As you people all know i got a dog a while back. Everything is good (hes the best boy), but hes still having trouble potty training. Theres one spot in my room that he thinks is his bathroom.

I have started crating him at night, and restricting access to my room during the day. I also have boiled chicken that i give him as a treat when he goes outside. He was doing really good, and then had 2 accidents in the last 2 days. I'm also tracking his habits on a spreadsheet to try and get some sort of pattern down. All accidents are cleaned up with Rocco and Roxie enzymatic carpet cleaner.

I'm genuinely confused, as I just found a pee spot but he has been with me all day. Th onbly thing i can think is that sometimes in the morning ill let him in bed after he goes out, since he's empty. He may be sneaking out of the bed to go pee.

I'm at my wits end... I feel like im doing the right things, but he doesnt seem to be getting it. Part of it is that he had never been outside of an apt before the SPCA got him, so in his mind carpet IS where he's supposed to go. He's smart in other aspects... I taught him to sit and a few other tricks relatively easily. Am i missing something?

The rogue reliever

If you see him going/about to go, make a loud noise to get his attention and then carry him outside to go. Then give him all of the usual praise

but seriously, go buy a box of puppy pads from costco (100 large pads for about $18).

Lay them where he is peeing. This helps both on cleanup and acts as a physical barrier that can help block his sense of smell in finding his pee spot.

That's part of it, I don't ever catch him. Closest I've come is as he's walking away. Another piece is that it takes me 5 minutes to get down and to the grass. Dogs don't have a very long amount of time to associate a consequence with an action, so even when I take him out immediately I don't think he makes the connection.

I know pads are an option, but I'd really rather not reinforce going in the house. Considering laying them down in his spot to save my carpet though

I'm going to try this. At least he won't be further stinking up that spot on the carpet

In my experience, keep him restrained in a small area to start. If he relieves himself in that area, it is still too large. After he has no accidents for a week, make the area a little larger...and larger and larger as he gets more used to being inside. Remember that if he is a puppy, he'll have to use the restroom more frequently. If I remember correctly, the rule of thumb for a puppy is an hour per months old. So if he is 3 months old, expect a max of 3 hours between restroom breaks. I've been able to house train multiple dogs using this method. Good luck.

I wonder what would happen if I started feeding him in the area he pees? He's not gonna piss in his water bowl.

Noname124398 said:

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ETA: pee pads only reinforce the idea that your house is his restroom. The long term solution requires a bit of cleanup at first but it pays off in the long run.

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disagree.

until the underlying issue is resolved via training, the dog is going to pee there (or wherever) he wants.

may as well have a layer of protection in that location.

Noname124398 said:

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ETA: pee pads only reinforce the idea that your house is his restroom. The long term solution requires a bit of cleanup at first but it pays off in the long run.

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I would think that him peeing on the carpet with no punishment also does the same. I don't punish him when i dont catch him in the act, as he wouldnt know what hes being punished for. Also never rub his nose in it.


I could be wrong though, as im no Cesar Milan.

If you do go the pee pad route, I suggest getting reusable/washable pads. More economical in the long run, and tend to be better absorbing as well. When my last dog was super elderly and had bladder troubles, they came in very handy. Brand I bought from Amazon was SincoPet.

C@LAg said:

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Noname124398 said:

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ETA: pee pads only reinforce the idea that your house is his restroom. The long term solution requires a bit of cleanup at first but it pays off in the long run.

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disagree.

until the underlying issue is resolved via training, the dog is going to pee there (or wherever) he wants.

may as well have a layer of protection in that location.

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Many pee pads have pheromones that tell the dog this is a pee spot (like the fire hydrant that every dog hikes their leg on). That is the main issue with them. If you can find pee pads without those pheromones it probably wouldnt be an issue and may help since you can roll it up and throw it out, thus removing his own pheromones from the area. These just dont work as well since they dont have a target on them

tandy miller said:

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Another piece is that it takes me 5 minutes to get down and to the grass. Dogs don't have a very long amount of time to associate a consequence with an action, so even when I take him out immediately I don't think he makes the connection.

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When we were potty training our dog in the apartment, we would take her to the patio when catching her mid-pee (since the grass was so far away). Obviously peeing on the patio is not the long-term solution, but she did at least connect that she was supposed to pee outside.

Claude! said:

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If you do go the pee pad route, I suggest getting reusable/washable pads. More economical in the long run, and tend to be better absorbing as well. When my last dog was super elderly and had bladder troubles, they came in very handy. Brand I bought from Amazon was SincoPet.

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the Costco ones are very absorbent.

before we put my dog down this year, she had a thyroid issue and drank constantly

she was a large Siberian husky and would drink 2 liters just while I was at work.

