House Breaking

KaddyKaddy
edited August 2008 in General
So.... let me start by saying - I took the advice of my vet and wouldn't let lil Keiko go outside until after her 2nd DHPPL shot... partially because I figured the vet knew what she was talking about (we live right along a dog run) and partially because I was terrified of my peanut getting sick (the first puppy I was supposed to get passed away with the rest of her litter because of Parvo).

Keiko is amazing at going on the potty pads, I would say 90% of the time she gets it on there... and the other times it's mostly because she has her front paw on but doesn't really think about where the 'stuff' is coming out. It's been great!! Until now...

Now I want her to transition to going outside... I've been doing all the normal things - taking her outside as soon as she wakes up, after she eats etc. But she hasn't gone outside once... this morning we spent 45 mintues outside just after she woke up and nothing... but as soon as we got inside she found the pad and peed buckets! I know it hasn't been very long that we've been trying, but she doesn't even go when we take our walks. Maybe I'm just expecting her to learn this as fast as she learns everything else (she was walking by my side on our second walk with no pulling, it was pretty amazing) ... and maybe I should try taking her potty pad outside for a while...

I guess I really thought she would see Belle go and it would just magically happen... I've had a lot of dogs and they all just kinda 'know' what to do. I've just never met a dog who refuses to do their business outside lol.

Soooo... yeah.. like a noob, here I am again. Any suggestions?

Comments

  • brandon_wbrandon_w
    edited November -1
    Take the pad outside. Also collect some of her poops and put them in the yard so that she can smell where she has marked before.
  • LeonbergerLeonberger
    edited November -1
    Taking the pad outside, slowly, seems like a good option. Maybe start by putting it closer to the door, and after a few days just outside (if you can). Maybe after that you can start taking a pad with you when you go out. And probably being more stubborn that her is also a good option. I remember that to start getting Kuma used to go when outside I spent over 2 hours out with him, he tried to resist it but couldn't. After that he seems to got the fact that it was ok to go outside. Also treating him after he did his stuff outside worked really well. I still do it every so often.
  • sunyatasunyata
    edited November -1
    Hmm. Wish I could help you out on this one, but I have never potty trained using puppy pads. I have heard that once you train them to use the puppy pads inside, it is usually a bit harder to train them to go outside.

    I am sure there are lots of people here, though, that will have great advice for you. The only thing I can suggest is to just wait it out. (We have had to do that with Bella a few times, especially when she is being stubborn because of the rain.) Just take her out, and wait. And when she does, give her lots and lots and lots of praise and a really good treat!

    I know it is no fun, especially in the rain, but it has worked for Bella, and now if we put her on a leash and go stand in the backyard, she potties right away (well, within about 5 minutes... which is right away for a Shiba!). :)
  • KaddyKaddy
    edited November -1
    So, we've been trying the 'catch her in the act and run her outside' thing for a while - still not getting her to actually go outside. In a desperate effort we bought 'no go' spray for inside the house... and some other stinky spray that's supposed to show her where to go outside the house. I thought she was getting close because she's starting to go near the door... even catching her right at the start of the act she won't finish outside (literally just have to open the door and set her on the potty pad). We even got rid of potty pads in the house... hopefully when this is all over I'll get new carpet, or at least a good carpet cleaning lol.

    I know it's confusing for her, I just wish I knew how to make it easier!!! (I swear she understands me when I tell her to go potty she's just saying in her head 'screw that dude, it's cold and wet out here')
  • StaticNfuzzStaticNfuzz
    edited November -1
    Put a dirty used pee pad outside on the grass and hold the corners down with some rocks or bricks so it does not blow away during the day or roll up the stinky one and put it down just before you take pup to the outside spot. Take her out when she does not have to go, even if you have to carry her. Maybe taking her out every 35-40 minutes until she does potty on or near it. It does not take long for a pup to have to pee. They are drinking and peeing machines . Praise praise praise and treat after she pees near it, on the it, etc.

    Inside use a crate or x-pen and don't let her roam about the house alone to pick where she goes. There is a good x-pen design set up that Brad has developed so that you don't have the pup soil your rugs. Clean up an scents or pee spots on the rug now so she does not go back to them over and over.

    I don't remember where it is on the forum the pictures are....Does anyone have a link to Brad's puppy x-pen set up?


    Snf
  • tsukitsunetsukitsune
    edited November -1
    maybe you can incorporate a really good treat when she goes go, even a little, outside?
    we started this with hachi on day one, she would accident in the house, we'd just clean it good to get rid of the evidence, then walk her and when she's go outside we'd give her a treat. The only time she'll accident in the house is when she's spooked, which is getting fewer and farther between each time.
  • KaddyKaddy
    edited August 2008
    I've been keeping some dirty pads outside for her - and we do keep her in her crate until it 'should' be time to go. I know everyone says they don't have bladder control, but after being in her crate overnight, getting up about 8 hours later (where she has a water bottle that I know she's drinking out of), we stood outside for 3 hours... went back to the crate. Came back 2 hours later (after feeding time) went back outside, another hour and a half... and nothing. I couldn't put her back in the crate after that much time... felt WAY too guilty so as soon as I put the potty pad down she inside the house she went - that's great, but I really really don't want to keep buying them and cleaning them up - not cheap, and certainly not fun. She won't go in her crate, she won't go outside, she won't go on the carpet. Just the tile near the door as of a few days ago.

    We give her treats everytime we put her on the clean potty pad outside, and if she kinda accidentally goes on the pad outside as we're carrying her (usually she's mid poop) I give her a treat and tell her how great she is. She LOVES LOVES LOVES her treats, goes crazy just hearing the bag.

