Back to Potty Training

[JesBred]

Ugh!! So me and Josh have had a feeling that Mitzy is peeing in our breakfast room. When you kneel down to smell the carpet you can smell pee but we havn't caught her peeing.. yet. We had the carpets steam cleaned this weekend to get rid of the smell (in case she is marking or going back to a familiar spot).

Well today I caught her peeing in there!! :mad: GRR!!

So we are going back to potty training. I'm upset because the room that she is peeing in is the room with her dog door so she is peeing literally feet from the dog door!! I don't understand why she is peeing ONLY in that room. I made an appt. to have her checked for a UTI but we are for sure going back to potty training 101.

I'm looking into getting an ex-pen to keep her in while we are out (she usually has free roam of the house). I don't know what to look for in an ex-pen though :confused: How big should I get?? How tall should it be?? Is there a difference in the gold and black ones or is just color preference?? Any tips would be appreciated.

[angeleyes]

Jess I don't know anything about the expens as I've never used one but I can tell you that Mitzy may be reacting to the baby. She knows things are different in the house with all the baby stuff. Dogs also are very aware of what's happening with you. I was reading about it and female dogs especially are able to sense pregnancy so Mitzy may be reacting to that. She's been the baby all along and may be unsure what's coming. I was reading about dogs reacting to their persons physical conditions as Belle acts strange around me sometimes like being very protective and not even wanting Sammy close to me. She stays close to me and keeps pawing at me like she wants something. We have been watching when she does this and found out that the times she does the pawing at me, my blood sugar is dropping too low. I asked the vet about it and he has another client the their dog does that too. Maybe if I can teach Sammy, they can become "service dogs" and I can take them everywhere!!:lol2::lol2:

[ilovemysnow]

Snow's current expen is for the small critters i got from petsmart.. it's very flimsy though, so I keep it at the corner of my living room on hard wood floor.. I actually shaped it so that there's a part in the middle so he knows which part is for potty, and the other part is room for his crate... I'll take a picture later and show you, but it's similar to this set up: http://www.allstarfrenchbulldogs.com/CrateTraining.html (scroll to the very bottom of the page, EXPEN).. but since the one i have is flimsy i barricaded two sides with his baskets full of his stuff to keep him from moving the pen everywhere when he leans on it.. :D

I recently bought a new expen (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10939499) for Snow since i wanted to give him more space.. but we don't even use it as an expen, much more like a really long fence to separate the dining/kitchen area to the living room.. I'm eventually going to switch them, this one is just much larger and more steady. I noticed Snow can't move them when he leans on it unlike the one he currently has..

My suggestion is, make sure she has enough room for a sleeping area, a play area, and potty area. I even put a water bottle for him to drink that i attached outside of his crate (http://www.amazon.com/LIXIT-CORPORATION-Lixit-Waterer-32oz/dp/B00063KH72/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1308697260&sr=8-12), and when i try and feed him and he doesn't finish.. and i have to leave for work and i want to make sure he eats everything, i added this: http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-40-20-Snapy-Water-Ounces/dp/B0012GTZVQ/ref=pd_bxgy_k_img_c since Snow LOVES to push his bowls around or he tries and tips em upside down by stepping on the edges!! I had to get the one to attach to the metal crate..

I wanted one with a door, so i can open it when i'm home and he can just potty inside.. but i never found one, until NOW!!: http://www.amazon.com/Iris-CI-604-Indoor-Outdoor-Plastic/dp/B000FS6INU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1308698173&sr=8-3


Man, now i wanna buy another one. LOL

[Zuly4034]

I don't know what is a expen, but I have a play pen, is it the same thing? Either way the one I have is plastic and not tall enough, if Mitzy is a jumper get the metal ones. Sofia I think is too lazy too jump so she never did. lol

Sue that would be awesome, too bad I don't have blood pressure or at least diabetic cuz that would be so cool having Sofia everywhere without worrying of being kicked out. lol... Oh God, imagine If could take my dad's blood pressure problems and when it gets too low Sofia instead of pawing at me, she just leaves me there. I would kick her white fluffy butt.:lol2:

[ilovemysnow]

BTW - Sue, that is AWESOME that she can detect that!!! WOW.. remember in the book i'm currently reading.. how this one dog would always try and lick his owner's right eyeball, and it turns out the owner had a small tumor behind the right eye... AMAZING!!! No wonder my BF always pays close attention to what Snow does.. He could potentially save our lives!!

Good luck, Jess!! Snow peed under my bed too.. i just caught it lastnight when i was vacuuming.. AHHH!! So much for accident free for months..

[angeleyes]

BTW - Sue, that is AWESOME that she can detect that!!! WOW.. remember in the book i'm currently reading.. how this one dog would always try and lick his owner's right eyeball, and it turns out the owner had a small tumor behind the right eye... AMAZING!!! No wonder my BF always pays close attention to what Snow does.. He could potentially save our lives!!

Good luck, Jess!! Snow peed under my bed too.. i just caught it lastnight when i was vacuuming.. AHHH!! So much for accident free for months..

Mia, is that still Sylvia Browne's book you are reading? I am so happy you are reading it.:D

[CharmDior]

They all seem to revert back to old habits sometimes... I know little Mia will get it right before baby arrives! I can imagine how frustrating it may be. But the bright side is at least it's not in baby's room! I have an expen but it is more like a tent and is very stable and zips on top and on two sides. We call it the Octagon because the pups used to wrestle in it all the time. I love it because it has durable mesh openings you can see through and come in all types of sizes. Ohh...and it folds flat when not in use. I know a few other maltese owners who swear by them!

