BehavioRx Case of the Month
for May 1999

Housetraining a Pet Shop Puppy

A 13 week old male Shih Tzu puppy, purchased by the client at 10 weeks, was regularly defecating and urinating in its crate, which had been sold along with the pup as a "sure fire" aid to quick housetraining. The only advice from the pet shop was to feed the puppy in the crate, which didn't work. After having to bathe her new pup almost daily for three weeks, the client
called the HelpLine for a consultation.

The puppy had been examined by the veterinarian at 10 and 12 weeks and proclaimed healthy. Diet was a popular puppy dry food dispensed by veterinarians. No vitamin/mineral supplements were fed.

The puppy was fed three times daily, but having four or five bowel movements, some of them ropy or loose.

The Shih Tzu was outgoing, friendly and highly excitable. He had been spending approximately 16 hours a day (2/3rds of his life) in the crate. The client stated that the pup would defecate in the crate while she was present, wag his tail and bark at her.

We asked how she felt about the puppy being in the crate and the client stated she disliked it, but all the experts she had spoken to said it was the best way.

We explained that most pet shop puppies are taken out of their cages when they soil them; hence, when this human handling occurs shortly after a BM, the behavior is actually reinforced! Further, being crated, the puppy is denied the opportunity to respond to innate drives to undertake bursts of activity, so necessary to healthy muscular, tendon and bone development.
This can create, tension, stress and frequent bowel activity. The client decided to opt for a puppy play pen or puppy gate for the rest of the housetraining period, and to have the pup sleep on its little bed in the bedroom, rather than downstairs in the crate.

The client was given the BehavioRx directions for Housetraining and Puppy Training. Feedings were adjusted to agree with the number of formed, firm stools produced daily, which worked out to be four.

Result: Dependably housetrained Shih Tzu in thirteen days.

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