I Hate My Chihuahua.

I have not heard good things about chihuahuas. Watch the show "Dog Whisperer." I don't own pets but I've heard he is good. Getting a dog trainer to help you out is a good idea, too. I like Denise P.'s idea. Good luck! Hang in there!!

I would either consult with a dog trainer or contact a Chihuahua Rescue (or generic dog rescue) for advice on how to retrain the little stinker. Hopefully they'll have some new insights for you.

what's Spanish for doggie tootsie rolls?

Have you thought about putting a dog house outside in a fenced area and keeping the dog there, letting the dog come inside on the coldest days or when it can be supervised at all times?

Have a professional come in and help you train him. These are things that can be stopped but need a professional's help once your own efforts do not work or change behavior. The longer you wait to get help, the longer it will become a habit for the dog.

The only thing I can think of is, do you walk him? Or just let him go in and out as he pleases? I remember seeing on Dog Whisperer that all dogs, no matter their size, need to be leash-walked every day - it is their way of marking their territory and getting information about their surroundings. Maybe a combo of leash-walking and treats for "performing" outside would be worth a try? Just a thought. Good Luck!

get a good dog trainer to work with him...and you...and your daughters. The "pack" is out of whack.

Your post made me laugh so hard...thank you N.!

I kinda hate your chihuahua from here!

~Ceasar Milan, The Dog Whisperer, has listed them as the most evil dog...OK, I think the word was dangerous not evil...but whatever :) If he was my dog and I had to pick up after him all the time, I can GUARANTEE you that no matter what that dog's real name was, I would call it "Little Sh*T"...I can almost hear myself from hear whispering it under my breath every time I was bending over picking up it's little sh*t!

I say ditch the darn dog......
I know, easier said than done...sorry sister!

If it was me, I would be following him around and paying UBER attention to him and trying my hardest to catch him so I could scare the sh*t out of it...AHT-AHT-AHT! (my best annoying sound warning of the word NO that I give to my dog) and then throw his lil' bootie outside for a few minutes...every time I caught him to see if that would teach him. Sorry,that's the best advice I got for you but thanks again for the laugh.

~Edit~ Listen to Grandma T!

If you seriously want to give the dog to someone else, your children WILL get over it. I think I would just do it without them knowing and then spin some sort of tale that is believable and gives them relief. Tell them the truth later when old enough. The 3yr old will not remember the dog, the 6 yr old will remember a little bit but not much. They are both still in "out of sight, out of mind" age group for the most part.
Take a pic of him with a sombrero on and send it to yourself as a postcard stating he has gone back to his homeland... lol. I'd make a really funny story out of it for your 6 yr old. You will be able to tell her what really happened when she gets a little older and then explain it was told the original way so as not to hurt her feelings.
I seriously wouldnt put up with a poop machine pet in my house ....

I hate your dog too N.. You're not alone. Actually, I hate all chihuahuas. Don and I joke all the time about running them over when our neighbor's dogs get out and roam the streets yapping at everybody. One tried to bite Aubrey in our front yard once. I kicked it. And it felt good.
Just put it on freecycle or craigslist and get the kids a new hampster or something.

If he's healthy (and it might be worth it to have him looked at by the vet), then it really sounds like he wasn't truly potty trained.

If you can, put the dog on a leash, and attached the leash to your body, and be religious about taking him out, particularly 15-30 min after he eats (and he should only be eating 1x per day). You have to be able to drop whatever you're doing to take him out, and pay attention to him at all times.You need to "catch him in the act" in order to redirect him and/or reward him when he gets outside in time.

Any time he's not on a leash with you (or other truly responsible family member), he needs to be in a cage. And the cage should be sized correctly for his size--not a large dog crate. The smaller crate, appropriate to his size, will discourage him from pooping/peeing in it (dogs don't like to sit/stand/lay on or next to their own excrement/pee) --it should be only large enough so he can lay down and stand up/sit--that allows much more room than that.

A dog trainer will also be able to assist with this, as well as evaluate any other behavioural issues that might be contributing to this problem.

And, though I am a lifelong animal lover, I understand your frustration. If you can't solve the problem, then it is best to find him a new home, for both yours and his and your children's sakes. Yes, your daughter will be heartbroken, but the stress and disease-potential from this issue is something that everyone will continue to suffer with if it cannot be resolved.

At this point I would be a believer in negative consequences. I would rub his nose in his own poo and pee for sure. I'm positive it will make him stop this unacceptable behavior.

Get a professional dog trainer and use some negative consequences.It's a DOG -sometimes they need their noses rubbed in their poo to get the message!

And Grandma T is right -my mother gave our nightmare "weiner dog" Datschund -however you spell it -to the Avon lady when I was a little girl and I lived. I enjoyed teasing her about it as an adult, but it really didn't scar me for life or anything.

