So my poor little 3-year-old 14 pound Chihuahua/dachshund mix refuses to wear a sweater or coat. Like if you put it on him, he will put his tail between his legs and refuse to move. He’ll just stand there until he falls over and then he’ll just lay there until you take it back off.
This morning, it was -3F out. He went out the dog door and came right back in. Then he peed on the bed and pooped on the floor.
Other than putting down puppy pads, does anyone have any advice?
Here is a picture of Charlie for cuteness. He has a broken ear. My wife claims it isn’t broken, he was just born that way. I say it’s broken. Look at it.
Update: We got a loose shirt on him and cut off the collar and sleeves. This is how it’s gone so far:
“Please take my shirt off.”
“No, it’s very cold.”
“I don’t care, I poop inside anyway. Take my shirt off.”
“No, I just told you. It’s very cold.”
“Okay, I get that. Now take my shirt off.”
“No.”
“I’ll just be pathetic and lie around and keep my tail between my legs. Take my shirt off.”
“NO!”
“I hear what you’re saying, but take my shirt off.”
“Sigh.”
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You could try using his food as a training help. Put his jacket on him before putting down his food. Take the jacket off as soon as he eats or , at first when he will take a bite from your hand. After he is willing to eat then move his food so he will have to walk in the jacket to eat. My poodle would not wear a jacket and I did this to help his mind get out of that stuck mode. He still doesn’t like it but he will wear the jacket now. My next thing is poodle shoes, fingers crossed.
Do you think it will work enough for him to be able to do it within a couple of days? I don’t mind trying that as a long-term training solution, but I’m hoping there’s something I can figure out what to do in the short term.
I think, after reading all of the other comments, you might have quicker results with the “carry to the potty spot” option.
That really depends on the dog. If you start with him hungry you might be able to shift his thinking quickly. That way he has some incentive to try.
We don’t jacket up our dog for mid day pees even when it’s -40. We just watch and even stand outside with him.
For his walk we put on his coat or sweater. He seems uncomfortable until we get started. The fact of the matter is that it’s going to be winter every year. So whatever you do it’s going to do you will have to do every year. I think either jacket for outside or not but he must go outside. Unless your willing to do something else every year from now on
You’re going to have to leash poor Charlie and weather the cold yourself until he goes potty.
I don’t know that he can stand the cold that long if he won’t wear a coat. I’d be worried about him going on a walk long enough for him to do that.
He looks very carryable. I think I’d put the cost and leash on him and carry him outside to a good bathroom spot. When you put him down he’ll hopefully understand that the best option is to go to the bathroom so he can quickly go back inside.
I’ll see if that works. Thanks. He’s definitely carryable. I carry him around and call him a little baby boy.
I’ve heard of people putting kiddy pools inside with sod during storms, if you have a garage or basement that will work for that.
That being said, after putting on and taking off his coat all yesterday when we went outside, my dog absolutely refuses to wear one this morning. I went out with him and stood on the porch while he did his business. I think going out with them helps them bear it a little more.
Note: my dog does have ~10lbs on yours though
We don’t have a kiddy pool, but it might be worth getting one if we can find a place to put it (this house is jam packed). I don’t know if standing out there with him would convince him considering how much he complained when he came back in (I forgot to mention that part).
I was also thinking that maybe the problem is that the sweaters we’ve put on him haven’t been loose enough and maybe if I get something looser he’ll wear it. It’s worth a try anyway. We’re going to the pet store today anyway.
Be careful not to get too loose of a sweater. My guy peed all over one of his because it hung down into the line of fire. Now he can’t wear it until after laundry day.
I’ll wash it every day if that works and I have to.
Have you used pee pads? We used to live in the city and both worked during the day, so our little dogs are trained to use that. (We still walk them in the morning and evening) Not my favorite thing to have pee in the house at any time, but even now that we live somewhere with a yard that’s what they’re used to. (They also won’t poop if we just put them outside, only if they get a walk)
I also second other people’s comments about just carrying him to a pee spot outside.
Yeah, that’s what we have down now. I just was hoping for a better solution, but carrying him might work. I’m going to try later this morning.
So, one thing that might help is leaving it around for him to see and get familiar with. then get him to come closer to it, maybe even interact with it/get his scent on it so its “his” and it smells like him.
another option is to harness train the dog (instead of a collar,) and then get a jacket thing that doubles as a harness. (this worked well for my parents and their nutter of a dachshund.) She learned quickly that the jacket meant she gets to stay out longer in the snow (hunting for rabbits and such like.)(She had no freaking clue what to do with them when she did manage to catch them, but, uh, we won’t get into that.)
Thanks.
I have a big dog that hunts small creatures. She’s left a half a rabbit and a half a squirrel inside. Perils of a dog door.
Oh yeah. She’s just “special”. (and 10 pounds of crazy in a 1 pound bag.)
will he wear the rubber ballon type booties? I find the paws are a bigger deal than other stuff when its real cold and your just talking a few minutes of exposure.
I seriously doubt it. I don’t even know if it’s worth a try.
I mean they are not real expensive and if they work they are great. the main thing is they are hard to get off. so my golden is not wild about clothes and will just get it off herself but she can’t do it very well with the balloon type booties. she seems to get once she is outside how its comfortable to move around but she still mopes every time they are put on.
It might be worth a try (although I don’t know how many more trips to Petsmart we can make this week), but I have a feeling he will refuse to move with them on.
if it helps the noise they make is cute as heck.
For a little guy it might be an idea to get a cat box and litter box train him for the winter. It’s not too hard to do and dogs are attracted to the litter box anyway (the joy of being able to dig indoors). It might be an easier alternative than trying to force him to wear things he simply refuses to.
Get a litterbox and bury some treats inside it for him to root around and get comfortable going inside. If he poops in the house stick the poop in the box. He should quickly get the idea that that’s where his poops are supposed to go.
Interesting! I will try it! Thanks.
