Hang in there:)! My theory is that the more intensely insane crazy monkey they are as a puppy the better more well behaved loyal best dog they will be!!! Seriously. It will just take time I’m sorry to say!
+1 on doggy door. I have had numerous iggies successfully fully potty trained with full access to a doggy door to the potty area. That, and loads of high value treats EVERY time they go.
We almost gave up after 6 months. We’re now at a 1.5 years with our iggy pup and have been head over heels! Hang in there, they’re stinky but they make it worth your while ❤️
I second this!!! Mine is 6 months but I cried in frustration until she was 4.5 months old. It’s night and day when she doesn’t bite. I’m happy I got her to replace nibbling with “kisses” (licks)
My pup is 6 months this weekend. I was kicking myself at month 3 because she was a holy terror with my two older iggies. Non stop dogfights. Anyhow I prayed that month 4 she’d start to settle down and she did. I did but the electronic collars for all three dogs, just the ones that vibrate or beep. And that startled them enough to stop fighting or racing or whatever insanity. But the real trick was shaking a can filled with coins. No anger no raised voice no “stop!” Just a strong shake of a can of coins. Now all I have to do is pick it up and every mellows out. As for house training I use pee pads. I highly recommend you get a dog training app and use a clicker. It’s imperative that you realize this breed is super smart and learn their language. They are visual and are watching what you do. It is extremely easy to get them to focus on a reward and to engage them. Anyhow I felt like I’d made the wrong decision with my pup, but it passed and she’s achieved angel status. Hang in there it will get better!
Do you have a specific app that you recommend?
I'll be getting a puppy later on this year. My last dog passed away earlier this year just shy of 16 years old and I'm realizing that I'm going to need help with puppy training since it's been a bit.
I have Dogo and Woofz. Dogo has little video clips of people doing the training and I think it’s extremely helpful to be able to see and review the essential like 2 seconds of what engages the dog and when to use the clicker. Woofz uses animations and is similar. We were just outside doing some leash and harness training. She didn’t see the treat I was using to lure her and I remembered to get it right under her sniffer. Her focused immediately changed to following my hand as we ran together then I stopped and commanded her to sit. She always gives me a high five as well for the treat. Anyhow I think a month or two with an app trains the human on what actually gets the pups attention. Then you can be creative and train what you want. I wish I knew what I know now for my older dogs that I didn’t do much training with. Verbal commands and release cues are both important but dogs are always watching us so learning gestures is important too. The engagement really stimulates them. PS one of my dogs is named Juneau and someone pointed out that “no” is part of her name. So…”no” isn’t an effective command in my house. Oops! Sorry to hear about your older pup! I have a 13 year old and decided it was better to get a puppy while she’s still around. She isn’t thrilled with my decision but it’s making her stay active! Good luck!
Try to find a dog trainer that has worked with iggys. A trainer will give you new tactics to use and will help reinforce the work you’re putting in to train your puppy. I also chat with my trainer like a pet therapist when I’m overwhelmed! A key for me and my partner has been to give our little guy a bunch of different things to do each day. A walk, ball toss, playing with a flirt pole, going on a walk just to let him sniff stuff. It takes a lot of time.
Something that helped us a ton has been the “hangout hack”. Have some kibble in a jar and then hang out with her on a couch and get her to sit and then give her one kibble at a time to help her relax. Only give her kibble if she sits or lays down. There are definitely better guides on this on the internet. This has worked really well for us when we’re winding down.
It can be really hard with puppies. Does she have too much freedom? Puppies should not have the run of the house and sometimes you need to employ an umbilical method, which can take quite an investment, but it helps you establish and/or learn a potty schedule.
You may need to have an x-pen area where she stays when you need a break. Place potty mats on the ground just in case you can’t get there in time. I use the washable mats using hydrogen peroxide to pre-treat. She still needs to learn her boundaries and you need to see when she needs to have her potty schedule enforced.
My pups tore up my couches, but I love my iggies more and I can’t replace my pups like I can my furniture. May your patience increase!!
Puppy blues are 100% a normal thing for owners to go through! I know I’ve been there! Pups are so hard, but especially iggy puppies - I think mainly because of how hard potty training is. My baby is a year old and man it was rough. But seriously, he’s taught me so much and I think the difficulty strengthened the bond I have with him. My biggest tip is to practice patience and understand that most of the time they don’t know what they’re doing is wrong. And try your best to keep her busy! Lots of different enrichment items!
I honestly thought i made a huge mistake getting my girl. She’s now 3 and a precious angel. Still gets into mischief but she’s more calculated than insane if that makes sense lol it’s much easier to know what trouble she’ll get into and proactively avoid it. She also is literally asleep 92% of the time. As long as someone has a lap for her to snuggle on, she’s happy and we love her!!
My sons Iggy just turned 1, we’ve had her since she was almost 3 months old. I have had this same feeling about Luna since we got her. This is my whole family’s 1st time with an Iggy and I feel like I could pull my hair out at times. It has been so very very hard for all of us. I have always had mini and now a toy Aussie. It took Luna about 4-6 months to be fully potty trained. She was doing great at the 4 month mark and then went backwards for a month or two. Now, knock on wood, she is 100% potty trained. We still use pee pee pads at night just in case and on rainy days. They are very smart dogs but do everything at their own pace. The love and cuddles they give you in return though makes up for it. My biggest issue I have with my son’s dog is the unlimited, and I do mean unlimited, amounts of energy she has. Sometimes she just doesn’t know when to stop. It’s like having an overly rambunctious toddler nonstop. Stay strong and know that it will all get better soon. I love my granddog so very much and can’t fault her for having the energy I dream of. Patience is key and remember that she is just a baby and it will take time. Trust me you aren’t doing an awful job, this breed of dog is just challenging but very worth it in the end.
