I hate dogs!!! [long]

[stacwase]

OK - that's not true. I just need some emotional support. You know I love them. But they're ruining my life!!!

Do you have any idea how long it has been since I had a decent night's sleep? And I can't get ANYTHING done around the house!

Last night, for example. We waited until around 1100 to go to bed, so that we could bring the chis out as late as possible. At 2:00 they woke us up, needing to go potty again. So taking them out took about 10 minutes, then after I put them back in the crate they whined for another 30 minutes. It took me a while to get back to sleep and then at 5:00 they woke me up AGAIN! So I took them out and by about 5:40 was able to get back to sleep.

My husband got up to go to work and fed all 4 dogs and let them all out and put the chis back in their crate so that I could finally get some sleep - then JAKE came upstairs and started barking and wouldn't leave me alone. I followed him downstairs. HE WANTED ME TO LET THE CAT OUT!!!!! He didn't even need to go out, but he was worried because Toby was sitting by the back door.

They went outside after they were fed. I let them stay outside on the leash for about an hour. Then I went and got them and had them on the leash, at my side. I took my eyeballs off of them for just long enough to grab a plate, and when I looked down THERE WAS POO ON THE FLOOR! Jeez. Two seconds is all it takes.

I'm going to continue this as a response because my computer keeps locking up and I don't want to lose it.

[stacwase]

Not only will they not let me sleep, they won't let me do anything else, either!!!

There are only 3 places where the chihuahuas will not potty. In their little crate (actually a cat carrier), on my bed, and on the sofa. They will only stay on the bed or the sofa if I'm there. We have a small dog sized crate, but they poop in that.

We live in a very cold climate. Even now it's only in the 60s-70s during the day, with a good breeze all the time. So I can't really leave them outside much. They chill so easily.

I have 2 kids, and a job, and a house to take care of. We're putting the house on the market soon, so I really need to get it clean!!! Like - I need to clean at least 5 hours a day (scrubbing walls, the basement floor, the furnace etc. etc. etc.).

These dogs are used to being held and cuddled like 20 hours a day. When (if) my mom gets well, she's going to want to go back to that routine. She's handicapped so she has plenty of time to cuddle them. I don't want to make them become too independent because I want them to keep cuddling with her when (if) she gets them back.

Help!! What do I doo???????

Please reassure me that they actually will be housetrained eventually! Please tell me this isn't forever.

And what will I do if Mom doesn't get better? I can't keep these dogs!

[Canis Amicus]

Yes, furkids change our lives forever! We do not live only for ourselves anymore, they always come first, priority nr. 1.

Since I adopted Rex, I have to think as "we" instead of "I", for everything.

Rosana
and
Rex

[ramanth]

Chis? I think I missed something...did you get more dogs? Or are you fostering?

Yep, dogs are just like babies...needing something at all hours of the day. So sorry to hear your stressed out. Don't fret, everything will work out in the end.

[Kfamr]

My dogs run my life, and I have no problem with it.

Maybe once they're housetrained, another fmaily member would be more willing to take them?

[stacwase]

Originally posted by ramanth
Chis? I think I missed something...did you get more dogs? Or are you fostering?

Sort of fostering, I guess. My mom is extremely ill. She lives in Arkansas. I drove down there to visit her in the hospital, and came back with her two chis, Tony and Chloe. I'll attach a picture. They're truly the sweetest little things, but she never housetrained them!! Housetraining an adult dog is difficult enough - but an adult chihuahua is very hard. Make that TWO adult chihuahuas!

Four dogs. I just can't believe it. FOUR dogs!!! I am doing my best to be patient.

[stacwase]

Originally posted by Kfamr
My dogs run my life, and I have no problem with it.

Maybe once they're housetrained, another fmaily member would be more willing to take them?

Yeah - my sister says she'll take them when they're housetrained. She just doesn't have time to housetrain them because she lives in Arkansas and she's at the hospital with Mom so much. I'm a little worried though. I've been researching chihuahuas and there are sites which talk about some which took over a year to housebreak!

[Kfamr]

If only I could take them... they're so darn cute.

[stacwase]

Originally posted by Kfamr
If only I could take them... they're so darn cute.

Oh I know. They're absolutely the cutest, sweetest little things I have ever seen. They just LOVE people! If I didn't have things to do, I would love to just sit and snuggle them all day long.

But I have SOOOO many things to do. Things which absolutely MUST be done!!

Want to babysit? hehe

[aly]

Well, if your mom cannot take them back, I'm sure you could place them with a Chihuahua rescue easily. They're adorable and its very easy to find homes for small dogs.

Maybe it'd be easier to try to paper train them or litter train them. I don't generally recommend it unless someone wants to use that method for the rest of the dog's life, but it may be easier in your situation. The Chis got used to going all over the floor, whereas most puppies are conditioned to potty on grass from a young age. You just need to change the texture/surface that they are used to going potty on. I'd cover the dog crate with newspaper and keep them in there until they go. Then praise them whenever they do go on the paper. You can try putting spots of newspaper all over your floor too in whichever room they stay in. So if they're about to have an accident, they'll see the newspaper and maybe go there. Eventually you will be able to take most of the paper away and try to leave them one good spot of newspaper. I know it'll be messy and more cleaning for you, and probably not be good with the house on the market. Just a suggestion though.

[stacwase]

Aly, I'd really hate to see it come to paper training, but the thought has crossed my mind.

My mom actually had Chloe paper trained, before she got Tony.

Jake has this bad habit, though, of eating poo. It would be bad enough, having poopy paper laying around. But watching Jake trot across the room with poo in his mouth would probably lead to big puddles of my son's and daughter's vomit all over the house - and more cleaning for me!!!

I can just see it now - all of us sitting at the dinner table, throwing up as we watch Jake run across the dining room with a treat from Chloe in his mouth!

[aly]

Can you use baby gates or puppy play pens to block them in a small part of the kitchen until you get them potty trained?

[stacwase]

Originally posted by aly
Can you use baby gates or puppy play pens to block them in a small part of the kitchen until you get them potty trained?

That's a possibility. I wouldn't have any problem at all going out and buying a playpen and putting them in there with lots of toys. I have a question about that. I know for sure that they would poop in a playpen, because they do it in a 18" by 24" crate.

I don't really mind cleaning it up, but wouldn't that make them harder to housebreak? Wouldn't that be telling them it's OK to o in the house?

[BitsyNaceyDog]

When I got my chihuahua he was 6 years old and only paper trained. It actually only took me a couple weeks to leash train and house break him. I used a baby gate and kept him in the kitchen and crated him when I was gone. Actually I did the same with Charlie (min-pin) when I got him. He was 2 years and he was harder to house break, it took him a couple months.
I really don't have any good advice for you, I just wanted to let you know there is hope.

[ramanth]

Wow Stacey! I see you do have a handful. And two adorable handfuls at that. I have no housebreaking suggestions but have you thought of getting those pee pads?

Best of luck! *HUGS*