By Admin on Mar 14, 2010 in Dogs
My family and I recently adopted a 3 year old dog. For some reason,even when she is let outside with our other dog to do her business,she comes back in the house and poops or pees on the rugs in our house. We have tried everything from putting her nose in it to using a rolled up newspaper and telling her bad dog,but she still hasn’t gotten it. What what else can we do?
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Remember: dogs are not born knowing they go outside, not on your rug.
Crate train and when she is not in her crate watch her every second. Dogs go thru a routine before they eliminate, some sniff, some circle… when you see that pick him up and run outside and wait. If she goes outside, praise her a ton. Not just a "good dog", throw a party, run around in circles, give her a piece of cooked hotdog.
If you take your eyes off of her and she goes and you don’t see her doing it, that is your fault, do not punish her because she will not know why she is in trouble. If you catch her in the act, make a loud noise to stop her and rush her outside.
I cannot tell you how helpful a crate has been in housebreaking my puppy. He has never had an accident in his crate and when I get him out of his crate we go directly outside (I carry him) and he pees. Check out this link for crate training. http://www.perfectpaws.com/crt.html
Lauren | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Honestly, take him to the nearest petco…it really does help!
Nicole | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Ok.. your dog **Wont** learn if you keep physically abusing her. You have to train her using positive reinforcement. She doesn’t understand what she did wrong because she obviously doesn’t know to go outside yet. Try taking her to *one* spot in the backyard every half hour and make sure she goes to the bathroom in that spot. (Make it a corner spot or something considering she’ll probably be going here a lot) and don’t go inside until she goes to the bathroom.As soon as she goes to the bathroom, PRAISE her, give her a little treat each time, tell her she’s a good girl. she will probably go in the house a few more times but as soon as she does say "NO" and immidietly take her out to her spot. Always stay w/ her, use a leash to begin with so she doesn’t wander around. Associate her "spot" with going to the bathroom and praise her each time she does. Make sure she drinks water a lot, because then she’ll have to pee, and you will eventually be able to time when she has to go to the bathroom. If she gets inside and drinks a lot of water, take her out 20 minutes later. Just be patient with her. I know it is frustrating but I’m sure this is all new to her because she lived in a shelter before..she’ll be a good dog! Good luck
eurostar987 | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Treat your dog as if she is a new puppy.
Here is an article i wrote for my pet magazine, this should help you.
Establishing a routine with your dog is essential to good training. Your routine should include feeding times, bathroom breaks, playtimes, training and timeouts. Having a young pup is just like having a small child when it comes to potty training. Young pups, just like young children have very underdeveloped bladders. A young child does not necessarily know when they need to go to the bathroom until they are doing it. The same thing applies to your young pup. If only it was as easy to control your pups peeing on the floor as it is to control your child’s peeing on the floor. Your child generally wears a diaper if they are not potty trained, but putting a diaper on your pup is very impractical and darn near impossible. How long do you think a diaper would actually last on your pup’s backside before it is ripped off and shredded? If your pup is anything like mine, about 30 seconds. There is an easy way to know when your pup may need to go to the bathroom. Depending on your pup’s water intake, and amount of exercise, this chart can help you keep your floors and carpets protected from your pets bathroom habits. Approximate age to hours your pup is able to hold their bladders starting at 8 weeks of age, (General time your pup will enter your home to begin your lives together.) 8 -12 weeks of age (2 – 3 months of age) = 30 mins 12 – 16 weeks of age (3 – 4 months of age) = 45 mins to 1 hour 16 – 24 weeks of age (4 – 6 months of age) = 11/2 to 3 hours 24 – 36 weeks of age (6 – 9 months of age) = 31/2 to 6 hours 36 + weeks of age (9 months to 1 year+) = 6 to 10 hours These times may vary with your dog. Different breeds mature at different times in their life. A small breed dog matures faster than a large breed dog, so your large breed dog may need more frequent ‘bathroom-breaks’. It is always a good practice to take your pup out every 30mins to 1hour when you are home, even when they are older. Repeatedly letting your dog out will solidify your training efforts. When training your pup to go to the bathroom outside it is good to establish a routine as well as some familiar words to coach your pup into the right behavior. Every time you take your pup outside to go to the bathroom use the same spot as much as possible. The familiar smell of their urine will help them recognize that this is the spot to ‘go’. When you take your pup outside to ‘go’, say to your pup, "Go pee." or some other similar phrase over and over again until they actually start to go. With using this phrase over and over again the dog comes to realize that this word means to ‘go pee’ and you will have a dog that will pee almost on command. When they start to ‘go’ use the phrase again with a ‘good dog’ added. Give your pup lots of praise when they are done and possibly a treat. Praise is one of the most useful training tools you can use. Dogs respond better to praise than yelling. Just like us, dogs like to be praised for something they do right and strive to achieve praise. With established potty times, using the ‘go pee’ words and lots of praise your pup will come to understand where it is acceptable to ‘go pee’ and where it is not. This will make your life a lot easier and your bond between you and your dog will grow stronger. You should never give your pup the full run of the house, even when you are home, and never when your not home. Set up a medium to large crate for your pup in your house. If you don’t have a crate, a bathroom or laundry room will do, any place in the house that has easy to clean floors. Place towels or blankets, food and water bowls, a few toys and newspaper or absorbent ‘doggy’ pads in your dogs space. This area should be warm and inviting to your dog. Just like us, your dog needs its own area to relax. Giving them this space gives your dog a place to go when things become stressful for them, like when you have company over that may be to loud for them. This will also restrict the area your pup has to make a mess. It is against a dog’s nature to urinate or defecate in the same area they sleep in. Give your dog a big enough space so that they can ‘do their business’ away from their sleeping area. Some people take their pups out for long walks to tire them out before they leave them home alone. Extra exercise requires extra water intake, which will increase your pups urination and accidents in the home when left alone. If you feel the need to exercise your pup before you go out, do this a good hour and a half to two hours before you plan to leave. Let your pup out a few times before you leave to make sure they have emptied their bladder as much as possible. Remember your pup will have accidents, but with a little time and effort you will have a happy new addition to your family and a clean comfortable home.