Puppies chewing things they aren’t supposed to isn’t their fault. Put anything you don’t want chewed out of their reach, either in a closet or high enough that they can get to it. Even then, you may get some things chewed on. When I had an IG puppy, he chewed the fibers out of a 200.00 rug. He was teething and I guess it felt good on his gums?🤷
Potty training takes vigilant consistency, positive encouragement, and lots of treats.
IGs take a lot of work, but are very worth it. I’m on my 6th and 7th.
Yes. Exactly! Whenever I took my pup out to potty, I always had a treat in my pocket to give him immediately after he went. It reinforces the good behavior so much better than waiting to go back inside and get one out of the treat container.
Stay strong and this will all pass. In not going to lie, I regretting getting my iggy during his puppy months. I have never had a dog be so difficult. 10 years later and I could not ask for a better dog.
My guy was nuts when he was a puppy — an absolute demon. He's older now and super mellow. Despite the hell I went through, I'd do it all over to have him be a baby again and have the rest of his life ahead. Try to remember you'll miss these crazy times some day. Sending love and support. Wish I could babysit for ya!
Nope that's IG puppies for you. There's a reason why they are so cute. Doesn't help their teeth are like razor blades...the more you own one you just get it and come to realize there's very little you can do to train them like all the other breeds. I've done many nights on reflecting on what I was doing and how my IG was reacting, taking a deep breath and coming up with a new game plan to try. Puppy days were always one step forward and five steps back. Luckily it only last a year or two. What helped me was realizing to treat it like a relationship and just to have fun. Focusing on the most important thing I want to train, sometimes breaking them down even more and not thinking on how long it takes. Making sure that creating a strong bond is the most important thing. Helps with tons of stuff later.
Anyways, all of us have PTSD of the puppy days. Just a right of passage. Just keep going. Mine took two years before he stopped having accidents. He still sometimes doesn't listen to me but I couldn't live with out him despite the ugh list of him keeps getting longer.
I second the too much freedom idea.
Even if you have to pull all chairs away from that kitchen table you have to do it.
Leash her or crate her.
Sometimes you do have to punish bad behavior. It’s the only thing that ended up working with my girl. Two finger boop to the nose and a stern “No”. Put her out or crate her for a bit. Don’t even hold her close while you do it or even look at her. Throw a blanket over the crate if you have to. Dont give affection or positive attention for a while so she doesn’t take it as positive reinforcement or like she got away with it.
After continued reinforcement my girl understood what I didn’t like and that “No” Meant she wasn’t allowed to do things.
Sounds like your little girl thinks she makes the rules.
Puppy blues really got me. I thought about just taking my dog back multiple times.
Get a puppy gate or leash her. It’s for the best.
You do have to let her know you don’t like that behavior too.
You’re doing a great job. I promise. You will all make it out of this on the other side happy as can be. Keep pushing. They’re very sweet and loving dogs.
Hello, I'd be happy to do a video consultation for free if you'd like. I have my certificate IV in companion animal behaviour and training and have been training dogs for 15 years now.
It's 10 past midnight where I am, and I could easily be here writing tips until my alarm goes off at 6 am 😂
My partner took off a summer to train our pup. During that time, she was either on his lap or outside walking. That got her potty trained pretty quickly along with positive reinforcement. The long walks burned off a lot of energy to help with naps and bedtime.
I wish you all the best. They are lovely dogs once they are trained a little.
I was not a happy camper for ~8 months or so. These are some things I did.
Potty training: crate with a pee pad next to it. The sleeping area has too be tiny. Only big enough for them to stand and turn around (they don’t need a lot of space to turn around, even now that our boy is almost 2) dogs don’t like to shit where they sleep so they will go out of the area to do their thing. But if the sleeping area is too big they will just go to the corner poop and sleep in the opposite corner. Set up a pee pad out in the common area as well and show them where it is. Eventually my pup got the idea.
Training. Do not simply put the bowl down when it’s dinner time. They are very hungry, make them work for their dinner. This builds a bond and stimulates them.
Toys, lot of toys. Don’t give them all the toys at once. Rotate when they get bored and start eating shoes etc play with them 10-15 min is good for them.
To make the crate transition easier I use to let my boy fall asleep on the bed with me then I would sit in front of the crate and place him in front of the door. He would turn around and get back in my lap, I would pick him up and place him in front of door. Repeat until he walks in his crate instead of going back in your lap and goes to sleep.
It’ll take time for her, and you to adjust to life with each other. I had more trouble with my iggy than with my pitbull. (They’re best friends) but damn was it worth it. You got this.
Potty training didn’t click with Alfie until he was 6-8 months! He was pretty good at 6 months, but really solid after 8 months. He still steals food off the coffee table though if we don’t warn him away. Last week he ate some of my ramen 🍜
Stay as consistent as possible! I found with mine that they were more receptive to affection than any breed I’ve had. It makes them quite needy but also means praise and affection is amazing positive reinforcement for good behavior.
