This morning my 51/2 month old puppy was outside and a neighbor came out with some trash and it made a loud noise had glass in it. My puppy tried to run inside but I kept her out thinking she would be fine. Now my puppy won't go outside at all and tries to run back inside she won't even go pee outside goes in the house on her pads. We had her almost 100% housebroken. Is my puppy mentally damaged for life or will this pass? I can't have her not going outside. She usually walks outside and loves to play fetch but has been scared at night but never during the day. She is a chihuahua mixed with Pom.

 Quote: Sean McNeely

This morning my 51/2 month old puppy was outside and a neighbor came out with some trash and it made a loud noise had glass in it. My puppy tried to run inside but I kept her out thinking she would be fine. Now my puppy won't go outside at all and tries to run back inside she won't even go pee outside goes in the house on her pads. We had her almost 100% housebroken. Is my puppy mentally damaged for life or will this pass? I can't have her not going outside. She usually walks outside and loves to play fetch but has been scared at night but never during the day. She is a chihuahua mixed with Pom.

What often works eventually (typically SOONER rather than later) is to just Put the pup Onlead and YOU ACT perfectly normal going about "business as usual" -- What does NOT work is "babying & coddling" the puppy, and letting it "call the shots" by Refusing to go Outside anymore ... That only plays into its FEARS and helps make it even MORE afraid (creating a longterm nervous-wreck dog) Loud Noises & Unexpected Surprises are PART of everyday LIFE, so by You Acting Like they are all NO BIG DEAL, this gives your puppy the chance to Follow Your Lead and LEARN to RELAX

P.S. Of course some pups are More skittish than Others -- But MANY Chihuahuas and Pomeranians are bold little doggies ... Hopefully your young "Pomer-Huahua" will quickly recover from its recent fright.

Details like tone and nuance do not always come across well in written words on a discussion forum, but surely you're joking when you say you wonder if your puppy is mentally damaged for life because she heard some glass rattling in a trash bag??? I hope you were, anyway.

Something scared her. It will pass. Just go about your normal routine with her and don't act like there's anything wrong. If you are outside with her, walking on eggshells, waiting anxiously for the next noise that might scare her, she's going to pick up on that. Dogs are quick to read our emotions.

I'm a bit confused when you say she "won't go outside at all." Why is she being given a choice? You're the pack leader, and if it's time to go outside and go potty, she doesn't get to say no.

Do you have a crate and have you been using it for housetraining? I'm not a fan of pee pads, but that's a topic for another discussion. If your housetraining has suffered a setback, I would go back to square one for as long as necessary, which in my case would be confinement to a crate every minute that I couldn't be watching her. Take her out of the crate for a potty break on a frequent basis. If she doesn't go potty when you take her outside, take her right back in and put her into the crate. Try again in 30 minutes.

It's not unusual for some dogs to have housetraining setbacks occasionally, for a variety of reasons. This should pass quickly if you don't give her a chance to re-establish a habit of going inside the house (on the pee pads or otherwise).

Also, when you take her outside, are you going out with her on a leash, or just turning her loose? I would be using a leash and taking her out, walk her around the yard with a very matter-of-fact attitude, use a cue word if you have one, "go potty," or whatever, or if you don't have a word, think of one and start using it. When she goes, praise her lavishly. At that point, you could play with her a little if she's in the mood, but no playing unless she has gone potty.

Thanks for the info. When I take her outside she refuses to walk so I have to make her walk by pulling her. I feel bad, she has a harness on but I am afraid I am going to hurt her. I took her out this afternoon and made her walk and she was good but a car made a noise and she bolted for the door on the leash. Should I make her walk and pull the leash or is this a bad practice? When she bolts for the door do I let her go or pull the leash to make her stay not sure what to do?
I have a crate but we have her in a Ex-pen during the day with her pee pads we don't crate her. She lets us know when she needs to go out and goes on the pads only has had a few accidents.
? Thanks

How long are you stay out with her? I'd take her out long enough to potty, throw a big party and then take her right back in.

It's possible that she is in a fear period right now and things will pretty spontaneously improve in a few weeks.

Is there any sort of game she enjoys such as chasing a ball or anything she enjoys doing with you?

Engage her doing something she really enjoys but at a distance from noise to desensitize her.

Over time move closer to the noise and it will help.

If she starts reacting to the noise your moving a bit to fast.

Both my daughters have Chi dogs and one also has a Pap x Pom.

As mentioned above it's not uncommon for small dogs, in particular Chi dogs to be on the nervous side so take your time.

Might be going through a fear stage BUT the response is still the same. Praise boldness and ignore fear.

Get rid of your pee pads! The dog doesn't need them. Unless you enjoy the aroma of piss in your house.

Take the dog out, say your potty word, and wait. If the dog doesn't potty bring it back inside and either tether it to you or put it in a crate. When the dog is getting restless or you think it has to go potty bring it back outside and repeat the earlier process. Wash, rinse, repeat until the dog gets over it and starts going reliably again.

 Quote: Sean McNeely

Should I make her walk and pull the leash or is this a bad practice? When she bolts for the door do I let her go or pull the leash to make her stay not sure what to do?

Some dogs recover once you get them started and other dogs it just makes things worse. I'd just carry pup to the potty area and put them down. At that point I'd ignore them until they either went potty or it was clear that they aren't going to go. When she bolts just stand firm unless the scary thing is right on top of you. In that case it's okay to get a little distance but I don't want them to learn that escaping is an option that works well.