puppy housetraining stress !

[Two_Sheds]

So, you good people, help me out with this one.

I have a new puppy, been with me 2 and a half weeks now. She's quite an old pup: 8 months. The breeder had kept her in a crate, where she did her toilets. So: she's been trained to poop indoors, effectively.

I need her to poop outdoors. I am sick & fed up of cleaning dog pee & poop out of the carpets.

I've read loads of books, loads of internet sites, and I'm doing all the "right" things:

- taking her out as often as poss
- praising & giving treats when she "goes" in the right place (outside)
- not punishing her for accidents
- keeping her in a small crate, because apparently they won't soil their bed (she didn't read that memo though)
- feeding her in the crate, because apparently they won't soil near their food (she didn't read that memo either)

I've kept a toilet diary since day one, to try to see any pattern: there is none.

She will go first thing (I've had to start getting up at 6am to take her out) and sometimes last thing (I set my alarm for 11pm). She's meant to go after meals (not always) or after play (not always).

Some days she'll poo twice, other days 5 times. She'll wee once an hour, or 3 times in ten mins. The vet's checked her over, and nothing's wrong. She's just not "getting it".

Today, for instance, she went at 6am, then I took her out every hour until I went to work at 11am. I came home at 1pm to find the living room stinking, and dog poop everywhere - she'd pood in her bed, then laid/stood/walked in it, and spread it all up the bars of the crate and through the bars onto the carpet.

The weather is against me: since I got her it's been cold wet and windy, and she simply won't go, even if I tie her up in the garden or take her out every hour.

So, wit's end.

Any (sensible) suggestions, please?

[veggiechicken]

My 2 dogs are from a puppy farm and probably were penned in all their life. They were about 6 & 4 when I had them and had to house train them. They wouldn't walk on grass. It was a long job - sorry.
I would keep your pup in a room with a washable floor, avoid carpets. Less stressful for you both
After she has eaten put her outside, carry her out if necessary and keep her there until she does something. Then copious praise and bring her back in.
I've never crated any of my dogs - don't like the idea.
I train mine to use a dog flap into the garden so I can leave them all day if I have to without worrying about what I'll come back to.
It takes time and girls seem to take longer than boys.

[kentishgal]

You could also try keeping her ties to you with a house line so she doesnt have an opportunity to sneak off and pee. Also it might be worth taking her for a little walk for 5-10 mins rather then just standing in the garden, alot of dogs are stimulated to go to the toilet by walking.
You have my sympathy though, my middle dog took 10 months to house train!! I didnt think she would ever get it!

[Two_Sheds]

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it. I know it'll take time, I just hoped I'd be getting somewhere after nearly 3 weeks ~ but I look in her face and know she isn't "getting" it. She doesn't give a warning indoors either: no circling, no sniffing. She just squats and drops. She's on a lead tied to me in the house, and still she does it

keep your pup in a room with a washable floor, avoid carpets

It's all carpeted

After she has eaten put her outside, carry her out if necessary and keep her there until she does something

I do that, but she could be outside for 2 hours and not do anything: like today. Plus, I don't have all day to be with her, I have chores and work to go to

copious praise and bring her back in

Yep, I do that. She knows she'll get a treat if she goes outside: she looks up at me as she "goes", with those big puppy eyes: 'see mum, I'm doing my stuff'

I've never crated any of my dogs

She has to be, or the house would be chewed up and probably the parrots eaten too. It's more of a den than a crate though

I train mine to use a dog flap

Can't have that, the doors are glass (plus all the neighbourhood cats would be in wouldn't they? They already come in the garden to do their business)

[Two_Sheds]

You could also try keeping her ties to you with a house line

Yes, I do that already, but she still goes on the floor. No warning, she just does it

it might be worth taking her for a little walk for 5-10 mins rather then just standing in the garden, alot of dogs are stimulated to go to the toilet by walking

I do walk her round the garden, round and round, for ages. In the wind, the rain, the hail ... sometimes she goes, sometimes she doesn't, no matter how long we're out there

my middle dog took 10 months to house train!

NO! Ten months ?
She's learnt to sit and give paw really quickly (matter of hours) so she's not thick. Maybe just obstinate?

[di]

How can I word this without sounding like you're not clean?