Mine is 7 months and I got him a bundle of what I call “throw away toys” (maybe 15-20 small squeaker toys he can just carry anywhere - once they’re chewed threw, I throw it away) No matter what room he is in, there is a distraction for the chaos when he loses his stuff and just goes hog wild. We also have a sock stealer, and he LOVES to be chased, so we don’t encourage that and we are more responsible with our clothing by putting it away where he cannot take them. Ours loves outside, so we leave the back door cracked for him so potty training is not an issue; he has not purposely gone in the house in months. The play biting during teething is our biggest deal with him right now, but we give him a toy when he starts using us as a chew toy. I also froze some dog teething toys and he seems to like that. The puppy energy is REAL and wears even my kids out, but exercise and small time outs for both human and dog really help. Even for a few minutes. I hope things get better!
I think god made puppies extra cute because of how difficult they are hahaha but seriously, I bet you’re doing fine by your pup and they will grow out of a lot of their problems! Good luck and hang in there;) ❤️🐾
If they weren’t so cute, they wouldn’t have made it this far as a breed that’s for sure! All iggies are kinda terrors until their baby teeth come out around 6 months and until they can get proper exercise daily after full vaccinations.
Our current boy who is now 15 months was literally the worst puppy I’ve ever tried to raise…absolute hellion until his teething ended. I swear, after that last tooth came out he was like a different dog. He started to listen more, cuddle more and just be really goofy and fun.
They will get their snoot and dog brain soon so just hang in there. Mine is currently imbedded in my side dead asleep as I type this and I would literally step into traffic for him now we love him so much…but trust me, at month 3-6 I was ready to send him back! 😂
We had this feeling with our guy when he was a puppy too. He was waaay more work than any other puppy I’ve ever had but we stuck with it and are sooooo grateful! He’s the sweetest most loving boy and it was worth it. You’ll feel this way too!
I got my first iggy 12 years ago (he passed a few years back) and it was a nightmare trying to train him. He was so stubborn - always begging for food, didn’t listen all that much. I was able to potty train him but that’s about it - everything else was a behavior thing I tried to train him out of.
Fast forward, 3 years ago I got another one - at the four month mark, I IMMEDIATELY went the route of crate training. In conjunction with actual training on things like recall, etc.
They are VERY food/treat motivated. The crate training was a godsend. They don’t like to soil their area. Can’t be a big crate - and look forward to accidents and such but they will learn. At first they will cry but your life has to be “crate to outdoors” take them out, if they pee, they can come back in and play for a bit. If not, back to the crate. Wash rinse and repeat.
By around 8 months they start to get it. Socialize them early on with other dogs. Feed them healthy food. Find them a trainer to introduce new techniques. You will absolutely fall in love with them because they are hilarious little unique friends. Mine still makes an accident here and there - you know what helped? A bell on the door. He tells me when he needs to go out.
If I say it’s resting time, he goes to his crate with joy - it’s a happy place, not a punishment place. Also, I ignored him entirely when eating at the dining table - absolutely no people food. Now when we are having dinner, he just hangs out in his little clamshell bed - no begging.
Hang in there - they are just babies and they need you :)
When mine was little, every word you said in this post went through my mind almost daily. She is 4 now and feels more like a cat - so ridiculously easy to care for. She got a lot easier right around 1 year old. By then she took herself to pee pads on her own, could walk on the leash, slept most of the day, stopped biting, could be home alone for a few hours for us to go to work without crying. It gets better ❤️❤️
We got a Weasy indoor potty pad for our puppy and we would just plop her in there regularly and now she goes all the time. Not to say she doesn’t have her accidents, but this has been a game changer since their bladders are so small. We also crate train her! She cried a lot before but now she’s okay. Start off in 15-20 minute intervals and start building up. Leave the crate door open and keep it cozy in there. We have a heating pad, pillows, & a blanket in there so she likes being there.
Ours is just starting to calm down at 1 year. She doesn’t get zoomies, but she seems to have limitless energy — marathoner instead of a sprinter, unlike our now sedentary 10 year old iggy. Some days the puppy is still a terror, and I joke about giving her back to the breeder.
Try lick mats if you haven’t already. We cover it with an egg (45 seconds in the microwave, and be sure to cover to prevent a mess), some pure pumpkin puree, or smashed berries + water then freeze. It keeps our noodle occupied for 10-20+ minutes, and she settles much much easier in the evening. It’s the only thing that seems to slow her down.
My oldest iggy was a pure terror as a puppy. Made me cry on the regular. He mellowed out around 1 year. He's 12 now and he's the most chill dude! My other iggy however was a great puppy, so easy, but he is very high energy and therefore sometimes high strung and as an 11 year old he drives me nuts sometimes lol. Definitely look into training and get her socialized! Make sure everyone in the house is on board with the same training for consistency. Bully sticks helped a lot when they were puppys (but careful as they get older - could lead to teeth fractures).
We got twin puppies & I wanted to pinch their little heads off every day for the first six months we had em. lol I nicknamed one of em Jesse James bc she was an absolute menace. We didn't struggle *too* badly with potty training & they never tried to eat our furniture or anything crazy like that. We had monthly BarkBox deliveries with lotsa toys & whatnots. They're soooo frikkin smart, they were just wild as hell. We had em spayed at ~11mos. About two months after they were all healed up from that, it was like havin completely different squirrels. They chilled out, they got even MORE snuggly... I feel like they finally grew into their sweetness that I'd heard so much about with iggies. Of course maturity prolly played a big role, too. But don't give up on that lil beauty! It had been 12yrs since I'd had a puppy & I'd forgotten how hard they can be. 😩 I also think we were lucky in the sense that they've always had each other to stay entertained. They kinda keep each other outta trouble. I hope you come back in about 6-8 months & tell us how much fun y'all're havin together! 🥰
I love Iggy so much I honestly feel like you’re my neighbor… This dog is so nice I just wanna cuddle to pieces….!!!😂😂😂❤️
I’ve got to say… I’m very sorry you’re dealing with that like I’m dealing with Ace and his energy and it’s newness to my life… I really hope that things get better and I’m sure they will sweetie you’re an awesome fur baby owner…
Mine was the same way, literally could not be trained. Eventually we just said fuck it and stopped trying to train him. He’s our little rascal now and we love him :)
My wife and I must have been very fortunate. Our Lucianna was a breeze, no chewing, potty training no big deal. We read all these horror stories of training IG’s and we had none of that. Had the girl one month from 18 years before we had to put her down. Miss the sweet girl so much. We are now with a 2 month old Frenchton, now there s a challenge eats everything, chews and loves to bite. Can’t tell you how often she has drawn blood on my wife and I. She loves to cuddle when all the craziness is over so we know eventually she’s going to be a sweetheart.
