The Miniature Schnauzer - Not toilet trained after 2 months
1. Miniature Schnauzer, Male, born on Sep 17, 2006. Now over 4 months old.
2. Problem - Not toilet trained for the past 2 months.
3. Working couple in their thirties. Wife at home in the morning.
The owner consulted me as the puppy became lame after hitting his right paw on the wall while playing ball with the owner. His 3rd and 4th digits of the right paw were painful but should be OK. "Is the puppy toilet-trained?" I asked the owner. Toilet training is a big problem in Singapore's apartment puppies of small breeds. It is a common problem in many doggie books I read too.
Why is the puppy not toilet trained after 2 months at home?
It is a challenging question for a veterinarian to answer. It takes a lot of consultation time to ask questions of the owner. Busy vets just do not have such time for the owner but it builds a good relationship and helps the puppy who may be disciplined or scolded for soiling the apartment.
1. Housing. Playpen. On the left half, a wire grating (flooring) with pee pan. The owner puts the puppy pads (diapers) onto the pee pan from the 2nd month. On the right half is the sleeping area. A water bottle is attached on the right upper end. No feeding inside the crate.
2. Feeding outside the playpen.
Feeds 2 times/day. Finish eating in 5 minutes.
Poops 4 times/day at unknown times. Overnight, he poops x2.
2.1 What is the problem - why the puppy does not poop after eating?
The owner plays with the puppy for 30-60 minutes after eating.
After playing the puppy poops on the floor tiles anywhere in the living area. This is not what the owner wants. "He does not poop inside the playpen or onto the grate. The grating has been used for the past one month.
2.1 Solutions: Eat, poop inside the playpen. Then play with the puppy after he has pooped.
3. Pee. He will not pee onto it because it is soiled and my wife and I are not around to clean it," the owner said. Pees only when carried onto the grate or put inside the playpen when the owner is at work.
4. Recommended schedule:
4.1 9 am & 7 pm
Breakfast & dinner. No playing with the puppy till he poops onto the grate. This may not be so easy initially.
4.2 If taken out of the playpen, play near the playpen. Observe for signs of sniffing, circling, looking at the floor, squatting. Carry the puppy onto the grate. Do not miss the signs till it is too late. Spend a short period every evening e.g. 2 hours, as it may be too tiring to do for hours. However, such training will benefit both parties in the long term.
4.3 If the puppy is home alone, he is put in the playpen. He will not pee more than 1 time onto the grate. In this situation, cover the floor with newspapers or puppy pad. The problem is that the puppy shreds both. So, it is rather expensive to use the pads.
4.3.1 However, the newspapers should cover the whole floor. (I forgot to tell the owner about the newspapers covering 100% of the flooring even if the puppy shreds --- it is easier to write and think of the solutions when writing). This is the better option as it is inexpensive.
4.3.2 However, the puppy pads can be taped onto the floor tiles. Probably the puppy can still shred it but the owner has not tried this before. So, he does not know. I told him that the puppy pad is meant for the puppy to pee onto it, not to be put under the grating in the pee pan. Some Singapore owners do that but it is not meant for that purpose. The puppy pad has a urine smell to attract the puppy to eliminate onto the pad. In this case, the puppy has shredded it. So, the owner uses it incorrectly by putting below the grating. The problem here is that the puppy pees once onto the grating and will not eliminate more than one time!
4.3.3 According to my notes, I suggested a bigger area for the puppy e.g. common bathroom or kitchen. It is good to write down notes when discussing the case. The owner suggests using the panel of fences forming the playpen to be the "baby gate" so that the puppy cannot get out of the kitchen to the living area. It was useful idea as it saves money buying a baby gate. The puppy does not feel confined too much as in the playpen.
Useful exchange of ideas.
4.3.4. Neutralise the urine smell on the floor of the living area, common bathroom or kitchen with white vinegar:water 1:3.
5. I showed the owner an example of a Chihuahua who is "grate-trained" by the owner. It is in a recent blog. The Chihuahua just goes into the crate (which has a grated floor). The pee pan holds the puppy pad. He eats inside the crate. Poops onto the grate floor. Poo is removed quickly. His bed is outside the crate.
6. I hope the owner will provide me the feedback and a picture. The puppy will be happier companion as cleaning up takes up a considerable amount of time for a working couple. Some senior citizen mothers also complain about such chores. Toilet train the puppy young. This Miniature Schnauzer still has hope.
