# Housetraining #2



## DapperTuxedo (Apr 15, 2013)

Hey everyone!

Sorry to be a stranger. We've got a *LOT* going on in our lives right now. Tux is doing great.  Growing like a weed and blending into our family like he's always been here. 

Housetraining is going well, except for poop. Tux almost never has a pee accident inside the house, unless we have to leave him alone for too long. (more than 2 hours) Even then, he goes on his inside pee spot. With poop, however, he almost never goes outside.

We feed him at the same times every day, but his poop schedule is completely erratic. I'm able to catch him every once in a while and get him outside. Most of the time, however, he goes wherever: in his pen, on the kitchen floor, on the living room floor...

Any tips? What in the world am I doing wrong?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

DapperTuxedo said:


> Hey everyone!
> 
> Sorry to be a stranger. We've got a *LOT* going on in our lives right now. Tux is doing great.  Growing like a weed and blending into our family like he's always been here.
> 
> ...


Needs much more careful supervision and confinement. For every time you let him poop in the wrong place, you will need to get him to poop in the right place MANY MANY times to counteract that habit.


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## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

I sympathize with you. I had the same thing w/Kallie. She was absolutely perfect with signaling to pee. Outside we'd go. But it was like the poop thing didn't register with her. Her schedule was completely erratic, and she pooped 5 - 6 times a day, with 4 - 5 of them being in the house. I was going out of my mind. We'd have a party like no other when she did poop outside. But I didn't follow the rule of crate/outside/no poop/back into crate/repeat until she finally pooped outside. I'm sure that was my big downfall. But she finally "got it" at about a year old. Also, we have carpet & I did spray the area to eliminate the smell, but I think she could still smell it. She had 3 spots where she always pooped. Fortunately, it was firm & easy to pick up. But it sure took a lot of patience to not go old school & rub her nose in it & yell at her!!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Sparkle said:


> I sympathize with you. I had the same thing w/Kallie. She was absolutely perfect with signaling to pee. Outside we'd go. But it was like the poop thing didn't register with her. Her schedule was completely erratic, and she pooped 5 - 6 times a day, with 4 - 5 of them being in the house. I was going out of my mind. We'd have a party like no other when she did poop outside. But I didn't follow the rule of crate/outside/no poop/back into crate/repeat until she finally pooped outside. I'm sure that was my big downfall. But she finally "got it" at about a year old. Also, we have carpet & I did spray the area to eliminate the smell, but I think she could still smell it. She had 3 spots where she always pooped. Fortunately, it was firm & easy to pick up. But it sure took a lot of patience to not go old school & rub her nose in it & yell at her!!!


Good that you didn't though. That teaches them only one thing... To hide when they go, which makes it even harder to tell where/when they are going.

You are also lucky that she kind of caught on by herself eventually. Establishing GOOD habits while setting the, up so they CAN'T make a mistake is the fastest way to get a solidly potty trained puppy.


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## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

Sparkle said:


> But I didn't follow the rule of crate/outside/no poop/back into crate/repeat until she finally pooped outside. I'm sure that was my big downfall.


I was just saying that I had gone thru the same thing, and the reason I failed was because I didn't follow the proper channels. It's a rough road, and if she does it correctly, maybe she won't have to go thru this as long as I did. But I do understand what she's going thru with Tux.


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## Sparkle (May 17, 2012)

Lindsey, I apologize. It looks like my post above has stopped any others from giving your any suggestions. That wasn't my intent.

Please, other posters, help her!


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## FinallyIvy (May 11, 2013)

Since we got Ivy she only poops outside. She will use her wee wee pad for peeing whenever she needs to but doesn't like to poop inside -which I am happy about except when it's cold and raining. I agree with Sparkle. Crate/Out technique worked really well for Ivy. She never has an accident inside her ex pen. (Only 10 weeks) She had only one accident outside of her crate in the house and it was our fault because we weren't watching. If you know what behavior Tux displays before he has to go then just watch him like a hawk. I know it's a pain but I did this for three days watching her after water and food. Then when she circled with her head down, out we went. After a few days she started barking to go out for "poops" because she knew that "poops" was for outside. Good luck! Keep your head up! Patience and diligence eventually works.


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## Tia (Nov 28, 2012)

Often they won't use the same indoor potty for no 2's that they use for no 1's they like to go in different places so if you really prefer the no 2s inside then you may need a second indoor potty.

