Won't Do Business Outside

[Jennifer]

When we got Betty 3 weeks ago the pound said that she wasn't housetrained (she was an outside doggie). So, we crate train her during the day and at night she sleeps with us in bed. She has never had an accident in the bed or the crate in the past few weeks. We take her out on a consistent schedule and take out out pretty often when we are home.

The first week that we had her, she did her business outside a few times. We praised her heavily. She had a few accidents in the house. Each time we took her outside immediately. The next week, it rained alot and she decided that she was not going to walk on the wet grass and was no way going to do her buisness and get her feet dirty. So she stopped doing her business outside.

We will stay outside with her for a long time, walking her around, taking her to the spots where the other dogs go and she just won't do anything. We've even figured out the times she is more likely to go in the house and we'll take her out then.

For the past two weeks, she has only done her business outside once or twice. She either does submissive urination when I let her out of the crate or on me when I pick her up (she post on the Temperment board). Or she does it in the house. We are getting pretty frustrated. I think that the oder nutralizer I was using isn't working because she is going in the same spot. So, I'm going to get some natures miricle.

Since she is going through heartworm treatment tommorrow, she will be contained in a small area or on our lap for the next month, so was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on how to get her to go outside? I have thought about getting piddle pads and putting them on the spots she frequents.

Jennifer

[LisaH]

I'd definitely recommend that you get the Nature's Miracle and saturate all the spots she's peed on to stop that cycle. And if she pees the instant you let her out of the crate, I'd suggest you not let her out of the crate in the house when you arrive home--instead, pick up the crate and take it outside to the spot where you want her to go. Open the crate door, tell her to "pick a spot" or some other verbal cue, then praise her and give her some treat she absolutely adores when she does pee. This way you're making it impossible for her to fail, and she'll start establishing a habit of going outside.

I wouldn't put pee pads in the places she's already peeing--you can't keep that up. Just make sure to eliminate the odor in those places.

[Penny's Aunt]

Be sure to follow the instructions on the Nature's Miracle -- it has to sit a bit to do it's job. Also, use enough, about 1.5 times the amount of urine.

If she does it mainly in one or two spots, start feeding her there.

We had a problem with Penny when the snow was deeper than she was tall, but if we shoveled & raked a 4' or 5' patch, she would do it there. Also, during snow, she is allowed to pee in the chaff of the woodshed.

Since Betty is new to you, was never housebroken, & has a debilitating physical problem, is there any chance you could invest in a sheet of 1/4" plywood, & either tip it against the house (or other), or set it across a couple of sawhorses or garbage cans, so she will have a place out of the rain?

[kahonza]

Dexter is 5 years old and we still have a problem with him peeing and pooping inside the house. He's a faker too. I am more persistent with him, however, his father doesn't make him do anything he doesn't want to do. <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm36.gif" border=0>
They can be sooooooo hardheaded.

[isobelsmom]

Hardheaded? The hubby or the dog? <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm5.gif" border=0>

mary

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by isobelsmom on October 06, 2000 at 08:29 PM</font>

[Penny's Aunt]

Six of one, half-dozen of the other!

[Jennifer]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Great idea about feeding her in her pee spots. I did that tonight.

Things are definately improving here. She has done her business 4 times outside in the past 2 days and has had no accidents in the house. Huge improvement. Since in the prior 2 weeks, she had not done her business outside, either submissive wetting on me or in the house.

I like the idea about building her a shelter in the rain. We're going to look into that. I've found a spot in the woods where the trees are so thick, that the ground doesn't get wet. So, I'll carry her there and then she will do her business there. But if that starts not working, then I"ll build her a shed.

We've also started giving her cheese whenver she goes and she is getting the idea. Before, we couldn't even reward her because she wouldn't do her stuff. Because of the heartworms, she is confined either in her crate or on a leash at my side (when I'm on the computer, eating, or watching TV), so she hasn't had the opportunity to go in the house because she is at my side at all moments. So that is helping a lot. We also got the Natures Mircle today and will clean her spots up tonight.

I think she is starting to understand what we want her to do. She's such a trooper with all that she's gone through in the past month.

[Penny's Aunt]

We have a tendency to think dogs are as smart as we are. (I'll exclude puppymillers & politicians in that, if you don't mind -- they're dumber than a toadstool.)

Here we have a new dog, in a totally new situation, with a serious physical problem, & she's still dealing with the fallout from her past owner(s), is trying to understand what you want so she can please you, & trying to show you she really likes this new home...

Whew! That's a LOT for a little doggy brain to deal with, isn't it? Every forward step should be praised with gusto.

