Potty Training a New Dog

[RainMaker]

I'm seriously lost here. Nothing seems to be really getting through. Just sort of goes when and where he wants. New dog, little over a year old, came from a shelter.

Any tips before I kill myself?

[Honolulu_Blue]

I wish I had some tips. It's been about 6 years or so since I went through this and my dog was a bit younger at the time.

We did the usual. Take the dog outside a lot, praise him every time he peed or pooped outside, gave him treats, etc.

If he started to pee inside I would yell at him and then quickly get him outside.

The last time he peed in the house, he peed across the entire upstairs. He created some elaborate system of lakes and rivers of urine from room-to-room. It was pretty impressive. I lost it and started to scream and rave at him. He was terrified and hasn't done it since.

[molson]

You could try the newspaper/training pad thing where you put the newspaper or the pad in the house but away from the food and water. Then he starts to pick up the concept of location and control and you can move from there and eventually move the newspaper or pad away.

[gstelmack]

Crate training is another option.

[Fidatelo]

Big dog or small dog? Small dogs are supposed to be harder.

One thing to try is to use the assumption that most animals don't like to go in their own space (makes sense), so confining the dog to a smaller area (like maybe the kitchen or another room near the door) might help it choose to try to wait and go outside.

[Marc Vaughan]

Crate training worked with my Golden Retriever and he's been fantastic so far (he's 2 now) ... you need to be disciplined with it though.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I wish I had some tips. It's been about 6 years or so since I went through this and my dog was a bit younger at the time.

We did the usual. Take the dog outside a lot, praise him every time he peed or pooped outside, gave him treats, etc.

If he started to pee inside I would yell at him and then quickly get him outside.

The last time he peed in the house, he peed across the entire upstairs. He created some elaborate system of lakes and rivers of urine from room-to-room. It was pretty impressive. I lost it and started to scream and rave at him. He was terrified and hasn't done it since.

This is pretty much what I've always done with the handful of dogs we've ever had. Nothing special. Take it out a bunch. Every hour, if not more. Especially right after the puppy is done eating or drinking. One we had trouble with so we gated it into the living room with us with baby gates so we could observe it even more. If it even started sniffing like it might have to go off to the backyard we went.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Big dog or small dog? Small dogs are supposed to be harder.

One thing to try is to use the assumption that most animals don't like to go in their own space (makes sense), so confining the dog to a smaller area (like maybe the kitchen or another room near the door) might help it choose to try to wait and go outside.

Smaller, not super small though. About 36 pounds. He really just doesn't seem to have a sense of boundaries. Can be standing in the room and he'll just take a dump in the middle of it and go about his business like nothing is going on. He'll go outside when we take him, but he'll seriously come in and pee 20 minutes later. It's bizarre.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

overzealous positive reinforcement. inside nothing. outside treats/love. they catch on.

[DougW]

I've had a half dozen dogs or so, but have always gotten them as pups (younger than yours). I've never had a problem with that .

A LOT of attention to the "potty" is all I've ever none.
If they go outside, woo-hoo !! great job, it's party time.
If they go inside ... OMG I Friggin HATE you right now, nose rubbing, yelling NO, etc.

It's always worked. I imagine, just keep to it, it may take time.

[HerRealName]

Combining crate training and limiting water to meal times has always done the trick for us but that sounds like a tough situation. Good Luck.

[RedKingGold]

Is he or she neutered? If not, it could be a marking issue.

[molson]

You could also just give up and crap in the house yourself, might save some on plumbing and water bills that way.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by NorvTurnerOverdrive

overzealous positive reinforcement. inside nothing. outside treats/love. they catch on.

This and taking it outside really frequently are pretty much the main things.

I think our vet told us that most pups can't hold their bladders for longer than an hour per their age in months. So, a 3-month old would need to go out at least every 3-hours. I'd take it out every time after you see it eating or drinking.

Limiting its space unit it "earns" more is smart, too. Keeps clean up contained and allows it to become more accustomed to it's territory.

[Glengoyne]

I have a friend who solves all of his dog behavioral issues by taking the dog outside and peeing on it.

He says it has immediately solved any and all long term behavioral struggles with his dogs.

He even got his wife to do it for one of them that liked to chew on her shoes and only her shoes. He also told me I was to never share the fact that I knew that with his wife. I'm frankly afraid to know what he would do, if I slipped up.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

I have a friend who solves all of his dog behavioral issues by taking the dog outside and peeing on it.

He says it has immediately solved any and all long term behavioral struggles with his dogs.

He even got his wife to do it for one of them that liked to chew on her shoes and only her shoes. He also told me I was to never share the fact that I knew that with his wife. I'm frankly afraid to know what he would do, if I slipped up.

O/U for Glen to be peed on ? Vegas line has it at 2 days.

[spleen1015]

When we got a dog for my daughter, we took it to puppy training. One of the things the trainer told us was that your dog will always tell you it has to go. You just have to learn what the signs are before they are house trained.

My wife watched the freaking dog like a hawk for about a month and the dog got trained.

[MizzouRah]

Besides our golden retriever who was potty trained in about one week. We just had to keep an eye on the other ones when they were young and take them outside when they even looked like they were sniffing around. It takes time and patience.

[Balldog]

In my experience puppies have been easier to house break than a dog over a year old but it can be done. We watch a lot of Dog Whisperer and learnt it is mostly positive reinforcement and treating the accidents in the house as such. If he goes inside just get him outside immediately and do not show any negative emotion or anger to the accident.

