dachshund was almost trained - now seems hopeless

Hi all...

We have a 9 month old mini short haired dachshund See our introduction post with Pictures here.

We started house training him immediately after getting him. We even got him to the point of shaking a ribbon hanging from the door with bells on it to let us know he wanted to go outside.... Then near the end of March, my mom went in the hospital for 2 months due to complications with a knee replacement surgery, where the entire family spent most of their time - even nights. During that time, our dog Stogie, was left home alone - usually in the kitchen with linoleum floors and a childs gate at the entrance with plenty of food and water and papers down... and a few times he was accidently left roaming the house freely.

well, now that life is getting back to normal, and we're spending more leisure time at home and with him, the house training we did earlier seems has all gone to waste... Stogie has pretty much reserved his "#2" time for the upstairs... give/take in a certain/specific area of the upstairs... I'm sure he goes "#1" in the house too but the carpet up there is black and unless we catch him doing it, we're not "seeing" it like you would on a lighter color carpet.

we've been trying all kinds of solutions & training techniques (all wrong obviously)... I've even went as far as picking up the #2 from inside the house, and taking it outside in a corner of the yard where I would like him to eliminate regularly and left it out there so his scent would be there... The result of that is now he pretty much avoids that area of the yard entirely!

He eats dry food in the morning, and we usually give him a mixture of can/dry food in the evenings. He's small about 8.5lbs and doesnt eat much... after meals we're doing our best to keep an eye on him, keep him in his kenel cage or near us on a leash... he'll go outside for #1, roam around doing nothing for a while, come back inside and go upstairs to poop

He has no obedience training - and honestly he's probably trained US more than we've trained HIM. He does NOTHING on command.. like sit, come, stay, etc.. He comes to you, but mainly because he wants to always be on you - not because you want him to come to you.

Stogie is convinced he's a human - I'm sure of it. He doesn't like to be on the floor, he sits on the couch. In the kitchen, if there is a table chair open - he's in it. If we lock him up in the kitchen (using a childs gate at the entrance of the kitchen) for whatever reason, he'll nap on the cloth kitchen chairs more often then his kenel with his fluffy pillows in it.

Like a child, he suffers from seperation anxiety... he hates to be left alone, he hates when we leave, he hates to be "away" from us - even when we watch TV in the house... he likes to lay in my lap, or my wife's lap... Its cute most of the time- but like any child/parent relationship - there are times we want ALONE time away from him...

But the main question at hand is: Have we missed the windows to properly house break this dog? He know's when he's done bad - if I find #2 upstairs and scream his name - he runs and hides... usually behind my wife. I've tried rubbing his nose near it, yelling in a mean voice... When he goes outside - we praise him like there's no tomorrow... treats, vocal praise, petting him, etc...

We both hate to leave him in the Kenel for extended periods, and if we're home at the time - he cry's in there like he's being beaten to death.

WHAT DO WE DO?

To me it sounds like you are spoiling him.

Dont scream at him, totally ignore the fact that he's messed up.

You need to go back to the beginning with his house training. Im sure Red will answer she has a GREAT house training tecnique.

Emma cry's to in her kennel. I ignore her. She is let out when she behaves in other words the longer you whine the longer your in the kennel for. If you go to him while he is whining then he learns that if he wines he gets let out.

Get him into obediance training. It is a MUST with ANY dog.

He needs to learn it's OK if you leave, and that you are comming back. Start in slow steps. Leave for 2 min then come back. Do that a bit and slowly work your way up so he does know that you WILL come back

First of all his running and hiding just means he knows he's in trouble or there's something scary out there. It doesn't mean he knows WHY or WHAT he's done wrong. Rubbing his face in it and all those other old school methods teach them it's wrong to elimante. Period. Not it's wrong to eliminate in the house which is what you want.

Start over. What method did you use to teach him before? Go back to it. Right to square one and start over.

So, no, it's not to late to teach him. You just need some patience and time.

