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Post by alana on Feb 18, 2006 21:46:40 GMT -5
Is an exercise in pulling teeth. I have been working with my terrier for SIX months now and she is only 75% there, under 100% supervision!!!! She will make it through the night fine, goes out early, comes back in and gets 30 minutes of running around. She is in the crate A LOT. Her schedule has been 1 hour crate, outside, 15-30 minutes play/obedience work. But tonight is a good example. I was bathing my 2yo and 3yo, dh was playing with the 5yo...dh sees wonder dog pee on our comforter that a child got on the floor (tent building)....then wonder dog runs into dd's room and poops. She was out 20 minutes before doing this and I SAW her go potty! She doesnt have a UTI...but she seems to have a lentil sized bladder. Dh is at wits end with this. I dont know what else to do. Im even having a rough time with the obedience work...she is so tiny...its WAY different from training my GSD and Weim was. Is this just going to be life with her? Her crated 80% of the time, and not having a dog that can interact with us full time?? I really dont know what else to do. Im very frustrated about this. Do you know what its like potty training 2 toddlers and a dog at the same time?? Somedays, I swear my day is cleaning up bodily functions.
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Post by Nicole on Feb 19, 2006 9:05:59 GMT -5
What do you do when she pottys inside. I wonder if this isn't, in part, an attention seeking behavior.
At this point I would set her up to fail, let her start to go, and really make the consequences unpleasant. I know she is only 10lbs. But a firm No and scruff shake should be OK. Lift her up a bit by the scruff and give a little shake...don't hurt her neck though. Then whisk her outside and praise and treat (something yummy) for finishing outside.
If you all are just running after her yelling she may think that attention is fun. She needs to not like the consequences. I would even consider getting a mini prong collar. They do sell them.
That means that you have to catch her every time. If she is going in the house she is not on 100% supervision. Otherwise she would be seen and whisked outside. Keep a lead on her so she can not run into a room and potty.
The only way that this dog is going to learn is if she is never allowed to potty inside without being corrected and taken outside.
You can do this but is is work and it will take some time and I feel for you having your hands full with the babies.
Tell your husband that supervision means eyeball supervision and that he must watch for signs that she has to go so that he can correct it as it is happening and then finish up outside.
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Post by willow on Feb 19, 2006 9:17:27 GMT -5
Nicki is right and some times this means taking them out every 15 minutes, until they get the idea.
Is there some way you can keep her with you more, on leash, so she doesn't have to spend so much time in the crate? That really isn't fair to her either and will cause behavior problems. This may even be partly why she is still going potty in the house.
Make sure all areas that she has gone have been thoroughly cleaned with an enzyme cleaner too, such as Nature's Miracle or Accident's happen or she will think it is o.k. to go back there and potty again.
If you can't do these things, it may be best to re home her and wait to get another dog until the children are more grown up and don't need so much of your time.
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Post by alana on Feb 19, 2006 18:04:05 GMT -5
It is definitely a challenge to leash her to me 100% when I keep tripping over her and have 3 littles vying for my attention...but its not impossible. When I emailed her breeder about this, asking her for input...she replied back..."You know Im sitting here giggling..dont you?" Which it is so ridiculous, it is humorous! I dont give up on dogs...unless they are so psychotic with sep. anxiety that I come home to a bloodbath and massive damage every time I leave the house (that wouldve been our last dog a rescue Weim...Im still torn up about that) I will work with her on this till she is 10 if need be. My dh was deprived child who was never allowed a pet.....he likes our dogs when they are trained. On a side note...I remember when we adopted our GSD a long time ago....he was horrendously abused, and was oneyr when we got him. He was starting to gain some confidence, and was becoming a big puppy. He came up to dh who was putting on his socks....and stole dh's sock and ran off!! Dh got up and ran after him...while Im yelling at dh...sit down and call him back...he will come...then all of a sudden, dh is yelling HE IS PEEING..HE IS PEEING!!! LOL!!! Poor Jack was so scared of dh coming after him, he just peed all over the floor. AFter that dh just followed my direction, and he and Jack became best friends...unless Jack breathed his horrid breath in dh's face. The main problem seems to be in her signaling me...like we arent reading each other right or something. Im going to put bells up and see if that clicks with her...ringing the bell to go out....though Im having visions of a certain 2 yo who LOVES dogs, pretending she is a dog and ringing it herself!! Oh well....how many years will I be blessed with 3 little children, and a small dog going through her adolescence. ;D I will get more forceful when if I catch going in the house again. I was just giving a sharp NO! At which she would belly crawl across the floor trying to lick me....and then I pick her up and stick her outside and tell her go potty.
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