Dog Housebreaking Help

Off Topic
21

[quote]andersons wrote:
I agree with sluicy.

Pushing the dog’s nose in it doesn’t work, especially after the fact. Most dogs make associations between things 1-3 seconds apart - or less. [/quote]
Yes!

You are right that crate training is normally effective, but not when the dog has gotten accustomed to going in the crate, which makes things really tough.

[quote]
The split second I see her thinking about going or starting to go I praise using the command “Good potty!” [/quote]

I find that this tends to make dogs STOP peeing, especially if they are sensitive. They get too excited to eliminate completely. My advice would be to wait until they finish and then praise.

Agree with all of this.

[quote]Another thing I would do is pick up an ultraviolet light and a big bottle of enzyme cleaner such as Nature’s Miracle to clean up everywhere she has gone so far. They have a strong drive to keep going in the same place. With the UV light, you’ll see the urine is far more widespread than you thought when you were cleaning it up. :frowning:

It also sounds like the dog is peeing out of separation anxiety or conditioning rather than the pure need. To improve separation anxiety, don’t pay attention to the dog (playing, petting, etc.) right before leaving or immediately when you return. Make her hold a down-stay for a little while before you leave (and at other times so she doesn’t make it an association). Leave in a low-key way without petting her, speaking to her, or playing with her. When you return, wait a few minutes before petting, greeting, playing. Leave for varied amounts of time to condition her to it. When you’re in the room with her, make her sit and down frequently, and play/pet only as a reward for obeying a command. Control every minute of her life. [/quote]

Also agree with all of this. Done properly, control equals love, and the dog knows it (meaning they respect you, which generates affection).

Beagles are smart little dogs. I don’t see an ongoing problem with this, and OP, if you can initiate corrective behavior, which it seems that you’re doing, the owners will love you!

22

[quote]Rockscar wrote:
Brother Chris wrote:
Rockscar wrote:
Brother Chris wrote:
Keep her outside all the time, fixed.

I’d hate to be your dog. Why even have one?

Pig hunting/Coyote hunting. I have one that stays in the house (yeah right, he goes outside all the time even though he is the only one allowed to be inside with the AC). The others like it outside because they pig hunt, and play/train outside almost all day.

As well, the dogs have their own AC.

Ahh, the country and working dog.

My point is that putting them out will not solve the problem, and i’Ve seen too many neglected dogs left in the yard chained up to let that comment pass.

[/quote]

I get your point, and I agree hundred percent. Putting them outside will not solve the problem, as Rock has said. Especially if you it is just so you do not have to deal with the dog. Dogs are like children (I hate that statement), you have to put full devotion to them and make sure they have the correct behavior. No matter where their environment is, either inside or out, they should be correctly trained in all matters.

23

[quote]sluicy wrote:
Brother Chris wrote:
sluicy wrote:
Brother Chris wrote:
Keep her outside all the time, fixed. It sounds like she was kept in the house all day and the only time she could go to the bathroom without getting into trouble was when her masters were not in the room.

If you are having trouble with this and you want to keep her in the house keep her on a leash. As for at night, stick her outside in your backyard until she learns in the day time.

Sorry, but this is all very counterproductive. Maybe it fixes the OP’s problem but it worsens the issues the dog has.

How is it counter productive to keep a dog outside? Not all dogs are house dogs.

Second, it was partly a joke, and the second part I am not sure how you got that is counter productive.

Because it is creating more anxiety in a pack animal to isolate her from the rest of the group. Sure, it solves the surface problem in that the OP doesn’t have to clean up messes, but that’s it.

As to “all dogs are house dogs,” this is wrong. All dogs are pack dogs, they are pack animals. Dogs would rather be with their pack, be it their owners or whatever other social group, than be outside. The belief that dogs would rather be outdoors, as a blanket statement, is misinformed. Dogs desire a strong social bond more than any other instinct. The instinct to be outdoors and wander their territory is secondary, that is, they wish to travel under the direction of the leaders of the pack (hopefully the dominant human owners… a walk fulfills the need to roam as much or more than it fulfills the need for exercise).

