Shiapoo not potty trained at 1 yr 4 mo.

Question
We have tried everything to potty train our dog. Half shitzu , half toy poodle. We walk him all the time and the minute we come into the house(we do not see it) he will pee on the coaches, plants, poop on the floors. I have tried Miracle spray to get the smell out of the carpets, so he wont keep marking. I am at wits ends and do not know how to train him. We used to reward him after he peed and pooped outside but another trainer told me not to do that.Please, please help me. I even had him neutered because someone told me that would help!

Answer
A few suggestions:

1) Schedule his meals and water. Do not leave water down all the time for him, and only feed him twice a day at most, at the same times. Walk him outside after food and water, and you SHOULD reward him for going outside. Make sure the reward comes when he is outside, not back in the house.

2) Make use of a crate that is only big enough for him to stand up and turnaround. Do not use bedding materials. He should be in the crate when you cannot watch him, or if he does not toilet outside when you think he should (i.e. after food/water).

3) Keep him on leash (12-foot) in the house, tethered to you. If he is near you, he can't sneak away and mark.

4) Buy a copy of Shirlee Kalstone's How to Housebreak your Dog in 7 Days.

Good luck!

Josh Abrams
Founder, Dogasaur.com