Toilet Training Out The Window

[BittyMooPeeb]

I'd *thought* that my furkids were all toilet trained (apart from Blossom who always needs to go in the middle of the night and wees/poos right in front of the external door -which I dont mind)

But .... over Christmas I visited my Mum who has carpet, and around the same time bought myself a rug (previously just had floorboards).

My two newest dogs (Nessie and Blossom) think that carpet is for going to the toilet on .

They constantly tried to go on Mum's carpet at her house (and even came inside to 'go'). The carpet was brand new so there were no doggy smells to make them think it was a toilet. Even after being caught in the act and interrupted, taken outside, rewarded for going outside, given privacy to go outside, etc, they still wee'd on the carpet.

The same has happenend with my rug which is now ruined (turns out it isn't colourfast ). My dogs sleep in my room (where the rug is) and sneak out of bed in the middle of the night to wee and poo on it. I had a trial period of crating them at night, then putting them outside first thing, then letting them back up into my room (while I had a bit of a sleep in) and they still went to the toilet on the rug while I was snoozing.

This has never been a problem before, and neither dog has ever gone to the loo in my bedroom until I got the rug.

I clean it up with enzyme cleaner so it shouldn't retain any smell.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Ideally I need to teach them that carpet is NOT A TOILET, otherwise it will be very difficult to take them to my Mum's again, and I will never be able to have a rug

[poodlefan]

I'd revert back to tried and true methods BMP - start taking them out and supervising their toileting again.

Can you roll the rug up at night??

[haven]

I'd *thought* that my furkids were all toilet trained (apart from Blossom who always needs to go in the middle of the night and wees/poos right in front of the external door -which I dont mind)

But .... over Christmas I visited my Mum who has carpet, and around the same time bought myself a rug (previously just had floorboards).

My two newest dogs (Nessie and Blossom) think that carpet is for going to the toilet on .

They constantly tried to go on Mum's carpet at her house (and even came inside to 'go'). The carpet was brand new so there were no doggy smells to make them think it was a toilet. Even after being caught in the act and interrupted, taken outside, rewarded for going outside, given privacy to go outside, etc, they still wee'd on the carpet.

The same has happenend with my rug which is now ruined (turns out it isn't colourfast ). My dogs sleep in my room (where the rug is) and sneak out of bed in the middle of the night to wee and poo on it. I had a trial period of crating them at night, then putting them outside first thing, then letting them back up into my room (while I had a bit of a sleep in) and they still went to the toilet on the rug while I was snoozing.

This has never been a problem before, and neither dog has ever gone to the loo in my bedroom until I got the rug.

I clean it up with enzyme cleaner so it shouldn't retain any smell.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Ideally I need to teach them that carpet is NOT A TOILET, otherwise it will be very difficult to take them to my Mum's again, and I will never be able to have a rug

Personally I think this is your problem, the carpet didn't smell like them. I think this is more of a scent marking issue rather than a toilet training issue and while closely related aren't always the same thing. You've a fine line to walk though, you want the rug to smell like them but you don't want them to think it is acceptable to toilet there.

I'd remove the rug until you have the toileting under control. Then I would replace it after you have cleaned it to get rid of the urine scent, but before doing so I would put some of the dogs blankets etc with the rug to transfer the dogs scent onto the rug. Then, once you put the rug down, I would keep your dogs bed, food and water bowls on the rug (if you can) until they get used to it.

Edited January 25, 2007 by haven

[BittyMooPeeb]

I'd revert back to tried and true methods BMP - start taking them out and supervising their toileting again.

I actually still do supervise their toileting at night (where's the blush emoticon?). My neighbour is very upset by dog noise, so I spend 15 mins outside with them before bed saying 'wizza wizza' and praising when they go. Is this what you meant?

Can you roll the rug up at night??

Could do. This wouldnt help at my parents carpeted place though. I'd really like them to learn that carpet is not for pooing and weeing on!

I'd remove the rug until you have the toileting under control. Then I would replace it after you have cleaned it to get rid of the urine scent, but before doing so I would put some of the dogs blankets etc with the rug to transfer the dogs scent onto the rug. Then, once you put the rug down, I would keep your dogs bed, food and water bowls on the rug (if you can) until they get used to it.

Sorry - I'm a bit confused (late in teh week and I'm tired). If I remove the rug, the problems will stop *because* the rug is not there. Or is there a method I can use to teach them not to wee on it while it is not there?

I'll try the beds and food bowl idea. Ness is a puppy farm dog so has learned to wee where she sleeps and eats though, but hopefully it will work for Blossom.

ETA for spellin

Edited January 25, 2007 by BittyMooPeeb

[poodlefan]

BMP maybe what these dogs understand is "I'm not to toilet on the floorboards". Carpets and rugs however seem to have been categorised as "indoor grass".

I'd assume no control on carpet and treat them as "untrained" around it for a while.

If it makes you feel any better, Big Ted regards pot plants as "indoor trees". I don't have any and have to treat him as untrained around them. It's dead embarassing to have your dog cock his leg on a nice indoor pot plant. :p

Edited January 25, 2007 by poodlefan

[sas]

I've just experienced for the first time a lapse in toilet training of a foster dog, we just went back to step 1, taking them out every 1-2 hours and praising etc....all is going well again.