If this dog is isolated, when she already has obvious confusion as to the expectations as to how she fits into the current pack, shoving her outside will just be seen as isolation and punishment. She needs constant contact and affirmation from the OP which she is getting, he’s doing a great job. [/quote]

I get what you’re saying. You’re correct on that, my dog is a little loopy so he acts like a tom cat and wanders the hill side (looking for something to hump) and hunts all day. Which involves him bringing rabbits for the pigs back (if that ain’t weird enough), and for the other dogs.

24

[quote]sluicy wrote:
…
She needs constant contact and affirmation from the OP which she is getting, he’s doing a great job. [/quote]

Agreed, Tumbles is going above and beyond the duties of dog-sitting. Wish he lived near me to take care of my dogs when I travel. :slight_smile:

25

[quote]Brother Chris wrote:
Rockscar wrote:
Brother Chris wrote:
Keep her outside all the time, fixed.

I’d hate to be your dog. Why even have one?

Pig hunting/Coyote hunting. I have one that stays in the house (yeah right, he goes outside all the time even though he is the only one allowed to be inside with the AC). The others like it outside because they pig hunt, and play/train outside almost all day.

As well, the dogs have their own AC.[/quote] dogs that get to hunt are usually very happy dogs

26

The problem you have is that you CAN’T crate train the dog properly as it has been conditioned to eliminate in its own crate. You also can’t correct the dog in this situation even if you do catch it in the act as it is only doing what it has learned is a perfectly normal way to go to the bathroom.

You need to set up a situation in which you KNOW the dog will eliminate when you take it outside. Perhaps give it a big bowl of water spiked with a little milk. This will encourage the dog to drink it all. Then wait 15 minutes, take the dog out to a spot (a paper towel it has already peed on is a great idea) and when the dog eliminates in that spot, have a fucking party for it with lots of high value food treats. Really praise the dog and reinforce that peeing outside is what you want and results in a paycheck of praise and treats. Then it’s back inside and into a clean crate.

If the dog doesn’t go, then bring it back inside and stick it in the crate anyway. Set the stopwatch again, and closely monitor to make sure is doesn’t go in the crate. Watch goes off, take the dog outside and repeat the above scenario. You need to focus on getting the dog to go outside so you can immediately reward it.

This may take many, many repetitions to fix, and unfortunately the dog may never stop doing it completely. There’s another trick you can use to help out in the meantime. Put an elevated bed in the crate that keeps the dog up away from the urine in the event of an accident.

Oh, and Beagles are notorious for submission peeing. You have a lot on your hands.

Demo Dick

27

I have one important question. Does she piss EVERY time you leave her alone, or only once and a while? I had the greatest golden retriever ever, but if she thought we were going somewhere exciting without her she would get fucking angry and piss on the floor immediately after we left. She only did this a few times, but it was definitely malicious. She was typically a champion piss holder that once held it for 15 hours.( car broke down, non of my friends could get to her). The reason I know it was malicious is because on more than one occasion I forgot something in the house and walked back in to find that she has pissed as soon as I had shut the door. I never left the house without taking her out first either. Moral of the story: Your dog might be a puppy with a problem…but theres a slight chance she’s just a twisted bitch.

28

I have a lot of professional experience with this and Demo Dick has pretty much given you the plan I would follow - set the dog up for success, reinforce the success. Sluicy’s comments were also very insightful.

29

[quote]pittbulll wrote:
Brother Chris wrote:
Rockscar wrote:
Brother Chris wrote:
Keep her outside all the time, fixed.

I’d hate to be your dog. Why even have one?

Pig hunting/Coyote hunting. I have one that stays in the house (yeah right, he goes outside all the time even though he is the only one allowed to be inside with the AC). The others like it outside because they pig hunt, and play/train outside almost all day.

As well, the dogs have their own AC. dogs that get to hunt are usually very happy dogs

[/quote]

True, I have thrown many dogs out of a speeding truck and all of them piss and shit themselves with excitement every time I pull that damn broke down truck out of the barn. At least they do not shit in my truck anymore.

30

Update: dog is no longer going in the house, and will even ask out at night if she needs it.

31

I love happy endings! I never know the end of a thread, its good to hear success. What worked?

32

haha, i clapped and made a fool of myself when potty training Petra when she was a pup. Dogs like it when you clap and make a fuss!

I sure like that idea of leashing the dog to yer waist.

Yes, I am curious what worked for the OP

33

oh and that paper towel pee idea was great too

lotsa great advice in this thread, too