I'm not sure what to do. I'm sure she has to poop again, because she ate a few hours ago, but she's half-asleep in her playpen and won't come out. I'm worried that, if she doesn't do it now, then she'll poop in the middle of the night again, but I don't know how to make her do it now if she doesn't want to.

Personally, I would pick her up and she would go outside whether she was interested or not, but I am only dog-adjacent, not an owner.

If possible, and when you have time, you probably want to try to get on a schedule. My parents' dog goes out in the morning and then gets fed. She goes out in the afternoon and then gets fed. (And goes out as necessary during the day.) She knows the schedule as well as anyone, and will sometimes try to con people into believing that it's time for her to eat, since she just went outside.

Personally, I would pick her up and she would go outside whether she was interested or not, but I am only dog-adjacent, not an owner.

She doesn't really associate "outside" with "bathroom" yet. When I've tried that earlier today, she just watched some cars for a while until she was shivering so badly that I brought her inside. I tried putting her on a pee pad, but nothing happened.

Personally, I would pick her up and she would go outside whether she was interested or not, but I am only dog-adjacent, not an owner.

I think that sounds right. If she doesn't go, then right when you come back in is the time to watch her closely and snatch her back up if she starts to squat or circle.

Yep. Scoop her up and take her out before bed, after she wakes up, right before and after eating... basically any time there's a remote chance she might need it. Even though she's not a puppy, treat her as if she were for housetraining purposes -- in other words, it's better to assume she *does* have to go than to assume she doesn't.

And I'm not sure if you're crate training her, but it's seriously your best friend in housetraining -- a playpen is way too much room for right now; crate her whenever you're not around to supervise and you can move her back up to the playpen as she starts to get a clue.

Does she like to walk? Because exercise will prompt pooping.

I tried a crate. She totally freaked out. She must have some history with them -- I've just got it sitting in the middle of the room now, and when she's wandering around, she won't go near it.

I'm letting her sleep for now, and I'll either take her out or take her to the papers before heading to bed. It doesn't really help that I'm not doing my best today, either -- I got almost no sleep last night, because she was whining, and I've been too stressed out to eat today.

I'm sorry it's been rough. You'll get through it, and hopefully her adorableness is compensating.

I would take her out, because you don't want her getting used to the papers.

Oh, Hil. I was such a freakout new doggy mom when I got Frankie. Just ask bonny about my frantic emails! I hope you both sleep better tonight.