House training

RE: House training

Iain Richards — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 08:54:56 GMT

"supervised and on a line" - sorry, I don't know what you mean by this.

Older lab (7) that she's bonded well with, two cats, one who'll play with her, one who'll avoid her. Two teenagers, one who'll play with her, one who'll ignore her. As normal training (this is dog 4) wasn't working, I've been feeding her in areas she wees in and encouraging her into areas like the living room to sleep when we are there. Upstairs is a frequent spot for a wee - if someone leaves the stairgate open. There's no doubt we didn't take her out often enough when young. I perhaps was unwise to leave too much of the care to youngest child, who is too easily distraccted himself - that's not to blame him, more me for not haviing an overview.

I'm assuming that a down side of crate training is that anywhere out of the crate is outside the den, therfore fair game to wee in.

RE: House training

Robert FalconerTaylor — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 07:30:47 GMT

[quote user="Iain Richards"]

Crate trained from 8wk, last few weeks, no problem so left crate door open over last week. Dry at night (always has been). Yips in morning, let out, wees.

I’ve never yet worked out her cues for needing to go out and rather suspect that she has no concept of “in” or “out”.

[/quote]

Did the dog miss out on the transition part of training from crate to supervised and on a line with ongoing regular outside trips? This is what seals the concept of out and in. Also, does she urinate in specific areas of the house during the day? Any other pets in the house, e.g. a cat?

RE: House training

Emily Rainbow — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 23:37:28 GMT

No idea how to help.

i still struggle with my 7yo terrier, house trained her at 4yrs old but since moving house she regularly wee's in my lounge. Even with late night walks rather than just garden trips (and she likes marking when out on a walk). She's good at weeing on command and lots of praise afterwards but I'm now stuck! My kitchen is tiny so don't want to shut her in there, ex-kenneled dog that doesn't like small spaces so not sure crate training would be suitable now.

RE: House training

Eilidh Corr — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 22:57:34 GMT

Is it possible she's marking a bit in the run up to her first season? If she seems to have gone backwards recently, that could be why.

I sympathise - mine has never done anything more than wander out of the room quietly when she needs out so I have to be really vigilant. She can cry when she wants fed though

RE: House training

Rachel Brown — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 22:07:48 GMT

No help to the OP but I had forgotten the work needed with a new pup until mine arrived 3 years ago. With him I never waited for any cues. The moment he woke, finished eating, stopped destroying everything or changed his behaviour in any way I brought him outside and stood there until he did something. Praise then followed. Also when he was a little pup I kept his crate in the bedroom so I could bring him out when he woke. Don't know what the neighbours thought of me standing in the front garden with a small pup at 3am for a few weeks.

only downside is 3 years later he demands supervision for his final nighttime patrol of the back garden, regardless of the weather!

RE: House training

Clare Tapsfield-Wright — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 21:13:47 GMT

Im not bragging but apart from the rare weird deep sleep pant wetting session my five month lab pup is housetrained but I don't wait for her to signal that she wants a pee but take her out when she wakes up from a snooze and after she eats. I expect they just take different lengths of time just like children do to become completely reliable . There just seems to be a day when they get the message though I have spent a lot of time standing outside in the twilight

RE: House training

Jill Butterworth — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 18:18:25 GMT

I think you are right, you need to watch like a hawk for their 'I need to wee' cue, our pup gave the briefest glance at the door. I generally tell clients to pop them back in the cage any time you cannot directly observe them if this is a problem. Some pups are not 'reliable' until about a year old.