QuestionThank you for your reply. I was aware that Poms will not go where they sleep, so I guess what I'm really asking is, "Since the dog is going where it sleeps, will it be that much harder to train her?" The owner told me they keep it locked up all day and don't get home until late at night, so the dog is going in its crate right where it sleeps.
They told me they "bought her on a whim" and are wanting to sell her because they can't give her the attention she really needs.
Jennifer
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Followup To
Question -
Hi~
We have an opportunity to purchase a Pom from someone who bought a pup from a breeder about a month ago, and now they are having second thoughts. They are gone all the time and have been confining their new 4-month-old Pom puppy to a crate all day and often at night. They obviously had no business in getting one if they are going to keep it locked up and don't have time to spend with it! My only hesitation in "rescuing" this dog is all the work it will take to house train her since she has been confined so much. QUESTION: Am I biting off a huge task in purchasing her? How long will it take to train her? She is AKC registered, and my parents have her sister (who is doing EXCELLENT w/ house training, but she has not been left by herself for long periods of time). Any advice will be appreciated.
Answer -
Poms are relatively easy to train becasue they are very eager to please but you have to take the time to train them. :-) You are welcome to email me and I can forward you a ton of info on them that I have collected over the years.
They prefer not to "go" where they sleep or eat so knowing that should make training easier as well.
-Trish
Gemini Poms
www.geminipoms.com
geminipoms@peoplepc.com
Answer"Since the dog is going where it sleeps, will it be that much harder to train her?"
It should not-she will prefer to go someplace else but since she has had NO PLACE ELSE, it may take her a bit more time to realize there is an option. Once she knows there are other places and she will be given the opportunity to go someplace else then she will.
The quickest and easiest way to housetrain your puppy is to rely on your puppy's natural instincts and behavior.
What To Expect
Unless you can monitor your puppy 24 hours a day, don't expect your puppy to be completely housetrained until he is at least 6 months old. It's normal for young pups to be little 'input-output' machines. Since they are growing and developing rapidly at this stage, they eat more food, burn up more energy and seem to need to eliminate constantly! They also have not yet developed bowel and bladder control, so they can't 'hold it' as long as adult dogs.
When You Are Not Home
Confine your puppy to a small, 'puppy-proofed' room and paper the entire floor. Put his bed, toys and food/water bowls there. At first there will be no rhyme or reason to where your pup eliminates. He will go everywhere and anywhere. He will also probably play with the papers, chew on them, and drag them around his little den. Most puppies do this and you just have to live with it. Don't get upset, just accept it as life with a young puppy. The important thing is that when you get home, clean up the mess and lay down fresh papers.
Passive Training
While your puppy is confined, he is developing a habit of eliminating on paper because no matter where he goes, it will be on paper. As time goes on, he will start to show a preferred place to do his business. When this place is well established and the rest of the papers remain clean all day, then gradually reduce the area that is papered. Start removing the paper that is furthest away from his chosen location. Eventually you will only need to leave a few sheets down in that area only. If he ever misses the paper, then you've reduced the area too soon. Go back to papering a larger area or even the entire room. Once your pup is reliably going only on the papers you've left, then you can slowly and gradually move his papers to a location of your choice. Move the papers only an inch a day. If he misses the paper again, then you're moving too fast. Go back a few steps and start over. Don't be discouraged if your puppy seems to be making remarkable progress and then suddenly you have to return to papering the entire room. This is normal. There will always be minor setbacks. If you stick with this procedure, your puppy will be paper trained.
When You Are Home
When you are home but can't attend to your puppy, follow the same procedures described above. But the more time you spend with your pup, the quicker he will be housetrained. Your objective is to take your puppy to his toilet area every time he needs to eliminate. This should be about once every 45 minutes; just after a play session; just after eating or drinking; and just upon waking. When he does eliminate in his toilet area, praise and reward him profusely and enthusiastically! Don't use any type of reprimand or punishment for mistakes or accidents. Your puppy is too young to understand and it can set the housetraining process back drastically. Don't allow your puppy freedom outside of his room unless you know absolutely for sure that his bladder and bowels are completely empty. When you do let him out, don't let him out of your sight. It is a good idea to have him on leash when he is exploring your home. He can't get into trouble if you are attached to the other end of the leash. Every 30 minutes return your pup to his toilet area. As your puppy becomes more reliable about using his toilet area and his bowel and bladder control develops, he can begin to spend more time outside his room with you in the rest of your home. Begin by giving him access to one room at a time. Let him eat, sleep and play in this room but only when he can be supervised. When you cannot supervise him, put him back in his room.
Active Training
The most important thing you can do to make housetraining happen as quickly as possible is to reward and praise your puppy every time he goes in the right place. The more times he is rewarded, the quicker he will learn. Therefore it's important that you spend as much time as possible with your pup and give him regular and frequent access to his toilet area.
Key to Success
Consistency and Patience. Never scold or punish your puppy for mistakes and accidents. The older your pup gets, the more he will be able to control his bladder and bowels. Eventually your pup will have enough control that he will be able to "hold it" for longer and longer periods of time. Let your puppy do this on his own time. When training is rushed, problems usually develop. Don't forget, most puppies are not reliably housetrained until they are 6 months old.
Good luck!
-Trish