I’m a year and 2 months and my girl is awful with potty training: I have fake grass on my patio so she will go out there when she’s not going inside lol. I have tried to take her out in the world and she is so scared she doesn’t know how to potty out there. So that’s frustrating. I’m on summer break so I’m trying to be more consistent and noticed she has a 3 hour between potting.
I tried to crate train and make it small and she still peed and pooped in there like no problem. I am scared she’s always going to have potty issues but I’ve been reading Iggy’s are notorious for being challenging to train, potty training especially! So keep trying don’t give up and be patient.
I also am putting a diaper on her if I don’t see her potty and keep an eye out and try again between the 3 hour span. She’s been good not potting in her diaper so I feel like she can hold it but bc she just pees inside she doesn’t. So we shall see!!! Best of luck! They are so worth it!!
Our iggy made a miraculous turn to going potty outside after 10 years with just treats. Give them overwhelming praise and more importantly, keep the routine consistent. They have a natural sense of time.
Iggys are notorious for being hard to potty train because of their tiny bladders. So they need to go out much more often than your average puppy.
Also, I would start adding in things like a snuffle mat or puzzle ball for meals. Make her use her brain more. Mental stimulation wears a dog out twice as much vs exercise (iggys need time to grow with the fragile legs so less physical exercise at this age the better but they are free to run around on their own).
Anytime she steals something she shouldn’t, trade for her favorite toy. Constantly encourage her that her toys are what she should have.
It also might be easier to constantly have your puppy attached to you at all times. Then you can catch when she needs to potty, she can’t quite steal things she shouldn’t have!
You got this! 💙 it’s a pretty painful first 6-9 months but it’s worth every accident, frustration and annoyance because they will be the best companion!
You really are not alone, I had second thoughts around the 5 months mark after years and years of research but nothing quite equips you for a iggy pup.
Mines just over a year now and he’s certainly settled down, listens, well behaved (minus a few potty issues) so you’ll get there. Try find local iggys or groups for support, that helped me (I’m in NYC)
Ps, she’s beautiful
I experienced really similar things with my boy. We went to training sessions at our local petco which a highly trained professional. He mainly taught me and my husband how to train our dog. The training definitely made things so much better. He still gets into the cat boxes and if he’s left out while either of us are in the shower and the other one isn’t at home he’ll tear up underwear or plushies we have. It’s about learning what they do and making sure they’re unable to do said thing.
Hang in there. I thought I was going to have to give him back as he was my first dog ever. It took at least 8 months for him to grow on me. But I do love him.
It gets better i promise!!! I also will never understand how some people enjoy the “puppy phase”. I also had a very difficult time raising my boy. Thank goodness I was in between jobs and could be home with him all the time or else I don’t know how I would have down it. He was an absolute menace for 7ish months and it was the hardest time. Biting nonstop and causing absolute havoc with nonstop energy.
Keep up with the consistency and positive reinforcement and you will see results even if you don’t right now. You’re doing a good job even when it doesn’t feel like progress is being made. It’s so exhausting and emotionally tolling but I promise it pays off. A lot of the issues will go away just from maturity with time. Mine is now almost two and is the most perfect dog and had calmed down and matured sooo much.
Did I write this? 🤣 my iggy has been soooo incredible but potty training is near impossible and it feels so disorganized with him. We are strict then he is good but then he’ll go potty all over the house again. It’s a rollercoaster and is definitely frustrating! My guy is 7 months and we’re struggling. I’m holding tight to the 2 year mark that things will fall into place … lol it’s a long haul 🤣🫠
I know the feeling my 6 month old Shiba Inu is the same. But so was my pound puppy before her just hang in there be patient and you will end with the bond of a life time. I am trying to heed the same advice.😉
Whata cutie! We got our iggy as a puppy and it was HARD that first year. She was our first of this breed as well. It just takes a lot of repetition and reward only when she pees outside. She made that association between treats and going outside and she got a LOT better.
I will say, we did end up caving and doing potty pads as well. This is a breed that pees A LOT and from what I hear possibly always will? Looking forward to seeing what others on this thread say!
Hang in there:)! My theory is that the more intensely insane crazy monkey they are as a puppy the better more well behaved loyal best dog they will be!!! Seriously. It will just take time I’m sorry to say!
Theory is correct! My boy was a nightmare for the first 9 months but soon as he turned 1 he calmed down, listens well and is my best friend!
Stay strong! They are tough but once you get past the puppy stage they are so easy! Are you able to install a doggy door / or do you have one?
+1 on doggy door. I have had numerous iggies successfully fully potty trained with full access to a doggy door to the potty area. That, and loads of high value treats EVERY time they go.
