Hi All,

I am writing from Down Under in Perth, Western Australia. I just brought my Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy home today and when I pick her up from the breeder today, I realise the breeder was crating her with newspaper in one corner of the crate for her to relieve herself on, meaning that she has been relieving herself in the crate she is sleeping in which I was shocked to learnt, if I knew that the breeder does this with her puppies I would think twice before getting the puppy from her.

Anyway, since I brought her home thios afternoon, she does not want to relieve herself outside, I took her several time before and after her dinner, the moment I left her on her own confine to the laundry, she relieve herself just next to the newspaper I put down for her in the laundry, this was about 30 - 60 mins after her dinner.

This evening, I saw her sniffing, so i took her out and again she would not do it outside, the moment I put her in her crate, she did it in her crate, I did not put any newspaper in her crate, she has some towel in there and she did it in her crate....which I was very disappointed since I want to housebreak her outside and avoid using newspaper...

Any advice how I could get her to do it outside and break the habbit she might have develop from the breeder. I have block off a rather large crate she is in so that she has only enough space to sleep in.

I work during the day, so I was going to use newspaper during the day while she is confine to the laundry and I was going to crate her and take her outside when I am at home.

Thank you all for your advice and comments

Robert Young

Hi Robert,

Since this pup will not relieve herself outside,
I would put her in an outside kennel for as long as it takes, or take her outside on leash and walk her around until she goes. If your home with her on your day off you can make sure that she goes outside this way, or if you are at work just put her in an outside kennel during the day.
When you finally do see her go outside give her a lot of praise, and also you should pick up the water in the early evening so it will be easy for her to not want to go in her kennel at night.
Just some ideas

The evening I brought her home, I was shocked to find that she peed in her crate which I have blocked so that it is small enough just for her, still she peed on the towel she was sleeping on,I know that this is one of the worst thing a puppy will do, I know I am in big toruble but what can I do, I bought the puppy home now...

Anyway, back to the puppy, she kept us up the whole night and I took her out a few times during the night and she will do nothing outside and after I fed her this morning, i took her out again and stayed there for a gd hour and still nothing. I brought her inside and put her in her crate for a while and watch her for any sign of sniffing and when she started too, I took her out and still nothing. I knew the moment, I turn my back on her and stop watching her , she will do it and she did on the newspaper... I put her in her crate and I will take her out in 2 hours to try again. It seems she does not like us to watch her while she relieve herself. She likes to be held and follow us everywhere we go when she is not in her crate

What should I do?

I am very frustarted and disappointed that I got a puppy like this, she is 9 weeks old.

Thank you

Rob

I don't see any reason to be frustrated or disappointed, you've only just got her and she's only 9 weeks!!!

I'd take the paper out of the crate and put it outside and show it to her when you go out. I'd even put a damp paper out at first so she gets the smell and knows she can go outside. Eventually she will get it, and go on that and soon you can ditch the paper. I'd be sure to completely ignore her when you are outside waiting for her to do her business, no talking to her, looking at her or patting her until she *goes*. I'd praise her like crazy when she pees or poops outside - pats and a treat and a big fuss.

Robert, instead of every two hours, with a 9wk old pup, I'd be taking it out every 20 mins. Then after it eats, plays, wakes up. I would also disinfect the crate to eliminate any scent of pee.

Hi again,

Wow, I got heaps of advice from you guys and I appreciate it very much, thank you. I finally manage to get her to relieve herself outside. I put the newspaper she relieved herself on outside, that did not work also but this afternoon after feeding her, her second meal, she started sniffing and I immediately took her out where she did a big one. This evening she did a small one and then again at about 9 - 10. I tried putting her on the lead but she will bite the lead and start playing, so I did not put her on the lead anymore.

Then to my disappointment, she did a big one in the laundry where she is confined, worst she did not do it on the newspaper which covers half of the laundry, she did it on the tiles....

She did not want to have her evening meal, she has been eating well and heaps since I brought her home yesterday evening, I do not know why she did not want her evening meal, she dranks heaps though....

Do you guys think, she is getting better? personally I was thrilled that she relieved herself outside 3 times today but then she kinda lost it again when she did a big one outside the newspaper...

I am trying not to get rid of the newspaper all together because I work during the day and I am not home for about 6 hours, during this time I am not able to find somebody to take her out, so I thought of using the newspaper while I am not at home and taker her out when I am at home...is that feasible?

Thanks for your future advice

Cheers,

Rob

Hi Guys,

Thank you so much for all your advice. My puppy is making some progress and I am being more patience and less demanding on her, she relieve herself 95% of the time when I take her out when I am at home.

One of the problem I have now is that she does little wee and she fiddle around before she relieves herself, she does little and short wee. Is that normal?

Also she drinks so much water when I feed her is that normal? I am giving her what the breeder told me to feed her. Am I right that I should not have water available for her permanently? I've heard that control feeding (i.e take the food and water when she has enough) is the way to go?

Gee, it is hard work, when I am at home, I take her out every 30 - 45 mins, I am so scared that she does something inside, am I being too harsh on myself....

Your comments please?

Thanks

Regards,

Rob