Do this look like a bad dog? Look a little closer -- see that leash (the leash that she has chewed to bits)? That leash means she is attached to me. She is attached to me because she had two poopy accidents in the house in two days. Why would a dog, who seemingly understands (because she has been doing it for almost two months) that poop belongs in the grass outside, suddenly go in the dining room (on the carpet, of course)? Someone, whose name shall remain secret (Peach), left the gate down and Poopy Dog (as she has been know these last two days) snuck in and did her business on forbidden land.
I'm trying to train her to use a bell at the door -- to ring the bell when she has to go out. Obviously she doesn't get it. I've been bouncing the bell off her nose when I take her out, in hope that she would connect the bell ringing with going out. I don't think she gets the nose thing. Now I'm going to try her paw -- she paws at the door to come in, but she won't paw at it to go out. Ugh!
Any suggestions?
(BTW -- don't think she was looking at me so sweetly -- I had turkey in my hand.)
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I don't remember how old your dog is, but I have had dogs that do things like that when they are upset about something, usually some kind of change in their routine.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a simple answer. Holly will be two in a few days, but got the bathroom thing down pretty quickly. We let her out always about fifteen minutes after she ate/drank . . . I'd stand at the door and coach her to "go potty" and when she did, praised her. Now days, she'll scratch at the door to go out, and to come in . . . if we wait too long either way, she'll bark.
ReplyDeleteMaybe your pooch needs to be let out more often? Longer periods of time?
No pooch advice here....but I love pooch stories.
ReplyDeletePaula,
ReplyDeleteI was hoping you would chime in (no pun intended)! Thanks.
Maggie is five months old. She's had an occasional pee accident in the house since we got her, but has had the pooping outside down for many, many weeks. I guess our weekend was a little disruptive, with lots of (new-to-her) people around the house, but we never forgot to take her out or anything. The strange thing is -- she had been out and gone potty. Obviously she didn't finish (both times).
Have you successful bell-trained any of your dogs?
maybe you could hang some turkey by the bell...she seems rather fond of it! :)
ReplyDeleteNo kidding, Regan -- maybe that would work!
ReplyDeleteIt just takes some dogs longer than others to learn the whole poopy outside thing. We did the bells with one puppy. We lifted her paw to ring them before opening the door or just rang them ourselves with our foot. She picked it up eventually. My other dog was older when we got him, but he still learned to ring it just by watching the other dog.
ReplyDelete(My captcha is Maggeo!)