There are some really good posts on this forum on housetraining that you might want to look up.

Back to square one.

Use baby gates to keep this dog OUT of your upstairs area.

STOP feeling sorry for him when he's in his crate. Use a leash to tie him to your belt, or baby gates to keep him in the same room with you when you are at home.

Here is my tried and true method for teaching a dog to eliminate outdoors.

Good luck!

House Training

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 applied these techniques carefully for 4 weeks and you are still finding spots or piles after the fact, it's time for stronger measures. Roll up a newspaper and fasten both ends with a rubber band. Keep it handy. The very next time you find a spot of a pile that the dog has left behind, whip out that newspaper, and hit YOURSELF over the head firmly several times as you repeat "I FORGOT TO WATCH MY PUPPY".

Works every time.

Hi. Its not to late to potty train him. If he was my dog I would not let him out of my site. I would go back to training as if he were a tiny pup.rubbing his nose and screaming wont help, just scare him.

I'm a stay at home dad, and basically what we did in the beginning was take him out CONSTANTLY. He was going out 10+ times a day. Ideally I'd like to be able to take him out every few hours instead of every few minutes.

Thats what we did in the beginning, took him out ALL the time. He's good in his kenel at night... We also find he sleeps later in the kenel, than when we left him out of it. everyone tells me to use crate training... which from what I understand is pretty much keeping him in the crate (kenel) unless he's on you, eating or outside.....? This seems cruel to me. I agree, he's absolutely spoiled. He's my wife's and I other child... "the baby" so to speak, and you're right - we treat him like it.

By spoiling your puppy now you are creating issues with him that will be lifelong problems.

Dogs are not children, even tho we may love them as such. They do not think like children, and they cannot be taught like children most of the time.

You must learn to speak your DOG's language.

Please do a little research on pack behavior, dominance in dogs, and how to be the ALPHA.

What YOU are doing is crueler in the long run because your dog will have lifelong issues if you don't start, literally, treating him like a dog....

the crate is just for housebreaking. Read Redyre's post. He can be with you but keep an eye on him. Tie a leash around your waste so he doesn't sneak off to eliminate.

What about night time pottying? At 9 months old is their dog "old enough" to hold it for 6-8 hours (if necessary)?...assuming the doxie gets back to going outside during the day.

He goes in his crate/kenel at bedtime - and doesn't mess up in the crate ever. He holds it. That one of the reasons I'd like to be able to take him out every few hours instead of 3+ times an hour. He obviously is capable of holding it at night - wouldn't he be capable of holding it during the day too?

My main issue with him right now, he seems to prefer to #2 upstairs rather than outside PERIOD. He'll go outside, pee... wonder around a while - play with the grass - sniff around... come back inside and boom, I'll find poop upstairs!!!

You have to watch him, dont give him run of the house. If your finding poop then your not watching him at all times.

If you use red's mothod it will work

Don't give up! Red's method is great, if you stick to it diligently, you should have a housetrained dog fairly soon. However, and as one other member posted the other day, it takes a dog something like 28 repitions to learn a behavior and 136 repitions to unlearn a behavior, plus another 136 to relearn the proper behavior. CONSISTANCY IS KEY.

Also, he's going through the "teenage" stage, where it seems he has forgotten everything ever taught to him. Dauchshunds are very, very stubborn dogs. You are going to have to find a class that recognizes that in order to get them trained, they have to think that everything is their idea.

I'd like to add to Redyre's post...

Spend time with your dog upstairs in the areas he uses to eliminate. Sometimes dogs realize they aren't supposed to eliminate in your space and look for places you don't use. Make sure he spends time with you in every part of the house.

Also, if he doesn't poop when outdoors and you know he's due, put him back in the kennel when you go inside. Wait 10-15 minutes, then give him another chance. Repeat until his body forces him to do what you want, then PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE!!! Only let him out of the kennel after he's emptied, or when you know he's safe. Keep him tied to your waist anytime he's in the house and out of his kennel.