We had a perfectly potty trained dog that would just come right up to us and pee in the house to piss us off. Which was a result of the negative emotion and anger we showed him as a puppy.

We currently have a 2-yr old bulldog that was trained after 2 weeks and 15 wk old bull mastiff that is well on his way.

[law90026]

It was painful for us when we first got our lab.

We basically brought him downstairs on a schedule and would just walk him until he peed or pooped and rewarded him appropriately then. We slowly stretched out the schedule but it took a while. Accidents did happen of course (in which case we would immediately discipline in some fashion) but it paid off in the end (he goes half the day without having to pee/poop now, which was essential when my wife and I both worked).

[STK]

With my GSD (11 months now), I put a bell at "doggie nose level" on a door leading to the backyard. Every couple of hours, I would ring the bell and take him outside to go potty. He eventually got in the habit of ringing the bell himself to let me know when it is time.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I'm seriously lost here. Nothing seems to be really getting through. Just sort of goes when and where he wants. New dog, little over a year old, came from a shelter.

Any tips before I kill myself?

Patience and repetition

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by STK

With my GSD (11 months now), I put a bell at "doggie nose level" on a door leading to the backyard. Every couple of hours, I would ring the bell and take him outside to go potty. He eventually got in the habit of ringing the bell himself to let me know when it is time.

whoa - cool!

[Ryche]

Originally Posted by STK

With my GSD (11 months now), I put a bell at "doggie nose level" on a door leading to the backyard. Every couple of hours, I would ring the bell and take him outside to go potty. He eventually got in the habit of ringing the bell himself to let me know when it is time.

Yeah, we did this with both of our dogs, amazing how easy it is. Just ring the bell every time you take the dog outside through that door and in no time they ring it themselves to go out.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Originally Posted by law90026

It was painful for us when we first got our lab.

My lab puppy only pee'd in the house 1 time and has never done it since. I wish I could say that the rest of his behavior followed suit, but he is now 6 years old and is still a HUGE pain in the #$$.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by CubsFanCuddy

My lab puppy only pee'd in the house 1 time and has never done it since. I wish I could say that the rest of his behavior followed suit, but he is now 6 years old and is still a HUGE pain in the #$$.

My dog is almost 7. He's really good about not going in the house. We can leave him alone for 6-8 hours and he won't have an accident. The only time he had one was when he had bad diarrhea and I didn't get up fast enough to get him out.

That said, he is still a special animal. He's like Happy Fun Ball when it comes to strangers. Whenver anyone comes to our house the first time, we have to instruct them to ignore the dog, do not make eye contact, do not try to pet him, or anything until he decides its time for such things (which he often indicates by simply taking his 70 lbs body and trying to curl in their lap).

Kids are out completely.

[RainMaker]

Thank you all for the help. I'm going to try the positive reinforcement thing even more. I'll lay it on real thick when he goes outside. Will ignore when he goes inside.

I guess what got me about this is he just doesn't seem to know better. It's not a marking thing or something he's ashamed of, he just thinks it's totally normal to lay a biscuit in the middle of the hallway. Going to order a good rug cleaner from Amazon today. If anyone has suggestions on that too, I'd be all ears.

Also, don't feed a non housebroken dog eggs.

[lungs]

I threw my dog outside and never let him come back in the house. Problem solved.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by lungs

I threw my dog outside and never let him come back in the house. Problem solved.

How does he lay on your lap while you take a nap with football on?

[lungs]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

How does he lay on your lap while you take a nap with football on?

He's too damn big for that, but he does try. It's a farm dog, so he enjoys the freedom of being able to run outside.

[Sweed]

Originally Posted by STK

With my GSD (11 months now), I put a bell at "doggie nose level" on a door leading to the backyard. Every couple of hours, I would ring the bell and take him outside to go potty. He eventually got in the habit of ringing the bell himself to let me know when it is time.

Originally Posted by Ryche

Yeah, we did this with both of our dogs, amazing how easy it is. Just ring the bell every time you take the dog outside through that door and in no time they ring it themselves to go out.

Did this too with my Springer Spaniels (~20 years ago) I trained to pheasant hunt, worked great. My second Springer would softly tap the bell to go out then sit and wait. If you didn't come in the "normal" amount of time she would BANG it loudly. Pretty funny.

A bit embarrassing but my current dog, a chocolate lab and a Nervous Nelly, was afraid of the bell so a "no-go" for her.

[RainMaker]

Things have gotten a little better. Still the occasional accident but they seem to be getting less and less. Feels like he's gotten the hang of going outside and have been rewarding him right after he goes with a small treat.

Now have a new problem. The dog first off is the nicest dog you could ever meet. Just wants to play, rub up against you, be around people. You could hold his mouth shut if you wanted to without a problem.

The other day though he for the first time growled and bit my Mom. Now he's been over at her place a bunch as I've been doing some remodeling and like to drop him off. Plus my Mom likes the company and she's got a big yard for him to run around in. But for some reason I came in the door to pick him up after being at her house for the day and when my Mom reached down to grab a bag I had brought over for her he bit her in a somewhat vicious manner. It broke skin and everything. The dog immediately went back to normal like nothing happened.

I'm not sure where this came from. He's been perfect with everyone for almost a month now. Never an inkling of aggressiveness. He does do the playful nibbling but this was different. I don't know if this is normal or a bad sign. If it was a stranger I'd get it, or a weird situation I'd get it too. But I don't know if this is a dog acting out that needs more discipline, a random event that happens, or a sign of big problems down the road.