Italian Greyhound Place

Litter Box Training

(Scroll down for outdoor housetraining)

1. While you are housetraing your Italian Greyhound, he/she should always be in a confined area with access to a litter box, or be under your supervision. Supervision is critical - the fewer accidents there are, the smoother housetraining will go.

• One option is to use a covered exercise pen that has a cushion, water bowl, and litter box area. Initially, you can spread newspaper or pee pads beyond the litter box, thereby increasing the litter box area and increasing your IG's chance of going on the "proper" material. The litter area can gradually be made smaller until it only consists of the litter box. If using an ex-pen, it should be set up in a location near where you tend to be; you do not want your IG isolated.
• If you do not have the space for an exercise pen, another option is an extra large (48" long, 30" wide, 33" high) crate. These crates have a top, slide-out pan, and room for a cushion and litter box. Since this does not provide space to play, I would recommend this option only if you are home and able to supervise your IG most of the time. This is not crate training. Crate training utilizes a small crate, providing enough room for your IG to stand  up and turn around, without a litter area.
• To help with supervision, some IG owners leash their IG to them. North States makes a child enclosure system that can be used to assist with supervision. In addition to creating an enclsoure, it can be used to block off areas. It is light-weight and portable, but is only 26" high. Therefore, it needs to be used only with supervision and when you are in the same area as your IG. If your IG is still inclined to climb or jump it, do not use this product! Our first IG would have been over this in a flash, but, with our current IG, this product, in conjunction with gates, worked well to create smaller areas within our house.

2. You may need to have more than one litter box so that your IG always has access to one. If there are rooms that your IG will be in with you, especially if the door to it is closed, there needs to be a litter box. You can have more litter boxes initially and gradually reduce the number, but your IG should always be able to get to a litter box when inside. If eliminating a litter box, do it slowly by gradually moving it closer and closer to another existing one. 

3. You need to choose a litter box and filler material: 

• A plastic litter box - you can purchase a dog litter box (which will have one lowered side for entry/exit), a large plastic container with low sides, or a large plastic container with higher sides (you will need to cut an entry/exit on one side, being sure to smooth and then cover rough edges with duct tape). The higher sides work well for male leg-lifters. If a low-sided litter box is placed against the side of an ex-pen, disposable or washable pee pads can be extended up, and tucked into, the wire of the pen for leg-lifters. If a low-sided litter box is placed against a wall, disposable pads with adhesive strips on the back can be extended from the litter box up the wall, or washable pads can be attached to the wall with adhesive spring clips.
• Litter box filler - you can use disposable pee pads (some puppies will chew these, in which case, choose a different material; once past the chewing stage, they can often be used without chewing occurring, and work great when traveling), washable pee pads, newspaper, or cat litter (if using litter, consider Feline Pine; it is chemical and dust free). You can also used a combination of materials, pee pad and newspaper.

4. You need to purchase cleaning supplies - it is important to clean accident locations with an enzymatic cleaner to remove odor. You can also use white vinegar mixed with some water. Do not use cleansers that contain ammonia - they will enhance the smell of urine.

5. Choose a phrase to use when your IG eliminates in the proper place. Your IG will associate this phrase with eliminating and will eventually know that you want him/her to "go" when he/she hears the phrase.

6. Housetraining should be a positive experience!

• No yelling, hitting, or rubbing your IG's nose in "it." IGs are sensitive and intelligent; they will learn what you want without being treated harshly.
• When your IG is eliminating in the correct place, use the phrase that you have chosen and, when he/she is finished, provide a small treat and praise. Let him/her know that he/she has done a great thing!
• If your IG is in the process of having an accident, have a short sound that you say such as, "uh uh," and bring him/her to the correct place where he/she will, hopefully, complete "going," afterwhich you can praise him/her. If you find evidence of an accident after the fact, do nothing except clean it up. 

7. Help you IG by anticipating when he/she will have to "go" and bringing him/her to the correct spot. It is better to bring your IG to the litter area too often, than not often enough. Some disposable pee pads are impregnated with a scent that will encourage your IG to "go.'" You can also put some of your IG's urine on the litter material that you have chosen in order to encourage him/her to eliminate there.

8. If litter box training has been progressing well and your IG has an accident, make sure you are providing adequate supervision and reinforcement. Perhaps you have given your Italian Greyhound too much freedom, too soon. Backup and go slower. If there is regression after your IG is trained, go back to the original training procedure, but only after making sure that there is no medical cause for your IG's regression.

Tips for outdoor training

1. Even if you are not litter box training, if you need to leave a puppy or untrained IG alone, he/she should be in a confined area with paper down. Puppies will need to "go" more frequently than an adult IG. Once housetrained, you will be able to determine how long your IG can "hold it".

Read the above points, except numbers 2 and 3, for litter box training, replacing "litter box" with "outside."

2. The procedure is the same as for litter box training, except that you will need to anticipate when your IG will have to eliminate and bring him/her outside. Use the same exit door each time so that your IG will learn to go to that door when he/she needs to eliminate. Some IGs will learn to bark or whine at the door, while others will sit there quietly. You might  want to consider hanging a bell near the door and teaching your IG to ring it.

3. Consider providing a sheltered outside area for your IG to use as an elimination spot; a covered exercise pen can be used for this purpose. Since Italian Greyhounds are not fond of inclement weather, they will be more inclined to "go" outside if they are sheltered. If there is snow on the ground, you will probably want to shovel the snow away for your IG. Stay with your IG to make sure that he/she eliminates (even if you have a securely fenced area).

4. Even after your IG is trained, you will need to keep an eye on him/her in inclement weather. Despite having a shelter, if your IG has to cross an open area to get to it or if it is cold or very windy out, your IG may find a spot to "go" inside. It is a good idea to stay with your IG and make sure he/she eliminates. Otherwise, instead of 'going" in the cold or wind, he/she may wait till back inside to find a warm place to "go."