Beth

Beth

We started back on Red's method again today. My wife took him out this morning, while he pee'd she repeats GOOD BOY, GO PEE PEE OUTSIDE... As per the advice given here, she took a treat out with her and immediately gave it to him after he was done.

We have to get the treats BEFORE we get him, or else he see's the jar or hears the bag crumble and he knows that means good stuff.. and if he knows you've got a treat on you - he'll just sniff around you, your hands or pockets and not go for a walk.

Anyway: I took him out this afternoon where he did nothing at all.... when we came back in the house, my daughter got him- I told her to keep him next to her, when she was finished playing with him to put him up (I meant in the kenel) she of course, put him in the kitchen with the baby gate.... where he was for what she claims was just a minute or two... I came down to put him in the kenel, and he poop'd in the kitchen! After that, I got pretty upset with my daughter and explained to her he needs to be IN THE KENEL or NEXT TO HER (us) and never left alone. So I guess tomorrow is another day.

At this point I'm not only trying to train my dog, but also my 3 kids to follow ALL the rules - and I sure can't get my kids to listen - lets hope I have better luck with the dog

BTW: Thank you all so much for the kind friendly advice given here... I appreciate it...

My goal is to get this dog house broken, and obedient to commands. Right now- I'll settle for house broken!

I hate hearing DOT-SUNS (as my kids call 'em) are stubborn... I've only had a few dogs as an adult, and he is by far the smartest I've had. We had a Dalmation some one gave us, kept him for about a week - he was big and dumb. CAUSED LOTS OF DAMAGE. Dug massive holes in the back yard, scratch my back door like a chain saw... he didn't last.
We had a Beagle mutt of some kind that we found, he was a stray... but was aggressive so we couldn't keep him the kids were way too small at the time.
And we bought a Pomeranian (sp?) from a breeder... kept him for almost 2 years - that was a dumb dog. Barked ALL NITE.. ALL DAY.. never got him trained, never got him calm. At the advice of other pet owners in the area - he needed to be around other dogs, so I gave him to a friend of my dads with 3 other dogs... He still has him today- and he never changed.

The guy who got him from us (the pom I mean) almost had to leave his apartment because the dog would bark all day long while the man was at work. He finally put the dog on some kind of anti-depressant (doggie ridilyn).

I agree with everything stated above in previous posts. I've used Redyre's method on all of my dogs and its excellent. With this method (as puppies) it took most of them between 2-4 weeks to be fully housebroken. I've had Dachshunds and currently have one, she is not 100% house broken and I doubt she ever will be. We've used the same method with her and she does well with it unless it rains or something, that's when she messes in the house. So, on rainy days she spends most of her time in a kennel or attached to someone. Dachshunds are extremely intelligent dogs, but they are known for being relatively difficult to house break. It's not impossible though. Good luck with yours!

They can be stuborn. Stuborn does NOT mean dumb. I have a beagle who is incredably smart. Does tricks and is training in Agility and will be ready to trial in Aug. Is she Dumb? NO! Is she Stuborn? Yes, of course she is.

The Dal needed training! He also sounds like he was bored. You need to stimulate his mind. Also Dals were origionaly bred o run be side fire wagons for miles at a time. Dals need ALOT of work and runs. They are not just your walk around the block kind of dog.

I cant see a beagle bein agressive. I guess it depends on how it was treated before you got it and what it was crossed with.

Poms can be barkers. But YOU need to teach the dog what is acceptable and what isnt. They learn they are not alowed to bark. Drugging the dog isnt the answer (I know it wasnt you that did it, im just saying this) the dog needed training. There are so many ways to train a dog. Some workf for one dog, and others work for another dog. There are NO dumb dogs out there, they just need their people to listen to what they are telling them. If one trainnig method isnt working you need to try another one untill you find one that does work.

I have a beagle. Does she howl and bark? Rarely. Why? Because she knows it's not allowed. She also knows the "quiet" command.


