New Puppy, little older, problems with house obedience

    • Gold Top Dog

    New Puppy, little older, problems with house obedience

    I've recently adquired a new pup, a little older than usual for me (6 months old). I bought this pup little older because it was a rare breed where I live (spain, griffon bruxellois) and I found the opportunity to buy him a little less $ than normal and I just wanted to have it so much!

    But now I find a very BIG problem with the house training method.

    My training methods have been based on the Ian's Dunbar book, using crates, to take the dog to pee and poo in a special place for this issues.

    Curiously enough, this dog poo in the special place from the first time he arrived (the place is a big area 1 sq meter, that has earth and sand, so maybe he has identified it as a great place to poo).

    But I find the problem on the pee: this dog, actually rises the leg to pee,  and is constantly peeing everywhere in the house, but most frequently near the special area (not inside btw). I believe this is a sign of territorial marks that brings from his before socialization. My other dogs that I teached them from really little puppies (1,5 months-2 months), doesn't pee everywhere they like. They are very submissive in this term, even during the walk, they just walk and enjoy around, don't keep pooing or peeing everywhere they go, people say to me, that they look like cats in this sense and for me is fine, since rainy days they can stay at home and do their things without the need of getting wet.

    I've been 3 days with this new dog now. I'm trying to apply dunbars techniques just from scratch, and have not found results.He jumps out of the special area straight away, and go rapidly to pee anywhere else. Fortunately, rarely he did it inside, and received the prize. 

    Another "bad" thing, is that puppys use to pee like every 2-3 hours, so is easy to do timing with the crate (2 hours) + pee (inmediatly after) + play (30 minutes), and so on. But this 6 months old dog, pee every 4-6 hours, so is very frustrating for him to be into the crate for that long periods without any "game" (and he is not used to play with dog-toys neither).

    And the worst part, is that when he pees he doesn't fully pee, he keeps "part of the pee" and during the game, he pee once or twice more anywhere else.

    If I take him for play randomly, he may pee randomly also so I won't have a method to control him.

    The only thing I have in mind is that maybe I will need to have big amounts of patience, despite that 4-6 hours crate handicap. The other dogs are free to go around the house practically all the day, since they are educated, and is also a little bit frustrating, to see the dog inside the crate, and the others wandering around.

    Any other ideas?

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    • Gold Top Dog

     Patience, and more patience.  After only 3 days, the pup is still confused.  You probably have to overcome already learned behaviors before instilling what you want.  I looked up a picture of that breed.  WOW.  Just a little cute!

    You will probably get some advice from more experienced pup trainers than me that will actually be helpful.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I was just reading a great article/blog by Patricia McConnell.  Anyone with an adopted older puppy or adult dog having housetraining problems might take a look.  http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/  Look for "expectations-adults vs puppies".   

    I do agree that this may take some time to accomplish but patience and consistency will pay off.

    • Gold Top Dog

    If it's a male you're going to have to give him a place where he can hike his leg.  It's normal for males and he will "miss" most any paper or square you put down.

    he's already learned someone's "method" and yours is different.  This is what I posted for someone else (changed a bit for you) -- but I never try to "schedule" (taking them to elminate at specific times) and I *never* leave them in a crate when I'm at home - they need to be with you and learning.  I do crate when I'm gone, but not when I'm home unless I can't supervise.

    There are many different "styles" of house-training.  I would simply let him drag a leash 24/7 until you have him trained.  Why?  Immediate control!

    I would slip that leash over your belt.  I never "schedule" altho many dog.  I don't think they go by a clock -- they go by how long stuff has been in their bodies - they go after a meal, after sleeping, after playing ... but not really a "clock". 

    From the sound of what you're saying it almost sounds like he could have a UTI (urinary tract infection) -- particularly if he doesn't fully 'go' or if he goes a bit, walks a bit, goes a bit more.  Now, he's also fast approaching the age of sexual maturation so he's also likely far far more interested in marking and claiming territory than a younger pup.

    The very first thing I'd do is take him to the vet - you need to have a fecal done anyway, and have the vet do a urinalysis (not just a 'strip' test - you need to rule out things like crystals, etc. that could make it painful to fully drain the bladder) and rule out anything medical first. 

