What to do when you find a pile of poo

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#1
I am house training a one year old dog. She now has the ability to ring a bell when she wants to go out. But she sometimes goes in the house. If i catch her doing this i scold her and put her out. If i dont catch her and i find a mess on the floor does it do any good to scold her at that point. Does a dog have the mental makeup to know why they are being scolded on something that may have happened hours before.
 

Rubylove

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#2
In answer to your question, absolutely not. Scolding her hours afterwards will only confuse her.

A common misconception with dogs is that they `know they have done wrong'. Actually, they don't. They only know you are angry for some reason. If you point out to your dog a poop on the floor, hours after she's done it, and then scold her for it, she will act `guilty' but she won't feel it - she's responding to your body language and your scolding. What we take for guilt is just an immediate response to an unpleasant situation. She will probably understand that you are angry over the poop, but it's impossible for her to make the connection that she did the poop, which resulted in poop on the floor, which resulted in you being angry. Dogs just do not have the capacity for such a complex method of reasoning.

I have to ask, though - why is she one year old and not house-trained? Is she a rescue? If so, then you need to be even more careful - she was probably often scolded during and/or after the fact by her previous owners, and most likely has learnt to hide from you when pooping. The fact that you have taught her to ring a bell to go out is wonderful. I wouldn't even scold her when you do catch her, nothing more than a stern `no' if even that.

The key to getting her to learn this is to praise, praise and more praise when she does get it right. One year is old to be still not housetrained, so there are some remedial issues you need to address. Go back to how you would train a puppy in the house, and reward and praise all correct behaviour. Like a puppy, there will be accidents, but she will overcome them.

No dog pees or poops in the house to be `naughty'. Again, this is not a concept they understand. They need time to learn like everything else, if she's going in the house it's because it's habit, or she couldn't get out in time, or for another reason. But it's never naughtiness. Keep up your good work and patience, and things will be fine. ;)
 
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#3
In answer to your question, absolutely not. Scolding her hours afterwards will only confuse her.

A common misconception with dogs is that they `know they have done wrong'. Actually, they don't. They only know you are angry for some reason. If you point out to your dog a poop on the floor, hours after she's done it, and then scold her for it, she will act `guilty' but she won't feel it - she's responding to your body language and your scolding. What we take for guilt is just an immediate response to an unpleasant situation. She will probably understand that you are angry over the poop, but it's impossible for her to make the connection that she did the poop, which resulted in poop on the floor, which resulted in you being angry. Dogs just do not have the capacity for such a complex method of reasoning.

I have to ask, though - why is she one year old and not house-trained? Is she a rescue? If so, then you need to be even more careful - she was probably often scolded during and/or after the fact by her previous owners, and most likely has learnt to hide from you when pooping. The fact that you have taught her to ring a bell to go out is wonderful. I wouldn't even scold her when you do catch her, nothing more than a stern `no' if even that.

The key to getting her to learn this is to praise, praise and more praise when she does get it right. One year is old to be still not housetrained, so there are some remedial issues you need to address. Go back to how you would train a puppy in the house, and reward and praise all correct behaviour. Like a puppy, there will be accidents, but she will overcome them.

No dog pees or poops in the house to be `naughty'. Again, this is not a concept they understand. They need time to learn like everything else, if she's going in the house it's because it's habit, or she couldn't get out in time, or for another reason. But it's never naughtiness. Keep up your good work and patience, and things will be fine. ;)
Yes she is a rescue. I have had her 1 month http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36802 Since she has learned how to ring the bell i have not had her go in the house in the day time. I resticted her movements by blocking some areas of the house so that i can see her most of the time. My problems are at night. She sleeps in our bedroom. I have considered shutting the door so that she cant get out of the bedroom at night in the hope that she will make enough noise to wake me before she goes. Progress picture i added one this morning. She looks a little like your Ruby http://new.photos.yahoo.com/aosdale1/album/576460762318109844
She is now super playful, walks well on a leash, rings a bell to go out, comes to me on command. I took her on a 5 mile hike without a leash and she went exploring with my Schnauser. She always came running when i called. This dog is adjusting very well.
 

Rubylove

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#4
Clearly! That is wonderful. Good for you. :D

I have just read your other thread about how you found her. You sound like a lovely, caring and compassionate person, and I am so thrilled for this poor dog that she chose you to ask for help. Poor sweet girl, how people can do that to their animals is just beyond me, it really is. I hope that she continues to thrive under your careful and loving guidance.
 

sam

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#5
I roll up a section of newspaper ...... and bonk myself on the head with it while reciting you should have been supervising the puppy over and over until you think you've learned your lesson ;)
j/k . I clean it up :D
 

Rubylove

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#6
I roll up a section of newspaper ...... and bonk myself on the head with it while reciting you should have been supervising the puppy over and over until you think you've learned your lesson ;)
j/k . I clean it up :D
ROFL! Don't think that really applies here...but thanks for the laugh!
 

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