Okay, that might sound funny, but hear me out.
So... some... 6-8 years ago, we got my little Pomeranian pupper. Name's Shadow. Cute bugger and all that, originally was small enough to fit in a mixing bowl! Now, one of the conditions was that I took him out as needed to let him use the bathroom in the backyard.I take wonderful care of him. But the above, right there ^ is where I failed. To be honest, being both a teenage brat, and my unstable health (which meant very low energy) played into it. I became lazier and more reluctant to do it, to the point that I sometimes just kept him inside all day.. Eventually he reached a point where he started the whole 'hike leg, mark stuff' phase, and I STILL didn't listen to my parents and kept forgetting to take him out. Though I did clean up the messes as best as I could.
This however, led to us using these things called bellybands, which is more or less something to cover his junk, which lets him wee in the band, which absorbs it or whatever. And as odd as it sounds, we started putting womens' pads into them, which actually helped with absorption even more and made it less smelly. However, there's another problem that cropped up. His fur around the bellyband area (and the area it wraps around) has become severely matted, stinky, and overall just kind of gross.
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I've reached a point where I'm tired of having to use the disposable stuff, and the bellybands, and not to mention, I'd really like to start brushing him fully, and having him in his 'full fluffy gloriousness'. That is to say, able to see his full coat, able to get it nice and brushed, and being able to scratch and rub his belly. There's little point for me to brush his coat now when it's just going to get matted all over again due to the bands.
My health is a little better, to the point that I can actually go up and down the stairs with only a brief rest. I'd like to start taking him out on a collar/ leash, to actually go out in the grass, whether urination or defecation. At this point, he's been wearing bellybands for quite a few years now that's just kind of a habit/accustomed thing.Do any of you have any suggestions or reccomendations on how I'd go about this? How to get him to hold it long enough for me to actually get him outside and so he doesn't wee on my belongings?
I'd love to stop using the bands/ pads, for the sake of my health, his health, and the smell of my apartment, and I'd love to start properly petting through his coat and giving him scritches on the belly/his side.
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And just to be clear. No, I'm fairly certain I'm not a 'bad owner'. I don't 'not deserve' to own a dog either. Don't tell me to give him up/away, either. I'm not looking for disparaging comments or any hateful bashing. I want genuine advice here. Please, be civil.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/bp58n8/how_to_get_my_dog_to_hold_it/
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