Dog Community

Please tell me it's not to late- need help!!

Posted : 3/13/2006 11:30:23 AM

Oh, I hope someone can give me some good advice... Here goes, we have a Schnoodle she will be 2 years old in a couple months. We are STILL having some major housebreaking issues with her she either pees or poo's once a day on my carpet (of course) . I'll try to give you as much info as I can think of that might help. We have always crated her during the day and she does really good never makes a mess in her crate, the problem is when she is out of the crate. We put bells on the door when she was a puppy so she would let us know when she has to go. She's really good at ringing them for the most part. Sometimes she gets carried away and just wants to go outside, where we will walk her around for 20 minutes to come back with and she did nothing, sometimes she does this 2 or 3 times a night. Of course after the 3rd or forth time of her not doing anything outside she comes in and within minutes finds the perfect place to eliminate on my carpet!!!! Sometimes we don't even get the warning of the bells she just goes. She sleeps with us at night and sometimes she even sneaks out of bed to go do her thing. Fun presents in the morning- ick!!

We have NEVER scolded her for it or have NEVER used her crate as a punishment, we Do praise her when she does do her business outside by giving her a reward right then and there. What more can I do????? Is there still hope we can turn her around or is she just going to do this forever??? [

][

]

Oh and if I forgot to mention- we can't absolutely can not crate her when we are home, she screams, she has to be under our feet every moment. Yes, I know she is spoiled!!!!

Thanks,
Amy

Mic

Posted : 3/13/2006 11:41:22 AM

To solve this problem you absolutely have to contain her at night. I would use a tethering technique.

Put you dog on a 2-3 ft leash and attach it to one of the feet of the bed. This is like putting your dog in a crate with out walls. I would require this dog to sleep on the floor.

Next, your dog should remain on leash anytime it is not crated. No exceptions.

Controlling the environment in this way will allow you to prevent any mistakes.

A few other tips that improve house breaking...

1) obedience training
2) more exercise
3) food control (changing brands of food)
4) water control
5) regularly scheduled trips out to the bathroom

One other thing I would do. When you take your dog out, and she doesn't use the bathroom, when you come back in I would crate her for 20 minutes and then take her out again. If she doesn't go...back inside...to the crate. Repeat this until she goes outside, reward the behavior, and then offer some free time on leash with you.

Amy Davidson

Posted : 3/13/2006 1:15:29 PM

Mic,

Well my question to your response is if I put her in the crate after we take her out and she doesn't do her business won't she start thinking of that as a "punishment"? The only time she ever goes in her crate willingly is in the morning when we go to work (I guess she's used to the rountine) but any other time it's a struggle and then she screams. While I think the idea will work, I'm worried she will be scared to come to me because she will think I'm going to put her in her crate?? [&o]

I know we made the mistake of letting her sleep with us, we tried crating at night and she would get so upset that was the only time she would do her business in her crate.

loveukaykay

Posted : 3/23/2006 11:56:03 PM

Maybe try to potty train her from scratch while shes out, if you find a fresh mess bring her to it and say NO then bring her out for a second. If you catch her in the act do the same. I have never hit or rubbed my dogs face in their mess while potty training, was just consisten with making sure they saw it and then went out, and if I caught them a good NO and we go out.

Kayla (who is an exception to the rule in every way) only had 3 accidents inside before she was potty trained, we couldnt believe it as she came from the pound at 6 mos.
Lucy was another story! She took about 3 weeks for some reason, but she got it eventually.