Been trying to crate train/house break for 11 weeks! NOT WORKING

    • Gold Top Dog

    Been trying to crate train/house break for 11 weeks! NOT WORKING

    Hi all,
     
    I have a 5 month old Lhasa/Chi mix who just refuses to learn this! Actually I think she is being defiant....in some ways. She can hold it all night usually, and today held it for 8 hours when I was at work for the first time...(the dog walker couldnt walk her today). Anyway, so she has learned the command "get in your bed" so I know she is learning things....so WHY does she continue to just go on the floor! I am sure some of it may be due to smell, but how I can break her of just going whenever and wherever? I use treats when we go outside and I use the same commands every time. I am very consistent, but evne if she has to go pee the TINIEST little bit, she just squats! HELP, my husband is so frustrated and its causing arguments! I will not give up on her of course, but I really need some advice! HELP!
    • Gold Top Dog
    She goes on the floor because she isn't potty trained yet.  (I'm going to guess that there aren't any medical issues like a UTI going on because she does hold it at night and in her crate, but if you think there might be a medical reason, go to the vet)

    Do you watch her the whole time she's out of her crate?    What do you do when you see her peeing?   What do you do if she pees and you don't see her doing it?

    I would  suggest tethering her to you when she's not in her crate.     As soon as you see her peeing, interrupt her.   Don't scold or say anything in a harsh tone of voice, just say something that gets her attention to make her stop.   I said 'ep, ep!' and immediately took her outside.   I gave her command ('go potty') and if she peed she got praise and treats.   If she didn't continue peeing we went back inside.   I also predicted when she would have to pee and pre-emptively took her outside.    I knew she has to pee after eating, after playing and about every two in general, so we would go out on a specific schedule.   She quickly became reliable enough to know that going to the bathroom = going outside, so she stood by the door if she had to go. 

    Also, try to read her language.    Does she give any signs that she has to go that perhaps you are missing? 
    • Gold Top Dog
    get the UTI checked out any way.  I had a puppy that was frequently urinating about half in the house and half outside.  Turned out there was a UTI going on.  Also, keep her on lead and lift her any time she starts to squat,  no big scene just pick her up and take her out right away.  Also, if you can watch her (when cooking etc) crate her. 
    • Gold Top Dog
    Do check for a UTI, but if she hasn't got one, clearly this is just too much freedom in the house.  Housebreaking is a supervision issue.  You can't leave her alone, even for an instant.  And, please don't scold her for mistakes - you will just create a dog that doesn't think it's ok to pee in front of the human!  Not good when you are holding the other end of the leash outside and it's pouring out...
    Dogs don't get "defiant".  That's a human thing.  Dogs simply do what works for them. 
    • Gold Top Dog
    One thing you've got to do is get rid of the smell.  You have been given all the ideas you need right here, IMO.  You say you have been working on this for 11 weeks?  Mein Gott, it is time to get serious with this pup.  Take Monday off.  Spend the long weekend following the suggestions you have been given.  I bet you have a trained dog when you go to work on Tuesday.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Hi everyone and thank you for your advice. She doesnt have an UTI, thank you, that was our first thought when we first got her. She can hold it all night, and she held it 8 hours yesterday as my dog walker couldnt walk her. Its also poop! She pooped in the house this morning. Shouldnt she be getting it by now? I watch her all the time, but if I even look away it seems like she is doing it on occassion. I simply tell her NO and take her out when I catch her in the act. if not, I dont scold her I just clean it up. I do the command and treat thing, I take her out first thing in the a.m., and again after she eats, and again before I leave for work, (3 walks within 2 hours) And at night she goes out several times too, but still just goes when she wants to. HELP
    • Gold Top Dog
    our puppy is about 8 or 9 months old, and he still has the occassional accident. it is much better than before. he hasnt peed in the house in several months (KNOCK ON WOOD!!!!!), but he will still occassionally poop on the floor.
    • Gold Top Dog
    The thing is that its not just an accident, she just goes when she wants versus heading to the door, or holding it...and again we KNOW she can hold it for as long as 8 hours (not a frequent thing, but it did happen yesterday when the dog walker couldnt come) and it happens over night.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Well we rent and I cant just get rid of all the carpet and I dont know that I could begin to clean EVERY spot with enzymatic cleaner, even if I could find it. I am taking Monday off, and have had other lengths of time at home with her..... she just doesnt get it, or chooses not to.   Its obvious that she knows to go outside, as when I tell her she goes and then looks to me for approval and a treat. Same thing with the command "lets go outside". She heads for the door on the leash when I say it, but if she has to go potty she wont just head over.    There is NO hesitation on her part to just go wherever. Love to her to peices, just need to fix this!
    • Gold Top Dog
    Tether her to you so she can't sneak off or anything. If you can't tether her, crate her.
     
    You are going to need to clean everything with an Enzyme eliminator. Maddi peed on a rug once and wouldn't stop unless we took it outside. We did eventually have to throw it because even the enzyme cleaner wasn't enough.
    • Gold Top Dog
    I guess my thing with cleaning the enzymes too is that my other dog who is a little over a year old, seems to have no issue with any remaining smell and was potty trained (we adopted him at the age of 5 mos and had to train him) and is just fine.....not to mention, its really difficult to find EVERY spot and clean well enough being that we cannot replace the pad or anthing as we rent.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Also, if I tether her.....wont that be unfair as then she wont be able to play with Charlie her "brother" ???? I crate her when I am in the shower or anything and can not watch her, but sometimes if I go say to the ktichen just to put a glass in the sink she goes! QUICK!
    • Gold Top Dog
    If you get a black light you'll be able to see exactly where she's gone.  And buy some Petastic....it's about the best there is.  Go ahead and bite the bullet and buy the gallon size...you'll use it.  You don't spritz or spray Petastics, you have to TOTALLY saturate the spot.  Take a floor mat from your car....pour some water through it and see how FAR that little bit of water spreads.  That's how far the Petastic needs to spread in order to gobble up the odor.  If she smells where she went, she'll go there again.
     
    You need to go back to housetraining 101.....crated or teethered EVEN when you go to the kitchen for a glass of water.  It isn't about whether or not its fair to HER to not be able to play....it's about whether or not its fair to YOU to live in this kind of filth.