    As far as training goes -- 'Scheduling' IS easier.  But my way is to simply leash them to me and *watch* them like a hawk.  You watch for them to stop, look or sniff around for a place to go.  Then, you say "gotta potty?" and ZOOM him out the door.  He's on leash -- you *can*. 

    When he's outside -- just focus on "potty". Then - don't let him play .... ohhhhhhhhhhhh noooooooooooooooooooooooooo.  He's there to potty.  That is **all**.  You stand in that spot where you want him to go and wait.  No playing.  No butterflies.  No fun.  You just wait for him.  Then .. if no production in a few minutes (this is NOT an hour-long drama here) you go back in and resume. 

    over ... and over .... and over.   Eventually he will 'go' while he's out there and then you can have a party.  You can then allow him TO play outside as a reward!  All the while convincing him he's the best danged boston ever!

    IF he has an accident in the house.  Go put him in his crate (not punishment -- just a holding place for him while you clean up.).  I don't really know why, but I've always found it somehow rewarding for a dog to see you handle their waste.

    But go sop it up with paper towel, and take that towel outside and lay it where you've been wanting him to go.

    Then go get him -- zoom by the "scene of the crime" and just say matter-of-factly "Not there!  Not IN the house!" and proceed directly outside saying "OUt" as you go out and to **the paper**.  The dog sniffs it and you say "Yep! It goes OUT here!"

    He'll get it -- the fact that you will **move** his waste tends to help that lightbulb moment. 

    Now remember you have to clean that spot SO well -- they can sniff their own scent so easily. 

    See I want to know when they have to go out.  I don't want them to just "happen" to go while we are outside.  I want them to understand that walks and playing are one thing.  But potty is a whole different ballgame.  And when you do it right great things happen.

    Once he *begins* to get it you can drop the leash and let him drag it.  But honestly -- it is SO handy and so much easier to re-direct them and keep them from screwing up when leashed it really really helps.

    My whole theory of dog training (and this extends to many many things) is to simply make it nigh onto impossible for them to screw up.  With the leash I can ensure they do **everything** right.  And they get used TO doing it right and hearing praise for that.  It is so much easier to stay positive when you can use a leash and literally **avoid** a lot of mistakes.

    I hope my Americanisms haven't confused you -- good luck.  And you are a very wise person to seek help so soon, rather than get frustrated!

    • Gold Top Dog

     For some reason today seems that things goes a little bit better. Has done 3 times correct full pee in the special place.

     Maybe he has learnt something by looking at my other dogs.

    Another thing that has happen is that he is drawn into my gf, and he ignores me much more. At the beggining he was really drawn into me, I don't know what my gf does different than me, but in general terms we seem to do exactly the same

    Are male dogs typically more drawn into women than men?

    Fore instance the other dogs that always seem to be more drawn into my gf, are now more into me, seem to be jaleous or something. I can't understand dogs psychology :(

    • Gold Top Dog

    I doubt there is a really scientific answer -- It can be they are 'drawn' to whomever feeds them, or sometimes the emotional stimuli they get from various people, and who invests a bit more time in them.  That's by no means an exhaustive list either.

    different dogs will be drawn to different people -- Billy was always far far more bonded to me than my husband.  Luna tends to be Daddy's girl tho (altho more and more she'll turn to me for "comfort" but she obeys David far faster Huh?.  The pug is an equal-opportunity lover tho -- except whoever has the treats WINS. *grin*

    • Gold Top Dog

     My gf believes that dogs are more bonded to the one that "baths" them. She normally baths them, and after I dry them with the towels.

    Anyhow, its pretty confusing.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Today, total failure, my new dog has peed in the quilt of the bed and in my others dog sleeping blanket. done this two pees nearly in the first 10 minutes i left him free. he has reserved part of the pee to do this two extra pees in two little moments I lost the attention from him. I can't draw 100% attention to him, unless I do very strictly the crate-pee method (that makes me spend like 3++ hours a day exclusively to one dog!). It seems that I have to forgive a big little bit my other dogs :(