Donations4Wally

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Mission Impossible? Hardly...


  Potty training Dachshunds isn't easy.  Part of the reason why is because their legs are so short...they don't need to do much to mask the fact that they're peeing in your house.  I guess that's why when I brought him home, I thought he was potty trained because I didn't see him doing the "obvious signs".  A bigger dog you see  blatantly sniffing around and then he lifts his leg over your new Pottery Barn couch.  This little guy, he didn't do that...and because I didn't know him very well, his ways of telling me he needed to potty were so subtle (because that's another reason why Dachshunds are hard to train, their subtly), that before I realized he needed to go, it was too late.  The first few days with Wally were a real challenge.  Not only because we had to potty train a dog we weren't familiar with...we didn't even know his name.   California was also seeing the worst rain storms in years, undesirable conditions for potty training a dog.  Over 5 inches of rain in one of those days of pouring rain.  We did it though! We dragged him out there every hour on the hour and praised like hell when he'd go where he was supposed to. He's had one accident since we "potty trained" him.  That's another thing.... I heard they're never fully house broken. I hope ...that because he gets 2-3 long walks everyday, that will give him plenty of opportunity to do what he needs to do. I'm also hoping that because I caught him in the act, and was able to stop him from letting go of his bladder completely, that he realizes he isn't supposed to go in my house. I'm glad I caught him in the act...and all I had to do was yell "No!" and then took him outside. You know, it takes work and a close eye.... but it's so worth it when they finally get it.

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