yasimum Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 OK, I have read all the toilet training tips but I still can't work out how to remedy my current situation. We have two rescue dogs who are now about eight months old, we have had them for three months now. They have come a loooooong way and are delightful dogs, both very different natures. One is very laid back and quite stubborn when he has a goal in mind and the other is very nervy and a high energy type of dog. They are inside outside dogs. Sleep inside at night and during the day have unrestricted access to inside and outside. We have a huge backyard that is both grassed and hard surface. The nervy dog wees inside constantly. I expect some puddles and poos occasionally overnight but she wees inside, on the landing, constantly. I don't say anything, just clean it up and spray a citus cleanser over the area. Today, she had weed and pooed overnight on the landing. Cleaned it up and was watching TV for a while. When I came out she had weed on the landing again. THis time I brought her upstairs, showed her the wee, said no and took her outside to the grass and said "wee". About half an hour later she weed again on the landing, obviously had to squeeze one out as there wasn't much wee there. It is almost like a defiant act although logically I know dogs don't think that way. Could anyone who is au fait with canine behavioural theory give me a clue to why she would be doing this? Any suggestions to halt this would be most gratefully received as I am at a loss. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yasimum Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 PS: She knows it is wrong to wee there as when I come outside from the lougeroom, if she has weed, she runs outside to the backyard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 You need to go back to the beginning with house training. This means confine the dog when you can't supervise, and have the dog with you inside attached to your belt so you can supervise and take him/her out when you see the first signs of wanting to toilet. If the dog isn't with you, confine...this could be in a hard-floor room, a crate or puppy pen, or outside...whatever you prefer. But don't have the pup crated more than a couple of hours at a time - this isn't fair on the dog. You must also re-try a routine for this dog. That means, definite meal time/s. Definite play times. Definite toilet times. Definite sleep times. YOU control what the pup does and when. All dogs need a routine, but for a dog that doesn't yet have toilet training down-pat, it's crucial. IF you want the dog to toilet only outside, it's up to you to enforce and reinforce that idea by taking the dog out, and not coming inside unless the dog toilets if it's been a reasonable interval between toilet stops. Do not play with the dog at these times, and have him/her on lead so it's a quick toilet-only trip to the yard. Praise the right behaviour and ignore the undesired behaviour. That is, reward the behaviour you would like, but do not react in any way if the dog toilets inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 I don't think dogs ever know its wrong to urinate where we don't want them too. Dogs a so clever at reading body language, she would know you're cross but does not know why so that would make her more nervous. I would limit her free time in the house until she has a stronger bladder, even if that means she is on lead in the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidoney Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 She would be reading your body language, that's why she runs. You don't want to keep on with this as it will damage your relationship. Showing a dog something after the event does nothing positive but a lot negative, as it shows the dog you punish it for no apparent reason - punishment, if given, has to be AT THE MOMENT that anything is done. Bleach your landing area to take the smell out. She'll be weeing where the smell is. Put stuff on the landing to make it harder for her to wee on it, at least for now. You need to build a new habit. Try going back a few steps in your toilet training with her, and taking her regularly to where you want her to go, and reward her for doing it there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yasimum Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 Thank you for your advice and suggestions. I will try all of them! The thing that still doesn't make sense to me though is the body language thing. I can be in the lounge or the bedroom totally unaware that she has weed until she gets up and runs outside. At the times where she hasn't weed she just continues to lay there when I come out into that part of the house. So my body language doesn't change until after she has cut and run if you know what I mean. I guess it is this point which leads me to feel that it isn't just a toileting issue. It SEEMS almost like she is thumbing her nose at me and then thinking "Oh, oh!". I know it sounds crazy but ....... What do you think? As Sidoney pointed out, I don't want our relationship to be damaged by this so I will try all of your suggestions and see what happens. Every time someone on this forum has given me advice it has worked beautifully so fingers crossed. The other is just my musings about why but maybe there is no why, I'm misreading the situation and it simply is a toileting issue. Onwards and upwards! Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 (edited) Have you had her urine tested, perhaps there is a medical reason as you said her pee puddles are small. I'm sure she isn't doing it to annoy you. Just thought maybe she was punished in her past home as she was a rescue, anyway I'd go back to early puppy training and work through it. Does she know it's ok to wee near you when she is outside? Will she wee when she is on lead so you can praise her? Edited April 9, 2007 by PAX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 (edited) . Edited June 7, 2009 by cavNrott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yasimum Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 Will take some wee to the vet to see if that is the problem. She isn't reluctant to wee when she is on leash out walking and I do praise her and I caught her weeing on the grass while I was at the kitchen window and praised her. I think there may be something in the UTI theory so will do that as my first port of call. I'll keep you all posted as to the progress. I mean it isn't like it is some huge problem or anything. They have both come so far and are really beautiful natured doggies but if I can prevent it, it would be good. Even though I clean it up as soon as I find it, the house is starting to get "that" smell! Ran into someone who saw the dogs in the park when we first got them. She was surprised when she saw how much more relaxed this dog has become. She was frightened of everything when she first came home and now she can't wait to get out there and run and play. It is really beautiful to see. Thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racknrune2000 Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 This means confine the dog when you can't supervise, and have the dog with you inside attached to your belt so you can supervise How ddo you attack the dog to your belt and does it piddle on your shoe then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 You can attach the dog to you using a lead . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 This means confine the dog when you can't supervise, and have the dog with you inside attached to your belt so you can supervise How ddo you attack the dog to your belt and does it piddle on your shoe then? To attach the dog to your belt, either loop the leash around your belt or use a double-ended lead and clip it around your waist. The dog doesn't pee on your shoe if you're watching it, which is the point of having the dog leashed to your body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidoney Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 BTW if she's not reading current body language, she may be remembering past behaviours towards her, or she could have something like an association with perhaps a smell and your behaviour towards her - even if she had an association between the smell of wee and your behaviour, it would not mean she had an association between the ACT of weeing and your behaviour towards her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FGM Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 wow yasimum sound slike you have your handsful.Have just got a new puppy and goimg through the toilet training thing myself so you are not alone.Maybe she has had something hapen in the past and this also may be why she is a nervous dog.Good luck and keep posting so we know how you are going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yasimum Posted April 10, 2007 Author Share Posted April 10, 2007 Yes, perhaps she is connecting past events with what is happening now. She was fine for a couple of weeks and then seemed to regress in her house training. FGM, a handful is right! This week the rest of the family (extended) went away for Easter so i have had the job of looking after both of them. I've had the flu so feel wretched anyway but by the time I walk the dogs, rinse them both off and get on with other things, I'm exhausted by the end of the day. Conclusion; I must be getting old!! Good luck with the TT with your new puppy as well. What sort of dog is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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