I have had my cavalier for almost a year. She turns one in a few weeks and she is still will pooing on the floor without warning. We have to watch her constantly, is this normal? She will run off and get into things and will poo. I am exhausted, I feel like I can not enjoy her. It is always "no" with her. Is this normal, I thought that at her age she would stop and learn. We use the positive method of training like I have read. She knows that when she goes outside to poo she gets a treat every time. She does not pee in the house only poo. I tried the umbilical cord method for a few days and that was crazy. She constantly pulled on me. If anyone thinks that we need to attend training, could you please recommend where we should go. I am tired, after a year of having her I just want to enjoy her company. Please Help!
-
If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.
Help, My One Year Old still poo's on the floor
- Thread starter Christal
- Start date
This must be very frustrating! The key to the answer to this lies in your own post:
This means she is being given too much freedom. She cannot be allowed to have the ability to disappear off out of sight or reach to do indoor poops. Because she regularly is allowed (and I do mean 'allowed' as that is how she sees it!) to poop inside she simply has no idea that you want her to go outside. Yelling 'no' at her is only going to confuse her, as you are finding -- saying 'no' rarely actually teaches a dog anything except to be afraid of the person saying it as they also tend to be angry. She won't understand any context. It will just seem that randomly you sometimes get angry. This may in fact *encourage* her to run off and poop inside when she can because what she probably, logically thinks is -- 'if I poop where people see me I get scolded which I don't like. I don't get yelled at when I poop in a hidden place or outside. So better run off and go find a hidden place inside to poop!'
You will really need to go back to square one and be very diligent. I would recommend using a crate or perhaps an xpen for confinement. She should never be out of arm's reach. She perhaps needs several daily walks esp. after meals so that you know she has gone. Most adults will only need to do a poop 1-3 times a day at most. If she is going a lot, I'd talk to your vet about whether perhaps she has a sensitive stomach and simply cannot hold herself.
I'd recommend buying Shirlee Kalstone's book on housetraining and following it to a T. The plus is that you are mostly there already and doing remedial work, even if you start from the beginning. The minus is -- she will not improve unless you are extremely diligent and take the time to focus intently on getting her housetraining completed. This is entirely a management and training issue for the humans here to make sure she clearly understands what she needs to be doing. She doesn't understand that yet as she is getting mixed messages and was let off to do her own thing before she could be given that much responsibility for self control. It is like expecting a toddler to figure out not to go in a diaper/nappy simply because the toddler has used a training seat a few times for toilet training. Dogs do not even have the logic of a toddler however! So the burden is entirely with US not with the dog.
PS it isn't unusual to have occasional accidents even for adults. Many dogs only begin to get truly reliable around age 1. And I'd definitely have her vet checked to remove that as a possible reason, and consider how often she gets the chance to go out. Maybe it just isn't often enough? Also simply turning the dog out into the garden isn't the best way to actively housetrain -- I'd shift to structured walks so you what she is doing and when. Good luck!
This means she is being given too much freedom. She cannot be allowed to have the ability to disappear off out of sight or reach to do indoor poops. Because she regularly is allowed (and I do mean 'allowed' as that is how she sees it!) to poop inside she simply has no idea that you want her to go outside. Yelling 'no' at her is only going to confuse her, as you are finding -- saying 'no' rarely actually teaches a dog anything except to be afraid of the person saying it as they also tend to be angry. She won't understand any context. It will just seem that randomly you sometimes get angry. This may in fact *encourage* her to run off and poop inside when she can because what she probably, logically thinks is -- 'if I poop where people see me I get scolded which I don't like. I don't get yelled at when I poop in a hidden place or outside. So better run off and go find a hidden place inside to poop!'
You will really need to go back to square one and be very diligent. I would recommend using a crate or perhaps an xpen for confinement. She should never be out of arm's reach. She perhaps needs several daily walks esp. after meals so that you know she has gone. Most adults will only need to do a poop 1-3 times a day at most. If she is going a lot, I'd talk to your vet about whether perhaps she has a sensitive stomach and simply cannot hold herself.
I'd recommend buying Shirlee Kalstone's book on housetraining and following it to a T. The plus is that you are mostly there already and doing remedial work, even if you start from the beginning. The minus is -- she will not improve unless you are extremely diligent and take the time to focus intently on getting her housetraining completed. This is entirely a management and training issue for the humans here to make sure she clearly understands what she needs to be doing. She doesn't understand that yet as she is getting mixed messages and was let off to do her own thing before she could be given that much responsibility for self control. It is like expecting a toddler to figure out not to go in a diaper/nappy simply because the toddler has used a training seat a few times for toilet training. Dogs do not even have the logic of a toddler however! So the burden is entirely with US not with the dog.
PS it isn't unusual to have occasional accidents even for adults. Many dogs only begin to get truly reliable around age 1. And I'd definitely have her vet checked to remove that as a possible reason, and consider how often she gets the chance to go out. Maybe it just isn't often enough? Also simply turning the dog out into the garden isn't the best way to actively housetrain -- I'd shift to structured walks so you what she is doing and when. Good luck!
Mom of Jato
Well-known member
I would suggest only giving her access to 1 or 2 rooms by using baby gates to block off the others. That way you can always be around close to her to see what she is up to. If you need to leave then I would put her in a crate (in the same room she is used to). The living room and kitchen areas are great for this since you probably spend most of your time in them. I always take my 2 out to potty on a leash so I know for sure when they go. Like Karlin said, they really only poop 2-3 times a day...first thing in the morning, later in the afternoon, and usually around 7-8pm. Hopefully these ideas will help you out. Good Luck!
