Happy Pants

We've had Bluebell since the beginning of April and while I totally love this dog, housetraining has been a bit of an issue. As in, she will not go to the bathroom outside...ever. She knows how to use the doggie door, she just doesn't feel that it's to be used to go potty. Why bother when there's a nice pool table she can wee wee under? I've tried everything, I really have. I've done the puppy pads. I've tried crating. I've cheered my ass off when she goes pee pee on the grass. Seriously. But at least once a day, she will have an accident in the house. sigh Once a day? who am I kidding? I think that this dog actually believes she's supposed to go underneath my pool table and the backyard is to be kept clear of all poopies.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, my friends. I am going to housetrain this dog if it kills me. So in addition to keeping her basically tethered to me when I'm home, we've also introduced the "Happy Pants" to keep her from squatting while I'm not looking. She doesn't wear them 24/7 just mainly when we can't keep an eye on her.

We have learned that Happy Pants are not for Bluebell's enjoyment. They're for ours. Seeing this dog walk in these things is comedy gold. She tries to move her back legs around the happy pants which makes her swivel her hips in this exaggerated ka-DONK, ka-DONK motion that sends me into hysterics. We even have a little song we like to sing to her. It goes:

Oh, we love haaaaaapppy pants!
oh yes we doooooooo!
We love haaaaaaappy pants,
'Cause you can't poooooooo.

yes, I am entirely aware that I need to get out more.