Stuff me if I know why they have a lapse but I think going back to step one for a refresher definately assists.

[haven]

I'd remove the rug until you have the toileting under control. Then I would replace it after you have cleaned it to get rid of the urine scent, but before doing so I would put some of the dogs blankets etc with the rug to transfer the dogs scent onto the rug. Then, once you put the rug down, I would keep your dogs bed, food and water bowls on the rug (if you can) until they get used to it.

Sorry - I'm a bit confused (late in teh week and I'm tired). If I remove the rug, the problems will stop *because* the rug is not there. Or is there a method I can use to teach them not to wee on it while it is not there?

It's just to assist in breaking the habit, sort of out of sight, out of mind. In the initial stages of forming a habit, say pulling washing off the line, if you remove the stimulus for awhile (i.e. don't put washing on the line) it can sometimes help you to reduce the behaviour to some degree, making it a little easier for you to apply other methods when you reintroduce it.

[eclecticgirl]

Cant really add anything constuctive ideas.

BUT....... we added a large extension to our house. I bought a beautiful very very expensive carpet for this room. All my cats and dogs are VERY toilet trained, and have not gone to the toilet in the house for years, plus added a dog/cat door.

They had the run of the house day and night, never any problems.

The day the carpet was laid I also had 2 new lounge suites delivered, so there I was all evening stood in the doorway very proud of the new carpet and lounges.

Got up the next morning and OMG, there was piles of poo and wees in 5 places :D

I was heartbroken AND my cats had used the corners of the lounges as scratching posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The point of this story is that WHO KNOWS WHAT GETS IN THIR HEADS..... :p

They have NEVER done it in there since, they just had to show that damn carpet who was the boss

I can laugh about it now but has taken a while, LOL

[greying-fast]

Also the pack mentality seems to come into play - once one does it they're all into it!

I have 3 of my own (supposedly house trained) and 2 fosters. We can go days without any 'accidents' inside but once there's one 'accident' it's like a full-on p*ssing contest has been unleashed (which includes the 2 bitches).

My lovely loungeroom rug is securely rolled up and tucked away for the time being, but it is a pain in the proverbial. :p

edited to add - poor eclecticgirl, you must have been devastated.

Edited January 25, 2007 by greying-fast

[eclecticgirl]

He he, like I said I can laugh about it now.....

But I agree about the pack mentality, was going to mention that.

Im sure thay say to each other, "Look I can p**s more that you can, nah nah take that"

Have you ever noticed that when one gets something new, they are like children, the others want that "thing" too, and they end up fighting over it...

In the end I end up taking it away and say to myself "why did I bother", how many times do you say that to the kids too:rofl:

Sorry Bitty doesnt fix your problem, LOL

[haven]

Also the pack mentality seems to come into play - once one does it they're all into it!

I have 3 of my own (supposedly house trained) and 2 fosters. We can go days without any 'accidents' inside but once there's one 'accident' it's like a full-on p*ssing contest has been unleashed (which includes the 2 bitches).

Yes that is often the case. When I had a puppy he naturally had one or two accidents and of course he would go, then Loki would have to mark it, then Nova would have to mark Loki's mark :p

[SALTWOOD]

I always treat my dogs as not fully toilet trained because I know if they really need to toilet they will.

So I have this mental clock thing going if they are inside and ensure they go out to toilet every 1-2hrs.

That said, I have found that I take my dogs outside every 1/2hr from puppyhood until about 6mths, they can hold on then for about 1-2hrs but they regress at about 9-10mths of age and I have to take them back to the 1/2hr regime for a few weeks. After a few weeks of that they seem to remember toilet training again and can hold on for longer. Interesting isn't it!

If it were me I would be cleaning up the rug, removing it when you can't supervise and then putting it down maybe in the TV room while you are watching TV and you can keep an eye on it when the dogs are around.

That way you can pounce if they decide they can't resist that pee/poo on the nice soft mat!!

[Lablover]

Have you tried dog crates?. Marvellous!!!!!!!!!!!

[Erny]

Do you happen to know what surface/covering the breeder had in the whelping box when your pup was born? Wondering if the behaviour relates to a substrate preference established back then.

Either way, pup obviously needs to be taught "not on the carpet" so I'd go back to early toilet training regime.

As Haven suggests - put blankets, eating bowls, sleeping area on the carpet. Dogs are less inclined to soil an area where they eat and sleep and this could help you in this early training of "not on the carpet".

[OMD²]

We have floor boards as well.. As soon as Oscar gets his little feet on carpet away he goes PEE PEE PEE!!!

It's when we take him over to the in laws who don't care thank god..

But today I took the crate with me and crated him for an hour and then took him out to wizz.. No accidents on the carpet today :rolleyes: and he was there for about 3-4 hours

I was very proud

[Rascalmyshadow]

I had this problem with Josh my oldest boy the stupid lady (BYB) that bred him taught the whole litter to use a blanket as a toilet and had never taken them outside, it took me until he was 11 months old before anything carpet, material or paper was safe.

I also had the weirdest thing happen with one of my cats, a few months ago we decided to pull up the carpet in the loungeroom and put down floorboards my male cat who is 7 years old and has never had an accident or sprayed in the house twice stood in front of me and peed on the floor (the way a dog would) he hasn't done it since???