Potty Training.Grrrrr

[Lindee]

Ok, I've done something wrong here. As you guys know Willow had done his business primarily on paper in an apartment. I have been using a crate when I'm not home and rewarding him for going outside. He caught on quicker than I thought he would and at times goes on command. There are certain times, though when he refuses to go outside (like if the grass is wet) and then will pee on the carpet as soon as we get in. This morning when I took him out for his second pee, he was just lollygagging around so I came in and left him out for about a half hour. As soon as he came in, he peed on the carpet, so he was out there all that time with no clue as to what he was supposed to do out there. He is good ALL night with me and good in his crate. Unfortunately I had dogs that have used this carpet before(it's been cleaned since then) and I'm sure he's picking up the scent. He takes a tremendous amount of time to "pick a spot" when we're outside. Do you think I should have my friend's dog come over and mark the yard? Would that help?
Lindee

[Maxxs_Mummy]

LOL, bless him. Sorry Lindee, I shouldn't laugh. Can't blame him for not wanting to wee on wet grass though!

Tbh, I'm one of those mad people who stands outside in pyjamas and slippers with a brolly in a thunderstorm saying "Come on Maxxy, wee wees, good boy" until he goes.

All I can suggest is that if he wees on the carpet say 'NO' in a very stern voice and promptly pick him up and plop him down outside.

I think you can get stuff in a pet store that removes doggy odours from carpets (sometimes they can smell them even when we can't). I'm not much help here am I? I've just never had much of a problem with wee wees. My dogs (always had at least one!) have always been pretty good and gone outside but we used to have a persian cat who thought he 'owned me' and would wee on hubby's pillow just to let him know it haha!!!!!! The amount of times that I have thrown away a perfectly good pillow and had to bleach pillow cases

[Karlin]

You need ton stay with him at all times when he is outside until he is reliable. This means take him out on a lead and stay with him til he goes. You are part way there and believe me you will go teo steps forward one back (and sometimes one step forward two back) at this time. Your goal must be to never, ever allow him to have the chance to pee or poop inside. This means put him on a lead that is attached to a belt loop so he is right next to you, or crate him, or have him on your lap. Letting him off to do his business on his own is not a good idea, as he will likely do just as you have seen! He just does not understand that he is to hold it, especially as he has been allowed to go in an apartment 9this is why paper training adds a whole second layer to the housetraining process -- it is SOOOO much better to do what you are doing now!). Be sure to clean any accident area with an enzymatic cleaner intended for this purpose or a vinegar solution -- anything else just masks the odor to you but he can smell it and will by instinct want to go in the same place.

Hence if you can take him to the same general area for his wees and poops outside, that helps this whole process.

Best investment you can make right now is How to Housetrain a Dog in Seven Days by Shirlee Kalstone. A thin little book but priceless and used for 20-something years by dog owners. Also good for older dogs/rescue dogs/puppy farm dogs that might never have been housetrained effectively.

If it makes you feel better I got Jaspar as an 8.5 week old on new year's eve 2 years ago thus had to stand outside with him in cold rain all winter long, when he really did not want to go...!!! if he wouldn;t go he came back in and was crated for another 15-30 minutes then brought back out on a lead. At no time did he have the option to use the floor if I knew he was close to his time to go!! I used crates very judiciously; I preferred to have him out of the crate but under a hawk eye or on my lap or leashed to me so that he didn;t spend half his puppyhood in a box. I used the crate for the time approaching his time to go. His reward for going was he could play for (depending on age) 30-60 min before I had to again watch hinm carefully/leash/crate/whatever to keep him from having an acccident. Also I used nice tiny treats as a reward, not just praise. I gave him bits of meat for his poops and boy did he learn fast to poop outside.

[Lindee]

Thanks Karlin..yeah, it seems like I got too lax too quickly mostly because I'm interacting with my daughter a lot and can't watch him like a hawk. I hate to crate him when we are home-he sometimes thrashes around in there and whines. He was never crated before either.I have never seen a dog take so long to find a "spot"..man! He circles and circles and then sometimes just takes off running while I'm standing there and I know I have duties in the house regarding my daughter etc. I should have just brought him back in and put him in the crate this morning, but I knew we were going out for quite a bit today so I felt bad about doing it.

[Cathy T]

Lindee - sounds like you have your hands full! The ideal situation is that he is either by your side or in your crate until he gets the hang of it. But then again...that the ideal situation. Shelby used to drive me nuts with her circling and circling. Once she figured out she got a treat after potty she sped things up a bit!! Now, she does her business and dashes in the door. When I come in behind her she is sitting in front the file cabinet where I keep the treats...tail thumping, just waiting!

[Karlin]

Cathy is totally right there -- Jaspar was the same, took ages, then he associated the treat and the wee; yippee soon he would go on command and still does all his business right away. It is just a phase for most dogs as they make the connection that going outside and going soon is a good thing, while going inside is bad.

[melanie]

I had the same problem with Sadie. I finally started taking her out on her lead and staying in one spot until she did her business. It didn't take her too long to realize she was not going anywhere until she did her business. She was also afraid of the wet grass. So when it rains I have to pick her up and carry her to her spot.
Melanie

[Evan]

"tbh"

what's TBH mean??

[Maxxs_Mummy]

tbh = to be honest....

[Evan]

oh right thanks