Housebreaking issues

[Gempress]

All right, Voodoo has decided it's acceptable to pee/poop in the dining room at night. And now Zeus has decided it's fine to pee on the front door when we're at work. I'm 100% sure it's a housebreaking issue, not anxiety, illness or anything like that.

I want to pull my hair out. I have no idea why both of my dogs decided to forget their training simultaneously.

Here's my question: is crating/containing both dogs for awhile really the solution to this problem? It stops the messing, yes. But once I let start letting them out again, will they just go right back at it?

I'm open to any ideas. Help!

[tobilove23]

i have a similiar problem to lol need some help to

[Brattina88]

Do you have an enzume pet cleaner to clean the messes? just wondering ;)


I would restrict them to one room and then gradually give them more room to roam when they are reliable with the space they have. When I was fostering I bought baby gates and garage sales and used them for everything! I had a dog who jumped them so I'd put two in one doorway, one on top of the other lol :p

[Gempress]

Do you have an enzume pet cleaner to clean the messes? just wondering ;)


I would restrict them to one room and then gradually give them more room to roam when they are reliable with the space they have. When I was fostering I bought baby gates and garage sales and used them for everything! I had a dog who jumped them so I'd put two in one doorway, one on top of the other lol :p

Yes, I have an enzyme cleaner. My problem is that my living/kitchen/dining area is a big open floor plan. One huge room with no doorways. I don't *have* anywhere to put a baby gate. :rolleyes:

[J's crew]

All right, Voodoo has decided it's acceptable to pee/poop in the dining room at night. And now Zeus has decided it's fine to pee on the front door when we're at work. I'm 100% sure it's a housebreaking issue, not anxiety, illness or anything like that.

I want to pull my hair out. I have no idea why both of my dogs decided to forget their training simultaneously.

Here's my question: is crating/containing both dogs for awhile really the solution to this problem? It stops the messing, yes. But once I let start letting them out again, will they just go right back at it?

I'm open to any ideas. Help!

Do you think it's a dominance issue between the boys? Have you noticed any other subtle changes in behavior? Changed their situation around at all so one feels the need to mark?

I am just getting over a similar issue. I have started bringing in my neighbors dog and while my boys are getting along fine with him it started a little tension between my dogs. With me it was always happening at night so I started having all the dogs sleep in my room with the door closed. After awhile I left the door open but started laying objects over the spots where they were marking that had my scent. A pair of shorts or something I wore around the house or something. I have not had one more incident. Now I am one by one removing the shorts or whatever and all is good so far. Kind of a strange techinque, but hey whatever works. :D

I just don't think dogs suddenly forget housetraining. Could there be an underlying issue that you can think of?

[lizzybeth727]

It could be, too, that one dog had an accident, maybe he wasn't feeling well or something. Then the other dog saw that that was an option (pottying in the house), so he did it as well. Then the other dog, even when he was feeling better, learned too that it's an option, and then you have a major regression. It does happen.

If they're always pottying in the same spot, you can try feeding them in that spot.

I agree about restricting their space for a time, then gradually giving them more space. You could also do this by giving them freedom for short periods of time, and then gradually lengthen them - so like, if you're just going out for an hour or so, leave them out then, but if you're going to be out for the whole day, then they need to be in crates. Once you're confident they'll be ok for an hour, you can try giving them two or three, and just gradually lengthen the time.

[Gempress]

It could be, too, that one dog had an accident, maybe he wasn't feeling well or something. Then the other dog saw that that was an option (pottying in the house), so he did it as well. Then the other dog, even when he was feeling better, learned too that it's an option, and then you have a major regression. It does happen.

That's exactly what happened. Voodoo was sick for two days, and made messes inside. Then he decided it was okay to do, so kept it up. Zeus followes his cue.

I'll keep up the retraining, and slowly give them space. Thanks for the advice, all!

[time]

You gave the new one to much freedom to quickly. The other didn't become untrained he was never trained for the second dog in the first place and now is marking. Again to much freedom. Crate training works very well their den animals they don't want to potti where they sleep. You have to take these animals out more pro actively than you've been.

[Gempress]

You gave the new one to much freedom to quickly. The other didn't become untrained he was never trained for the second dog in the first place and now is marking. Again to much freedom. Crate training works very well their den animals they don't want to potti where they sleep. You have to take these animals out more pro actively than you've been.

Thanks for the advice. But both dogs have lived together and been perfectly housebroken for years. This is a new development.

[time]

Sorry I missed that. The solution is still the same. Start over. The crate will help you if time management is a problem. They can sit idle without making any more mistakes thereby not getting any better at being "bad." It's not the crate that will train them however, it's you taking them out more often while not giving them so much overall freedom.If they are out with you in the house and know down stay you can keep them from going that way as well. You have to pay attention to them so as to be the one to release them and take them directly out side to potti.

[milos_mommy]

I think crating will help. Definately. Just kind of "start over". Take them out regularly and crate them when you can't.

[Hillside]

Django was having issues with going in one area of our house. We started feeding him there sometimes and presto, no more problem.

[Sch3Dana]

Django was having issues with going in one area of our house. We started feeding him there sometimes and presto, no more problem.

