Toilet Training - Am I Missing Something?

[Kirty]

For the past 1.5 weeks (due to an injury), Pia has become a 24/7 indoor dog. Prior to this, she was indoor/outdoor (sleeping outside in the garage with the other dogs) and had never had an accident inside to my knowledge. Now, she is having regular accidents though and its driving me crazy! She is not on any meds so it can't be that and she is on the same diet, etc. The day goes something like this - wake up, take her straight outside for a loo break. When she goes, I praise her like mad and bring her back inside. She comes to work with me and has regular loo breaks then too. Get home and its straight outside again, with a few more trips outside before bed. But she just cannot grasp the concept that she CANNOT go to the toilet inside. Two nights ago, she got up off her bed and peed on the floor right in front of me! This was after 3 days with no accidents. Today my mum looked after her, and after about 1/2 an hour inside she peed and pooped in the family room. I just don't know what I am doing wrong. Or is she just extremely slow? On the two occasions that she has gone to the toilet right in front of me, I roused on her and took her outside then praised her. Any tips? I am really over cleaning up!!

[fuzzy82]

How old is she?

I wouldn't just praise when she goes outside, I would give a treat or two as well. When my puppy had accidents inside I would tell him 'noooo puppy' (calmly, not shouting) and pick him up and carry him outside. If he finished outside he was rewarded as normal, with praise and a treat.

He was toilet trained in 2.5 weeks, but he still needs to be taken out regularly, because he's a puppy and he doesn't have much bladder control. Whenever he wakes up or has just eaten he goes straight outside, because being a puppy he is unable to hold it, and when he needs to go he needs to go.

Maybe you just need to make it more rewarding to go outside, with a treat, but I wouldn't expect her to hold it, even if she has grasped that she should go outside. Depending on age of course.

[Kirty]

She is 15mths old. I guess what confuses me is that she was fine before, but all of a sudden because she is spending more time inside, she thinks she can go anytime anywhere?

[all that glitters]

I have no advice but just wanted to say that must be soo annoying and confusing for you :D I hope someone has suggestions!

[Kirty]

I should also add that she seems perfectly happy inside and she is also just as happy to go outside. A few time she has even got up and stood at the door to go out, at which point I praise her and we go outside.

[Rebanne]

go back to basics and take her out frequently, has she got a uti? but that doesn't explain the pooping

[Kirty]

No UTI that I am aware of, she wees normally and seems happy in herself. She IS a greyhound, so a little slow on the uptake, but this is getting ridiculous!

[Cosmolo]

Possible anxiety about going outside could be it. How long can she hold for over night?

[jrm88]

I would 100% get a urine sample and get it tested to rule out UTI.

I think its a very good idea to rule out medical issues first :D

[SpotTheDog]

Gus does something similar at a little over six months. He won't soil overnight where he sleeps. If he's outside in the garage at night, with access to his run, he doesn't soil in the garage, he goes out to his run. He does appear to understand 'inside' and 'outside' - and if he's in the bathroom on tiles with the babygate shut, he knows how to kick up a fuss to be allowed out of the area where he sleeps because he needs the toiler. However when he's at large in the house, he doesn't seem to know how to indicate to me that he wants to be allowed out to pee or poo. It's just as frustrating because the soiling is so intermittent, and he does so well for weeks on end at a time - then the other morning he did a runny crap on my study carpet and it took me an HOUR to clean it up, including washing and rewashing the carpet with my Vax. I swear to god the smell of dog crap was in my nose all day. :D

I do 'toilet' activities with Gus every day - his command is simply 'toilet', and I treat or praise (he's not hugely food-driven but is strongly praise-driven) or both. We do that every day, but our stumbling block does seem to be how he shows me that he needs to be out.

[~Anne~]

I would 100% get a urine sample and get it tested to rule out UTI.

I think its a very good idea to rule out medical issues first :D

Totally agree. Everytime I have had sudden onset of inappropriate toileting in both cats and dogs, there has usually been a medical explanation. Not always of course, but this is the first ting I would investigate.

[Starkehre]

Could be Pia's urinating in the house coincides with wet weather?

I have a "precious" bitch that is 7.5 years old, and still she gets all precious about walking on the wet grass to urinate and poo. Sure, she does not eliminate inside the house, so different to your problem, but instead chooses to go on the concrete. She has done this all of her life and I do not believe this will ever change.

