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Old 09-17-2013, 06:18 AM
  #24  
Stitch124
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Usually in my sewing room
Posts: 813
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When I got my mini-schnauzer I bought a 4'x6' piece of plywood and covered it with 12" square linoleum tiles. I had a small black wire dog crate and put it on the fake floor. The crate had two doors, one leading out onto the fake floor and the other exit to the kitchen floor.

Next I attached one of end of the wire playpen to the crate and tacked it down to the plywood floor with white _^_ hooks used to support wire shelves. Then I attached the other end of the playpen to the other side of the crate but enclosing one of the doors leading to the fake floor area. This way she could get up and walk around from her 'bed' and play with toys in her inside playyard. She never soiled in her bed in the crate and had a little playground in the house that didn't ruin my real floor. **Just to be safe, I also laid on top my real floor and under the plywood, a plastic shower curtain to protect my good floor from scratches from the plywood.**

If she had an accident on the fake floor-no problem, just wipe it up and take her outside and let her run in the fenced yard. She learned quickly that her bed and inside playyard were not the 'potty'. I scheduled a vacation week off work and dedicated it to housetraining her. I would take her outside about as often as I'd change a new baby's diapers....about 10 times a day and always gave her a piece of boiled chicken as a treat for going potty outside!! The crate/playpen area kept her safe and out of trouble while in the house while she was in learning mode for her potty training. It took about 2 weeks to get her housebroken. She goes to the door now whenever she needs to go outside to potty.

Originally Posted by jrhboxers
You might want to look at buying a dog play pen for when they go outside to potty.
This is the type that I am talking about -
http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Trex-Premi...217781-3550230
- this is just panels that connect together to make a small fenced in yard.
At 24" tall, you will never have to have anything higher with them being so little.

They will quickly learn that when they are outside in 'their' yard, they are supposed to potty.
When they are older, you can have them out with you in the yard, when they know to come and other commands. Then you will have better control of them. With the fenced in playpen, you won't have to worry so much about the wildlife in the area. We lived on the outskirts of the Great Dismal Swamp, and when we had our French Bulldog, we had to worry about bobcats, bear, hawks and eagles. Even full grown and 17lbs., there was still the dangers to deal with.

You should probably get them a small crate to be their 'den'. Dogs deal with things better when they have a safe place to go to when things (noise, activity, etc.) gets too be too much and they retreat to their bed. If you get a place carrier with the door on it, leave the door open during the day and then tell them to go to bed at night and close the door.

Rest assured, if you start working on a routine with them, they will quickly learn. When I foster pups, they are supervised and go out at least every 2 hours, if not more. You may want to start with newspapers on a tile floor for accidents. But the sooner you set a routine, the better.

Good luck. And know that for every ounce of love, and second of time you invest in them, will be returned 10 fold. Just love them, which I know they will.

Last edited by Stitch124; 09-17-2013 at 06:29 AM.
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