If she's picking up any trace smell from where she's been, it could be encouraging her to go there thinking it's her spot. I know you're not into chemicals etc but there are products that will entirely eliminate any trace odour....their noses are incredibly sensitive, so even if it doesn't still smell to you, she may still be picking up on it.

[Florence Fennel]

I used the newspaper method with all my dogs. It means spending time with the pup though TS. Every time you see her squat you gently shove a piece of newspaper under her. You have to do this for a while until she recognises that she should go on the newspaper. You then move the newspaper further and further towards the outside door. When she's always going on the newspaper, take it away. She will then go to the door to let you know she has to "go" and you can let her out. Worth a try. I've had 6 GS's and it worked every time. I also managed to get them to do their business "on command". Same method, but whilst they were performing I used to say "be quick, good boy". Only time I used treats was when I was practising recall. Hope she's soon housetrained.

[PAULW]

When I have had a litter of pups I have always put down loads of newspaper for them to pee on, then as time goes on decrease the area covered in paper until we end up with paper at the door as the pup heads for the paper by the door you jump up and open the door and usher the pup outside, you can get some stuff from the pet store that you put drops ona pad/paper which is suposed to encourage the pup to go toilet there dont know if it works have always used my method, what sort of dog is it.

[mothhawk]

OK, well, if nothing else is working, and if she's "trained" to poop in her crate, how about getting her to associate the crate with outside? Put the crate outside in a sheltered spot. After you've fed her, and first thing in the morning, put her in the crate until she performs. (I'm assuming the crate is the normal wire cage type affair). If you can get her to do that "on command" as it were, then progress to leaving the door of the crate open once she's inside, so she can come out to pee etc.

The only other alternative probably is to get an outside kennel and run and leave her outside until she decides that outdoors is the place to go.

Also feed her outside if you don't already - if she associates treats (feeding) with good toilet behaviour, you don't want to reinforce the idea that if she's fed indoors then it's also good to poop indoors.

I've probably missed it somewhere, but what breed is she?

[mothhawk]

As an afterthought, I know she's a bit old for this, but when you take her outside, take a warm damp cloth with you, and give her bottom a couple of quick swipes, the same way a mother dog licks her young pups - might help - worth a try anyway maybe?

[Two_Sheds]

any trace smell from where she's been

I'm cleaning with soap, and spraying with white vinegar. She doesn't go in the same spot though: she just goes wherever she happens to be at the time: while I was logged off just now, she peed on the floor whilst tied to me, 1 foot from the back door

I shouted, and she stopped, then I took her outside: nothing.

It means spending time with the pup

Jeez, I'm with her - physically tied to her - from 6am until almost midnight, apart from 3 hrs (at the most) out at work: I'm exhausted with it.

how about getting her to associate the crate with outside?

It's been raining, cold and windy non-stop since I got her nearly 3 weeks ago. She's a baby with a thin coat: I can't leave her in the garden

what breed is she?

French Bulldog

[Two_Sheds]

while I was logged off just now, she peed on the floor whilst tied to me, 1 foot from the back door !!!


*screams


It was on newspaper which I keep near the back door - the back door that she goes to for bizzies. I say "out" and she goes out. She'll nearly always wee outside when I take her: sometimes 2 or 3 wees. But then she'll do it in the house too.


I know you aren't to punish them: but is there any kind of negative reinforcement I can use? Shouting NO! stops her in the act, but it hasn't stopped her doing it

She's now in her crate having time out because I'm so cross and I need to get some housework done


I trained a doggone parrot to poop on command, FGS ! Puppies should be easy by comparison

[Florence Fennel]

I know you aren't to punish them: but is there any kind of negative reinforcement I can use? Shouting NO! stops her in the act, but it hasn't stopped her doing it

How about a rolled up newspaper and tap the floor in front of her when she does it, then put her straight on to the newspaper? She might just get the message.

[Florence Fennel]

I thought you already had a dog TS, will she not learn from that one?

[Two_Sheds]

I'm not going to use the newspaper method: I don't want her thinking it's OK to do it in the house at all. She's spent 7 months doing it inside, on newspaper, so I know it's going to take time, I just hoped it would be a matter of weeks not months.

She knows to go outside: I take her out there probably 14 times a day (she always wees, but poops are more unpredictable). She always gets praise for going outside, and if she poops outside she gets a sausage (big reward!). Yesterday she actually ran to the back door, twice, of her own accord: I thought we'd cracked it.

I think she's just being a cow: it's cold & rainy out there.