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Help with housebreaking? Please?
 Roheryn May 14th, 2013 2:00:45am 115 Posts |
I have an 8 1/2 month old terrier mix that my parents found right before this past Christmas. He is currently in obedience school but we still have one problem that we cannot curb: he keeps pooping in the house. He'll let us know that he has to go out so we'll take him out, but he'll only sniff around, pee, and eat grass for 15 minutes (a habit that he picked up from our other dog). But he won't poop outside! And he only poops inside when he's alone and unsupervised (he has some separation anxiety). We clean up after him each and every time, and we use a pet-deodorizer spray on the spot, but he keeps doing it! Does anyone have any tips to help me housebreak this pup? |
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 Farewell's Paint Horses {I'm getting there} May 15th, 2013 3:06:07pm 1,033 Posts |
as mean as it may sound you have to punish him. I trained my shih tzu by putting her nose close to it and telling her it was bad. |
 uni May 15th, 2013 5:01:04pm 1,338 Posts |
^ I'd say definitely do NOT do that... It associates yourself with negativity and will likely just confuse your dog, or make him fear going in a visible place, which can then transfer to him not wanting to go in front of you, even while outside.You need to get a crate and start from the very beginning, as you would with an 8 week old puppy. Keep him crated at night and while you're away from home, at least until he stops doing it. Dogs are far less likely to mess in a small space like a crate, though some are just gross and do it anyway :pEvery morning when you wake up, puppy goes outside right away. Leave him there for 15 minutes to do his business. He may or may not do a number 2. Give him his breakfast and once he finishes eating, put him right back outside again. Again, wait for him to go to the bathroom. It helps if you go with him and play outside for a bit. It makes outside a good experience, plus running around makes them have to go to the bathroom. If he doesn't go in a reasonable amount of time, back to the crate he goes. Wait another hour, and take him out again. He'll likely be dying to go at this point. When he does go outside, give a command word as soon as he starts going and then praise him until he's done, so he associates a particular word with the action, as well as your being happy with him with going outside. Once he's gone, he can have access to the house as usual until the next meal time.It's also good that he's letting you know he needs to go at least.. put him out when he alerts you. If he doesn't go, back to the crate for a bit and then outside!The main idea is that you need to be extremely vigilant. You need to be on a strict schedule that is the same every single day and then he'll catch on.Some dogs just take longer than others, but he'll get it eventually! Good luck! |
 misa・brandenburgers May 15th, 2013 5:01:06pm 186 Posts |
One thing that might help: If he lets you know that he needs to go out, but doesn't do anything when you take him out, wait 2-5 minutes (not 15) and bring him in. Even though you might feel that you are being "patient" by giving him such a long time to go, you could actually be confusing him. If you're taking him outside to go to the bathroom, it's a bathroom trip - peeing/pooping is the purpose, not play time. If he goes to the door again, take him out. It sounds frustrating, but once they realize they don't have unlimited time to goof around, they'll get down to business.Also, you probably already know this one, but when he DOES poop outside, praise him like CRAZY! I mean, really freak out and pet him and tell he's a good boy, give him a treat, etc.My dog also had this problem when I first adopted her. Her foster family was using puppy pads (the worst idea ever imo), and it took almost two weeks to get her to do anything outside. However, I've had her for 1.5 years now and she's a pro!Also, I don't disagree with Farewell's advice. If he indicates he has to go, you give him an opportunity, and he doesn't, he's being a bit manipulative, so punishment (rather than positive reinforcement) might be necessary.. You can't be glued to your dog 24/7, so he needs to stop taking advantage of the lack of supervision.Other tips that could potentially help:- Associate a word with bathroom trips. Ie, "go potty," "good potty" for praise, etc. This will help if you ever go on vacation and need him to go to the bathroom in an unfamiliar place.- Take him to the same spot every time you go outside. This is also an indication to him that you mean business.Hope that helps!! c: |
 Binny 🦄 [blitz watching] May 15th, 2013 5:06:31pm 2,913 Posts |
Crate training, 100%. No matter how he does or doesn't take to it, just keep going. Patience is key. Some info for you: When you leave a puppy alone, he always has some measure of separation anxiety. This leads him to any behavior that brings him comfort, which is chewing, digging, or when it is severe, voiding his bowels.When placed in a crate, he feels safe because nothing can get to him, nothing can harm him. He will sleep and chew and wait for you to return.When leaving him overnight at the vet, if your dog is not crate trained he will cry the entire time, feeling lost and abandoned. With crate training, he is sure you will return, you always do. Of course the vet's office is strange and will cause him some anxiety, but nothing like the pure terror he will feel without experience in being locked in.Do NOT make a prison of his crate. Do not use it as punishment. Do not leave him there for more than 2 hours, just time for a long puppy nap and some chew time. After that he will cry. Do not remove him while he is crying. This will make him think he has to cry to get out. No matter what, make sure he is being good when you open the door. He will learn he has to be quiet to get out. Do not make a fuss when you are letting him out, just quietly open the door and take him out to potty. When he potties, praise him to high heaven! Dogs naturally do not go where they nest, but sometimes it happens. Do not scold, just clean it out with a bland face. He will learn the lesson. If possible, try to clean it while he is outside so he returns to a clean crate. |