Thank you for your advice. I did want to say that we don't yell, we will put her in time out and give her the silent treatment (we put her in her crate and will not say a word). She seems to understand that we are upset with her this way. So if I can not have my eye on her she needs to be in her crate? Is there such a thing as too much time in their crate. I am worried that I will have her spending too much time in her crate. Also what if I close her in a room with myself, I am a college student and study a lot. Is being in the same room enough to prevent her pooing on the floor? How do you keep your dogs close and within sight? I do understand that she is a toddler, I just want to make the right decisions for her and our family. She will only poo when we leave the room which is not vary often, and many times it is right after we take her out and she does poo and pee outside. She scratches at the ground showing what we think is that she is done, is that wrong? We have learned quickly not to leave her alone at all. Thank you for your help and support!
Great advice about the gates. I will have to try this so that she is in the same room but not attached to me physically. Her crate is in our living room already so she is with us when she is in her crate. And we only take her out on her leash and we make sure that she does poo and pee, if she has eaten and we take her out and she does not poo we put her back in her crate and take her back out in 10 to 20 minutes to poo before we let her free in the house. I really like the idea of the gates, kind of like putting a toddler in a certain area to protect them. This will keep her in one or two rooms where we can keep our eye on her. Thanks for the advice.
Mom of Jato
Well-known member
I would think she would love to be in the same room with you, even if you are studying. Cavaliers are so connected with their people- they just love our attention and affection. Maybe you could tire her out a bit by playing first, and then she'd just sleep while you study. Until you get the pooping under control, I really would keep her crated when you can't be with her. I don't advocate putting them in a crate too much though, just when needed.
Until you get the pooping under control, I really would keep her crated when you can't be with her. I don't advocate putting them in a crate too much though, just when needed.
frecklesmom
Well-known member
I haven't had a puppy around in a long time. I wonder if it would help to give her more activity outside for the poo action.
.
heather r
Well-known member
Our Abigail is 8 months old and while she is poo trained ,we can't count on her entirely as to peeing. Therefore, we have gated off our kitchen and family room. When we can't be in the room, she goes in crate and in it at night.
We take her out after meals, after naps and since I'm getting on to her particular schedule, out before noon and around 2 P.M.She is getting better, in part, because we give her a tiny treat when she goes while outside. She is also getting to point where a kind word of praise is enough.
When I can watch her closely, I let her in other rooms. Best of luck! I've found her much harder to train than our golden retriever.
Good Luck and watch for times when she usually goes, so that you can get her out in time:xfngr:
Heather R
We take her out after meals, after naps and since I'm getting on to her particular schedule, out before noon and around 2 P.M.She is getting better, in part, because we give her a tiny treat when she goes while outside. She is also getting to point where a kind word of praise is enough.
When I can watch her closely, I let her in other rooms. Best of luck! I've found her much harder to train than our golden retriever.
Good Luck and watch for times when she usually goes, so that you can get her out in time:xfngr:
Heather R
kmatt
Well-known member
I've learned with my dogs over the year that tone/inflection of your voice is key. A harsher tone instead of yelling helped me a lot. Yelling just scares Teddy and he runs away and hides and it takes me forever to coax him out to show that I still love him. Being really happy and joyful whenever he/she does good is great, but train your cavvy to learn how your tone of voice shows that your disappointed.
Remember when you were and kid. Your mom/dad could scream and yell at you all they wanted and you'd just tune them out, but if they just said they were disappointed in you it really hit home. Same kind of thinking.
Best of luck!
Remember when you were and kid. Your mom/dad could scream and yell at you all they wanted and you'd just tune them out, but if they just said they were disappointed in you it really hit home. Same kind of thinking.
Best of luck!
brotymo
Well-known member
I must agree that this breed takes much longer to house train that any other breed I have ever owned. Bandit and Lizzie will hold it downstairs (wood floors), but Bandit will mark upstairs if I don't leash him when I take him up there and even with the leash, I have to watch how he is approaching objects! Lizzie will pee on soft things you leave on the floor. I removed and threw away all the small throw rugs downstairs. She treated them like her personal toilet. Earlier in the week I had tossed some dirty laundry over the bannister from upstairs down onto the hardwood living room floor to take to the wash. When I came down the stairs about two minutes later, the clothes had been peed on AND pooped on! :swear:
Grrrrr.
Just keep at it!
Last edited:
heather r
Well-known member
Brotymo: I had to laugh when you said you had to leash your dog when going upstairs to stop him from going potty.
Our last golden thought that upstairs was like the outside since she didn't go there all the time. Now, I have been taking our current golden and cavalier upstairs when I can watch them so that they realize it is part of the house and not outside.:xctly:
Heather R
Our last golden thought that upstairs was like the outside since she didn't go there all the time. Now, I have been taking our current golden and cavalier upstairs when I can watch them so that they realize it is part of the house and not outside.:xctly:
Heather R
gocamping
Well-known member
You have really received great advice here. The key is a consistent schedule. If you are feeding on schedule, you should have a good idea when she should need to go. If she doesn't back in the crate for 10-15minutes. I personally, never use a crate as punishment. I move my crates around the house, so the dog can always see someone.
Until they are 100% reliable, they do not get too much freedom in the rooms. I also use gates. If you find she goes in one spot all the time, gate that area off.
Make sure that you use a cleaner or some vinegar (test on carpet for colors) to take the scent out too.
Keep consistent, they will get it!
Until they are 100% reliable, they do not get too much freedom in the rooms. I also use gates. If you find she goes in one spot all the time, gate that area off.
Make sure that you use a cleaner or some vinegar (test on carpet for colors) to take the scent out too.
Keep consistent, they will get it!