We have a Chihuahua mix that also had issues at first.  Chihuahua's are notorious for having accidents in the house, but we have worked with her over the last year and she is doing better.  We started with the pee pads, and they actually work well, but you must be consistant as with any training and never get angry at her.  Dogs/puppy's have a very short attention span so you cannot reprimand her after the fact either, if your going to correct her it must be during the act.  Also, if you get into a routine of taking her out first thing in the morning after you wake up, and not let her back in until she has done her business it will train her to go out when she first wakes up.  If your using the pee pads, move them closer and closer to the door that she will use to go out and potty, that way, when she finally understands that the door represents out side and potty she will automatically just go there and whine or scratch to be let out and her little bladder will be stronger then.  Puppies don't have large bladders anyway, so paitients is the key.  Also, when you take her out, make sure that you praise her alot for doing potty outside, that will reinforce her good behaivor. 

Hope that helps.

Crate Training, Crate Training, Crate Training.   Used and recommended by pretty much all rescue groups, trainers, etc.  It's really important to teach that consistency right now -  if they are confused even a little they will urinate in the house forever.  Here is a great link to the some instructions.   If you don't have a crate- invest in one- preferably one with hard sides instead of the wire kind- since dogs absolutely instinctively crave a den.  But, don't leave a dog in there too long without a break.  Here is a great link:

http://www.saveadog.org/cra...

Great advice from everyone.  Dogs will not potty where they sleep and that's the beauty of crate training.  It also gives them a place to rest and a place for you to give them a time out when they are too hyper.  They come to love their crate and look at it as a place of refuge. 

The other day I found my potted sago in the yard with its roots in the air.  I was so mad at her and while I was trying to re pot I was ranting and raving about my poor sago.  I looked around and Allie was in her crate.  LOL...she knew that was the safest place for her at that time.

A friend had purebred boxers and when one had puppies she got mastitis and couldn't nurse.  My friend put all the puppies in the crate and went home at lunch to take care of them.  She took them out, put them in a dry kiddie pool and they immediately started to pee and poop.  The got fed baby cereal, faces washed, and put back in the crate till after work.  Those little critters were well on their way to being potty trained.

Take the above advice...get a crate.  Just get one that fits the dog and not one they have room to play in.  they need to feel secure.

Wow! You guys are good :-)

I have had older puppy's that were so easy to train.

Our first was over a year old when we got her at the pound. I was expecting a long first night but..she slept all night and went right to the door first thing in the morning. It was too easy :-)

The second puppy also over a yr took a bit longer but caught on in just a month or so.

This is the youngest I have ever started on.

She is soooo darn cute I want to get upset at her but I just can't :-)

I bought her a small carrier where she sleeps at night. Our routine is, we go out about 5 min after any food or drink and well, anytime we think it's been long enough like 30 min or 45 min or so.

I love all the advice given. It makes me feel more relaxed knowing that maybe I was expecting it to "click" with her too fast. I guess it might take a while ha ha

I was afraid because it has been a long time (I thought)

I'm glad to know others also have had problems at least I am not doing it all wrong :-)

I like the pee pad idea and the cardboard to cover the frozen ground.

Oh and the treat idea too.

Thanks!! SO!! MUCH!! If you think of anything more post! Ha Ha :-)

THANKS!

Keep a schedule or daily routine for pottytime.  Woof woof has had accidents too, because of the cold....the worst is in the middle of the night.  But she's 3-4 years old now.  I'm trying to teach her to "speak" to go out.  I can just tell when she needs to go out, it's a certain tinkle dance.  But she won't let me know in the middle of the night!  And usually when that happens, it's because my kids have "accidently" fed her something not on her "menu"....poo is the issue, not pee....she's never peed it in the house.  I adopted her from Mt. Vernon shelter when she was 1 1/2.

Puppies take time....like a child, she will learn with love and patience.  Woof!

Zack was two years old when I got him and very well potty trained.  He was not crate trained though and I did that right away.  He didn't like it at first but slowly got to where he would sleep in his crate in my bedroom on his own with his door open.

The cool thing about crate training is that since they won't go where they sleep.. you put your puppy in a crate at night and take him outside immediately after taking him/her out of it in the morning..the puppy will get the message soon.  Do this off and on during the day and the pup should learn that outside is the place to go.

I agree with the crate and the wee wee pads by the door that you desire for your dog to go out.  I've done both.  Also, when the weather is decent be consistent with taking it out at that time, while it's "warm."  I agree with not punishing your dog for going potty in the house.  It is too young right now to fully understand.  When you KNOW they know, then scold them, but never beat them.  I say that because I used to rub my german shepard's nose in it, and she got to the point where she would defecate in the house, then eat it so I wouldn't find it, then continued the habit outside.  I was raised the cowboy way, that's why I did that.  Through the years, I've tried the crate and wee wee pads by the back door, and I've had MUCH better sucess.  I was young and didn't know much when I did that with my shepard.  Nothing I can do about it now, but change with my current dogs.  Once your dog learns to use the wee wee pad or newspaper by the door you want it to go out, take it away.  The reason for that is because they will go to that door, and see nothing there and wait.  Keep a CLOSE eye for any sign to go potty.  Dogs have a way of letting you know.  When they do go potty, get excited, like they saved your life.  GOOD boy/girl!!!!  Pet them vigorously.  Even bribing them with PIECES of low cal snacks helps after they go, they learn that they go potty outside, they get a TINY piece of a low cal treat.  Hope this helps.

Just do what I do. 

If she has an accident, rub her nose in it and beat the crap out of her...

;)

Hope you guys notice my Katie made the front of Bakersfield.com :-D

I just looked..who is Katie and where is she and what was it about???

(edited)  Nevermind..I found her..she's adorable.

I added her picture (thanks Jason!) to the top of this blog.

~Katie Pockets McClintock~

She is named after the Character in John Waynes movie Mclintock. My favorite movie

:-)