house training problems with a 6 month old

    • Bronze

    house training problems with a 6 month old

    I adopted my dog, Bailey, 2 months ago (an AWESOME christmas present). We were told that she was house trained, come to find out she is not. So, after about 2 months of work there is some improvement, but theres a big, smelly, problem. Pooping. She has learned pretty well that if she needs to go outside, she can stand by the front door, maybe make a little noise (a whine, or a scratch on the door) and she will be let out. She will go out, go pee, come back inside, and less than 5 minutes later has pooped in the house. We have another dog in the house, a 5 year old golden retreiver (Honey), and she never had this problem as a pup. She picked it up very quick that she needs to go outside, so now with Bailey, we dont know really what to do. So, here are some questions that I have for you all.

    Bailey wont (from what ive seen anyways) soil her crate, so she is in there alot, is this ok? I feel like a bad person for locking her in her crate all day.

     It's also winter here in Michigan, do you think that could be some of the problem? She seems to LOVE the snow, she bounces around in it/bites it/rolls in it/etc, so I dont see that being a problem, but you never know

     ANY tips advice will help alot, because after 2 months of cleaning up poop, I've had about all I can take

    • Gold Top Dog

    amstaffbailey
    She has learned pretty well that if she needs to go outside, she can stand by the front door, maybe make a little noise (a whine, or a scratch on the door) and she will be let out.

     


    This is your issue. She needs to be on a schedule. Eating and going out should happen BEFORE she asks. Take her out hourly, if she usually potties every hour and a half. It's GREAT that she doesn't soil in her crate!! I would keep track of when she generally needs to poop (for my dogs, one goes within 10 minutes of a meal, and the other about 2 hours later), and if she doesn't poop while you're outside at poop time, crate her for 15 minutes and go BACK outside. Use your potty cue (I say "go potty" for pee and "potty some more" for poop, LOL) and praise her, big time, when she does it. If she doesn't, don't scold her. If she does it in the house, don't scold her. Scold yourself for not keeping an eye on  the puppyBig Smile

    • Gold Top Dog

    Do you go out with her and praise her when she goes?   Take her to the same spot you;ve seen her potty and start using a phrase, if you don't already, that means "do your business".  Encourage her to do her business and praise and treat when she finishes going.  Don't punish accidents.  Next time she has an accident take the poo and place it outside where you want her to go.  Next time, take her there and encourage her.  Consistency and positive reinforcement will pay off.

    Why isn't she able to be out in the house?  Crating is a fine and I always crate puppies or untrained adults when I can't supervise. But they can't learn much in the crate and need to interact and learn how to be good dogs.  You sort of made it sound as though she is always in her crate.  Do you play with, train and exercise her?  I'm sure if you persevere and remain positive in your training and attitude, she will get it soon.

    Don't compare her to your other dog.  It's like comparing people.  Every single one is different.

    Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.  We would love to see pictures of Bailey and Honey. :)

    • Bronze

    jennie_c_d - She is on a schedule as well as she can be (I'm home durring the day, but when I leave for work in the evening, my mom will watch Bailey), so the schedule isnt 100%, but its as good as it can be

     JackieG - I was going out with her when we first got her, and then after about a month I let her do her own thing, and I would watch her from the window, and praise her when she comes inside. I have no problem with going outside with her, but how will I know when to STOP going outside with her? My mom is going to be the one who wont go outside with her, after comming home from work all day, she just wants to relax the best she can, and most of the time she also has to babysit my Nephew while my sister is at work. So, the schedule is kind of un-even.

     She is alowed out in the house, and I try to get a good half an hour or hour of solid play time in every day (tug-of-war/fetch/wrestling/etc), but when shes out theres that risk of her going potty inside the house. It's hard for me to keep my eyes on her at all times, and shes always running around the house.

    I also didnt mean to compare her to my other dog, I was just trying to state the fact that we have NO idea what to do in this situation because my other dog didn't have any problems.

    Thanks for the help, any more tips/help would be wonderful!

     

    heres some pictures, heres bailey when we first got her. shes still in a cage with her brother at the addoption place

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x220/derfernerf/1205091323.jpg

     and heres Honey

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x220/derfernerf/IM000414.jpg

    • Bronze

    jennie_c_d - She is on a schedule as well as she can be (I'm home durring the day, but when I leave for work in the evening, my mom will watch Bailey), so the schedule isnt 100%, but its as good as it can be

     JackieG - I was going out with her when we first got her, and then after about a month I let her do her own thing, and I would watch her from the window, and praise her when she comes inside. I have no problem with going outside with her, but how will I know when to STOP going outside with her? My mom is going to be the one who wont go outside with her, after comming home from work all day, she just wants to relax the best she can, and most of the time she also has to babysit my Nephew while my sister is at work. So, the schedule is kind of un-even.

     She is alowed out in the house, and I try to get a good half an hour or hour of solid play time in every day (tug-of-war/fetch/wrestling/etc), but when shes out theres that risk of her going potty inside the house. It's hard for me to keep my eyes on her at all times, and shes always running around the house.

    I also didnt mean to compare her to my other dog, I was just trying to state the fact that we have NO idea what to do in this situation because my other dog didn't have any problems.

    Thanks for the help, any more tips/help would be wonderful!

     

    heres some pictures, heres bailey when we first got her. shes still in a cage with her brother at the addoption place (she's the black one)

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x220/derfernerf/1205091323.jpg

     and heres Honey

    http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x220/derfernerf/IM000414.jpg

    • Gold Top Dog

     Adorable puppy!!!

     

    Leash her to you, so you can watch her. She has not earned the freedom to run all over the house. 

    • Gold Top Dog

     

    jennie_c_d

    Leash her to you, so you can watch her.

    Agreed. I have a 3 month old Irish Setter pup. If I let him out with no leash he will pee but then run around the yard playing. So if it's potty time I leash him and tell him to "go pee" or "go poop." Im using a clicker so I click and treat him when he's done. Even when we go outside to play he will automatically pee and come running to me for a treat even if I havent clicked. Right now I keep a pocket full of treats most of the time. Big Smile

    jennie_c_d

     I would keep track of when she generally needs to poop (for my dogs, one goes within 10 minutes of a meal, and the other about 2 hours later), and if she doesn't poop while you're outside at poop time, crate her for 15 minutes and go BACK outside.

    I do the same. I take mine out after each meal and if he doesnt poop I put him in his crate for about an hour (if Im gonna be busy doing something that I cant keep an eye on him) and then take him back out.

     

    • Gold Top Dog

    amstaffbailey
    I was going out with her when we first got her, and then after about a month I let her do her own thing, and I would watch her from the window, and praise her when she comes inside. I have no problem with going outside with her, but how will I know when to STOP going outside with her?

     

    Waiting till she comes back inside is too late for positive reinforcement.  You must praise the moment she goes potty outside.  She thought she was being praised for coming back in the house.  A month is not long enough to have a reliably house trained puppy.  I praise my pups for at least six months for pottying outside and I still give them a "good business" when I see them go.  I want a good solid association in their minds between pottying outside and my praise.  

     

    Mom is tired from work and I can relate to that but if she wants a houstrained dog ( and who doesn't), she needs to lend a hand, IMO.  If she won't help out, make certain Bailey has peed and pooped before you leave for work.  

     

    edited to clarify

    • Gold Top Dog

     Tootsie, who is 5. I go out with her every time and praise her when she goes. I also don't wait for her to tell me when its time to go, I tell her when it time to go.