2. Problem - Not toilet trained for the past 2 months.
3. Working couple in their thirties. Wife at home in the morning.
The owner consulted me as the puppy became lame after hitting his right paw on the wall while playing ball with the owner. His 3rd and 4th digits of the right paw were painful but should be OK. "Is the puppy toilet-trained?" I asked the owner. Toilet training is a big problem in Singapore's apartment puppies of small breeds. It is a common problem in many doggie books I read too.
Why is the puppy not toilet trained after 2 months at home?
It is a challenging question for a veterinarian to answer. It takes a lot of consultation time to ask questions of the owner. Busy vets just do not have such time for the owner but it builds a good relationship and helps the puppy who may be disciplined or scolded for soiling the apartment.
1. Housing. Playpen. On the left half, a wire grating (flooring) with pee pan. The owner puts the puppy pads (diapers) onto the pee pan from the 2nd month. On the right half is the sleeping area. A water bottle is attached on the right upper end. No feeding inside the crate.
2. Feeding outside the playpen.
Feeds 2 times/day. Finish eating in 5 minutes.
Poops 4 times/day at unknown times. Overnight, he poops x2.
2.1 What is the problem - why the puppy does not poop after eating?
The owner plays with the puppy for 30-60 minutes after eating.
After playing the puppy poops on the floor tiles anywhere in the living area. This is not what the owner wants. "He does not poop inside the playpen or onto the grate. The grating has been used for the past one month.
2.1 Solutions: Eat, poop inside the playpen. Then play with the puppy after he has pooped.
3. Pee. He will not pee onto it because it is soiled and my wife and I are not around to clean it," the owner said. Pees only when carried onto the grate or put inside the playpen when the owner is at work.
4. Recommended schedule:
4.1 9 am & 7 pm
Breakfast & dinner. No playing with the puppy till he poops onto the grate. This may not be so easy initially.
4.2 If taken out of the playpen, play near the playpen. Observe for signs of sniffing, circling, looking at the floor, squatting. Carry the puppy onto the grate. Do not miss the signs till it is too late. Spend a short period every evening e.g. 2 hours, as it may be too tiring to do for hours. However, such training will benefit both parties in the long term.
4.3 If the puppy is home alone, he is put in the playpen. He will not pee more than 1 time onto the grate. In this situation, cover the floor with newspapers or puppy pad. The problem is that the puppy shreds both. So, it is rather expensive to use the pads.
4.3.1 However, the newspapers should cover the whole floor. (I forgot to tell the owner about the newspapers covering 100% of the flooring even if the puppy shreds --- it is easier to write and think of the solutions when writing). This is the better option as it is inexpensive.
4.3.2 However, the puppy pads can be taped onto the floor tiles. Probably the puppy can still shred it but the owner has not tried this before. So, he does not know. I told him that the puppy pad is meant for the puppy to pee onto it, not to be put under the grating in the pee pan. Some Singapore owners do that but it is not meant for that purpose. The puppy pad has a urine smell to attract the puppy to eliminate onto the pad. In this case, the puppy has shredded it. So, the owner uses it incorrectly by putting below the grating. The problem here is that the puppy pees once onto the grating and will not eliminate more than one time!
4.3.3 According to my notes, I suggested a bigger area for the puppy e.g. common bathroom or kitchen. It is good to write down notes when discussing the case. The owner suggests using the panel of fences forming the playpen to be the "baby gate" so that the puppy cannot get out of the kitchen to the living area. It was useful idea as it saves money buying a baby gate. The puppy does not feel confined too much as in the playpen.
Useful exchange of ideas.
4.3.4. Neutralise the urine smell on the floor of the living area, common bathroom or kitchen with white vinegar:water 1:3.
5. I showed the owner an example of a Chihuahua who is "grate-trained" by the owner. It is in a recent blog. The Chihuahua just goes into the crate (which has a grated floor). The pee pan holds the puppy pad. He eats inside the crate. Poops onto the grate floor. Poo is removed quickly. His bed is outside the crate.
6. I hope the owner will provide me the feedback and a picture. The puppy will be happier companion as cleaning up takes up a considerable amount of time for a working couple. Some senior citizen mothers also complain about such chores. Toilet train the puppy young. This Miniature Schnauzer still has hope.
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