Bitty alone during the day

[WingedFoal]

Background: I started a new job that is about 30 minutes away, at a vet clinic.... And to make it worse, they do not allow us to bring our pets to work. I normally leave around 6 A.M., then get home in the early afternoon, not unless I have an all-day shift, which means I don't get home until after 6 (these days are rare, thank goodness). It's impossible to run home for lunch to give Bitty a potty break.

This means Bitty is by herself for a good portion of the day. When it was her AND Tasmo it didn't seem so bad. I would put them in the kitchen, knowing that they (Bitty especially) probably could not stay in their kennels and hold their pee for that long period of time. Well, Tasmo could, but that's not even relevant now.

Bitty is almost housetrained, only a few pee accidents the past week, which I own up to it being my fault. (One happened yesterday.... I was sick and knew she probably needed a potty break by then, but didn't do anything about it. Regretted it afterwards.) She goes to the door and stares at me until I take her out, and I praise her A LOT for it. She's learning to scratch at the door to tell me she needs to go out, because she makes NO noise at all, vocally.

So I need some advice.... I hate letting her think it's okay to potty in the kitchen, yet I definitely don't want to make her sit in it in her kennel. How hard is it to litterbox train a puppy? She's almost eight months old, and quick to pick up on things. Is there a better way to go about this? I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place with this. Any advice on what others have done in a similar situation would be very wonderful right now!!

[elegy]

any chance of getting somebody to come and walk her mid-day so she doesn't *have* to hold it that long?

i just changed jobs so i work 12 hour shifts two days a week but i have time (theoretically) to run home and walk the dogs over lunch. if i can't, though, i have somebody who can come take them potty in the late afternoon because it's just not fair to ask them to hold it for that long.

[WingedFoal]

Thanks for the response, Elegy. It would be SOOO easy if I did have someone to walk her, but I don't know anyone around here, and don't trust many of the people who live around me. They've already proven they aren't dog people.

I guess the good (and bad) thing is, Bitty doesn't stress herself out by holding it. I want to try litter training since she is so easily trained, so if anyone has any advice on it, or anything else, I would be thrilled!

[Carrie]

Why don't you ask Barrett. She has successfully trained her dogs to use a litter box. Maybe she could help you the best. She's sort of the litter box training specialist here.

Congrats on the new job!

[WingedFoal]

Originally Posted by Carrie

Why don't you ask Barrett. She has successfully trained her dogs to use a litter box. Maybe she could help you the best. She's sort of the litter box training specialist here.

Congrats on the new job!

Thanks!! I love this job (actually, I worked there for three and a half years while I was in middle school and high school, and here I am back again...)!

I will have to ask Barrett.... I just hope that it's not too late in the game to start training Bitty to use one. I've got a litter box, and doggy litter, but she's a bit shy of it. I haven't even had it a day though. I'm making the litterbox her "friend" LOL, trying to get her used to walking in and out of it. The actual "potty" part is going to be hard though.... But she's very willing to learn new things. I can definitely use that to my advantage.

[calgal]

I think your best bet would be either a litter box for dogs or wee-wee pads. She does need something to go on when she can no longer hold it. Maybe look in the newspaper for dog walkers too.

[FiReBReTHa]

Also, check in your local yellow pages for a pet sitting service, most of the time they prove to be great animal lovers and trustworthy, they will come to your home, feed the dogs, take them out and play with them.

[WingedFoal]

I have a neighbor that I've been talking to the past few days. She has two rat terriers that I know must be her pride and joys, and I may ask her if she would stop by on her way out to walk her two if she could possibly let Bitty potty too.

I've been getting Bitty more and more used to the litter. I joined two cages and made a nice sized kennel for her. One part is litter, the rest is her bed and play area. She has plenty of room to move around in her "run".

She didn't like the litter at first and would potty on her blanket or another corner of her cage, but now she is pottying on the litter consistently. I have been placing her on it and saying "Potty", only to get looks like I'm an idiot. It must have sunk in a little though. It's been great to come home and have to clean out the litter only. It makes for such a neater mess. I've enjoyed it, and she actually seems much much happier, I guess by feeding off my joyous attitude when I see what she hasn't pottied on.

Now, if only I can figure out how to get her to go on the litter when it comes to being out in the apartment. But it's still a new thing to her, I don't want to rush her. I can say though, that when it comes to me being at home and letting her run free in the apartment all day, she is very housetrained!! I'm so proud of her!!

I had thought I had begun litter training her too late, but now I have some hope. That is, I hope I have some hope.... I might soon realize I am doing this all in vain.... But she's so smart when it comes to learning, maybe she'll get the idea.

Okay, enough bragging on my little girl.....

[Carrie]

Hey, great. It sounds like she may just be getting it. Keep up the good work. I think that's a wonderful idea to ask your neighbor. That would be fun for Bitty to get out a little. Good luck.