At my wits end!

U

Urban Sidhe

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My pup Pandora is great about 90% of the time. She almost 5 months old. She knows several commands like sit, down, shake, stay, sit pretty ect. She is very easy to train. Now there's that 10%. I know puppies bite and chew but potty training her has been a nightmare. 15 minutes ago she jumped on my bed and peed right in the middle of it... IN FRONT OF ME! I was in the bathroom at the time and couldn't get up fast enough to stop her. This is the last straw! I've been ok with the three or four accidents a week on the carpet but if she now has it in her head she can pee any where in the house then we have a real issue. She's only peed the bed once before and that was when she was a tiny puppy and couldn't get down.

I have done everything to teach her that we go outside to potty. Training pads are only chew toys to her and just end up getting cotton everywhere. I treat her when she pees outside. I have taught her to scratch on the door when we go outside (she has done it once by herself and we immediately went outside). I watch her when we are in the house but she just isn't getting the whole "outside" concept. It's really difficult to get her outside right when she pees because I live in a 2nd story apartment and by the time I catch her and get her leash on she doesn't need to pee anymore. She does have a preferred spot outside. I take her out several times a day. I was about to take her right when she peed on the bed.

She is crate trained and that helps a whole lot. I'm a college student so I have odd hours so when I'm home I don't like her in her crate. But what can I do to make going outside a very important concept to her?
 
*blackrose

*blackrose

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I'll just share what worked with me and housebreaking Chloe.

She was a nightmare to housebreak. She had a GREAT kenneling instinct and wouldn't go to the bathroom when confined, but if she was given run of the house? Oy vey. She would pee somewhere every stinking fifteen minutes. She would go outside and potty, sure, but she didn't understand that she couldn't go in the house and she had no qualms about just randomly squatting and urinating.

So we confined her to a small portion of the house (back hallway/laundry room) and only had her out in the main portion if she had our full attention. It wasn't until she was around ten months old that we started giving her limited access to more room. We would gradually increase the amount of time she was in the "big space" and also gradually increased how big the "big space" was (baby gates are a wonderful thing). She FINALLY grasped the concept that house=living area, not potty area.

I'm told that tethering the dog to you, perhaps instead of confining, also works.
 
U

Urban Sidhe

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Thank you for your advice.

Pan had been kept in a small 6x3 area for the first several months I owned her. She had no problem peeing in her little area. In fact, she'd pee in her crate so she could have free run of the rest of the area. Then she got a bladder infection so the whole run was free game. She actually got a lot better when I let her have more free space and kept her in just her crate when I can't watch her.

I keep her with me when she's out. I live in a little 700 sq ft apartment so it's not like she has a lot of places to hide. She doesn't bother hiding half the time. She usually pees right in front of me. There is also not too many places I can put up a baby gate (kitchen and my room). We mostly hang out in the living room/office. For some reason she won't go into the kitchen unless I or the cat is in there.

I'll be honest though... I don't like the thought of tethering her to me. She's 15 lbs. and LOVES the cat. The cat who enjoys randomly running across the apartment with the dog right behind him. I imagine I'd be pulled out of my chair if not paying attention.

I should mention that she's a Dachsador. Half lab, half dachshund... Smart but stubborn.
 
Brattina88

Brattina88

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Are you sure the bladder infection is 100% cleared up?? That could be why she's having so many accidents. That's rough.

To be honest, you're kind of contradicting yourself saying that she is crate trained (in the OP) and then saying that she'd willingly pee in her crate (in your second post). And also that she stays with you when she's out... but obviously not when you were in the bathroom and she on the bed (peeing) :confused:

Sounds to me like the pup is getting too much freedom, and is learning that it is okay to go in the house. ;) You've been ok with the three or four accidents a week on the carpet?? How is she to know the difference? I'm confused ;) lol

The easiest way to housetrain is to be really proactive, and set the dog up for success. And reward like crazy when you catch her doing something right! :D

RedyreRottweilers said:
House Training
Copyright 2004 R L Pless, all rights reserved.
Free for use by anyone as long as author credit remains intact.


House training your dog is simple if you follow a few basic rules.


1) The puppy must have NO time unsupervised in your home. NONE.
If you are not directly watching the puppy, it should be in the crate, or outside in a safe area. You MUST watch the puppy at ALL times when loose in the house. Use baby gates, crates, or tie the leash to your belt.
2) The puppy should sleep inside the crate by your bedside. This way you can hear if the puppy should happen to need to go out during the night.
3) You must go WITH the puppy outside for ALL trips for elimination. You must have treats with you. When the puppy is urinating, say "GO PEE PEE" in a nice praise tone of voice the entire time. When she is finished, pop the treat into her mouth at once, and praise praise praise. This should be something she gets at no other time, like tiny pieces of string cheese or boiled chicken. Same for defecation. Say "GO POOP" while she is going, and food reward and praise afterwards. You must observe and reward ALL outdoor potty time.
4) Keep a schedule. Feed at the same time, and walk outside at the same times. Your pup needs at least 4 trips outdoors each day, and 5 is probably better. Pup needs to go out at wake up time, lunch time, 4-5 PM, after dinner or any other meals, and before bed.
5) Use a key word each time you go out. I say "Let's go out!!" in a happy tone of voice each time I'm opening the door to go out with the dog.
6) If you catch the puppy IN THE ACT of eliminating in your house, CLAP YOUR HANDS, say AH AH, OUTSIDE!! And immediately rush her outside. If she finishes there, do your usual food reward and praise.


