boxer04athena
by fully i mean she knows she goes outside to go "potty" cuz she never does it in the back room she will wait. But when i let her in the rest of house she has to go #2 on carpet she will not hold it for outside and she does it even if we just let her out
Let me see if I can help you understand what Chuffy meant -- "housetrained" -- that is, by definition, a dog who is trained not to go IN the house. Trained in appropriate 'toilet' behaviors.
This dog is not. This dog has been allowed to elminate on certain surfaces and NOT on others. That's not housetraining -- it's training of a sort, but NOT "fully housetrained".
That's not to get in your face -- that's simply trying to help you understand what folks are saying here.
This dog is *not* chosing outside over inside -- it's choosing based on sufaces and need. so your training has to reflect that. Can it be done? Certainly -- but you will have to be vigilant and you will have to understand *more* about how this dog makes choices.
For right now, you'll have to train by making sure the dog can't screw up. That's work-intensive for you, but it will pay off if you are conscientious.
My best guess is that this dog made all the wrong associations when it was initially being housetrained. dogs are very much creatures of "now". NOW I have to go. So they 'find' where they can go and only hold it if there are not acceptable alternatives.
Someone above mentioned Housetraining 101 -- and that's truly the best way. But that means YOU have to be the responsible one. You never leave this dog in a place where it can screw up -- if you have to be separated from the dog, leave it either in that uncarpeted room OR in a crate.
Puppy pads -- frankly that's going to reinforce going "in" the house. And it's not something I would use. And it's HOW dogs learn to elminate successfully in the house. They learn to 'go' on something soft and absorbent -- and if "outside" doesn't meet those specifications they will likely not GO out there unless there is no other alternative. So they figure if they just hold it a bit longer until they get INSIDE on carpet, problem solved, right?
So you can't let this dog out of your sight when you're on carpet -- keep the dog leashed to you and if you AT ANY TIME feel a tug that shows the dog is sniffing for a place to go or circling or trying to assume the position, you RACE outside.
Be mindful -- this dog isn't just "holding it" to go outside. This dog is **holding it** OUTSIDE to wait to **GO IN** -- So you go in cautiously (don't let the dog keep you outside for an hour - give the dog a very few minutes and then go in but WATCH the dog for any signs of agitation and then go back *out*.
If the dog does have an accident inside, don't yell or holler. It's pointless -- the dog just then thinks you don't like them (their soil IS their mark- it rather define "them" which is why dogs sniff each other). Rather, remove the dog to where it can't see you, clean up the mess and **MOVE IT** outside. Take the dog back outside on leash and show the dog you moved their waste **out there**.
You can't be at the mercy of your own convenience -- this isn't easy. You have to make time ALL the time (even during the show you want to see or when you're fixing dinner, etc.) -- because any time this dog successfully elminates on carpet (meaning you don't "catch it" right way -- to this dog that means "success";) it reinforces that this is where to go.
If you have a hissy fit 1/2 hr later because the dog soiled the carpet, he knows that soil is his ... BUT he doesn't have a clue that your real problem is WHERE he put it. At that point you're pointing to the poop and telling him he's awful -- he just thinks you don't like him (and he probably already feels like that anyway).
What you're really objecting to isn't "him" -- it's simply his "venue" -- WHERE he did the deed. Of course he's gotta poop -- you just want him to do that *******action******* outside.
Does that make sense?
My last question -- is there a soft grassy area for him to go on? Or is it all hard-packed earth or concrete -- this dog wants "soft" to go on. That's clear.