Toilet training, do I need to go back to the start?

Hi,

Dizzy is now 6 months old and up until last week was good with her toileting. Apart from the odd accident going happily in the garden. The back door is sometimes just open but she did ask to go out if not. But the last week she has started weeing and pooing in the house.

When she has done this I have just ignored her and cleaned it up and when she has gone in the garden have praised her and continued with her command to go toilet.

I am watching for signs of her needing to go and take her outside where we stand for 15 minutes or so looking at each other, she does nothing and then will come in sneak off and go to the toilet.

Do you think I need to go back to the beginning as if she was a new puppy? I am wondering if the dark nights and fireworks have spooked her. Is this the best way forward do you think?

She is booked into the vets this week for a check up but I really don't think there is anything wrong with her.

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks Ali xx

Hi Ali is Dizzy spayed or could she be due in season? when a bitch is due in season it can somtimes lead to soiling in the house.

It also sounds as though Dizzy may not be fully house trained yet. Leaving the door open and letting her go out is not really house training, (most dog try to get away from the sleeping/eating area to soil if they can ) she is not learning a routine and getting used to waiting to go out.

So rather than letting her out I would take her out at regular intervals at times she is most likely to want to go , after sleep/food/play/first thing in the morning/last thing at night preferably to a place where other dogs have been, sniffing around other scents and a bit of exercise will usually stimulate a dog to relieve itself (you could stand for ever in the garden , ). When she goes give lots of praise and to begin with a treat .This should help to establish a routine of going at certain times and teach her going outside is the correct thing to do.

Once the required behaviour is firmly established you could leave the door open, but it is a good idea to continue taking Dizzy out sometimes so the wanted behaviour can continue to be re enforced with praise, this will also enable you to be sure she is 'empty' before being left at times like overnight.

It is useful to teach a dog to relive itself on command see a previous thread ..

http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php...85#post1808585

Thanks for the reply, no Dizzy is not spayed yet she is booked in for next Monday.

I have been teaching her to go on command as my other dog does but she is very picky about where she will go. She will never go on a walk always choosing to race down the garden when we return.

I have read the links you put on for me and it seems like I need to shut the back door then and start with a routine for her.

Toilet training take 2 starts now!!

Thanks minihaha

I don't think this is about housebreaking at all. Unless the vet turns up a physical problem, likely it is about hormones and a rebellious teenager. I would go ahead and have her spayed and then enroll in an obedience class.

The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat.

Yes, there are newer studies questioning the ideas of top dog and pack rank. I don't feel they do a very good job explaining and changing behavior.

Hi Ali has Dizzy had a season yet, as I said above if she is coming into season this can effect her behaviour..

Thanks for your reply.

So you think she is doing it on purpose then? Why would you say that was? Just because she can? (I know all about teenager humans as I have a couple ) We do go training and she is currently studying for her bronze kc award.

If it is as you think and about rebellion and her rank in the pack how would you suggest I deal with it then?

Ali xx

The spaying should help. Some of what you do for a housebreaking problem will help. don't let her sneak off out of sight. Close doors, put up gates, and keep a good eye on her. If you catch it in the act, give it a sharp ''Ah,
ah, ah!'' and take it out. When you can't watch it, crate it.

You also need to do all the top dog stuff, eat first, go through doors first, keep the best sleeping spots for yourself, etc. She should sit while getting her food ready and until you place it on the floor and say free dog.

OMG dogs do not see humans as pack of their packs, they know humans & other animals are not dogs.

This puppy is not deliberately toileting indoors to get a reaction, that is anthropomorphising dogs. If she is coming in season her hormones will be all over the place & this could be what is affecting her behaviour. If you have her spayed before she has a season(especially if she is very close to a season)her behaviour could be permanently affected.

This is why most experienced dog people prefer to allow bitches to have a season first & then spayed 3 months later. I personally prefer to spay after the second season as the mid-point can be more accurately calculated, otherwise you & the vet are just guessing. Spaying early also can produce lifelong incontinence.

She might have a UTI & I would look at this first, rather than going down the canine attempt at world domination route

Obviously this is based on studies of captive artificial wolf packs. In reality the lowest ranking animals are fed by the hunters(lead by the breeding pair-there are no alphas in wolf packs as they are comprised of two unrelated parents & their direct offspring from annual litters)studies on unrelated captive wolves that do not hunt are bogus studies that do not relate to reality

You do not need to eat first, go through doors first(in real life packs the breeding pair do not lead the hunt)etc this is IMHO total bunkum.

Sitting whilst their food is prepared is fine, that is teaching the dog manners & not proving human domination over canines

Having her spayed to fix a toilet regime setback is going to do what???

Not sure how you can class a 6 mth old as a rebellious teenager, nor is enrolling her in a obedience class going to help you with this set back, she is NOT being defiant or challenging your authority , by toileting in the house, it is simply not in a dogs comprehension to do such things.

It may be that as some have said, her hormones are a little out of kilt, along with the more likely explanation of her simply, "not being fully house trained"

She is only 6 mths old, still very much a baby, and sometimes we expect them to learn quicker than they are capable,

Treat it as a set, back, go back to basics, be more vigalent with your regime.

The early spaying is another matter completey, I agree with the others, 6 mths is to soon, but your choice at the end of the day.