To avoid this as much as possible I ensure I keep the back lawn as low as possible all the time and particularly when the weather and ground is wet.

Just a thought. Good luck. Yes, I would also suggest back to basics. I would pop her on lead to eliminate every few hrs and make a big fuss once she does. And ensure you clean all mistakes with a non-ammonia based product, maybe white vinegar.

[Kirty]

I take her out the front to toilet and she is always happy enough to go outside. She doesn't seem to mind the wet weather, and a toilet break often turns into zoomies on the front lawn! She goes to the toilet almost every time I take her out.

Cosmolo, her last toilet break is usually at 11pm. She sleeps on our bed at night and she often wakes at about 5-6am and I take her outside again then. I learnt the hard way if I try and settle her at that time without taking her out, she'll pee or poop in our room!

I will definitely get her tested for a UTI too. Thanks. :D

[persephone]

What is her injury? Could she have irritation to the nerves which control bladder ?

[Kirty]

No, nothing like that. She was in a fight with one of my other dogs. :D She has a few stitches on her rib cage, that's it.

Oh and she just peed on the carpet AGAIN. She is doing normal, big wees too - whenever my cats have had UTI's they are doing really small, frequent wees. I honestly think she just does not get it.

[persephone]

Oh :D

[Kirty]

Yup. Totally sucky situation right now.

[Guest]

Yup. Totally sucky situation right now.

You have my sympathy Kirty. My dog is doing the same thing. Started just 2 days ago with the heavy rain after weeks of being totally reliable. Weeing on carpets and pooing on the back doormat. I have no grass but he just doesn't want to go outside even when the rain had stopped. Tonight he wandered into the bathroom and peed on the mat after I closed off all the carpeted areas. He doesn't even bother to go outside even though it's dry. I haven't caught him in the act to tell him "no". So he must think it's perfectly OK. I'm in shock.

[shyfig]

I can only say that I feel much better reading this thread as I am having similar difficulties with my 7 mth old Border Collie.

Got Jed at 5 months (11th Sep) and have been persistent and consistent with toilet training , plenty of praise and treats for a "Good toilet". He has free access inside and outside until I go to bed (any time up til 2.00am) and is always taken out and told "Toilet" ...sometimes it happens ...sometimes not.

(I get a bit worried that walking around the yard at ungodly hours of the morning saying "Jed, toilet" will convince the neighbours that I'm a bit loopy ). In the mornings the doors are opened between 5.00 and 7.00am.

Meanwhile during the night he will wee and poop without any attempt to alert me that he needs to go out. And early in the night, as soon as it gets dark, he will start weeing inside even if he is a foot away from the open door.

My boys and I have decided he is afraid of the dark.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

(Has weed as I speak )

Edited November 14, 2010 by shyfig

[Guest]

I can only say that I feel much better reading this thread as I am having similar difficulties with my 7 mth old Border Collie.

Got Jed at 5 months (11th Sep) and have been persistent and consistent with toilet training , plenty of praise and treats for a "Good toilet". He has free access inside and outside until I go to bed (any time up til 2.00am) and is always taken out and told "Toilet" ...sometimes it happens ...sometimes not.

(I get a bit worried that walking around the yard at ungodly hours of the morning saying "Jed, toilet" will convince the neighbours that I'm a bit loopy ). In the mornings the doors are opened between 5.00 and 7.00am.

Meanwhile during the night he will wee and poop without any attempt to alert me that he needs to go out. And early in the night, as soon as it gets dark, he will start weeing inside even if he is a foot away from the open door.

My boys and I have decided he is afraid of the dark.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

(Has weed as I speak )

I had to laugh when I read this. I'm in a unit with a small back yard, very close to my neighbours Back windows. I was

outside last night at midnight, saying "Do Wees" over and over again thinking exactly the same as you (crazy woman is out again) when I heard a cough. Just one. I think it was one of those coughs to let you know you're really annoying someone. So, I walked Wally up to the nature strip in my big pink dressing gown. VERY CRAZY LADY walking her dog at midnight in her sleepwear and fluffy slippers. But it worked, and that's all I cared about 'cos then I could get to bed. I've now gone back to basics and the neighbours will just have to get used to it.