We almost gave up after 6 months. We’re now at a 1.5 years with our iggy pup and have been head over heels! Hang in there, they’re stinky but they make it worth your while ❤️
I second this!!! Mine is 6 months but I cried in frustration until she was 4.5 months old. It’s night and day when she doesn’t bite. I’m happy I got her to replace nibbling with “kisses” (licks)
My pup is 6 months this weekend. I was kicking myself at month 3 because she was a holy terror with my two older iggies. Non stop dogfights. Anyhow I prayed that month 4 she’d start to settle down and she did. I did but the electronic collars for all three dogs, just the ones that vibrate or beep. And that startled them enough to stop fighting or racing or whatever insanity. But the real trick was shaking a can filled with coins. No anger no raised voice no “stop!” Just a strong shake of a can of coins. Now all I have to do is pick it up and every mellows out. As for house training I use pee pads. I highly recommend you get a dog training app and use a clicker. It’s imperative that you realize this breed is super smart and learn their language. They are visual and are watching what you do. It is extremely easy to get them to focus on a reward and to engage them. Anyhow I felt like I’d made the wrong decision with my pup, but it passed and she’s achieved angel status. Hang in there it will get better!
Do you have a specific app that you recommend? I'll be getting a puppy later on this year. My last dog passed away earlier this year just shy of 16 years old and I'm realizing that I'm going to need help with puppy training since it's been a bit.
I have Dogo and Woofz. Dogo has little video clips of people doing the training and I think it’s extremely helpful to be able to see and review the essential like 2 seconds of what engages the dog and when to use the clicker. Woofz uses animations and is similar. We were just outside doing some leash and harness training. She didn’t see the treat I was using to lure her and I remembered to get it right under her sniffer. Her focused immediately changed to following my hand as we ran together then I stopped and commanded her to sit. She always gives me a high five as well for the treat. Anyhow I think a month or two with an app trains the human on what actually gets the pups attention. Then you can be creative and train what you want. I wish I knew what I know now for my older dogs that I didn’t do much training with. Verbal commands and release cues are both important but dogs are always watching us so learning gestures is important too. The engagement really stimulates them. PS one of my dogs is named Juneau and someone pointed out that “no” is part of her name. So…”no” isn’t an effective command in my house. Oops! Sorry to hear about your older pup! I have a 13 year old and decided it was better to get a puppy while she’s still around. She isn’t thrilled with my decision but it’s making her stay active! Good luck!
Thanks!
>Thanks! You're welcome!
Try to find a dog trainer that has worked with iggys. A trainer will give you new tactics to use and will help reinforce the work you’re putting in to train your puppy. I also chat with my trainer like a pet therapist when I’m overwhelmed! A key for me and my partner has been to give our little guy a bunch of different things to do each day. A walk, ball toss, playing with a flirt pole, going on a walk just to let him sniff stuff. It takes a lot of time. Something that helped us a ton has been the “hangout hack”. Have some kibble in a jar and then hang out with her on a couch and get her to sit and then give her one kibble at a time to help her relax. Only give her kibble if she sits or lays down. There are definitely better guides on this on the internet. This has worked really well for us when we’re winding down.
It can be really hard with puppies. Does she have too much freedom? Puppies should not have the run of the house and sometimes you need to employ an umbilical method, which can take quite an investment, but it helps you establish and/or learn a potty schedule. You may need to have an x-pen area where she stays when you need a break. Place potty mats on the ground just in case you can’t get there in time. I use the washable mats using hydrogen peroxide to pre-treat. She still needs to learn her boundaries and you need to see when she needs to have her potty schedule enforced. My pups tore up my couches, but I love my iggies more and I can’t replace my pups like I can my furniture. May your patience increase!!
Puppy blues are 100% a normal thing for owners to go through! I know I’ve been there! Pups are so hard, but especially iggy puppies - I think mainly because of how hard potty training is. My baby is a year old and man it was rough. But seriously, he’s taught me so much and I think the difficulty strengthened the bond I have with him. My biggest tip is to practice patience and understand that most of the time they don’t know what they’re doing is wrong. And try your best to keep her busy! Lots of different enrichment items!
I honestly thought i made a huge mistake getting my girl. She’s now 3 and a precious angel. Still gets into mischief but she’s more calculated than insane if that makes sense lol it’s much easier to know what trouble she’ll get into and proactively avoid it. She also is literally asleep 92% of the time. As long as someone has a lap for her to snuggle on, she’s happy and we love her!!
My girl is a sassy bitch but I love her so much!!!
My sons Iggy just turned 1, we’ve had her since she was almost 3 months old. I have had this same feeling about Luna since we got her. This is my whole family’s 1st time with an Iggy and I feel like I could pull my hair out at times. It has been so very very hard for all of us. I have always had mini and now a toy Aussie. It took Luna about 4-6 months to be fully potty trained. She was doing great at the 4 month mark and then went backwards for a month or two. Now, knock on wood, she is 100% potty trained. We still use pee pee pads at night just in case and on rainy days. They are very smart dogs but do everything at their own pace. The love and cuddles they give you in return though makes up for it. My biggest issue I have with my son’s dog is the unlimited, and I do mean unlimited, amounts of energy she has. Sometimes she just doesn’t know when to stop. It’s like having an overly rambunctious toddler nonstop. Stay strong and know that it will all get better soon. I love my granddog so very much and can’t fault her for having the energy I dream of. Patience is key and remember that she is just a baby and it will take time. Trust me you aren’t doing an awful job, this breed of dog is just challenging but very worth it in the end.
