo outside our MBR toilet, near the door. I bought pee pads and lined the whole area with them so that he naturally would get it right. It worked for awhile till he started sleeping and biting the pee pads. Then I decided to simply leave his pee tray there and pray that he would get it right. And then he did. From then on, his hit rate is probably 90%. At times he pee right beside or pee inside the tray but poo outside. The joy I experienced when I finally did not need to clear pee and poo early in the morning!
We eventually leave him in our huge common toilet now, after getting a baby gate. I also got him a radio to accompany him while we were out. Surprisingly, he pees at the pee tray and poo around that area too. Even when we let him out, he goes back to his tray to eliminate. *yay* His hit rate is at least 90% these days and it gives us more time to enjoy him instead of feeling frustrated and watching him like a hawk.
Chikey is a lot more settled over the past month. He enjoys his walks now and dash towards us whenever we say 'gai gai'. He also no longer sticks to us like glue and plays with his toys on the carpet while I cook. He's a little darling although he's still teething and likes to bite many things. He likes to gather all of his milk bones and rope on our floor mat and start nibbling on all of them. He always runs around with his milk bones, even when you carry him up. He rushes to my side every morning and turns his tummy up for a tummy rub with a shaking tail.
And here's the cute baby in the house now:
This is his good friend, Rugby.
Chikey is still the very playful puppy now, and still a long way from being 'trained'. Thankfully, he's trained enough to be a joy now. Dogs, they bring so much joy into your life and teach you things that you can never learn from humans. =)
And when we finally had to confine him in a room, he barked incessantly and was simply dirtying the whole room by eliminating outside the tray then pacing everywhere! It was a nightmare to come home and having to mop the room several times and monitor him yet end up having to clean up as he has accidents.
Because both of us were working, I rushed home by 6pm everyday just so I can quickly feed him and hopefully toilet-train him. But when we caught him peeing and brought him to his tray, he simply refused to pee till we happen to go to the toilet. It drove us crazy really and we ended up trying to confine him in a playpen, so that he can be praised and let out after he pees in the right place. It may sound like a good idea, but he simply refused to pee nor poo. This 4-month old puppy outwits us and out-waits us. He can hold from 6pm to 12am till both of us wanted to sleep and brought him into the room - he then find somewhere to pee. It doesn't help when he's so small and simply pee by bending his butt slightly downwards.
He simply slept when we confine him!
We bought a few pee trays, pee pads, 2 toilet-training aids, read so many books and forums to try to toilet-train and stop his incessant barking. Initially, he refused to even walk on his leash nor go out.
We came a long way. I realized that he likes to pee and poo outside our MBR toilet, near the door. I bought pee pads and lined the whole area with them so that he naturally would get it right. It worked for awhile till he started sleeping and biting the pee pads. Then I decided to simply leave his pee tray there and pray that he would get it right. And then he did. From then on, his hit rate is probably 90%. At times he pee right beside or pee inside the tray but poo outside. The joy I experienced when I finally did not need to clear pee and poo early in the morning!
We eventually leave him in our huge common toilet now, after getting a baby gate. I also got him a radio to accompany him while we were out. Surprisingly, he pees at the pee tray and poo around that area too. Even when we let him out, he goes back to his tray to eliminate. *yay* His hit rate is at least 90% these days and it gives us more time to enjoy him instead of feeling frustrated and watching him like a hawk.
Chikey is a lot more settled over the past month. He enjoys his walks now and dash towards us whenever we say 'gai gai'. He also no longer sticks to us like glue and plays with his toys on the carpet while I cook. He's a little darling although he's still teething and likes to bite many things. He likes to gather all of his milk bones and rope on our floor mat and start nibbling on all of them. He always runs around with his milk bones, even when you carry him up. He rushes to my side every morning and turns his tummy up for a tummy rub with a shaking tail.
And here's the cute baby in the house now:
This is his good friend, Rugby.
Chikey is still the very playful puppy now, and still a long way from being 'trained'. Thankfully, he's trained enough to be a joy now. Dogs, they bring so much joy into your life and teach you things that you can never learn from humans. =)
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