Good Thursday evening! We've had a false-spring day today, and I was out and enjoying it as much as possible. The best thing has happened!!! Remember when I worked out at Butterfly Life here and loved it? Well, when they closed, they donated all their equipment to a local huge non-denominational church out on the highway. I joined their gym last January, but they didn't have room to set out the equipment back then, so I quit going and switched to Curves. Yesterday, I learned that the BL pieces are now in a special room in the gym, so I went and joined this morning and had my first workout in 15 months on it. I smiled the entire workout! Can't wait to get back there tomorrow. :-) Today I enjoyed a much-needed lunch/chat with a lovely friend here. Then it was off to the library to help set up for the book sale this weekend, then on to the community center to get change and pancake tickets to sell at the bank tomorrow. I have to make a few posters for the ticket sellers to hang on their card tables when we sell this weekend. Tomorrow night at the center there will be a music program including lots of school kids and their parents, so my friend and I will set up there and try to sell more tickets. Suzanne, you probably don't even realize what an impact you have on your community, and those people are just paying it back showing their concern for Sweet Pea. BJ, good to see you, girl! Your SIL has my best thoughts and prayers for healing. Dinner tonight will be steak at the golf club with some friends we became friends with during the Fall. Should be a fun evening. THen home to get those posters finished! I would appreciate good thoughts as my dh has his long-awaited biopsy on his pancreas tomorrow. Thanks! Wishing everyone a good evening and an easy Friday!

I think this poor dog needs some stability, consistency and to be a part of a pack-- if even a pack of one. Clearly he has had a rough life and some bad encounters in the past. He was kept outside on a lead and perhaps/potentially abused. I think a big clue to the need to be a part of a pack is this statement in your first post "When he is at home with me and my three big dogs, he is such a snuggler and he loves to chase my dog who is chasing his ball, barking and herding my dog who is bigger than 5 of Chicos" The pack offers a lot to a dog-- guidelines, rules, protection, warmth, love. A pack is a family. Will you be keeping Chico? If so, the first thing I would do it read about and initiate a NILF program-- nothing in life is free. It begins setting the rules-- and establishes you as the alpha/rule maker/rewarder. This has been very effective in use with rescue dogs. I used a modified version of the program when I adopted my rottweiler as she had NO self control and had never been a house dog. I didnt have too many issues with aggression towards people but I did have issues with an insane food drive, possessive behavior (she thought she "owned" anything she found), pushy behavior especially around being the first to and out the door.. and well you get the picture. She was unruly. I was able to very quickly position myself as the alpha and quickly regain some order to the house. One of the "rules" I implemented remains a loving part of our pattern. I required that she sit still before being given her food dish-- initially, it was a "butt down" and once she was successful with that, I increased the time that she was required to sit before she got a food bowl. Eventually, as I established my role as alpha, she had to sit and wait for a kiss on the nose and the words "bon appetit" before eating. Even today, three years later, she will not eat if I do not kiss her nose and say bon appetit. One day I was soooooooo frustrated with her and I just brushed her nose and walked away (I know, very immature of me) and she sat there just looking at me until I said bon appetit LOL. This is just one example-- she had to learn the rules for going outside, for getting on the chair or sofa, for getting pets ands attention. The program starts requiring the dog to earn freedom to be loose in the house (I did not start here). It is so effective in not only establishing the rules, and you as rule maker-- but it builds TRUST. I think it is clear that Chico has no trust. When he trusts you-- to guide him, love him and protect him, he will then follow your lead in how to deal with strangers or unusual situations. Right now is an overly cautious, reluctant self protector-- take that load of responsibility off of him. There are lots of sites on the internet dealing with NILF. The best ones will focus on the bonding as well as establishing the rules. You may think it sounds extreme to start-- requiring the dog to be leashed to you in the home, for instance-- but it is really just so effective in establishing the trust and bond. People think giving the dog love and attention is what is important-- but that often brings about confusing and inconsistent messages (like unintentionally rewarding barks). Structure is every bit as important as love. You are a kind soul-- I wish you and chico many successes and a much happier home.

We had this problem with a 10 lb. mini Dachshund that we took in. His previous owners kept him in a closet and he learned only to pee inside. No matter how long he stayed out with us, he just wouldn't go. It was heartbreaking because he really tried - actually he succeeded once only because he couldn't hold it and we praised the daylights out of him - and he was happy - but he didn't retain the memory for long. He was fine medically, just scared to go outside - although his 3 Dachshund siblings did go outside and he watched them but just couldn't bring himself to do it. Finally in desperation, we used a metal trough type of thing with newspapers and pee pads. We didn't want to have to do this, but after a couple of years it became a serious problem. A very nice dog, just scared of peeing outdoors - pooping was not a problem - go figure. I hope you get your problem sorted out.

I totally agree you can't compare dogs. I have large dogs, ergo large bladders. It seems to me that despite the type of dog, the bladder does mature so the dog can go at least 8 hours if needed between pees. It would make sense to me the smaller the dog, the less water it would be able to drink if you get what I mean. A chihuahua certainly can't put the water away that a large dog can. I keep seeing refernce to walkies? What is a walkie? I am assuming you are meaning taking the dog for a walk? If that is what you mean, my dogs don't get walkies for 30 minutes before bed and they don't go in the house. Actually they don't get walkies at all. They get play frisbee in the yard, play ball, swim in the creek or pool, or just plain run around for fun exercise but no walkies. I am curious what the walkies have to do with it? My guys go out to go to the bathroom at last call and then to bed. They also go all night without going out, unless of course, one of them get sick. I don't know what walkies have to do with getting through the night having to go out during the night. Are there certain dogs that require this to sleep through the night. I would think taking the dog out for a last out before bed would be sufficient. I just send mine out in the yard with instruction to go do your business. They do it and come back in. There's no 30 minutes of anything unless it's still light out and they want to enjoy being outside longer. Please give more info about walkies. Thanks.