Deb
Posted : 8/19/2006 8:01:12 AM
It's not that confusing. Just stick to the schedule Jones outlined above:
1. If you can't watch them, they are in a crate that is too small to pee or poo in. When they are not in the crate, they are tethered to you or under your direct visual control. Always.
2. They go outside every hour on the hour and after meals. They also go outside if there are signs of pooing or peeing--crouching to poo, sniffing the ground and circling, you know.
3. Whenever they are caught peeing and pooing outside, big exciting treats rain down from the sky and you lavish praise and have a gigantic party. The value of this cannot be understated.
4. Whenever they go inside, it's your fault because you didn't follow the plan. No punishment. This is important because dogs don't think like humans. One of two things can happen. One, you can make your dog afraid to go to the bathroom in front of you. This creates no end to the problems!!! You can also make your dog keep doing it by "rewarding" her with your negative attention (dog may not understand that it's a punishment).
Either way, I have had great success with *ignoring* the dog that poops or pees in the house. Dogs really really hate to be ignored, first of all. It's what they do to one another. And second, if the dog gets a big treat and praise party every single time she goes outside, and then gets ignored when she does it inside, it's a very clear set of signals:
Outside=Reward. Inside=No Reward.
That's what you want. Good luck, don't make it harder than it is, it's all about *you* being consistent, they don't have to do anything but make that reward-no reward connection.