Good luck with the potty training and please keep us updated.

Update on Stogie. *Sorry for the length of this reply but please read on, I need you guys to read this*

Well, we've been at Reds method for about a week/10 days now. We were on a good track and schedule I thought. Stogie was peeing outside regularly again (like before) - and even going poop outside which made mom and me very happy!!!
My family feels badly leaving him in the crate so much - we're not used to it, and neither is he. But its hard to watch him ALL THE TIME while out of the crate and I'm trying to following the advice here since obviously our own methods were not working.... So, like I said, we were doing good up until the last 2 days which have been bad for some reason? not sure what changed. But I'll start from the beginning.

For the first 2 days of Reds method with stogie having pretty much constant crate time, Stogie did NOT poop at all, not inside or outside... He held his poop for almost 48 hours! Out of the crate time consisted of taking him out to eat, taking him for walks outside in the yard regularly, either laying on mom or dad or going back into the kenel. He was Peeing outside just fine, but no poop. Then somewhere on the 2nd day, my son took him upstairs ON THE LEASH, where he IMMEDIATELY poop'd. We yelled a little, no no no... picked him up to finish outside, praised him outside, gave him a treat, etc... Continuing on with the program, he was out of the crate only for eating, and very supervised play time with us where we could see if any accidents were happening. He was peeing outside and more importantly pooping outside for the first time in who know hows long. (months). As stated previously, he would always pee outside, but poop outside was another matter.

Now, I've explained to my 3 kids (18, 13 and 11) the dog is either to be closely supervised or in the crate. PERIOD. no exceptions. Yesterday, while the kids were eating in the kitchen, he was loose in the kitchen with the baby gate up. So he was in the kitchen with them, he peed and poop'd in the kitchen WITH THEM! they of course didn't catch it, my wife did later in the evening. (I never walked in the kitchen, or I'm sure I would have seen it too). Anyway: We ignored the mistake completely, as per the advice here... and continued on our day with him.

Today's incident DETAILED: He went out this morning after all nite in the crate. He peed, she praised him, gave him his treat came back inside where my wife fed him breakfast which is dry purina beneful only. (evening/dinner meals are usually the dry beneful mixed with some can nutro max, alpo, little ceasar - something like that). she waited 20 minutes or so, again he went outside for a walk where he explored around only - no eliminating at all (no pee, no poop). She had to go, so she put him back into the crate. About 12pm I got back, took him outside for a walk, where again he explored only - no eliminating at all again. We came back in, he very lightly nibbled on some of the dry food she didn't pick up before she left and he drank some water. I put him back in the crate as I had some things to do and couldn't watch him.... About 2:15pm - 2:30pm my son took him for a walk, no eliminating at all - no pee, no poop... at this point he'd been in the crate all day and it was time for some supervised family time with us- so while he was on his retractable leash, we tied him to the coffee table in the living room where my son, my daughter and myself were all there talking listening to the radio... he's jumping around, being his normal self... then suddenly he stops and starts to poop on the living room IN FRONT OF ME. I immediately clapped my hands loudly, yelled NO STOGIE! NO! Bad boy go Ka-Ka in the house!, picked him up took him outside to finish, which he DID NOT do, I guess he finished in the house....... when we came back in and he went back into the crate.

I'm not sure what happend in the last 2 days... but we went from 6+ days of NO MISTAKES to now back to back mistakes on back to back days.

For the record, he's going outside for a walk at least every 2 hours, except during sleep time. The program seemed to be working, and maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but it seems to me he doens't fulling understand yet OUTSIDE good, INSIDE bad. Are we doing wrong here? or just getting to anxious?

Thanks for your replies.

When training Gracie, I would take her out on the leash every morning as soon as we got up. I'd let her pick her spot and tell her to go pee or go poop (sorry, but I figured they needed the phonix with the word so they could associate). Every time she would do whichever, I would cheer her on and reinforce her every time. It worked really well for me.