[Emma's Mama]

I have an expen but it is more like a tent and is very stable and zips on top and on two sides. We call it the Octagon because the pups used to wrestle in it all the time. I love it because it has durable mesh openings you can see through and come in all types of sizes. Ohh...and it folds flat when not in use. I know a few other maltese owners who swear by them!

I got one of those for Emma. I thought it was soooo cute and perfect....until she literally chewed her way out of it! Seriously. She got a big wire pen to replace it. Such a destructive furball.

[JesBred]

Jess I don't know anything about the expens as I've never used one but I can tell you that Mitzy may be reacting to the baby.

I was a little worried about that :( I don't treat her any different but maybe she is just anxious :confused: A few months ago (I was only like 5 months pregnant) we started to change their schedule and move things around to accomodate for the baby. They say to do those things early so they have time to get used to them before the baby comes. Now I feel like a bad fluff mommy :(


My suggestion is, make sure she has enough room for a sleeping area, a play area, and potty area.


Thanks for the links Mia!! :) I'm thinking of just buying some baby gates now and blocking her off in the kitchen..

I don't want her pottying in the house is the thing. She has never been allowed to potty inside. So I may need to start out crating her again when we leave and "graduate" (:tongue:) her to an expen or the kitchen after awhile. I am at home with them all day so she isn't left alone often but I need to know that when I am gone she isn't peeing all over the place!! :mad:

[Tebow's Mom]

Tebow has the Xpen that Mia's mom posted with the petsmart link. However, the same pen is $39 cheaper at Walmart. http://www.walmart.com/ip/North-States-Superyard-Xt-Gate/8457890?findingMethod=rr The stores usually have it as well as on line.

You can change the shape of the pen. I have a very large doorway into the foyer (too large for a baby gate). So I put the pen in a rectangle shape in front of the doorway. The pen doubles as a gate when Tebow is on the loose.

[CharmDior]

Had Mia on my mind...so sorry Miss Mitzy...hard to forget a cutie like you!:blush:

[JiJi's Mom]

Aww Mitzy it's ok I've caught JiJa peeing in my restroom carpet.

Your still mommies special girl.

[angeleyes]

Had Mia on my mind...so sorry Miss Mitzy...hard to forget a cutie like you!:blush:


It's easy to confuse them cause Mia is adorable and cute and cuddly too:lol2::lol2:

[angeleyes]

Jess, you could never be a bad fluff mommy. You are far to sweet and loving for that. I think we all go through things with our fluffs when things change around home. They are very routine oriented and don't like change. I have a routine with Belle and Sammy when I put them in their crates at night. If I vary it at all with Sammy he won't go in his crate until I get it right:lol2::lol2:

[3maltese4me]

Jess just make sure that Mitzy isn't a climber. I have an expen that is 3feet and we found out at a puppy picnic that Noelle is a climber she scaled that thing in no time and was at the top before anyone noticed her climbing. I have to use a certain type of gate because she climbs them and we also found out she can open her wire crate...she would great my husband in the mornings when he was leaving for work...all of the pups sleep in their crates and eat in their crates and when Noelle decides she wants out she lets herself out, but not any more we remedied that situation.

I agree that she knows that somethings up and she's reacting to the changes. There is no way that you could ever be a bad fluff mommy...you always have the fluffs best interest at heart.

[JesBred]

Tebow has the Xpen that Mia's mom posted with the petsmart link. However, the same pen is $39 cheaper at Walmart. http://www.walmart.com/ip/North-States-Superyard-Xt-Gate/8457890?findingMethod=rr The stores usually have it as well as on line.


What a deal!! Thanks!! :D

They show it pictured with kids in it. So I can use mine for the baby AND Mitzy... :tongue::blush: LOL

Jess just make sure that Mitzy isn't a climber.

I don't think she will climb.. :fingerscrossed: In our old house we used baby gates to section off the hallway and kitchen and she never got out.. So I hope she won't try to climb out of this either. She is usually a very good girl. She must sense the change and now I have to make sure she knows she can't be peeing for attention :( We have started her back in her crate at night and she will be attached to me during the day, and in her crate while we are gone until I can trust her in an ex-pen or the kitchen. I don't know how soon (if ever) she will have free roam of the house again.

We actually set up the baby monitor last night to watch her when we left :tongue: We only got reception to the end of the road so just parked and watched the dogs. It was pretty fun!! I bet we looked silly sitting in the truck at the end of the street :lol2:

[Morkie4]

I have two expens but they are stored in the attic! LOL

Seeing that Mitzy has some yorkie terrier in her, I bet she will climb right out of that expen like any seasoned mountain climber. None of mine have ever tried to climb out but I only use it for outside (now it's too hot for them to be outside).

I think using a gate and keeping her confined in the kitchen is a better solution.......how do you think Jake will react with her confinement???

I think Sue made a valid point as well.........Mitzy may sense something that has cause her to start marking. Something to think about anyway.

I don't think there is any difference in the black or gold colors.

[JesBred]

I think using a gate and keeping her confined in the kitchen is a better solution.......how do you think Jake will react with her confinement???


I think he will be ok.. We crated her last night when we went out and he was fine. He still has free roam of the house. I think if we had tried to crate him too then he would be mad :tongue:

If we put up baby gates in the kitchen he will be able to hop them and hang out with her too :wink5:

[ilovemysnow]

Mia, is that still Sylvia Browne's book you are reading? I am so happy you are reading it.:D

YUP!! I know, i love it! It's taking me awhile to read it though, since i'm reading like 3 other books. :D

It's easy to confuse them cause Mia is adorable and cute and cuddly too:lol2::lol2:

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lashes: :tongue7: :iheartu:

[ilovemysnow]

Thanks for the links Mia!! :) I'm thinking of just buying some baby gates now and blocking her off in the kitchen..

GREAT IDEA! I'm sure the kitchen is much more rooomier than any expen!