Paws-itive K9 Consulting | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
That may be the reason that the dog was up for adoption in the first place! Housebreaking an older dog is nearly impossible – they have already learned that it’s ok to use the house as a toilet. When they have to go, they are uncomfortable – so they go and they feel better. This is called "self-rewarding" behavior.
Try keeping the dog in a crate whenever you can’t supervise her. Keep her on a leash tied to your belt, so she can’t sneak off and do her business in the house. Take her outside for walk and stay out there with her, so you can praise her when she does what you want. After a year or two of that, you MIGHT be able to trust her.
Dog_trainer | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
I once had a small dog that I got when he was 3 years old, and he would constantly pee and poo in the house. He was terrified of a crate (I believe because of abuse from his previous owners), and the vet told me he suffered from separation anxiety disorder (the poor little guy thought that every time I left the house, he would die there alone). I eventually resorted to diapers for him. I bought some diapers that fit him, cut a hole for his tail, and used suspenders to keep them on. I had to cross the suspenders not only on his back, but in the front as well, to keep him from wiggling out of them. It took a while, but he eventually learned to go outside, and I was happy because I did’nt feel it was right to punish him when I came home from work and he had an accident.
Teddy Bear | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Call a trainer or start gradually leting the dog outside at specific times so it can get used to it.
Dasia J | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
she may be scxared of the other dogs smell that they have left. So maybe put her on a lease and take her for a small walk away from where your other dog does his or her buisness. And as soon as she does her buisness then praise her and give her a treat.
snakeyocatto | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Vigilance and repetition are key. Keep watch for those "signs" that she has to go. Don’t give her too much freedom right away, sometimes it even helps to leash the dog to you so you can’t miss the signs. Also set up a schedule. Take her out as soon as she wakes up and every couple of hours. Once she goes, praise praise praise. Punishment doesn’t really work because you just can’t time it so the dog knows what’s wrong – three seconds after is just too long. Good luck!
meadowbrook13 | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
roll up a magazine and beat it with it. it does not hurt them it just scares them really bad and make sure u rub their nose in it and put them outside when u do. I know it sounds cruel to beat it with a mgazine,but it does not hurt them. they will wine when u do it though.
Brittany_Monkey_Girl | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Okay..this is a common problem. First of all, dogs have memories that last about 2 seconds. Hitting the dog or putting her nose in her urine is useless because she already forgot she did it! It’s important to recognize what she does before she goes to the bathroom and catch it in time! Take her out, let her go and praise her. Get really excited and tell her "good girl!" Follow this with a treat. Accidents happen but you have to be willing to put the time in to teach her the proper things to do.
irish.beauty | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Irish Beauty is right. But you also should make sure that she doesn’t have some type of medical problem that makes her lose control. This is common in some older female dogs that have been spayed–the muscles that control the urine stream have gotten weak. Take her to the vet to make sure everything is normal.
Diane D | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
crate train
kimmie | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
sound familiar?
guido sardonico | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Hmmmm….thats a hard one–i would say stop scolding your dog. the next time your dog goes outside and does her busniess then to rewared her with a treat and/or praise her with petting her. dogs are pretty smart animals so i think if you do that then your dog will want a treat or a pat on the back so she will go outside and do "it" instead of doing "it" inside!
hope i help!
jenny p | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
It’s because she’s new to the house and since you have another dog already, she’s simply trying to mark her territory.. She’ll stop eventually.. Just keep doing what you’re doing…
amygirl9333 | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
old dog
masterboy13 | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Many good ideas given to you by experts here…i’m not an expert but take in comments of others as questions strike my needs and situations here…….I will keep this info in mind if this happens in the future with my Dalmatian……Thank you other answer people!!! I appreciate your sharing of knowledge!!!
Sammyleggs222 | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Have you tried giving her her own area where the other dogs do not go potty. It may be a territorial thing.
milknhoney4ever | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
slow and steady every time you see her sniffing for a spot to piss clap your hands or get her attention,then take her out to the area you want her to do her duty,so you don’t have to pick up poop all over the yard,just one area.
jujujemagq | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Can’t give a better answer than Lauren’s. It’s never too late to crate train a dog. Shame on you however for putting her nose in it. You don’t know what she might have gone through her first 3 years. She isn’t a bad dog, and she doesn’t have a clue as to why you are calling her bad and hitting her. Bad pet owner, bad, bad, pet owner…………..smack!
tjb | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply
Go out with your dog for awhile. Say"Let’s go outside and pee-pee and get a milk bone dog biscuit!" Have the biscuit in your hand and entice her out with it. Then when she goes, praise her and say" Oh you’re so GOOD! You did pee-pee outside so you get a milk bone dog bisquit!"and give it to her.
Repeat this over and over. Soon she will be going out just to get the treat.
After time, she will go outside to pee on her own, and then you still give her a biscuit and praise her after she does it.
Good luck to you!
a_phantoms_rose | Mar 14, 2010 | Reply