Housebreaking in the northern winter!

[sablevulpe]

Aargh! It's been too long since I did housebreaking on a pup, and I've NEVER done it in the winter! Any advice? The little one is 9 weeks old, and a boxer mix, so he has really thin hair, was pretty malnourished, and HATES the cold. I broke down and bought him one of those little dog coats (shiver) to make it more bearable, and that seems to help keep him a bit calmer. However, he does a quickie pee, then runs right for the door. I hold out til I get him to poo, but when we come back in 50% of the time he pees again within minutes.
He is SHARP, I am sure of that... and he is a stealth piddler- barely slows down his pace to let it flow. I'm just not sure how long to keep him out there in the cold, waiting to see if there is more in that little bladder.

I'm crate training him, he does great in there (not a single accident, and I totally crashed one night for 9 hours), but I feel like he's going to have to spend 95% of his time in there if we can't get this under control a bit more. He's playing me!

Please help! Even encouragement that I'm on the right track would be a nudge in the right direction.

 

[justbugged]

I have had similar results with house training Yorkies. I agree that winter is the hardest time to house train a dog. Unfortunately as far as I can tell it is all about catching the twerp making the mistake and be able administer quick discipline.

 

[sablevulpe]

heh. Twerp is being nice... I've got a few other choice words for him these days!

The quickest way to their hearts is through their tummies, so I'm going to try stepping up the treats, so outside time = treats. I am hoping that that after basically being raised in winter, next year he will be so tuff, I won't be able to get him out of the snow!

wishful thinking, perhaps, but I'll take what I can get.

 

[JenEric Farms]

When you take him out is he on a leash?

 

[Ed62]

You didn't say how long you've had him, but I think if you keep him in the cage for a few days, he'll learn he has to go out to take care of business. One thing, if the crate is large (with a small pup), divide it into a small space for him. He won't soil the cage if he only has a small area to move around. Take him out frequently, and praise him when he does what he should do outdoors.

Ed

 

[sablevulpe]

@ Ed- I've had him for one lesson-filled week. He is now 9 weeks old. The crate is working great, made it smaller, never had an accident- even when I slept for 10 hours one night. Lotsa praise, but he couldn't care less when he is cold...

@Jen- no, he isn't on a leash. I tried it a couple times, but he spent so much time obsessing over the leash, I figured I would fight one battle at a time.