some obedience problems with bowser.

[Piemur]

Hello, About 2-3 months ago me and my wife adopted a new little puppy, he is about 5-6 months old, Chihuahua and Yorkie-Poo mix. I thought he came from a puppy mill after we got him home and he seemed overly scared of things. It did not take him long to warm up to the both of us very quickly as we were kind. I was informed that he was fed Dollar Store cat food and quickly changed him to a healthy diet.

Well, Recently we have come into a few problems. we have never been aggressive towards him, we use positive reinforcement and praise when ever he does the correct action. So I will list some of the habits I am lost on how to help break.


The first and worst problem in my eyes is house breaking. When we first got him, for the first month we did the whole, Taking him out every hour or so to do his business. This did not work to potty train him AT ALL. He continued to pee and poop inside with no discretion in doing it right in front of us. That is when we decided to switch to a crate.

We have a small kennel inside of a larger play pen. We put him in any time we can't pay attention to him and keep an eye on him, Me and my wife work separate scheduels, So there is almost always someone here with him. He spends at most an hour or two alone a day, that time is spent in the crate.

Unfortunately, He also has no discretion in relieving himself in the crate or on himself. We don't feed him any less than 2-3 hours before bed, We take him out to potty before he goes in the crate, and will also take him out later in the night to go. As soon as we go to bed he urinates and deficates inside of his crate, and even sleeps in it. Also, he will whine nonstop untill morning. He refuses to sleep in the crate, won't play with any toys while he is in the crate, and even refuses treats inside of the crate. I have no Idea what would cause this reaction to the crate as such a bad thing.

The second problem is the whining when we are not in direct sight of him. Anytime he can not be in contact or within our sight he whines and sobs for the entire duration. This I think is just do to separation anxiety. This I am not to sure on how to fix, but I know it needs to be done as I live in an apartment and this is bad for the neighbors all night every night.


The third problem I have encountered is, Defiance. I guess in an act to defy our structure and our obedience training techniques, he has recently been very defiant. I dunno if I can say it to be true but it looks very intentional.
Things such as, When you call him he runs the opposite direction. If you tell him to sit, lay, stay or anything of the sort he just stares with a dumbfounded look. These are commands just a short time ago he was able to perform, And was rewarded with treats and praise.

it is almost if his loyalty is gone, and he thinks we should be loyal to him. if we take him out off leash he will run to people whom he doesn't know, As we call for him to come back or to stop he ignores us, jumping on new people, and as far as following them away as they walk on. We show him lots of love, no aggression and deffinately no abuse. As a matter of fact we have given him a much better situation then he was in as a smaller pup.

Another problem we encounter is a fearful one. Sometimes when calling him or giving him commands he acts as if we are scolding him for bad behavior, though we praise and reward the behavior. This comes out of no where some times.


He also knows that going potty in the house is bad, Because when he does it he walks around with his head hung low and his tail between his legs. trying to avoid any attention on him. He also knows that outside is where you are supposed to go for potty. Since we always reward and praise him for using the outside potty. We also always take him out first thing when taking him out of the crate to go potty.

Often times we will take him outside to go potty, we won't allow him to play or run around, And we keep an eye on him and wait for him to do his business. He will stay out for 45 minutes and refuses to go potty, Won't pee, won't poop. Won't even mark his territory. And as soon as we get him inside, as soon as he is out of our direct sight, pee and poops right on the floor and continues with the behaviors i previously mentioned.


Can you please help me with any advice on what I can do to help train him? He was doing well with his training for the first month or so but has recently been VERY VERY disobedient and even sometimes defiant purposely it seems.

Nothing has changed drasticly in our household at all except for the addition of the kennel. which, first thing coming out of the kennel in the morning, He behaves very well. but give it an hour outside of the kennel and he is back to the bad behaviors.

I am lost as to what to do, but I know I need to help him change now and fast before these behaviors are too set in.


Please get back to me with any Advice you might have.

Thanks much, Piemur and Bowser.