Your post made me laugh so hard...I've had a yorkie before my kids were born and I don't know if it's out of envy or bladder problems, but same thing...It's to the point where I am ready to give him away and I NEVER thought I'd feel that way.
I don't have any words of wisdom..Good luck! I'll read the responses for help withy my own tootsie fairy.

Just get rid of him and get them a proper dog LOL

ARGH! I can understand your frustration! I think I would be in the loony bin by now! Can you work with a trainer familiar with this breed? The reason I say that is I've heard small dogs are harder to potty train because of the size of their bladder and "innards" as compared to a bigger dog. I've also heard rubbing their noses in it doesn't work but admit I've never personally tried this. I did have a lab mix who had trouble with pooping. He would literally be running to the door, whining while poop was plopping out his back end. He eventually "got it" I think he was a little slow (but lovable) and maybe physically couldn't hold it. Until he did, he didn't have free roam of the house and I would have him go out EVERY 20-30 minutes and praise him like the dickens when he went outside. I have heard of people leashing the dog to themselves so they can truly be aware of everything the dog does. Maybe you could research how to potty train for a small dog and take a week of intense training (timer every minutes and very consistant with the other methods, suggestions). Seems like you almost HAVE to do this if you want your sanity and since you feel you can't get rid of the dog.

I would focus on this dog for the next few days. Stop all your activities and try to follow him around. When he has his accident I would rub his nose in it, saying NO, BAD DOG and then put him outside. When you see him go to the bathroom outside say GOOD DOGGIE!!!!! Try to take him outside to pee on a leash about 15 minutes after he eats/drinks (or right when he wakes up) and try to be there when he goes so you can praise him. Give him a hot dog slice or piece of cheese too if you want. If you have times when you absolutely cannot be with him, then kennel him or put up doggie gates and lock him in the kitchen or laundry room so he cannot go in your house. Doggie boot camp! You can do it! You will also need to seriously clean anywhere he has gone to get rid of any smell (that we cannot smell but dogs can). They make special products for his and I would get a steam cleaner to. And sprinkle with baking soda and leave it there for a day before vacuuming. Good luck. You have to work up the motivation to really focus on this dog for a few days to a week and put other things aside.

Im a animal lover-vegetarian type person, but i TOTALLY understand! Humans come first! I had a cat that wouldnt stop pooping on the kitchen counters and in the fireplace. i tried everything, different litter,different box, spraying her with water, redirecting, sprays that deter that kind of thing.One day when my daughter was 3 she brought me a petrified cat turd that i somehow missed and asked "whats this mommy?" as it rests in her little hand. The cat was kicked outside the next day. There she lived until the day she ran away, she had her shots, was spayed, had a collar, etc...

I dont really know what advice to give but i wanted to let you know i understood.

I feel your pain!! My dog is acting totally crazy! He is wonderful sometimes, but if we leave him out of our sight for two minutes, and he either poops or runs away (the neighbors across from our pasture just throw their garbage bags off the back porch, apparently he thinks 'food')

I came to this sight looking for help. I'm going to try taking him on a leash everyday. Maybe that will help. As far as help for u, if he sleeps with your girls, let them fall asleep with him, and let them know once he is asleep you will get him so he doesn't 'potty' in their room.... It has worked for us. And the post about tying the leash to your person even in the house. Maybe that will help until Baxter learns.
Good luck!!
If all else fails, tell the girls he ran away to Mexico with his girl friend (and as mentioned in the other post, take pictures before he goes)

I am dealing with the same thing with my Yorkie. She will be 2 in February and still pees/poops in the house :( Soooo...she remains in the kitchen. We have a large enough kitchen that it is plenty of room for her per the vet and dog trainer. We keep a potty pad in the corner. That is pretty much where she goes. Unless it is too mess or she feels like going whereever. But, she is pretty good about going on the pad. Can you maybe consider confining the dog to one area of the house? We do take her out for play and let her lay with us on the couch. But, she is mainly in the kitchen. We have a crate set up for her in there with a comfy bed. Consider that because training this dog did not work!!!!

From what I understand when dogs go in a certain spot they leave behind a mineral deposit that is familiar and they go back to the same spot again and again. I would talk to the vet and see what they said. I think there are sprays and carpet cleaner that dissolves the scent on the spot and they don't like it anymore. I don't know anything about retraining a dog to go outside but that sounds good too. Maybe obedience school.

I feel your pain accept my dog is 120 pounds of muscle and feels the need to pee on EVERYTHING. I cant get rid of him either because we have had him since he was a puppy and the boys love him. So he is punished when caught, crated when we are not home and all doors to all bedrooms, bathrooms are closed if we are not in the room he is always always in the same room with me or my husband because if not he will just pee on something. constant babysitting of the freaking dog makes me crazy but if I actually got rid of him I am afraid I would not be allowed home.