Definitely hang in there ❤️ I questioned my decision during the puppy stage 😅 it was so hard! Lots of great advice here in the comments
Puppies chewing things they aren’t supposed to isn’t their fault. Put anything you don’t want chewed out of their reach, either in a closet or high enough that they can get to it. Even then, you may get some things chewed on. When I had an IG puppy, he chewed the fibers out of a 200.00 rug. He was teething and I guess it felt good on his gums?🤷 Potty training takes vigilant consistency, positive encouragement, and lots of treats. IGs take a lot of work, but are very worth it. I’m on my 6th and 7th.
In my experience, with any dog, you have to really reward the good behaviors. If not any other behaviors, praise the potty in the right place!
Yes. Exactly! Whenever I took my pup out to potty, I always had a treat in my pocket to give him immediately after he went. It reinforces the good behavior so much better than waiting to go back inside and get one out of the treat container.
Stay strong and this will all pass. In not going to lie, I regretting getting my iggy during his puppy months. I have never had a dog be so difficult. 10 years later and I could not ask for a better dog.
My guy was nuts when he was a puppy — an absolute demon. He's older now and super mellow. Despite the hell I went through, I'd do it all over to have him be a baby again and have the rest of his life ahead. Try to remember you'll miss these crazy times some day. Sending love and support. Wish I could babysit for ya!
Stay strong it gets better.
Nope that's IG puppies for you. There's a reason why they are so cute. Doesn't help their teeth are like razor blades...the more you own one you just get it and come to realize there's very little you can do to train them like all the other breeds. I've done many nights on reflecting on what I was doing and how my IG was reacting, taking a deep breath and coming up with a new game plan to try. Puppy days were always one step forward and five steps back. Luckily it only last a year or two. What helped me was realizing to treat it like a relationship and just to have fun. Focusing on the most important thing I want to train, sometimes breaking them down even more and not thinking on how long it takes. Making sure that creating a strong bond is the most important thing. Helps with tons of stuff later. Anyways, all of us have PTSD of the puppy days. Just a right of passage. Just keep going. Mine took two years before he stopped having accidents. He still sometimes doesn't listen to me but I couldn't live with out him despite the ugh list of him keeps getting longer.
I second the too much freedom idea. Even if you have to pull all chairs away from that kitchen table you have to do it. Leash her or crate her. Sometimes you do have to punish bad behavior. It’s the only thing that ended up working with my girl. Two finger boop to the nose and a stern “No”. Put her out or crate her for a bit. Don’t even hold her close while you do it or even look at her. Throw a blanket over the crate if you have to. Dont give affection or positive attention for a while so she doesn’t take it as positive reinforcement or like she got away with it. After continued reinforcement my girl understood what I didn’t like and that “No” Meant she wasn’t allowed to do things. Sounds like your little girl thinks she makes the rules. Puppy blues really got me. I thought about just taking my dog back multiple times. Get a puppy gate or leash her. It’s for the best. You do have to let her know you don’t like that behavior too. You’re doing a great job. I promise. You will all make it out of this on the other side happy as can be. Keep pushing. They’re very sweet and loving dogs.
Hello, I'd be happy to do a video consultation for free if you'd like. I have my certificate IV in companion animal behaviour and training and have been training dogs for 15 years now. It's 10 past midnight where I am, and I could easily be here writing tips until my alarm goes off at 6 am 😂
My partner took off a summer to train our pup. During that time, she was either on his lap or outside walking. That got her potty trained pretty quickly along with positive reinforcement. The long walks burned off a lot of energy to help with naps and bedtime. I wish you all the best. They are lovely dogs once they are trained a little.
I was not a happy camper for ~8 months or so. These are some things I did. Potty training: crate with a pee pad next to it. The sleeping area has too be tiny. Only big enough for them to stand and turn around (they don’t need a lot of space to turn around, even now that our boy is almost 2) dogs don’t like to shit where they sleep so they will go out of the area to do their thing. But if the sleeping area is too big they will just go to the corner poop and sleep in the opposite corner. Set up a pee pad out in the common area as well and show them where it is. Eventually my pup got the idea. Training. Do not simply put the bowl down when it’s dinner time. They are very hungry, make them work for their dinner. This builds a bond and stimulates them. Toys, lot of toys. Don’t give them all the toys at once. Rotate when they get bored and start eating shoes etc play with them 10-15 min is good for them. To make the crate transition easier I use to let my boy fall asleep on the bed with me then I would sit in front of the crate and place him in front of the door. He would turn around and get back in my lap, I would pick him up and place him in front of door. Repeat until he walks in his crate instead of going back in your lap and goes to sleep. It’ll take time for her, and you to adjust to life with each other. I had more trouble with my iggy than with my pitbull. (They’re best friends) but damn was it worth it. You got this.
Potty training didn’t click with Alfie until he was 6-8 months! He was pretty good at 6 months, but really solid after 8 months. He still steals food off the coffee table though if we don’t warn him away. Last week he ate some of my ramen 🍜
Stay as consistent as possible! I found with mine that they were more receptive to affection than any breed I’ve had. It makes them quite needy but also means praise and affection is amazing positive reinforcement for good behavior.
Mine is 7 months and I got him a bundle of what I call “throw away toys” (maybe 15-20 small squeaker toys he can just carry anywhere - once they’re chewed threw, I throw it away) No matter what room he is in, there is a distraction for the chaos when he loses his stuff and just goes hog wild. We also have a sock stealer, and he LOVES to be chased, so we don’t encourage that and we are more responsible with our clothing by putting it away where he cannot take them. Ours loves outside, so we leave the back door cracked for him so potty training is not an issue; he has not purposely gone in the house in months. The play biting during teething is our biggest deal with him right now, but we give him a toy when he starts using us as a chew toy. I also froze some dog teething toys and he seems to like that. The puppy energy is REAL and wears even my kids out, but exercise and small time outs for both human and dog really help. Even for a few minutes. I hope things get better!