The keys to getting your dog reliably housetrained are:


SUPERVISION: NO loose time in the house if you are not watching


REWARDS: ALL outdoor elimination MUST be observed and rewarded. If you only do this ONE thing, your puppy will get housetrained.


PATIENCE: Anger and punishment have no place in dog training. Elimination is a natural and pleasurable experience for your dog. You can teach her to not soil your house, but punishment will NOT help. It will only teach the dog to hide when she needs to eliminate.

If you have RELIGIOUSLY followed these instruction for 4 weeks and you are still finding spots after the fact in your home, it's time to take stronger action. Take a good sized newspaper, roll it up tightly, and band it on both ends. Keep it handy.

The very NEXT time you find a spot that puppy has left, yank out that paper, and hit YOURSELF over the head several times as you repeat: I FORGOT TO WATCH MY PUPPY.

Works every time.

;)
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
:D
 
lizzybeth727

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Thanks for posting that, Brattina, pretty much sums it all up, huh?

To the OP: The only suggestion I can add to what's been posted is that when you see your puppy about to potty in the house, don't spend the time to get her on leash before you run her out your second story apartment. Instead, keep your leash right beside the door; if you see her about to have an accident, scoop her up and carry her out to her potty spot outside, putting her leash on as you go. Take advantage of her being only 15 pounds while you can, she's might get too big to carry and you want to make sure she's potty trained by then!

I lived on second- and third-floor apartments for four years with my chihuahua, and I know how difficult it is to have to go up and down all those stairs so many times a day. But it definately can be done!
 
U

Urban Sidhe

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#1: I was getting her used to the crate as she had never been in one. So the crate was in her closed in area with the door off. She would pee in the crate then sleep outside of it. She hasn't peed in her crate since I took down the gate and put her in just her crate. So yeah, I'd say she's crate trained.

#2 My bathroom is right in my room in front of my bed. I had to pee so I took her with me. She pushed the door open, jumped on the bed and immediately peed on it. She has never done that before.

#3 Yes, the infection is all cleared up. She's actually back on the same medication for a separate issue.

As I said she pees in front of me, she's never unsupervised. She doesn't hide it. When I get up to stop her she takes off. It's not a big apartment but she's fast and I have a hard time catching her without making a lot of noise. Her leash stays on the bar next to the door.

I was ok with the 3-4 times a week because it was a lot better than the 5-6 times a day when she had her infection. Which is probably when she learned it was ok to go in the house. Most websites say to not even scold your puppy, which was what I was doing, to just clean it up and not say anything. Probably not the best training choice but that was the information I had.

I am following everything on that list (even the special treats part) and I am still having issues. I will try to take her out when I catch her.

As a side note though. We have these issues when she's playing with the cat. She pushed the door open to get the cat and was attempting to trap him... Could this be excitable or submissive pee?
 
corgipower

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What's her daily routine?

Try to get as consistent a routine as possible and take her out as often as possible - every 30 minutes to an hour for now. Try to anticipate when she'll need to potty and get her outside before she has an accident. Also take her out as soon as she wakes up, before and after play time, and after she eats or drinks. Pick up her food and water a few hours before leaving or going to bed and take her out to potty at least twice in afterward.

Also, make sure previous accidents are thoroughly cleaned up. Most cleaners mask the odor so we don't smell it but they still can. Use a black light to check for any residual urine.
 
U

Urban Sidhe

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Unfortunately due to my schedule for school it's hard to keep a perfect schedule. But it's mostly

8:30 morning bathroom
9:00 breakfast. back in crate when she's done
10:30 after breakfast bathroom
3:00 mid day bathroom
4:30 dinner
5:30 after dinner bathroom
10:00 pee break
12:00 pee break
12:30 bedtime

I have special pet cleaners I use. She never pees in the same spots...
 
Brattina88

Brattina88

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You're doing good :) I think if you tweak a couple things you'll be all set... I definitely agree with the above posters ... ;)

she's a baby... she needs to be getting out a little bit more than she already is ;)

for example

8:30 morning bathroom
9:00 breakfast. back in crate when she's done
9:20 or 9:30 back outside. If she doesn't go, back in the crate and wait another 10-15mins, and then back outside!
10:30 bathroom
can we squeeze another bathroom break in here? or is this while your at school?
3:00 mid day bathroom
4:30 dinner
5:00 after dinner bathroom (same as with breakfast)
6:00pee break
7:00pee break
8:00pee break
9:00pee break
10:00 pee break
12:00 pee break
12:30 bedtime

;) ;)

Tethering her would 100% prevent her from running from you, and you not being able to catch her. :) We really want to set her up for success to un-learn going to the bathroom inside is okay. The bladder infection is neither one of your faults ;) but I agree with Lizzy, take advantage of her being little and being able to rush her down the stairs.

The trick for you (in addition to everything posted above, and what you're already doing) would probably be to watch her really closely for cues that she may have to go. Slowing down, circling, sniffing the carpet, etc...


Urban Sidhe said:
As I said she pees in front of me, she's never unsupervised. She doesn't hide it. When I get up to stop her she takes off. It's not a big apartment but she's fast and I have a hard time catching her without making a lot of noise. Her leash stays on the bar next to the door.
Click to expand...
I personally think if you were scolding her, she would be hiding and doing it, which would make it harder for you to catch her (and harder for you to clean up, probably).
 
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