Training your Chihuahua to Eliminate Indoors

Training your Chihuahua to eliminate indoors can be convenient if you live in a high-rise apartment or have a tiny or small dog. Puppies normally have to eliminate as soon as they wake, so rushing a puppy down fifteen flights to get outside is problematic.

Some people cannot make it home for a midday break or may live in an area that isn’t conducive to outdoor elimination. This is when litterbox or paper-training can be very convenient.

Indoor elimination can be both convenient and inconvenient for travel. If you are in a hotel room, it can be easy to set up your puppy’s elimination area, and you won’t have to worry about taking him outside. If you are taking him to visit friends or relatives, however, they may not appreciate or allow you to have an indoor elimination station.

First, choose whether you want to train your Chihuahua puppy to eliminate in a litterbox or on paper or pee pads. Litterboxes come in a variety of styles. Some require litter, and others use sod or artificial turf. Note that litter for dogs is different than litter for cats! Do not use kitty litter in your puppy’s litterbox: it may not be healthy for him.

Sod or turf is a good choice if you eventually want to teach your puppy to also eliminate outdoors.

Goal: Your puppy will eliminate indoors in a specific location.

What You’ll Need: Elimination station, treats.

1. Hide your treats from your Chihuahua puppy. Some puppies will be so focused on the treats that they may be too distracted to eliminate.
2. Take your Chihuahua to his elimination spot. As soon as he starts to eliminate, give your cue (such as “Go potty”) in a friendly voice. As soon as your puppy finishes, praise him and give him a treat.
3. If you wait ten minutes, and your puppy does not eliminate, confine him or closely supervise him for about fifteen minutes and then try Step 2 again.
4. Repeat Steps 1-3 for each potty break.

Once your Chihuahua puppy is regularly eliminating on cue, it’s time to start teaching him to move toward the elimination spot on his own, without you having to go with him.

1. Take your Chi to his elimination spot, but stop about one step away from the location. Let your puppy continue the rest of the way by himself. Follow the previously outlined house-training program. Don’t forget to praise him and give him a treat when he eliminates. When your puppy regularly continues to the elimination spot by himself, you’re ready for the next step.
2. Gradually move farther away from the elimination spot, one step at a time, each time your puppy eliminates. Your goal is to eventually be able to send your puppy to his elimination spot from a different room.

Tips: If at any time your Chihuahua puppy misses the litterbox or pee pad, go back to the last point at which he was successful. Stay at that point for a week and then try moving farther away again. With consistency and practice, your puppy should start going on his own to the elimination spot when he has to eliminate.

It will take some time before he is consistent, and he first must be old enough to understand the sensation that signals that he has to eliminate. Continue to monitor your puppy. If you find messes outside the elimination spot, first check to make sure that the path to the elimination spot was not blocked.

For example, if the spot is in your bathroom, was someone in there with the door shut? Or was something potentially scary, such as a parked vacuum cleaner, in the puppy’s way?

If you don’t find anything impeding the path to the elimination spot, back up in your training. Go back to supervising your puppy more closely for a few weeks, and then gradually move farther away again.

Don’t be discouraged! It’s very common to have house training accidents on occasion. Just stick with the program consistently and be patient.