Dog Community

Adult Housetraining/Space Restriction Opinions Sought!

Posted : 12/19/2006 11:24:50 AM

Hi everyone,

This is my first post. I joined today just to get some advice from other dog lovers. We recently re-acquired my shih tzu Moonpie from my parents. He'd been living w/ them for about two years and became close w/ my parents' cocker spaniel Tuffy. When we moved and were able to get Moonpie back, I asked if we could have Tuffy as well since they'd become so close.

So, now we've got two adult dogs who were previously completely housetrained but became complacent when my parents' alpha lab was dying and became incontinent. They followed his peeing and pooping lead and my parents did not do a good job correcting the behavior.

Now that they're on an exercise, food and discipline schedule, they've made almost a full recovery from their errant ways. It's been almost three months.

HOWEVER, when left alone in the apartment for extended periods of time, there will sometimes be a present left for us when we get home. Therefore, we've been keeping them restricted to one room during the day while we're at work. B/c my boyfriend and I work slightly different hours, they're in that room for about 7 hours a day.

I'm starting to feel like it's not the right thing. However, they don't ever go when they're restricted to their room. It's a decent sized space but I still don't like it.

Am I humanizing them? Or, is my gut right that they shouldn't have to stay in one room all day? And, if that is the case, how do I give them more space while preventing accidents in the house?

Any and all comments are appreciated. I just want what's best and humane for my doggies.

Thank you in advance. Olivia

jones

Posted : 12/20/2006 12:20:15 AM

Confinement is, in my opinion, essential to housetraining. You're just using their instinct not to soil their living space to your advantage. There is nothing wrong with keeping the dogs in one room for seven hours... a well adjusted dog sleeps most of the time his/her owners are away and won't care that they can't throw a house party all day. [

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Stacita

Posted : 12/20/2006 7:18:54 AM

I don't think restricting to one room is a problem. I'd make it as comfy as possible with nice beds. If there are no issues between them and nobody will hurt themselves, toys can also be provided. Mine don't take advantage of the whole house when I'm gone.

houndlove

Posted : 12/20/2006 9:29:14 AM

Restricting in one room seems ideal if that's what works for them. I am not comfortable with dogs having free roam of houses for a variety of reasons (safety being tops among them) and if you can have them in one room and that seems to be working for them, I think that's fantastic.

I have one dog crated and one confined to his own room. Honestly all they do all day is sleep (I've got the webcam footage to prove it) and that's true for the vast majority of dogs. Confining to one dogproofed room is safer for the dogs (less dangerous stuff to get into and ingest--and I've got the vet bills to prove the need for that as well!), encourages good potty behavior (dogs rarely mess in the area they see as their sleeping quarters), and encourages the dogs to see the time when mommy and daddy are gone as nap time, not zoomie time.

Olivia Krywucki

Posted : 12/20/2006 12:07:34 PM

Thanks very much for your feedback! I feel much better and you guys make some really good points. It's so funny you said that about the webcam b/c I just asked my boyfriend if we could set one up to reassure myself. :-)

I think we'll invest in some "project toys" I heard about online as well; toys that would occupy them for long periods of time should they feel like playing while on their own.

shanmcd

Posted : 12/29/2006 8:50:30 PM

i agree tha confinement is the answer...and a fairly simple one..well done!

Liz

Posted : 12/30/2006 12:51:47 AM

Well done! Restricting them to a room is even BETTER than a crate, at least for adult dogs. I wish I could do that, but she'd tear it up...

Do you have tile, or linolium, or tile flooring??

spiritdogs

Posted : 12/30/2006 11:12:05 AM

If you do try those toys, and there is food involved, try it on the weekend when you are home so that if they do get "guardy" about them, you can intervene to remove the toys. Napping is better than fighting while you are off at work. [

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bunni

Posted : 1/2/2007 11:52:51 AM

However, they don't ever go when they're restricted to their room. It's a decent sized space but I still don't like it.

I've experienced this and I think it's due to the dog's not generalizing info. My young ones get trained in the playroom. The playroom, kitchen and my office are their domain. The living/dining room, bedroom and my husband's office are at the other end of the house where they don't often go. When I'v taken the dogs - who are fully trained in "my" end of the house into the living room at night to watch TV the young ones think nothing of pooping in there. I realized that I hadn't taught them not to poop in there. Now when I have young ones I do some training in the other rooms (just like you do when you are first housebreaking - watch them every second, take them out often, etc.) This training goes much faster than the original training and before long they are not pooping in the other rooms.

Debbie R

Posted : 1/2/2007 1:09:15 PM

You got really great advice, and I also don't think confining them in a room is a bad thing. But I understand you thinking that they are older and smaller and not destructive they should have the run of the house. I have to throw this out there, my female who I got when she was 7 was fully house trained after I had her for two weeks. But on one or two occasions, when I came home she would have pooped, and on all of those occasions I later found out that people came onto our porch, once was a neighbor, knocking on the window to say hello to the dogs (not very bright), then ups, and I forget the other, but I realized she was having separation anxiety, and I worked w/ her for that and I am sure that and her just getting used to her new surroundings settled her down, no more accidents, and I have come home to packages and flyers outside the door.

Eric Mies

Posted : 1/2/2007 2:23:46 PM

Just throwing out the idea of a dog walker in the afternoon. I don't think 7 hours is too long and know there are people who leave there dogs for longer - with that siad, I don't leave presely for mroe then 5 hours and usually not more then 4. It's possible that some days your dogs just can't hold it for 7 hours (especially smaller ones)- a walk in the afternoon would allow them to relieve themselves. Confinment is the key but a little afternoon walk might help as well - Just my [sm=2cents.gif]....

jjsmom06

Posted : 1/2/2007 2:41:21 PM

My two greyhounds have “off limit” areas in the house so that the cats ALWAYS have a “safe place” to go. JJ is allowed free roam around the downstairs, but all he does is sleep when we are at work. Prudence is crated in the downstairs when we are at work. If we aren#%92t gone longer than about 3 hours, I will leave her uncrated, but any longer than that and she starts getting bored…so our concern is that she will bother the cats OR decide to get JJ going and playing with him. JJ can be a very aggressive player, so we have concerns over both the dogs safety when we are not home.

It is our hope to eventually NOT have to crate Prudence if we feel she is totally trustworthy with the cats, BUT when it comes to that point, we will baby gate off part of the downstairs for JJ to have free roam in and part of it for Prudence so that we don#%92t run into problems with them playing while we are gone.

I think it is a smart move to keep them a little more restricted when you are not home.

mudpuppy

Posted : 1/3/2007 11:24:51 AM

dogs have to earn the right to have free access to houses. If you are having "accidents" then clearly it's too soon to give them more space. When you do start giving them more space, do it gradually-- some day when you're going to be gone for an hour or two let them have access to two rooms.