Doggie Door

Question
QUESTION: Our 4-month old Chihuahua uses the doggie door when we're home, but not when we're out or at night.  She'll hold it until we come back; we're usually not gone for more than 4 hours. In the evening, she'll hold it until we come downstairs at 5:00 a.m.  If she can't hold it, she uses the potty pad, which is the only time she'll use the potty pad because the rest of the time she'll use the doggie door. How can we get her to not be afraid to go outside when we're not around?

ANSWER: Hi Paula.  I understand your desire to have your puppy be more independent about her bathroom habits.  However, I think the problem is not that she won't go out alone, but that you are expecting her to.  Housebreaking is not something that a puppy learns solo.  She needs to be shown by you exactly what is expected of her.  In nature, a mother dog would never allow such a young puppy to leave the safety of the den unsupervised. Dogs remain in the den or under the protective eye of their mother until they are big enough to protect themselves.  It's a dangerous world out there and your dog's survival instinct is telling her that going outside alone is a bad idea.  Puppies do have a perception of their own vulnerability and know that they need the older, stronger members of the pack to protect them.  A four-month old Chihuahua is about a small and weak as they come, so it is no surprise she is reluctant to venture out into the world without backup.  The job of teaching her to go outside takes time and consistency and commitment on your part.  She has no incentive to go outside on her own, especially since you've provided her an option inside, where she feels more secure.  If she has had even one bad experience outside--a loud noise, meeting an unfriendly dog, children playing too roughly, thunder, and you were not there to reassure her--she may have developed a phobia.  Your responsibility as her owner is to guide her through the rules of the household, and that includes taking her outside and remaining with her while she takes care of her business, and then praising and rewarding her when she is successful.  In time, when she is older and more confident, you may incorporate the doggy door until she is more comfortable with her surroundings, but it is far too early for that.  It's a nuisance sometimes but there's no getting around it and by really doing the work now to housebreak her properly, rather than expecting her to figure it out on her own, you will be saving yourself years of frustration with an un-housebroken dog who also suffers from a fear of being outside.  I would also get rid of the pads--they merely confuse her by sending the message that the toilet can be either inside OR outside.  Keep it consistent to avoid confusing her.  And finally, I always think taking a basic obedience class with a trainer who has good references is imperative to a long, happy relationship with your dog.  Hope this helps and good luck!

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

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your helpful reply.  That makes sense to me.  So would you suggest I keep her crate next to my bed at night and take her out during the evening as needed?  She's been using an open crate downstairs for the past month.

ANSWER: To tell you the truth, I think I would keep the crate out of the bedroom.  Dogs attribute a lot of status to where they (and you) sleep.  You don't want to elevate her rank to equal with yours.  Allowing her in there with you may send the message that she has earned that privilege.  She's a puppy and right now it's important that she know her place--in a nice way.  You don't need to scold or punish a dog --you just have to model how she needs to view you--as a superior.  When she's Lassie she can get all the privileges you want to give her, but right now we want to establish some rules about her rank in your household. Bedrooms are private places and we don't invite just anyone to come in there--even my children have their own rooms and don't get to sleep in my room except for a special circumstance like being sick or having a bad dream.  Be aware that allowing her in the bedroom conveys a certain approval of her behavior overall and raises her rank in the hierarchy of your household.  Instead, I'd keep her in another room.  After she has her opportunity to relieve herself in the evening, I'd put her in the crate, close the door, and leave. Don't make a big fuss, think of it like putting away the vaccuum.  I wouldn't load the crate up with toys either--she's there to sleep, not play. IGNORE HER IF SHE CRIES OR BARKS!  Crying isn't fatal and you don't want her to learn that she gets her way when she carries on.  If the crate is a wire one, I'd also cover the top, back, and sides with an old towel so only the front is open.  You want her to go in there and decompress.  Feeling exposed on all sides when you're not around can make it hard for her to relax.  Dogs, as denning animals, feel more secure when they have the protection of walls and darkness.  The idea is that she will just chill out once she's in there and go to sleep.  At four months she should be able to make it through the night without you having to take her out for a potty break--maybe about seven hours?  That's for nighttime only!  At night the metabolism slows down and the sleep is deeper.  The rule of thumb for daytime is that the dog should be able to "hold it" for an hour for each month of life, plus one, up to a year.  So a four month old puppy should be able to make it to about five hours, although I think that may be pushing it.  By closing the door of the crate, you help her to develop bladder and sphincter control.  Those muscles need to get stronger but they won't if she always has the option of leaving the crate and letting go on a convenient pad away from where she sleeps.  She's a baby, so there will be accidents.  Self-control is still hard at this age.  But as with people, it will come with maturity,  Try to remain patient and whatever you do, do not punish her for accidents!  Just be ever-vigilant when she's out of the crate and give her lots of opportunities to go outside, praising and treating when she gets it right.  Good luck!

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

QUESTION: I appreciate your advice!  It's making me feel hopeful.  One more question, please... When I brought her home, she was 3 months, and the pet store recommended wet food (3 oz)twice a day, and dry food at all times. Does that sound correct? In order to control her potty habits at bedtime, shouldn't I cut off the food at a certain time?  I usually put her to bet at 10:00 p.m. and feed her at wake-up time at 5:00 a.m.  Thank you!

Answer
In terms of nutrition, I would always defer to whatever your veterinarian thinks is best.  However, my personal opinion is that it is fine to cut out the wet food and just serve the dry.  Wet food can cause placque buildup on the teeth, which leads to decay and other problems.  Dogs actually enjoy the resistance of hard, crunchy foods--it stimulates blood flow to the gums and strengthens their bite.  So as long as your dog is getting a high quality dry food, I think it is fine to eliminate the wet.  My advice for feeding is to give her no more than ten minutes to eat and then pick up the dish.  By allowing her to graze whenever she pleases, you have lost another valuable training tool.  You want her to know that you control the things she needs for survival, and food is at the top of the list.  If she can just come and go then you have nothing to do with it.  She shouldn't take her meals for granted.  If she doesn't show much interest or leaves some food, it could be that she is full, you are feeding her too much, or she isn't getting enough exercise to burn off the fuel all those calories have been converted into.  I am less concerned about keeping her on a strict feeding schedule.  Life is unpredictable and I prefer for the dogs I train to learn to deal with the mild stress of having to wait for a meal, rather than feeling entitled to it at a specific time every day like clockwork.  Hey, I don't eat at the exact same time every day--sometimes I'm stuck in traffic, sometimes I just grab a slice of pizza, sometimes I eat out.  It varies.  So your dog should develop an ability to just roll with it.  WIld dogs don't get fed on a strict schedule--it's hard to hunt!  Also, by making her dependent upon you for her meals, you are sending a strong message about who's really in charge, albeit in a nice way.  She'll still have her needs met, but on your terms.  So pick up the dish after ten minutes whether she's done or not.  Water should always be readily available, but food is a privilege.  And see if you can get her to sit before you put her dish down--nothing in life is free and it will help her learn a little self-control if she can manage to at least wait patiently at mealtime.  All the best!