Poppy & the toilett

Time for advice i think - HELP!

Poppy came to us in March this year, she had been found locked in a garage, a lady bought her & then her own dog kept attacking her, and we took her on.
Poppy has a couple of issues we are working slowly but surely through, she is now not scared of her lead, is getting used to being groomed - she doesnt like it, but we are being persistant! she will let us cuddle & stroke her etc but is still very frightened of people she doesnt know.

Poppy was very very bad on toileting, she would go where ever she was, she walks while she does her business, kind of scuttles along the floor will not sit still to wee or pooh.

with time she progressed to doing very little in the house, but still did do a pooh & massive wee over night, then for nearly three whole weeks we were clean!!! she started doing her business again last week. this is not when she is locked up & nobody in the house, 9/10 she will be clean when i come home from work and when i get up in a morning.

the last week or so, she has drove me nuts! i get up all is clean open the doors for them all to go out, go and get dressed come down & she has poohed or weed!!!
she has just also done this in the kitchen, i have been out working for a couple of hours all clean, make a brew turn around & she has done a pooh!

im at a loss of what to do to get it through to her that the kitchen is not the toilett!
i expect accidents & its not a desperate situation, but i dont want the habbit to become that she toiletts in the house! we have tried puppy mats, she will not do anything on them, totally misses them!

I'm having a similar problem with my rescue Aled, who like your Poppy was shut in and had no alternative but to go where he was. As far as possible I try to go out into the garden with him and give lots of praise when he performs - bit tricky because he doesn't yet make the connection between being praised (which he enjoys) and having been good. In the morning I think you're just going to have to put on your dressing gown, put Poppy on the lead (or carry her) and go out with her before she has a chance to do anything in the house, then lots of praise when she performs. Do the same during the day whenever she's been resting and wakes up, or wake her up yourself after 2 hours or so. In housetraining terms, we're both dealing with young puppies - patience, vigilance, speed and a good supply of kitchen paper and antibacterial spray are required!

Kate, Oliver and Aled

In the morning I think you're just going to have to put on your dressing gown, put Poppy on the lead (or carry her) and go out with her before she has a chance to do anything in the house, then lots of praise when she performs.

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Yes this is what I would say too -- she hasn't yet learned that she needs to go outside and with no one there to help her understand in mornings, from her point of view this is just a fun time to run outside then come back in and go where it is nice and warm. She needs the trip outside to be structured and have guidance on what she is expected to do.

I would give ultra high value treats (like fresh chicken or sausage) for every single time she goes outside and take her out each time on a lead. Don't come back in til you know she has gone.

Housetraining dogs that haven't had a chance to learn when young is always more difficult -- much harder to break habits than to build them from the start.

Hard to imagine anyone could be so cruel to her as to lock her in -- she is so tiny and sweet.

I am sure you are very close to winning with housetraining -- if she was fine for three weeks don't let it slip back now; she has got the idea about 80%.

i do praise her like a loon & treat - but have only been treating on walks when i think about it when she has done her business & not in the garden too. so will be out in a morning armed with her treats, chicken & cheese are her favourite! until she does!

she has come on so much she would just squat and pee as she was walking along! she hasnt done that for a few weeks - so some progress is being made!
i did with her being locked in expect toilett issues & her previous owner had already told me she wasnt totally clean. so i know it is down to patience and praise! i will try a little harder & hope she understands!

thank you!