    Hopefully the spray we bought will help. The indoor one is supposed to get rid of the odor from when she last went - the woolite pet spray obviously wasn't cutting it since she continued to go in the same area.

    We have looked at X-pens, but the inside of our house just isn't layed out so that we have room to set one up... I guess if we got rid of the dining room table (who eats there anyway?). If there is a pad down she'll go on it - and we do have her confined to a small area to play in where we're in constant supervision.

    I REALLY appreciate the comments, they are helpful!!! (I swear!) I'm just at a point where banging my head against the wall seems like the only option LOL!
  • StaticNfuzzStaticNfuzz
    edited November -1
    Hummmm she is very young so I know she has to be sneaking in a tinkle somewhere. It does dry on the paper overnight.

    Or she is have some urinary tract issues. You could get a sample of her pee from a paper towel when she has an accident ( I know this sounds gross) but ring it out into a clean baby food Jar and take it to the vet for testing.

    A little tip, she gets a treat after she potties not for just standing on the pad. She probably already knows what the pad is for so you may actually be distracting her if she gets so excited about the krinkely bag or yummies.

    If she starts to poop don't move her let her finish and then take the poop to the spot you want her to go and leave it there for next time.

    I know it is confusing but it does take some time, she is very young.

    Snf
  • KaddyKaddy
    edited November -1
    Thanks Snf! I will call the vet and ask her what she thinks about bringing in a sample... last time we were in there to get shots there was a kitty emergency so we only got an assistant - I REALLY wanted to talk to her about this too!

    The spray seems to be working... the inside spray makes her not want to go in her usual spots, and the outside spray has peaked her interest - I'll keep you posted later tonight after feeding time to see what happens!!! :o)
  • tsukitsunetsukitsune
    edited November -1
    I don't know if its a method or I'm just crazy, but my old rescue mentor told me to spray hair spray over a cleaned accident site (like on the carpet) so they dont' go there again. It does work, it might be a fluke, but it does work.

    and the treats should be something she gets only for doing potty outside, or where you want her to go. We have dehydrated beef lung (the dogs LOVE it) - its like a jerky, that hachi gets ONLY when she goes pee in the yard or on a walk and not in the house. It really has made the difference, she will pee outside and look at us like "beef lung NOW please". But when she accidents in the house out of terror or something (its her issues, not a normal dog thing to do), she gets none, obviously! But then we hair spray her spot and move on like normal.

    Has anyone ever heard of the hair spray thing? I've been doing it for years without really thinking about it!
  • KaddyKaddy
    edited November -1
    I will try that!!! I might look into the beef lung... but it looks like our money (that's supposed to be being spent on my new car LOL) will be going to an Xpen to use outside... if she really is 'shy' about going I feel like leaving her in it while I pretend to sit on the laptop (and secretly watch her goings on) and not watch her play might help... I REALLY just want her to go outside once so I can praise her and give her a treat (... she still hasn't). Standing side by side while I watch her play with grass can only get me through the first hour or so... :o)

    Indoor spray seems to be working great... outdoor spray - UGH!!!!! Not only is IT stinky, but when she had to walk in it... it got her SUPER stinky. Poor Keiko had her first bath ever tonight... cuz that lil fuzzball of stank was not sittin' in my house all icky-like. The upside is I think we got a cute picture of her looking like a drowned kitty/rat!

    Photobucket

    As you can tell I was quite thrilled about MY picture being taken :oP She still looks cute though :o)
  • SangmortSangmort
    edited November -1
    OMG! haha That has to be one of the best pics I've seen ;p She's like "Daddy, why did you torture me so?"~
  • tsukitsunetsukitsune
    edited November -1
    aw, poor keiko! how does she like baths? Tsuki poops in the bath she hates it so much. JOY.
  • KaddyKaddy
    edited August 2008
    She doesn't really 'like' water... she HATES for her paws to be wet (she actually tried to stand on her left front foot and right rear to minimalize the wetness... you can imagine how that ended up!). I just kept feeding her treats when she had calm moments and it was ok. It was better toward the rinse part... then she got the nice lukewarm water to 'pet' her all over** and she loved that!!! Towel drying was only easy because she's such a lil peanut that I can wrap it around her and she doesn't even try to get away hehe :o)

    **using the handheld shower head of course :o)
  • cas12cas12
    edited November -1
    I had a staffy for sixteen years we could take her out all day with lots of walks not once in those sixteen years did she we or poo outside in the open but as soon as we got home she ran outside and wee'ed and poo'ed for england weird dog but still in my heart. My puppy Akita's go in the back garden now but if they get told off for being naughty they look at us and go pee in the corner just for spite, you can tell this by the look at me then they run into the garden little buggers
  • dlrobertsdlroberts
    edited November -1
    haha. Great picture! You guys have exactly the same expression on your face. :-)
  • KaddyKaddy
    edited November -1
    I haven't posted in a while... because I didn't want to jinx it ;o)

    Keiko is finally to the point where she'll whine and paw at the divider closest to the door when she needs to go outside!!!!!!!!

    I'm so happy :oD
  • sunyatasunyata
    edited November -1
    YAY Keiko! :) I am so proud.
  • MommyofNikoMommyofNiko
    edited November -1
    YAY!! I was so spoiled with Niko, so I would have been no help!
  • baantonbaanton
    edited November -1
    Ha Ha, cute pic of the shower --- sorry I just noticed! Josephine is willing to tolerate the shower or bath because she LOVES the towel-drying, rubdown! Maybe we should get her a masseuse!

    Congrats on the training accomplishment -- what a relief to have that part of puppyhood behind you!
  • SangmortSangmort
    edited November -1
    Huzzah! Congrats! :D

    You should set up a bell for her to ring ;p~
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