I'm having trouble getting my puppy completely house-trained.

She's a 7-month old Papillon. I was told that small dogs are harder to train, but I feel that there must be something I must be missing.

I take her out quite often. She gets a little treat and praise as soon as she poos.

I still find little piles here and there in the house. Why is she still doing this?

while you are in the house together? That way you can keep an eye on her in the house and catch her before she poos.

Is she crated while you are out? If not, do that until you feel she is completely reliable. Most dogs won't soil their crates.

Are you cleaning the places she messes with enzymatic cleaner? Once dogs go in a certain place, they will keep going there if the can smell it. The enzymatic cleaner apparently completely eliminates the odor, not only to people noses, but to much more sensitive doggie noses.

I never tried the belt loop idea. I think I will.

She is crated while we're out. She's sneaking and doing this while we're here. It is one particular place, so I will try the enzymatic cleaner.

She's too smart to be doing this kind of stuff! :)

Our 5 month old Cavalier pup is old enough to know that outside is where his business should be done, but two weeks ago, we had issues. My entire family was diagnosed with pneumonia and we all had to have plenty of bed rest. Our attentions were diverted for awhile and he had accidents in the house, not for lack of being outside, though. I think he just wanted more attention and was letting us know through peeing and pooing in the house. Now that we are all better, no problems. Go figure!

Anyway, good luck.

with something else. She does a lot of things to get my attention when I am on the phone.

Also, if she's "acting out" (may not be likely, but a possibility) is she fixed?

She's been doing this for a couple of months now.

and I would advocate crate training (keep her in the crate until she goes, then let her loose) but generally yes, for whatever reason (small brains?) small dogs are much harder. Currently we have 4 dogs, but my ex-wife and I used to breed and train dogs, and had up to 10, and invariably the very smallest were the least trainable. Right now I have a Pekingnese that will go when she's out (if it's not too cold) but if not, has no qualms going inside wherever's convenient if either she needs to, or the outside's unacceptable for whatever Pekingnese reason. None of the other dogs do that, and they're all much larger.

I suspect that over the years, because small dogs were bred as lapdogs and for certain physical characteristics (e.g.: large eyes) to be "cute" that the going inside was tolerated because it was "babylike", much like the other attributes that were encouraged, and it's "cute" because it's just a little puddle or just small poop. As a result, a number of small breeds might not have the background to overcome it.

All I know is, the only dogs I have ever considered calling "piddles" have not been over 20 pounds. It's not an issue with my border collie (though God knows he has other issues), it's not an issue with my Shep/Rot mix, it's not an issue with my Golden, it was never an issue with my Icelandic Sheepdogs or any number of other breeds, but only with the ones under 15 pounds.

When they gotta go, they gotta go. Immediately.

My small dog is hilarious when he really has to go. He will prance around and then arch around to look quizzically at his butt. Look at me with an expression of great concern, prance again. Look at butt.

He is also just lazy. And if it is wet or cold out, he would prefer to do his business inside or immediately in front of the back door where I am most likely to step in it. Weirdly, at 8 years old, he is much better suddenly.

I don't know how she is going to handle snow, though!

She only weighs about 7 pounds.

Your theory about the breeding of the lapdogs is interesting. I never thought of the "babylike" angle before, but it makes sense.

and use a one word command: 'potty' or 'go potty'. do it until your head explodes. when it does, your baby will understand. your baby lives to please you. be ridiculously pleased when they obey and slip them a tiny piece of carrot for being so brilliant and perfect. works on the hardest dogs in the ENTIRE UNIVERSE to house train: dachshunds.

My puppy definitely does like to go in the same place outside. I never heard of them eating carrots! I will try that.

She really is so brilliant and perfect and beautiful! :)

brilliant? Carrots and broccoli are golden to my boys.