80-85% success in potty training

[cinnamngrl]

Is this the best I can expect?

here are the details

Paper training
13lb chihuahua terrier mix
Every Time reward when she gets product placement (for poop). Praise and dried chicken piece to be delivered when I see it. also after walks where she pooped outside. Just praise for peeing
one big NO! and Time out in other room for mistakes.

She is not sneaking around. when she gets it wrong, she is she is usually close to the pad. for some reason she likes to go around the edges of pad.

she seems to be trying hard. Recently, she was ill for 3 days and pooping all night. I was impressed that she kept up about the same success rate despite being ill.

I think that i may have just trained her to notify me of a reward opportunity instead of actual potty training.

 

[lizzybeth727]

Praise and dried chicken piece to be delivered when I see it.

I'm just clarifying - you're rewarding her when you see her poop in the right spot, not when you just randomly walk in and see that there's poop there, right? Because rewarding after she's walked away will not work... make sure that you're rewarding her right when she's finished pooping in the right place.

If the only accidents she has are because she's just missed the pad, I think that's probably about as good as it's going to get. Dogs aren't very aware of their back end, they usually don't really care where it goes.

It might be a little easier if you used a litter box or something with raised sides - just put the potty pad inside - so that it's more obvious when she's in the right spot or not.

 

[cinnamngrl]

I'm just clarifying - you're rewarding her when you see her poop in the right spot, not when you just randomly walk in and see that there's poop there, right? Because rewarding after she's walked away will not work... make sure that you're rewarding her right when she's finished pooping in the right place.

If the only accidents she has are because she's just missed the pad, I think that's probably about as good as it's going to get. Dogs aren't very aware of their back end, they usually don't really care where it goes.

It might be a little easier if you used a litter box or something with raised sides - just put the potty pad inside - so that it's more obvious when she's in the right spot or not.

OK, the box is a change I can make.

Of course, my modest lady gets distracted if I am watching her. but what if she notifies correctly. when she poops, she runs over to me and actually pokes me and dances.

 

[lizzybeth727]

Of course, my modest lady gets distracted if I am watching her. but what if she notifies correctly. when she poops, she runs over to me and actually pokes me and dances.

Actually "aiming" right to be able to poop on the specific pad is a very specific behavior, which makes it difficult to teach any dog. If you were to reward her - after she poops, runs and finds you, gets your attention, and then goes back with you to check on the poop - only when she actually hits the spot, I don't think she would ever figure out that hitting the spot - and not pooping, getting your attention, and going back with you to check on the poop - is what's getting her the treat.

So yeah, I think the only way to actually train her to hit the spot would be to go in there with her and reward her immediately when she moves into the correct position.

Hopefully with the litter box she'll figure it out on her own.

 

[Paul Bright]

I think that i may have just trained her to notify me of a reward opportunity instead of actual potty training.

It is good that she is reward oriented and loves to please you That is one of the basic requirements to be able to effectively train a dog

Doing a box to put the pads on is a good idea Do update us!

Wonderful job!