Dog Training and Shrubs outside

Question
QUESTION: Hi there,

  We just got a 12-week old Havenese dog and having some problems with the potty training.  Besides it being cold out here, the grounds around us has no real grass; kind of shrubby and all the shrubs get stuck in his fur (especially around the feet areas).  Is there any other option besides bringing him out?  I feel bad for his feet and him and I do not want him walking on there at all.  Would the absorbant pads do the trick and always using them (they can get $$ after a while though).  Maybe little shoes for him?  He also never seems to make poop outside either..I got him to make a #1 outside finally at 2am (his last drink was at 7pm and he didnt poop at all until 6am and of course in the house)

ANSWER: hi, sorry for the delay,
puppy pads work really well.  specially if you get the kind that are treated for training.  They get less expensive the older they get because they go less when they are older....Boots would really inhibit him right now, unless you put them on IN the house.  That actually might keep him from going in the house so you can take them off when you go outside... just a reverse trick kind of.......If you don't have a good area for taking him out the pads are next best thing...do not get the litter it confuses them.

get him on a strict eating schedule 3/4 times a day....if you get the input down well, the output will also become more regular.....as soon as he wakes up he will have to pee...after he eats he will have to pee or poop....after sleeping all night, he will have to pee twice ..........the first time to relieve the full bladder,,, the second about 20 to 30 minutes later after the kidneys refill the bladder after waiting all night...

if when you take him out he does not go, put him in a crate and watch him for signs that he is going to go and rush him out...treat him after he goes... if he doesn't go outside repeat the process....about 2 weeks of this constant and grueling attention on your part will be VERY rewarding for you in the long run.

if you are pad training him.  start with an expen....put pad and bed in expen  about six inches from each other.  keep all floor covered with pads except a space around his bed and eating area....what you are doing is teaching him to keep his "den" clean  (his bed is his den right now)....Later, he has to learn that each room is his "den" so he must be trained in each room he is allowed to go in.... now you can keep him on the pads or start working the pads toward the door and out,  or use the pads and out....that is what I do...when I am away too long for them to wait, I put pads down and they use them....when I am home they go out.

this is a lot of info...why don't you start with this and get back with me when you get this going.
nancy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the answer!  We put him on a diet of 3 times a day...but he barely eats for lunch :(.  And we brought him to the vet yesterday and the vet said he is a little skinny since you can feel his bones and stuff.

Our dog seems to be scared of going in the crate too, we kind of have to push him in and then shut the door.  I started playing with him by getting his attention with a toy, throwing the toy in, and then he gets the toy; so maybe that will help.

We don't have an ex-pen (yet), but we also don't have a HUGE space to work with.  

I did learn these things so far:

He can hold his bladder all night and doesn't make in the cage (we are either awake at 5am or 7am for the weekdays) and he definately has to make a #1 at that time and sometimes a #2 (no idea how I can tell at that time).  We are picking him up and trying to make him go on a pee pad by saying "make your business" and pointing to the pad.  If he tries to walk away, I pick him up and put him on it again.

I can tell when he is about to poop and try to quickly pick him up and put him on the pad and say make your business again, but that is not always successful (sometimes they drop from the air as I am carrying him).  

We thought about buying a doggie gate (like a baby gate), so he is trapped in the small kitchen area with the bathroom pad when we know he has to go (like in the morning), but not sure if that will really work.

Answer
gating him in kitchen is great,,, just treat it the same way as the pen...put his bed in it and put paper/pads down about 6" away from his bed all over kitchen.  as he starts to pick a favorite area pick up a pad a day until you are only leaving one where he has been going, thus you are teaching him to be clean and particular about where he goes...

what are you feeding,, if he is thin  try Bill Jack puppy food it is easy for them to chew.  If he doesn't like that do what i do,, crock pot with hamburger meat or chicken necks and rice over the dog food....it is easy and you can make a weeks worth over night and refrigerate it.
It is not good for a puppy to be thin,,,,he may miss his litter mates so spoil him a bit with food.  
nancy