[fkhan50]

I have a 11 week old 3lb / 12 inch long pomeranian puppy, who I'm indoor training using a crate and pee pads placed about 10ft away. I'm following all of the usual instructions to the T. I don't leave him in the crate for more than an hour unless he's napping. I log his eating, pooping, and peeing schedule, and keep everything as consistent as I can from my end. I'm very rewarding when he goes on the pad. I've set up a spacious long term kennel, as well as a crate that is sized just enough for him to fit in. I monitor him closely, and see if he's sniffing the floor, and possibly squatting. The problem I have is that unless I see he has the urge to go because he's sniffing the floor, or it's about that time, he will not go to the pee pad by himself (even though it's 10 ft away and in front of him). What's even more challenging is this scenario- I see that he has to go. I carry him to the pee pad. He doesn't go. I wait patiently for a while, sometimes up to an hour. He still won't go. The second I leave, he walks off the pee pad, waits until I'm away, and then pees elsewhere. If I carry him back from the pee pad after he's refused to pee/poop and go straight to his crate (which is sized 13 inches and just enough for him to fit), he will either hold it, or (on a couple of occasions) poop inside his tiny crate. The denning concept isn't working entirely. The only time he successfully goes on the pee pad, is when I take him from the crate because he can't possibly hold it any longer, put him on the pee pad, block his attempts to exit the pee pad, and then he will pee or poop on there. And yes, I then shower him with praises and rewards. Please help. This has become an 80 hour a week job, and I'm at the edge of my senses. My sleep is pretty much gone. I work from home. I don't know how this would be if I didn't.

 

[PoppyKenna]

Pee pads are really difficult to use, partially because its very easy for puppies to confuse the pad with any other soft surface (like the carpet) and because you have to spend so much time waiting them out - puppies are more likely to "go" when they are able to walk around, as the movement stimulates them.

I think it would be much faster to train him to go outside; is there a reason this isn't an option?

 

[fkhan50]

Fortunately, there is no carpet in my condo. It's all vinyl flooring, so the accidents have been easier to clean up.

There are 2 reasons I'm not going outside. I live in a high-rise, and not only would it take 5 to 10 minutes depending on the elevator wait to get to an appropriate location. There aren't really too many options to go around the building. It's all sidewalks and concrete. Secondly, in the future, there will be instances when I can't come home for several hours or all day, and it would be beneficial to have the pad out for him to just go there when I'm away.

What I'm failing to understand is why he prefers going on the hard flooring, instead of pee pads which are scented with smells that encourage him to go. I even feel he understands that I want him to go on the pad, because I will literally wait for him for an hour when he clearly shows signs he needs to go. Once I've given up, and I go away, he's even figured out how to check that I'm actually away. I used to be able to sort of hide and spy on him to see where he was going. But he now checks for that as well, and deliberately waits until I am unable to catch him in the act, and then pees on the hard floor. It's so confusing that he would put himself through all of that instead of just going on the pee pad.

 

[Bryansgirl]

Do you yell or punish him in any way when he pees off the pad If so that could be an issue, He is scared to go potty in front of you due to the fear of being punished My pup is about 21 weeks old and we have just started making progress in getting her used to going outside

 

[fkhan50]

I have yelled NO! at him when I see him squatting about to go or just started going. Otherwise, as instructed, I have maintained my cool. The only instruction I have not followed is 'Don't let him see you cleaning up his mess'. I don't know how to do this. It's just me, and I don't know how to keep my eye on him, and clean up the mess at the same time, other than putting him in the crate and cover it with a blanket so he can't see.

If it is because he's scared to go in front of me. How do I fix this? How can I go away or not be there and train him to go on the pads?

 

[Dawnben]

Sounds like a pen would be a better idea for him. You can put the bed and a pad in the pen. I would also suggest clicker training for this. Its great for teaching where to go. The first video will tell you about clicker training and the second is about potty training.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wv1uvvqaSw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvPiFcG7ROI