Crate or small room when you are not with him. You can tether him to you so you notice when he is about to go and rush him outside to go. Make sure you use a pet cleaner too with an enzyme cleaner. Basically go back and start training all over again. Take him outside 10-15 mins after meals, playing, drinking, sleeping and take him on leash. If he doesn't go after a couple of minutes back inside and then out again after 5 minutes to try again.

Good luck!

Thanks for your post; I needed to laugh that hard today!! I don't have any new words of wisdom for you, but I know how hard it is to keep a pet that is ruining your house- I've been there too! Good luck with whatever you decide to do, and thanks again for the laughs!

Ok- you don't say how old your daughters are, but if you are serious about not having this dog, do know that it will NOT break their hearts. Sure, they will feel bad and there will be crying, etc. but they will live through this experience.

That said- it sounds like you were expecting this dog to be like your old dog and sadly that often isn't the case. We have two dogs that are both breed rescues- a basset hound and a cattle dog- and both have issues and sometimes make me crazy. I would never give them up.

But- everyone's situation is different and it doesn't sound like this dog is feeling very happy or secure with you either or he might not be so anxious. Sometimes pets are just not a good fit, even if you have tried to work on it. I am taking your word on it that you've tried training and everything else you can manage.

So- if you are seriously this stressed and upset, the best advice I can give is that IF you give this dog up, please do it in a responsible way. There is a rescue group for almost every breed in almost every state. Look online and find a chihuahua breed rescue group in your state and make arrangements for them to take him.

You will probably have to pay a fee, but think of it as the price you pay to know the dog will be with people who will understand and care for him until he can get a good home.

Please, please do not dump him off at a shelter. A breed rescue group is absolutely the best choice for you and the dog if you are serious about getting rid of him. Tell your little girls that the nice chihuahua ladies (or whoever) needed help with their other dogs and need your dog to come and help them. Or something like that. They will get over it.

Please do the right thing and be responsible if you decide to give up this dog.

I feel you!
We have two chiuahuahs, a girl and a boy. The boy, Nacho, is awful. He pees everywhere, especially if the girl, Lola, poops on the floor and it's a few minutes before I find it.
It drives me nuts and I want to have him neutered, as I have heard that will help with the peeing. But we're trying to hold out until our female is old enough to breed. We really like her and would love to have puppies just once.

He does sound like 6 lbs of evil!!! Since you can't ditch him, I agree he didn't catch on to the training and either you retrain him or have someone else do it. This would be pure hell for me. I have two cats that keep having on and off again diarriha and sometimes don't make it to the box. My son says my cussing has gotten out of hand as I try to clean up as well as chase them and wipe their bums as well. You have my sympathies!

I feel like if you're watching "the dog whisperer" for miraculous help on solving problems, then yu don't really understand yur breed. That's like buying lingerie from Victoria's Secret hoping you'll look sexy just like the model. I think taking ownership of making a bad choice before doing yur homework in getting the dog is the first step. The next step probably is, to keep the dog in one room close to where he can go outside to potty. Chihuahuas get chilly real easy, so it's kind of dumb that anyone would suggest to leave them outside. I've had jack russels, pitbulls and a chihuahua mix and I now have a purebred chihuahua. I'm not going to lie and say he is time and a half, but with persistence, they eventually learn. I do have a spot by the door where I keep a wee pad, just in case he has to go, but he is not allowed in my bedroom unless I'm there. The other thing yu can do is find it a good home with people who already have the patience and understanding to handle Baxter. This is the most stubborn dog I've ever had, but I love him to death. Unless he is sick, all yu need is a little patience and not hoping that over night a miracle will happen. And in the mean time, do not allow him into the girls' room and other rooms he may defecate in. Every dog breed is different, so what works for one dog may not work for the other and all yu have to do is find a different way. A dog trainer might tell yu the same thing. Good luck and I hope that you'll be able to love Baxter the way I love my Meika!

I don't have experience with this, but my first thoughts were he wasn't really trained. Professional dog trainer sounds like the best answer. They won't be emotionally tied up in the experience.

Whatever you do.... IF you do get rid of the dog.... don't do it when your girls are not home or don't keep it a secret.
In other words... my Mom, once got rid of one of our dogs... we did NOT know she was going to do this and she did it while we were not home and away at school. Then we come home, and the dog is NO where to be found. It was GONE.
She then tells us she got rid of our dog. She thought, that was the best way.... to avoid drama and us getting emotional about it.
But she was wrong. We then... got VERY angry at her for not telling us FIRST... and we resented her for a long time. AND to this day..... we remember that. Because, she did it behind our backs.

So don't go that route. With your children.
Be open and honest about it..... and kind. In explaining it to them.

Or, maybe just keep him outside.

all the best,
Susan

tell the girls he's going to live with another family, let them hug him, take a few pics of them together, let them say good bye and send him on his way. life is stressful enough and you already have a dog, one is enough. good luck!

LOL! sorry no words of wisdom, but I loved your post. I needed a laugh. :)