 Midnight Velvet Friesians May 15th, 2013 9:14:45pm 123 Posts |
In my experience and where I live we just make our dogs stay outside for long periods of time. Like hours. He is old enough at 8 months. If her can't get back inside and such he will eventually go to the bathroom. He will learn that its not so bad. I don't baby a dog that has issues with housebreaking. I think 15 minutes is way too short to leave him out. I would suggest an hour or two in the morning before breakfast and then give him his food and put him out again for another hour or two. The more they are outside the more they will go outside. Bring them in for nap times and bed at night and meals. He will soon associate outside as a good place. And he will want to be inside with you too and not to go to the potty inside. And yes I would punish him for going inside. Its not like he has no idea he is supposed to go outside. Some dogs are just rebellious and manipulative. I would even spank him and then put him outside for quite awhile. Dogs are not stupid and will learn quickly. Punishment is not a bad thing. Treat him like your child in a way. You wouldn't let your child who knows that they should go in the potty get away without a punishment if they went on the floor instead. |
uni May 15th, 2013 10:22:33pm 1,338 Posts |
Well basically, everybody has different animal training/parenting styles.. I don't believe in spanking (and I would never rub a dirty diaper in their face either to get my point across). So you're going to have to try different things and see what works for you and your dog best. I myself have used the same method of training with my dogs and my current puppy was 100% reliably house trained by 4 months.I also don't see dogs as being manipulative and messing on the floor just to spite you. I've owned many dogs and I've never experienced this with any of them. But hey, maybe I've just been lucky. |
Farewell's Paint Horses {I'm getting there} May 15th, 2013 11:02:26pm 1,033 Posts |
My lab knows very well not to go inside and tells you when she has to go. But the shih tzu does it cause my fiance has spoiled her enough that she thinks she can do what she wants. But crates do work too cause after they potty in it a few times they will just hold it cause they wont want to sit in it for that x amount of time. |
Farewell's Paint Horses {I'm getting there} May 15th, 2013 11:04:13pm 1,033 Posts |
And i think midnight is more comparing the pooping inside with a dog to drawing on the wall with a crayon. Not a dirty diaper in the face. |
Midnight Velvet Friesians May 16th, 2013 7:41:55pm 123 Posts |
No I would not rub a diaper in a child's face. And I don't put the dogs nose in their mess either. But I make sure that they can see what I am showing them. I only start spanking when I can see that they are being defiant. Puppies have accidents and you can't expect perfection right away. It took about 4 months for our large puppy to not even have accidents. Even my 11 year old Pom who is good as gold has accidents. I don't get mad cause its always my fault. I can see her dancing and I just don't get to her in time. We had a dog that did go the bathroom in the house to be spiteful. If me or my brother left our bedroom doors open we had a mess on the bed. She was a witch. I was not too sad when she died. She could go outside for hours and then come in and go. She knew better too. It was revenge on us cause she didn't like us and feelings were mutual. |
 shaenne • June 11th, 2013 7:07:39am 1,386 Posts |
Coming home to a mess and punishing for it then is probably the worst idea ever. You can't punish a dog for something unless you catch him in the act. By the time you get home and get around to punishing him, he has no idea what he's done wrong and he's going to associate you with negative experiences.And by "punish" I don't mean any thing physical. A loud, firm "NO" is all i've ever used as "punishment", i've never felt the need to be physical.All dogs learn at different paces and it was mentioned that the dog has some separation anxiety. Well, punishing the dog physically when she gets home certainly isn't going to make the separation anxiety any better, nor will it solve the potty training problem.I'd start off by getting him into a solid routine. He goes out to potty the minute he gets up in the morning and after every meal. If he doesn't poop, bring him in after 2-5 minutes, and take him out again in a while. Use a command like "go potty" (or whatever you choose) when you're taking him out to toilet and praise the living heck out of him whenever he does ANYTHING outside, moreso if he poops outside.An 8 month old is still very much a puppy, he's still got a lot of room to learn and he will if you help him.I'm with Uni on the spiteful pooping thing too. I've had many dogs in my life and all of them have potty trained and different paces, some took a lot longer than others, but they all got it in the end. None of them messed inside to spite me or anything like that, I don't really believe that dogs think that way, but whatever.Roheryn, let us know how you're coming along with him :) |
Mystery Show Spots | Read Page For Info! June 12th, 2013 11:04:27pm 255 Posts |
with Draven I have a routine with him.I wake up early in the morning, and let him out. hes always outside for at least 30mins. comes and have breaky and then goes back outside for another 30mins.as for punishment, everyones got their own beliefs and opinions. If draven accidently pee'd inside, i wouldnt growl at him. as to he'll usually give us a sign he needed to go pee and we missed it.Ive seen methods of training, in my time that would certainly shock and offend people. but each to their own, and those dogs have come out fine.its just alot of patience, and crate training is perfect. |
Mallory July 30th, 2014 2:43:11pm 3 Posts |
@Farewell Actually, you are never supposed to "rub their nose in it". Dogs live in the now. So punishing a dog for going inside after it happned wont do anything. If you catch the dog in the act, clap your hands so you stop the dog mid pee/poop and get outside.
Crate training is very good. I will be crate training my puppy when I get her. |
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