Now I've raised a few pups in my time and rather successfully. I've always used a crate, however in the case of Spot the Border Collie, we gave up on the crate and flunked puppy kindergarten, BUT in saying that he is very well behaved and was easily potty trained with pads first, then outside. He knows his boundaries, however we allow him to kiss. Mina came to us not housebroken and it only took a few weeks to get her there and now she gives me cues when she needs to go outside. The old man was crate trained and has never ever had an accident in the house.
Onto Jackson, hmmmm, this is the only dog I know that is perfectly comfortable crapping and peeing in is crate and sleeping in it. I do not get it. He is not crated for long periods of time at all. In fact I've now resorted to leaving the crate door open for him in hopes that he'll sleep at night in there without peeing and pooping and so far he has. Puppy pads? Forget it, we tried it! He tares them to pieces and doesn't pee or poo on them even with proper encouragement. I take him outside on the lead every time I take the others out, anywhere from every two to three hours from 6am to 8 or 9pm. The only time I saw him pee outdoors was when I tied him next to the horses while I did chores and I praised him for it. He is a smart little turd, but I am at my wits end on how to get him potty trained. He doesn't cry all night, he knows when it is bed time. He also knows when it is 6am and begins his morning alarm clock yaps!
Anybody, anybody with any suggestions, I'll gladly listen..................
13 comments:
Do you mean that he's not going to the bathroom outside at all? Or just that he is going to the bathroom in the crate at night?
IF it's the latter, and he doesn't do it when you leave the crate door open, I'd say he has issues with being confined in the crate, and the bathroom problems are because of that, not because of a lack of potty training. Getting a dog over a phobia takes a lot of work. So if leaving the crate door open is working, I'd say you're doing exactly the right thing for now, and just keep doing it.
You could always try crating him for a couple of minutes at a time with the door closed, and gradually lenghtening the time, but doing it during the day when you're around to make sure he's handling it okay. But even if you try that, for now I'd continue leaving the door open at night.
I had to start crating mine. He had good days and too many bad ones. Maybe a smaller crate that he cannot move in so easily?
You won't find this tip in any of the puppy books but I swear to you it wors when all else fail: Turn into a screaming lunatic while frantically shooing him out the door every time he starts to go inside (even pick him up while making load shrill screams and running for the door the first couple of times). It freaks them out. He will associate the peeing inside with your unbearable out bursts in no time and run for the door when he feels an urge coming on. Been there, resorted to it myself, and it worked great! Oh the things we will do to help our dogs be happy citizens! it'll make a fun a blog post for us reader too ;^)
We have raised several puppies too and have never used a crate. I don't even understand the point of a crate? What's it supposed to accomplish anyway?? We always just took the puppies outside and let them go periodically and praised them lavishly when they piddled. We also layed down newspapers on the floor in the kitchen for accidents. I don't think there are any magical ideas. Good luck!
Katherine, He goes anywhere in the extension, which is a huge room, but I have him baby gated to it with his crate next to his food and water. He does not go potty outside at all and if I crate him overnight, he will pee and poo in the crate and sleep in it without crying. He'll even go inthere of his own accord tosleep on top of any mess he made.
Jess, I'm not sure I can fit him any smaller. He's growing so much!
Ell, That is hilarious. I spit my sada out through my nose reading your comment! LOL, I might just do that!
C-ingspots, Thanks for the encouragement. The potty pads and newspapers, just don't work, He tares them apart and just will not pee outside!
Okay, that makes sense. I misunderstood your description. It definitely sounds like he's not getting the concept of potty training.
I loved Ell's idea, but you'll have to catch him in the act for that one to work, I think. I can totally see how it would work, though, so if you can, go for it!
Also, have you tried (after showing him the mess and scolding him) carrying his poop outside and showing it to him out there too? If you do, point to it on the ground, and say firmly "Potty goes here," and especially "Potty," several times. Then when you want him to do his business, take him outside, point to the ground, and say "Go potty." Dogs can learn that word, and he might get it faster if you're teaching him a word instead of a concept.
Just my thoughts, anyway.
I have had alot of problems potty training my 1 1/2 yr old Aussie Sadie. We also did crate training and she would pee and lay in it. We finally talked to the vet about this and they took a urine sample, she had a urinary tract infection. So we started off badly with the potty training thing. Than continued having problems getting her to hold it. It was like she just couldn't hold it for more than a few hours (even when she was over a year old!)
I tried everything I could think of to get her to STOP peeing in the garage, house etc, basically she wasn't in the house for more than 1/2 an hour, she will let you know she has to go out but you must catch her at the door right away and if you don't she'll drop and pee.
All of a sudden in the last month she has NOT had even one accident in the garage or house! Its like it finally clicked in her head that she must go outside! I think some dogs just learn alot slower than others, my other Aussie was potty trained in no time.
Good luck, It sounds like you doing things the right way to me!
I'm telling you Callie it works! So try it, and Give stephen the video camera. He can help you make "Callie's Puppy Potty Training Video Clinic Seriers" He'll enjoy that and we will too.
To catch him in the act I'd have him on a leash at all times he's in the house and by your side. We do that with the new foster greyhounds so they aren't given the chance to "fail" and go in the house...
Good luck, he sounds like a little nightmare:-o
Oh he can be a nightmare! But he is so damned cute and sometimes, I mean sometimes can be real sweet!
I can't help on this one, I've never had a dog that wasn't trained in a day or two. I wish you luck he does sound like a real challenge to say the least.
I'm wondering if now that the scent of his poop and pee are in the crate and that room, it's become in his mind his territory to do his business. We had a hard time training Pepper when she was a pup, and I find that she still only wants to go where she's gone before. I even leave a little poop in her chosen pooping ground outdoors to let her sniff it. It usually encourages her to go there. Good luck on this. I know it can be really aggravating!
Good news, Jackson did pee outdoors once today, again when I had him tied near the horses while I did chores. And I praised him for it. When he got back indoors, he was so excited he just ran and ran in circles!
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