Dog Community

Ewww! My mistake!

Posted : 1/17/2007 3:26:22 PM

Brenya is really doing very well settling into the new home life. We are still working on housebreaking issues though, and have only had a couple of pee accidents when I should have been keeping a closer eye on her. It was -15 degrees last night and very windy, and when you have a greyhound who barely has any kind of fur coat at all, they really don't want to hang around outside to pee (or poop!) I had her sweater on, but her poor feet were getting cold and she was doing the hop around on three (sometimes two!) legs and refusing to use the bathroom, so I figured she must not need to go and brought her back inside to warm her feet. I left her for literally 1 minute to quickly throw something in the dryer before I forgot, and came back into my bedroom where a very strong odor hit my nose. I knew she had pooped, but I could not find it. I looked for a few minutes, in the closet, under the bed, around the dresser, no where! Then I looked ON my bed, and there was a huge puddle of runny poop (she's still getting used to her new food, as well as stress from the new place) all over my down feather comforter and pillows and a very happy grey trotting out of the room. I know it was my mistake, as the rescue center gave me a very strict program for housetraining (in crate at ALL times you cannot keep a very close eye on your grey until they are used to going outdoors) So lesson learned in a very icky way.
I do have a question on that though, as she really refuses to just go when it's so cold out, and I feel bad making her stand out there while her feet hurt from the snow and ice and the wind is just howling. I usually end up bringing her in to warm both of us up and try again in 10 minutes or so, until she finally goes. Is there a better/easier way to do this? Yesterday, I brought her out 3 times when I came home on lunch break, and she just wouldn't pee. On the third time back in, she squatted right in front of me in the kitchen to pee. I made the "eh eh!" noise and brought her right back outside and she did finish to which I praised the heck out of her! Just feeling a little frustrated with the slow, cold progress! Other than that, she is doing very well adjusting here.[

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Firestorm

Posted : 1/17/2007 3:35:20 PM

What about doggie booties as well as doggie jacket or blanket to wear outdoors? That may help!

houndlove

Posted : 1/17/2007 3:37:23 PM

Do you take her out on leash or just out to the yard? My guys are both just ridiculous sissies about bad weather (the cold not as much as the rain, you'd think they were afraid of melting!) and I'll either just, yes, leave them out there until I see them "perform" or if I'm short on time or they're being particularily stubborn about it, I'll leash 'em up and take them for a very short around-the-block walk. The walk seems to stimulate them to want to go (movement, habit, whatever).

Also if your sweety has sensitive pads, it might not be a bad idea to invest in some booties.

Susan Chandler

Posted : 1/17/2007 3:38:12 PM

I agree... Doggie booties might be your aid right now. It takes a little getting used to them but once they realize that their feet don't hurt anymore, they seem to adjust. Always have a kind of goofy walk tho but it's all good.

katherine

Posted : 1/17/2007 3:45:14 PM

Thanks for the suggestions! [

] I will have to look into some doggie booties! I tried some on Seven, my Boston, and he hated them so much he refused to walk at all in them and just tried to chew them off the entire time! I don't have a fenced in yard, so I have to keep her on the leash when I bring her out. The rescue center also told me that I have to let her know the difference between an outing for a walk, and an outing to use the bathroom. Supposedly when I take her out only to do her business, I bring her to her designated spot and just stay in that area until she goes. Then I can reward her with a walk. I even tried giving in and taking her for a walk, and she just tried to tug me back to the house like "are you crazy?? It's freezing outside, I'm not going anywhere!"

Susan Chandler

Posted : 1/17/2007 3:51:58 PM

Have you tried keeping one of the rags that you wiped up the pee or poo with and taking it outside or keeping it outside and going to that one spot all the time? It is something worked for us with Dottie.

katherine

Posted : 1/17/2007 4:01:27 PM

That seems like a great idea too, thanks! She was doing really well the first couple of days when we actually had some fluffy snow in the yard. Then the landlord plowed our yard and left it pretty bare, she seems to hesitate more now. Maybe when she pees it splashes up at her? I have noticed from past experiences if my dogs have had an accident, they prefer the carpet to the tile floor. I might try taking her over to the edge of our plowed yard to see if she likes that any better, although it seems like quite a stretch, but right now I'll try just about anything! [

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Susan Chandler

Posted : 1/17/2007 5:17:38 PM

Yeah, that is an excellent idea. Just go and shovel an area out for her and for whatever reason, the smell of either their pee or poop seems to instigate it in themselves so... Good luck! It'll all work out I'm sure![

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jones

Posted : 1/17/2007 7:19:09 PM

When you put her out and she won't go... make sure you put her right into the crate before trying again in a few minutes. That's really the only sure way to prevent accidents in the house during housetraining.

janobonano

Posted : 1/17/2007 7:22:32 PM

Sometimes when it gets really cold here, I have to put muttlucks on Rupert. He did the scared, stiff-legged, step-over/trying-to-walk-out-of-the-booties thing at first (very funny to watch [:-] ), but he got used to them quickly.

huskymom

Posted : 1/17/2007 7:28:47 PM

If she does despise the booties like your boston, you might try putting them on her when she is already outside with cold feet. It may help her to see the benefit. Also have you gotten her a sweater yet?

katherine

Posted : 1/18/2007 12:26:23 PM

Thanks for the replies! Yup, she has a sweater, but I want to order another one that has a snood, I think it's called, just to keep her a bit warmer. She did awesome last night and today, went almost immediately after I brought her out to the more puffy snow area, no accidents (although I am watching her like a hawk, she's only allowed in the room I am in, and if I can't watch her, she goes in her crate.) I think she's still just getting used to the schedule and routine, we'll get there![

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CoCo Chanel

Posted : 1/18/2007 3:32:13 PM

for coco...i think the only thing really is not keeping her out of your sight...otherwise... its someone's fault for not keeping an eye on her.

other than that....i almost ALWAYS stay outside with her until she finishes...and she's pretty on schedule...so I usually know when she has to poop...even though she's trying to pull me back inside... I stay put and hold my ground.

I think she's learned that the faster she goes...the faster we can go back inside...

it's kind of funny....I use a cue word "GO POTTY!" for her to go...and most of the time...when she is being a brat and wont go poop right away....and I'm repeating myself...she just squats real quick...and I KNOW she's pretending to pee...cause she's doing it like 3x in a row... looking at me...and then trying to run back inside afterwards...

its kinda funny.

also I read some where in one of my books that dogs can feel what your feeling...so if you dont want to be out in the cold or the rain...they dont either... it said to pretend your having the most fun in the world outside in the freezing cold... and at first, coco hated the rain and do the whole dancing thing, etc..and now? she is oblivious to it.

she also has jackets and booties for the cold.

CoCo Chanel

Posted : 1/18/2007 3:35:10 PM

by the way...coco also soiled my goose..i took it to the laundromat, used the biggest machine, all on cold water, a TEENY amount of detergent, and threw in a pair of sneakers to prevent the down from clumpy.

in the dryer, with the sneakers, i took it out every 5 minutes, to fluff and check for "hot spots." took forever...but those suckers are pricey!