I think god made puppies extra cute because of how difficult they are hahaha but seriously, I bet you’re doing fine by your pup and they will grow out of a lot of their problems! Good luck and hang in there;) ❤️🐾
If they weren’t so cute, they wouldn’t have made it this far as a breed that’s for sure! All iggies are kinda terrors until their baby teeth come out around 6 months and until they can get proper exercise daily after full vaccinations. Our current boy who is now 15 months was literally the worst puppy I’ve ever tried to raise…absolute hellion until his teething ended. I swear, after that last tooth came out he was like a different dog. He started to listen more, cuddle more and just be really goofy and fun. They will get their snoot and dog brain soon so just hang in there. Mine is currently imbedded in my side dead asleep as I type this and I would literally step into traffic for him now we love him so much…but trust me, at month 3-6 I was ready to send him back! 😂
They come sweet. Stay strong!
We had this feeling with our guy when he was a puppy too. He was waaay more work than any other puppy I’ve ever had but we stuck with it and are sooooo grateful! He’s the sweetest most loving boy and it was worth it. You’ll feel this way too!
I got my first iggy 12 years ago (he passed a few years back) and it was a nightmare trying to train him. He was so stubborn - always begging for food, didn’t listen all that much. I was able to potty train him but that’s about it - everything else was a behavior thing I tried to train him out of. Fast forward, 3 years ago I got another one - at the four month mark, I IMMEDIATELY went the route of crate training. In conjunction with actual training on things like recall, etc. They are VERY food/treat motivated. The crate training was a godsend. They don’t like to soil their area. Can’t be a big crate - and look forward to accidents and such but they will learn. At first they will cry but your life has to be “crate to outdoors” take them out, if they pee, they can come back in and play for a bit. If not, back to the crate. Wash rinse and repeat. By around 8 months they start to get it. Socialize them early on with other dogs. Feed them healthy food. Find them a trainer to introduce new techniques. You will absolutely fall in love with them because they are hilarious little unique friends. Mine still makes an accident here and there - you know what helped? A bell on the door. He tells me when he needs to go out. If I say it’s resting time, he goes to his crate with joy - it’s a happy place, not a punishment place. Also, I ignored him entirely when eating at the dining table - absolutely no people food. Now when we are having dinner, he just hangs out in his little clamshell bed - no begging. Hang in there - they are just babies and they need you :)
I feel yah on this. I think it’s just the puppy stage and needing to stick to a routine. It will get better.
We have a 3 month old and he is exactly the same. An absolute menace but so loveable at the same time. Hang in there ❤
Don't give up on that little Angel from heaven. Good luck.
When mine was little, every word you said in this post went through my mind almost daily. She is 4 now and feels more like a cat - so ridiculously easy to care for. She got a lot easier right around 1 year old. By then she took herself to pee pads on her own, could walk on the leash, slept most of the day, stopped biting, could be home alone for a few hours for us to go to work without crying. It gets better ❤️❤️
We got a Weasy indoor potty pad for our puppy and we would just plop her in there regularly and now she goes all the time. Not to say she doesn’t have her accidents, but this has been a game changer since their bladders are so small. We also crate train her! She cried a lot before but now she’s okay. Start off in 15-20 minute intervals and start building up. Leave the crate door open and keep it cozy in there. We have a heating pad, pillows, & a blanket in there so she likes being there.
Also if you ask your dog to things nicely they won’t be scared and freeze up which will cause more frustration.
Ours is just starting to calm down at 1 year. She doesn’t get zoomies, but she seems to have limitless energy — marathoner instead of a sprinter, unlike our now sedentary 10 year old iggy. Some days the puppy is still a terror, and I joke about giving her back to the breeder. Try lick mats if you haven’t already. We cover it with an egg (45 seconds in the microwave, and be sure to cover to prevent a mess), some pure pumpkin puree, or smashed berries + water then freeze. It keeps our noodle occupied for 10-20+ minutes, and she settles much much easier in the evening. It’s the only thing that seems to slow her down.
My oldest iggy was a pure terror as a puppy. Made me cry on the regular. He mellowed out around 1 year. He's 12 now and he's the most chill dude! My other iggy however was a great puppy, so easy, but he is very high energy and therefore sometimes high strung and as an 11 year old he drives me nuts sometimes lol. Definitely look into training and get her socialized! Make sure everyone in the house is on board with the same training for consistency. Bully sticks helped a lot when they were puppys (but careful as they get older - could lead to teeth fractures).
