Expert: Breeder - 12/21/2006

Question
We've had our Bichon for 1 month and he's still not getting the idea of going outside to potty. We keep him in a crate when we're not home and at night we take him outside often, but he would rather pea inside. He will be 3 months old on Dec. 26th. Does anyone have any suggestions??

Answer
By my calculations you got the puppy at 6 weeks of age.  First off Bichons are extremely diffuclt to housebreak. They mature late and are very stubborn with housebreaking.  Now add to the fact that reputable breeders don't place these dogs before 12 weeks of age.  Placing the puppies too early will make them dysfucitonal. They lasts their entire life.  How if your puppy was purchased at a pet store. Every dogs purchased from a pet store comese from a puppy mill.  These dogs are very dysfuctional.  In order to get them to retail at 6 weeks they are taken from Mother & syblings at 4 weeks of age and shipped accross country.  This really screws them  up.
You are probably doing everything right in your training.
However the damage done at such a critial time in the dogs
life if  done.