The pads worked very well for a dog her size who drank a lot.

You have a spreadsheet?

Yes.

Initially, our dog was having some trouble with peeing inside. Late one night, I got a little frustrated when I stepped in a new puddle.

I picked him up, carried to the grass in the backyard, unzipped and peed on the grass right beside him. Somehow, a lightbulb must have gone off in his mind because the accidents stopped after that night.

So, you might do a similar demonstration (late at night, out of neighbor view).

tandy miller said:

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Noname124398 said:

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ETA: pee pads only reinforce the idea that your house is his restroom. The long term solution requires a bit of cleanup at first but it pays off in the long run.

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I would think that him peeing on the carpet with no punishment also does the same. I don't punish him when i dont catch him in the act, as he wouldnt know what hes being punished for. Also never rub his nose in it.


I could be wrong though, as im no Cesar Milan.

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Weird. I just assumed you were a gay Puerto rican man.

Damn...that boy poops a lot.

I've done this in the dog park at night, mainly because i really had to go. Chester just pointed and laughed

We used to have a couple of dogs and never once had an accident. They lived outside.

HTH

Thanks! That helped a ton and is very relatable to my specific situation! Care to elaborate or share any other nuggets of wisdom???

RealTalk said:

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Damn...that boy poops a lot.

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3 by nighttime?

My dog poops 3 times by lunchtime EVERY day. Sometimes all 3 are on the morning walk.

It made it very easy to train to poop in one spot on the side of my house where I put a pea gravel pad.



To the op, how old is this dog, and does he stay in a crate most of the day? If not, then that is your answer. If he's allowed to roam before he's trained, he will pee on your carpet. Put him in the crate and when he's 5-6 months, you can begin to work with him with more results.

That's how we did ours anyway. Unless he just peed in the last 30-60 minutes, he was in his crate.

Now he's 7-8 months old, and we still keep him on a 10' leash much of the day in the kitchen, but he's only had I think 2 accidents in the last 2 months or so? He can hold it much longer now of course.

He is 15 months old. Stays in crate when i am not home, at night, and when i cannot watch him.

During the day while I work i pull his crate into the living room/kitchen area (apartment), and he lays in it w/ door closed. Keep door to both BR closed during the day.

He really only pees in one spot in my room. I shampooed the carpets today with a rug doctor, so hopefully that will keep him from coming back.

I've also blocked off the area that he likes to go. Hopefully between all of this something will work

Take him outside every 1.5-2 hours. Don't go back inside until he pees. Be sure to give him positive reinforcement when he does pee outside. Keep him kenneled when you're not home. If you do this for a week or two with no accidents, that should curb it.

Rethink decision to acquire an animal to live in a dwelling designed for humans thinking it will alter its behavior to meet your expectations.

Why? All of my other dogs have

tandy miller said:

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Noname124398 said:

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ETA: pee pads only reinforce the idea that your house is his restroom. The long term solution requires a bit of cleanup at first but it pays off in the long run.

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I would think that him peeing on the carpet with no punishment also does the same. I don't punish him when i dont catch him in the act, as he wouldnt know what hes being punished for. Also never rub his nose in it.


I could be wrong though, as im no Cesar Milan.

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Cesar Milan is a ****ty hack. No one in the training world ages with anything he says and think it's complete bull**** he ever had a show to spread his idiotic ideas.

Noname124398 said:

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Dogs don't like to use the restroom in their "home". Right now the crate is his "home" so outside of that is an acceptable bathroom to him. Your job is to make your house feel like his home so that he does not have the desire to use the restroom in it. Gradually allow access to other parts of your house and allow him to hang with the fam, nap, eat, etc in those rooms (supervised at first until he can be trusted). After a couple days of no accidents, open up another room for him. Rinse and repeat for the rest of the house. This gradual increase in freedom allows him to acclimate to his new, very large home that he is not used to.

When accidents happen, use negative reinforcement (stearn "NO", etc.) and immediately take him outside. use positive reinforcement when he goes outside ("good boy", small treat, etc).

ETA: pee pads only reinforce the idea that your house is his restroom. The long term solution requires a bit of cleanup at first but it pays off in the long run.

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I think you mean positive punishment

/histag

Remove that bush looking thing from that corner area..

agz win said:

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Remove that bush looking thing from that corner area..

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From under the TV?

Have you tried turning him off and on again?

7 days without an accident.

I've got to say, this carpet cleaner that I am using works phenomenally. Made by a company called Rocco and Roxie.

Their customer service is also outstanding. Had an issue with an order, and they sent me some freebies when I called in. Small, family owned company. Chester goes nuts for their jerky treats also.

I will continue to buy their products as long as I have Chester.