That is great advice! It often works and it is so easy.

If it doesn't work, this is a situation where I would add correction to the housebreaking program. In situations like this, I am a big fan of letting them sleep in a crate and getting up in the morning but not taking them out. Give them the opportunity to make the mistake so you can catch them and correct them (ideally with something they will not connect to you, like a shaker can tossed into their proximity while they are starting the accident). If they do not want to make an accident, they will need to tell you they need to go out, either by scratching at a door, whining, barking, pacing, etc. If you notice any of these signs, praise and let them out.

You will need to work with one dog at a time, giving you a few sessions per dog, per week. I would think in a month you'll see some progress.

[lizzybeth727]

In situations like this, I am a big fan of letting them sleep in a crate and getting up in the morning but not taking them out. Give them the opportunity to make the mistake so you can catch them and correct them (ideally with something they will not connect to you, like a shaker can tossed into their proximity while they are starting the accident).
Oh dear, I do not agree with this method! Dogs don't want to "go" in their crates. Just like you don't want to go in your bed. So if you were to wait for them to go, they're having to hold it and hold it, which puts a lot of mental stress on them. Plus they will loose a lot of trust in you. They will hold it until they absolutely, physically, cannot hold it any longer. Imagine the last time you had to pee really bad - you know, so bad you HAVE to find a bathroom NOW, and you're not even sure you can walk that far. Now imagine if you had to wait 5 or even 10 more minutes, until it's literally either you pee in your pants or your bladder will burst. Then, after all that stress of having to hold it and not knowing if you'll be able to get to the bathroom in time, when you do decide you MUST go, you go and get a shaker can thrown at you??? I do believe that shaker cans help in a lot of situations, I'm not against them completely, but I think this situation is just far too stressful to put a dog in. ESPECIALLY when you can use management to fix the situation just fine.

[OutlineACDs]

Lizzy, I think she meant letting the dog out of the crate and waiting a few minutes to see if he does to the place hes been peeing in the house. If he does, and attempts to pee, you would correct, if he goes to the door and asks to go out, praise and reward and let him out to pee.

[lizzybeth727]

Oh, I guess I misunderstood - "not letting them out" means let them out of the crate but not outside?

I apologize, it's not as bad a method as I thought, but I still think it could be very detrimental to some dogs.

[RedyreRottweilers]

Personally I would not set my dog or puppy up to be unsuccessful.

I would concentrate on having the dog outside when it needs to eliminate and giving high value memorable rewards for doing so.

JMO of course.

[milos_mommy]

Gemp, how's this going?

[Gempress]

It's actually going great. We maneuvered Zeus' water bowl to the area he pees at, and voila! Problem fixed.

Voodoo is still crated at night, although he's left alone for short periods and is fine with it. I have a feeling he'll be just fine in a few weeks at most. Thanks for the advice, all.

[lizzybeth727]

YAY! I'm so glad they're doing better!

[noludoru]

I'm glad you guys bumped this thread... I've been having some minor housebreaking issues, too (due to a very, very upset tummy) and if they continue once he's feeling better I now know how I'll fix them again. :D

[2dogmom]

"Correcting" while the dog is in the act of eliminating in the wrong place is never a good idea. All you end up with is a dog who is afraid to pee or poo in front of you when he/she is in the "right" place. Instead of doing what they're supposed to outside, they do it where you can't see so they don't risk getting punished.

[Gempress]

I just wanted to give everybody an update. The housebreaking issues have been cured! With Zeus, I just put the water bowl in his elimination spot, and the problem was solved.

Voodoo was a bit tougher. His potty area was a large chunk of my kitchen/dining room, and just moving a food bowl wouldn't fix it. Moving his gigantic crate to that area was also out of the question. Instead, I used the old queen-sized comforter he sleeps on in his crate. I spread it out right in the middle of the area. He got the idea.

Thanks for the help, all!

[lizzybeth727]

Yay! Glad you were able to fix it!

[Hillside]

"Correcting" while the dog is in the act of eliminating in the wrong place is never a good idea. All you end up with is a dog who is afraid to pee or poo in front of you when he/she is in the "right" place. Instead of doing what they're supposed to outside, they do it where you can't see so they don't risk getting punished.

Unless you hustle them out the door, on lead and wait them out, then throw a huge party when they do succeed in going in the right spot. It also depends on how you correct. If your correction is a "uh uh" when they start giving cues that they are going to go, that is quite a bit different than whooping their butt while they are going.


Saga was starting to go in a couple different spots in the house, we started feeding her there and NOW when you have her full food bowl in your hand she will dance to either of those spots waiting to be fed.:rofl1:

[2dogmom]

I just wanted to give everybody an update. The housebreaking issues have been cured! With Zeus, I just put the water bowl in his elimination spot, and the problem was solved.

Voodoo was a bit tougher. His potty area was a large chunk of my kitchen/dining room, and just moving a food bowl wouldn't fix it. Moving his gigantic crate to that area was also out of the question. Instead, I used the old queen-sized comforter he sleeps on in his crate. I spread it out right in the middle of the area. He got the idea.

Thanks for the help, all!
Glad to hear it got fixed. The water bowl trick is brill!