# Belly Bands & Housetraining Help Needed + Dogs from Yuba City Animal Shelter



## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Geri mentioned using belly bands for her boys in another post, and I have some questions. I tried to search for earlier posts but really didn't find the answers that I needed.

Geri - and others who have used them for their male dogs - do they still wear their belly bands in the house, or have you been able to train them to be dry in the house without needing a belly band? And, if so, how?

A little history for everyone else:

We adopted Buster from the Sutter County Animal Shelter in Yuba City, CA last July at 5 months. He was one of the group of Havanese and Schnoodle adults and pups abandoned by their breeder at his "partner's" home in Yuba City. She tried to handle all these dogs [37?] plus her own but finally had to ask for help from Animal Control.

Because of his lack of housetraining, I started from scratch with him and treated him as if he were a very young puppy. I followed all the rules about taking him out at appropriate intervals after eating and drinking; crating him when I couldn't watch him or tethering him to me with a leash in between times. I managed to keep him [mostly] from having accidents in the house and cleaned any up with an enzyme-based cleaner to remove the scent from the bamboo flooring and carpets.

As he became older and more reliable, I stopped crating him and tried to keep an eye on him in between our walks. Sometimes I tether hom to me. We go out several times in the morning as well as the afternoon and evening with or without Buffy. He's ok all night in his crate.

He is NOT OK with being in his crate during the daytime. Chew toys and stuffed Kongs do not make up for freedom, and he barks and stresses if he is confined, especially if I leave the room or go out into the yard. He seems to have an intense case of *Separation Anxiety*, possibly because he grew up NEVER being alone [with 36+ siblings]. So, he was given the run of the house like Buffy.

Anyway, since I was not watching him all the time, especially when I was on the computer reading Forum posts, there came a time when he would just pee on the floor. There have been some poop accidents, too, but usually when his sensitive gut would unexpectedly [to me] produce very loose stools. Thanks a lot, Buster. 

So, I bought several belly bands for Buster, who is 15 months old now, maybe 4 months ago because he just wasn't letting me know that he needed to go out for a walk to pee, and my DH was getting very upset about the situation.

I use Poise pads in them, and he is just as happy to pee with the belly band on. 

He is not marking, he is emptying his bladder. We go through lots of Poise pads every week. He does come to me after he pees most of the time to remove the damp or wet pad. I am hoping to translate that somehow to telling me before he pees so I can take him outside.

I have been trying to train both Buffy and Buster to ring the bell to go outside to eliminate, but I fear that it is not going to happen. When I tell him to ring the bells at the front door, Buster will jump up and ring them, but he does not ring them without prompting. Of course, they are both very happy to accept a treat once outside after they have rung the bells at my prompting. :frusty:

When he is outside and pees, I praise him for peeing outside. I do not scold him for having a wet belly band. It's not quite like having a toddler who understands English, though.

I would rather not have to start from scratch with him if at all possible.

So, my question is, do you have any suggestions for me as to how to move beyond the need for Belly Bands?

Thanks for any help you can give me.


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

*This is just about Housetraining with Belly Bands*

:bump:

I have started a new thread about the adoptees from the Sutter County Animal Shelter in Yuba City, CA under Rescue. This is just about Housetraining with Belly Bands.

I need some practical advice. Please see my first post, below. Thanks


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Mine don't wear their belly bands anymore and haven't for quite some time. However, I'll probably be moving soon so I'll definitely use them when we start out in a new place till we have a routine.


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## dbeech (Jun 16, 2009)

Try an ex-pen instead of a crate for daytime. Put it in the room where the most family activity is. That way he doesn't have the run of the house, but he is he is in an area bigger than a crate.


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

I am trying your suggestion for part of the time. Otherwise I have him attached to me with a leash. When I am close to him, at least he tries to tell me he needs to go, although most of the time it is subtle [those dreamy eyes looking up at me].

Ultimately, I would like to be able to let him have access to the front door and it string/rope of temple bells, but there isn't room near the door for his ex-pen.

I suppose I could try hanging another string/rope of temple bells from the top of the ex-pen, but he would probably just chew the rope. :biggrin1:

Anyway, thank you for your suggestion. We'll just keep plugging away at this until he gets it.


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

StarrLhasa said:


> I am trying your suggestion for part of the time. Otherwise I have him attached to me with a leash. When I am close to him, at least he tries to tell me he needs to go, although most of the time it is subtle [those dreamy eyes looking up at me].
> 
> Ultimately, I would like to be able to let him have access to the front door and it string/rope of temple bells, but there isn't room near the door for his ex-pen.
> 
> ...


Did he get it? I am searching housetraining threads! Flynn


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi, Flynn:

Not as well as I would like, ufortunately. He is wearing a belly band with a Poise pad whenever he is in the house [except for overnight in his crate when he has no problem holding it until I take him out in the morning - I cut off his water after about 8 pm, and that may be why he is OK overnight.].

He does come to me and signals he needs something, but by the time we get to the front door and I take off his belly band, the pad is often wet. I don't know if what he tries to tell me is that he needs to go out to pee or that he wants me to remove a wet pad. I usually don't see him peeing.

I am going to ask our Vet if maybe he has stress incontinence and, if so, if a medication might help. It is really frustrating. The only good thing is that the belly band has saved my floors.


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

It is so sad isn't it...did you read what Dave posted on the thread I started? If not here it is..I just copied it..
You say marking , I'm not so sure. I still strongly recommend a trainer. But with marking, many trainers treat it the same as housetraining problems. It is a case of starting at square one. Here's one method I like to recommend .

Get an 
ex-pen and set it up on a tarpaulin, in a location where you spend lots 
of time in your home. In the ex-pen, put a crate with a comfy bed in 
it, and if possible, put the crate up so that it is a few inches off the 
floor. Also make a bed for him that is a few inches off the floor. You 
are putting beds higher because dogs often like to sleep higher than 
their surroundings and with dogs who are not housebroken as adults they 
will sometimes take the height as a salient criteria for not soiling a 
bed. Then on the floor, cover 100% with pee pads. When you cannot 
directly handle him, that is where he should be. Don't worry about 
urination and defecation in the ex-pen cause the whole thing is covered 
and on a protected surface. When he has been on this successfully for 
three weeks, take away a pee pad. If he is successful on this surface 
for three weeks, take away another pee pad. Continue in this way until 
he is choose pee pads. I tell people that in dogs who missed the 
critical period for learning to eliminate outdoors, it takes between 8 
and ten months to retrain, but it can be done.
Once you get the dog pee pad trained and wish to transition to outdoors , here's an article on this. http://dogpottyexpert.com/transition...potty-training


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

Thanks, Flynn. Two words: shredding gene.


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

StarrLhasa said:


> Thanks, Flynn. Two words: shredding gene.


Opps I did notice that, just not quickly enough..sorry about the duplicate post.. I know Augie's Mom uses a Ugo pad...I have not tried it..just throwing out thoughts!


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