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## Tia (Nov 28, 2012)

I think it sounds like its become a learned habit to go inside so it takes longer to train as you have to undo and retrain the preferred behaviour. I would just suggest to restrict his access inside so he is only playing in areas that are well lived in as dogs shouldn't normally go in their den if they have enough time to go outside. I would also ensure if you don't already you use a separate command for no 1s compared with no 2s.

Is he comfortable going in front of you? I think if he is going outside say nothing until he is finished and then it's a case of throwing a party and treating to reward the behaviour.

When you take him outside take him to the spots where he has gone previously to pick up the scent.

Also make sure the smell of any accidents has been completely eliminated as if he can smell it then he will continue to go inside.

Also keep a diary of when he goes. Might sound silly but you have mentioned its all over the place by recording it you may pick up a pattern I.e how many hours between or many times a day, how long after eating etc.

How often are you feeding and are you feeding at the same time every day?

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## FinallyIvy (May 11, 2013)

Oh no! I only want #2s outside. Very proud of her. I just hate to go out in the rain. She loves it regardless. My sweet Ivy!


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## Tia (Nov 28, 2012)

FinallyIvy said:


> Oh no! I only want #2s outside. Very proud of her. I just hate to go out in the rain. She loves it regardless. My sweet Ivy!


That's good then. It makes life easier when it clicks and they go where they are meant to. I hate the rain too. Doug was sulking to go for a walk in it last night so I had to just GET OVER IT lol


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## DapperTuxedo (Apr 15, 2013)

Thanks for the advice everyone!


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Leo turned 15 weeks today. He goes outside for pees and poops and has only had one pee accident indoors which was our fault for getting caught up in a conversation and not getting him out immediately after vigorous play with the other dogs. That said Leo has an expen set up in the den and at my office. If I can't keep eyes on him, he is in the expen. He won't pee or poop in the expen and will fuss in a certain way if he needs to go potty. If he's emptied outside then he gets a few minutes of play and training with me or DH in the kitchen which is gated so he stays in that room. Or he is tethered to me as we explore the rest of the house and spend time in each room. It will be ages before he is permitted free access to the whole house. This process is a pain but in order for Leo to have minimal accidents and learn to go outside to use the bathroom I feel like it is time well spent. We also are with him anytime he is outside so we can praise him when he pees or poops. Consistent, watchful management of a puppy will usually lead to a trustworthy adult dog as far as house training is concerned. Someone once told me that going slower in training a dog is faster than trying to move to quickly toward the end goal. As others have said, house training issues are usually too much freedom with too little supervision too soon. Back up with Tux as if you had just brought him home today and proceed much more slowly. Confinement to a small space unless your undivided attention can be on him. Frequent trips outside, praise when he potties where you want. No accidents because you are watching him like a hawk. Then very slowly increase the size of his confinement area, if there are mistakes you have moved too fast. Tux will grow up and this will become ancient history but for now is a necessary part of having the well trained adult dog you want.


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## DapperTuxedo (Apr 15, 2013)

Let me clarify:

Tux is crated, in his pen, or tethered at all times indoors. The times that he's pooped in the kitchen and the living room, he's done it while he's attached to me! Of all the times he's pooped since we've had him, I don't think any two times have been at the same time of day...no joke. He's completely sporadic, gives no warning, and poops in less than five seconds flat. That's part of what's making it so hard. We clap, immediately pick him up, and rush him outside when he does it, but he's always already finished so there's nothing to celebrate to show him the difference.

I'm sure we'll get it eventually; I can just tell it's going to take a lot of persistence.


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Maybe it's just that Tux's little body hasn't matured sufficiently to give him any warning. Maybe he will just need a bit more time before he learns to know when he needs to go.


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## DapperTuxedo (Apr 15, 2013)

I'm really excited to report that Tux is 99.9% housetrained. We only have accidents once about every 3-4 days, and it's ALWAYS when we're not paying him enough attention. He even runs to the back door and yips when he's having "free" time in the kitchen or living room with me.  Yay! Thanks for your encouragement, everyone!


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## Pucks104 (Aug 16, 2012)

Yeah, Tux!


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## Ruth4Havs (May 13, 2013)

One tip: If Tux breaks away from playing and starts sniffing on the floor or circling, that is a sign that he is probably going to poop on your floor.


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