Question About Housetraining vs. Housebreaking

[chibul]

Our Oliver (4 1/2 months, Husky/German Shephard mix) was nearly housebroken until about three weeks ago - now he refuses to go outside just about at all. In the last week he's peed outside three times and pooped once, total. It's becoming a nightmare for us - he'll be running in circles because he has to poop, we'll take him outside, he won't poop, but as soon as he comes back in, he poops. We've been with him outside for up to an hour in situations like this. We're seriously considering housetraining him, and getting a box or something for him to go in, because we're at our wits in. Basically I'm trying to find out the pros and cons of each, if this is something we can do, and if there's any advice anyone has for the bad luck we're having with training him outside.

There was a spray that I wanted to buy that you're supposed to spray in a spot indoors or outdoors that's supposed to help them go, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not.

Advice anyone?

 

[Doberluv]

I wouldn't personally want to deal with that size of a dog's poop in the house and the dog may end up going in other places inside anyhow. When you visit someone, what will he do in their house? What if you take him on a trip with you? Wouldn't it be easier to stop along side a road somewhere and let him go if he needs to instead of carting around a litter box?

You can do this. Watch him like a hawk inside and when you can't, confine him in his crate. (if you've been using one) Take him out often, walk him around and when he does poop, use a command, "go poo poo" or whatever. A little exercise helps. If you think he might have to go, but is holding it, put a cardboard match stick half way up his anus. This stimulates him to go if he has bowel contents. Praise him like crazy when he goes.

Nature's Miracle is suppose to clean up the smell very well. You can get it, apparently at Pet Smart.

You'll just have to really watch him inside literally every second and prevent those accidents because the more he has, the more reinforced that behavior will get. You can tether him to you with a leash so he can't go without your noticing it. Rush him out the second he starts to show signs. If he starts sniffing the floor, looking behind furniture, turning in circles, those are some of the signs that he needs to go. Try not to get to that point by taking him out very often....every 45 -60 minutes or so and walk him for 10 minutes first. See if that helps. He shouldn't have to poop that often, but he might pee. After a play session, a nap, 20 minutes or so after eating, drinking, take him out.

4-1/2 months old isn't very old and it's not unusual at all that he isn't getting it yet. 6 months is about average. My Doberman wasn't reliable until he was about 9 or 10 months old. I've had dogs who caught on very, very early. But your pup is not at all unusual.

Keep at it. He'll get it eventually. But prevent those accidents. It's not his fault. Maybe he senses your nervousness and can't go. Try to relax and have a nice little stroll outside when you take him. Make his time pleasant and don't forget treats and praise when he DOES go. Good luck.

 

[niechy]

We are kind of having the same problem w/our new beagle pup Bruiser. He holds it really well for a 2mth old in his crate. As soon as we let him out of his crate we take him out and he will go. however as the night goes on and he is not crated things seem to go south. We watch him like a hawk the problem comes in the fact that he is a hound his nose is always to the ground. He does go to the door about half of the time that he has to go which is great but half of the time he just wants out. Last night we kept taking him out because we can't tell if he needs to go or not and don't want to ignor that but we spent a total of 4hours outside with him (in spurts) and as soon as we took him in he went 3 times in 15 minutes. He just would not go outside. We know he is tiny and is learning but why as the night goes on does he start to refuse to go outside? We are sure we must be doing something wrong, we just are not sure what.

 

[femke]

Penny caught on pretty quickly with housebreaking but she also had her moments when for no reason at all she would pee inside (never poo tho just pee) She could have just been outside and done her thing but then inside she'd do it again. It was very unpredictable and hard for me to tell when she was gonna do it coz it didn't happen very often.

At night we ALWAYS kept her in her crate the entire night, and when she was very little get up once during the night to take her out. Both your dogs are still fairly young and just keep an eye on them and keep at it. Keep training them to go outside and when they do make sure you give them treats and praise them lots for doing it. that's what with did with Penny and she's been fine for weeks now. and like was said try to prevent the accidents by keeping a constant eye on them, coz I found with penny that once she had a couple of accidents inside she got worse