Dealing with everything that she is, little Betty is doing just STUPENDOUSLY!

[Jennifer]

You have a really good point! It is really easy to think that they are as smart as us. When she did her business again outside this morning, both my hubby and I cheered for her, gave her lots of good girls, hugs and a chunk of cheese. Great advice about remembering all of the new things she is dealing with and to focus on all of the steps forward that she is making. It's so easy to get frustrated, not think of it from her perspective. Thanks again for the great advice.

[kkildow]

I have a dog named Grant. He will be a year old next month. He is driving me crazy! He poops and pees everywhere! Especially on my daughters bedding - which he has also chewed holes in. He chews anything he can get. I have bought chew bones and things, but he eats them completely. He has even chewed a hole in the door frame. I wish I knew what to do about him chewing things and how to make him stop using the restroom in the house. He doesn't even ask to go outside. Any ideas? I am ready to give him the boot, but my husband doesn't want him to stay outside because "he cries and might get sick."<IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm36.gif" border=0>

[dutchman]

kkildow,

Just a couple of quick suggestions for Grant. First off I would suggest you start tether training him. That is when ever he is out of his kennel and in the house he is physically tied to one of the family members with a leash so that he can not get into trouble without being observed. Also if you let him have the run of the house when everyone is gone that needs to stop immediately. Kennel training is not mean it keeps him safe and out of trouble. If you haven't already considered taking some basic obedience class I would also suggest that. The obedience classes are good for both the owner and the dog. Please don't just label him a problem dog and sentence him to a life outside. If you can't handle him it would be much kinder to consider giving him up to a rescue group. I hope that last statement didn't sound too harsh. I know having a problem child can be very frustrating. The whole family needs to make some adjustments and Grant's success depends on the whole family being consistent in his training. If you a take a obedience class the trainer should be willing to take some extra time making suggestions on how to work on all his home problems.

Good luck,

Tom and the boys (Frank and Tanner)

[Mark]

Hi kkildow . . . welcome to the board http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/wavey.gif

I think Tom said it very well! As far as the chewing goes, I have never (knock on wood) had that problem, but I know many of the members here swear by using a bitter apple spray on the things you don't want Grant to chew.

Good luck and please keep us posted,

Mark

[Jennifer]

kkildow,

Hi, I have experienced both of the problems that you are having (with two different dogs).

Potty issues - I second what Dutchman said about tethering your dog to you while in the house. We were having problems housetraining the 2 year old rescue dog we adopted and this worked like a charm. She now only has accidents when we mess up and let her out of our site. I reccommend giving your dog treat when he does go outside. Since he won't have the opportunity to go potty inside and he gets treats when he goes outside, he'll quickly make the connection. I also reccomend using Natures Miracle to take out the smell. Another trick that was suggested to me on this board was to feed the dog in their favorite pee spots. I did that and combined with all of the other things it worked. Housetraining can be frustrating, but it is up to you to teach the dog what you want him to do and then provide the consistent schedule.

Chewing - My border collie/ lab mix was a 60 lb 7 month old puppy living in an apartment and chewed up close to 1500 dollars worth of stuff (including chewing up my entire bed and a hand painted print from Hong Kong).

However, I quickly realized that it was my fault for having a herding dog in an apartment and for not crating training right from the start. Yes, it was very frustrating and everyone kept telling me to give the dog away, but I chose to adjust my life to match with the dog.

I worked with several trainers who told me that chewing is either caused by bordom or by separation anxiety. In Charlie's case, it was both separation anxiety and bordom. I arranged to work from home several days a week, hired a pet sitter to walk him in the afternoon when I wasn't there, and I stepped up his excercise to several hours a day. I also moved to a house with a yard for him to play in soon after. I basically made changes in my life so that my life would more match what my dog needed to be happy.

I also started crate training him and he was no longer left in the apartment unattended and had to be right by my side when I was home. I also sprayed Granny's Bitter Apple on all of his favorite chew items, like the chair legs, cable cord, and wooden windowsills.

Charlie has turned into an absolutely wonderful dog. Hasn't chewed a thing in over a 1 1/2 years. People always tell me that I lucked out getting such a wonderful dog and I just want to laugh cuz I worked very hard to help Charlie become a wonderful dog.

My advice would be to try to figure out why your dog is chewing, and then try to address the problem with the dogs enviroment that isn't working for him. I would also crate train him so that he doesn't have the opportunity to chew.

My point is that wonderful doggies don't just happen, they take alot of work, patience and love. Please don't give up on your doggie. It is going to take some time and committment to help your dog become the wonderful dog that he can be. However, the payoff in the end will be well worth it.

Jennifer