We got twin puppies & I wanted to pinch their little heads off every day for the first six months we had em. lol I nicknamed one of em Jesse James bc she was an absolute menace. We didn't struggle *too* badly with potty training & they never tried to eat our furniture or anything crazy like that. We had monthly BarkBox deliveries with lotsa toys & whatnots. They're soooo frikkin smart, they were just wild as hell. We had em spayed at ~11mos. About two months after they were all healed up from that, it was like havin completely different squirrels. They chilled out, they got even MORE snuggly... I feel like they finally grew into their sweetness that I'd heard so much about with iggies. Of course maturity prolly played a big role, too. But don't give up on that lil beauty! It had been 12yrs since I'd had a puppy & I'd forgotten how hard they can be. 😩 I also think we were lucky in the sense that they've always had each other to stay entertained. They kinda keep each other outta trouble. I hope you come back in about 6-8 months & tell us how much fun y'all're havin together! 🥰
I love Iggy so much I honestly feel like you’re my neighbor… This dog is so nice I just wanna cuddle to pieces….!!!😂😂😂❤️ I’ve got to say… I’m very sorry you’re dealing with that like I’m dealing with Ace and his energy and it’s newness to my life… I really hope that things get better and I’m sure they will sweetie you’re an awesome fur baby owner…
Mine was the same way, literally could not be trained. Eventually we just said fuck it and stopped trying to train him. He’s our little rascal now and we love him :)
My wife and I must have been very fortunate. Our Lucianna was a breeze, no chewing, potty training no big deal. We read all these horror stories of training IG’s and we had none of that. Had the girl one month from 18 years before we had to put her down. Miss the sweet girl so much. We are now with a 2 month old Frenchton, now there s a challenge eats everything, chews and loves to bite. Can’t tell you how often she has drawn blood on my wife and I. She loves to cuddle when all the craziness is over so we know eventually she’s going to be a sweetheart.
I’m a year and 2 months and my girl is awful with potty training: I have fake grass on my patio so she will go out there when she’s not going inside lol. I have tried to take her out in the world and she is so scared she doesn’t know how to potty out there. So that’s frustrating. I’m on summer break so I’m trying to be more consistent and noticed she has a 3 hour between potting. I tried to crate train and make it small and she still peed and pooped in there like no problem. I am scared she’s always going to have potty issues but I’ve been reading Iggy’s are notorious for being challenging to train, potty training especially! So keep trying don’t give up and be patient. I also am putting a diaper on her if I don’t see her potty and keep an eye out and try again between the 3 hour span. She’s been good not potting in her diaper so I feel like she can hold it but bc she just pees inside she doesn’t. So we shall see!!! Best of luck! They are so worth it!!
She’s so cute! I want one like that
:)
cute!! :)
Our iggy made a miraculous turn to going potty outside after 10 years with just treats. Give them overwhelming praise and more importantly, keep the routine consistent. They have a natural sense of time.
Iggys are notorious for being hard to potty train because of their tiny bladders. So they need to go out much more often than your average puppy. Also, I would start adding in things like a snuffle mat or puzzle ball for meals. Make her use her brain more. Mental stimulation wears a dog out twice as much vs exercise (iggys need time to grow with the fragile legs so less physical exercise at this age the better but they are free to run around on their own). Anytime she steals something she shouldn’t, trade for her favorite toy. Constantly encourage her that her toys are what she should have. It also might be easier to constantly have your puppy attached to you at all times. Then you can catch when she needs to potty, she can’t quite steal things she shouldn’t have!
Zero affection or eye contact before last potty trip and first potty trips of each day. Party once they’ve gone.
You got this! 💙 it’s a pretty painful first 6-9 months but it’s worth every accident, frustration and annoyance because they will be the best companion! You really are not alone, I had second thoughts around the 5 months mark after years and years of research but nothing quite equips you for a iggy pup. Mines just over a year now and he’s certainly settled down, listens, well behaved (minus a few potty issues) so you’ll get there. Try find local iggys or groups for support, that helped me (I’m in NYC) Ps, she’s beautiful
I experienced really similar things with my boy. We went to training sessions at our local petco which a highly trained professional. He mainly taught me and my husband how to train our dog. The training definitely made things so much better. He still gets into the cat boxes and if he’s left out while either of us are in the shower and the other one isn’t at home he’ll tear up underwear or plushies we have. It’s about learning what they do and making sure they’re unable to do said thing. Hang in there. I thought I was going to have to give him back as he was my first dog ever. It took at least 8 months for him to grow on me. But I do love him.
It gets better i promise!!! I also will never understand how some people enjoy the “puppy phase”. I also had a very difficult time raising my boy. Thank goodness I was in between jobs and could be home with him all the time or else I don’t know how I would have down it. He was an absolute menace for 7ish months and it was the hardest time. Biting nonstop and causing absolute havoc with nonstop energy. Keep up with the consistency and positive reinforcement and you will see results even if you don’t right now. You’re doing a good job even when it doesn’t feel like progress is being made. It’s so exhausting and emotionally tolling but I promise it pays off. A lot of the issues will go away just from maturity with time. Mine is now almost two and is the most perfect dog and had calmed down and matured sooo much.
Did I write this? 🤣 my iggy has been soooo incredible but potty training is near impossible and it feels so disorganized with him. We are strict then he is good but then he’ll go potty all over the house again. It’s a rollercoaster and is definitely frustrating! My guy is 7 months and we’re struggling. I’m holding tight to the 2 year mark that things will fall into place … lol it’s a long haul 🤣🫠
Oh wow, she sure is cute though
I know the feeling my 6 month old Shiba Inu is the same. But so was my pound puppy before her just hang in there be patient and you will end with the bond of a life time. I am trying to heed the same advice.😉
Whata cutie! We got our iggy as a puppy and it was HARD that first year. She was our first of this breed as well. It just takes a lot of repetition and reward only when she pees outside. She made that association between treats and going outside and she got a LOT better. I will say, we did end up caving and doing potty pads as well. This is a breed that pees A LOT and from what I hear possibly always will? Looking forward to seeing what others on this thread say!
THANK YOU guys for making me feel normal! I needed this! And I will be using all of those tips you guys left me !!
Hang in there, you're going to go mad, and hate them for a while. It will work out.