House Training Issues
by Christine Yee on December 14, 2009
I found an article by 101 Dog Training Tips about different types of house training issues. I’ve seen some of these posted in Ask Dogasaur and thought it would be helpful to share their advice with our members.
It was interesting how this article regards regular potty training as a separate category from the other types of issues. Dogs who fit into this group are ones who have just never been house trained. They will sometimes eliminate indoors and sometimes outdoors.
With other dogs, the issue may be a little more complicated.
1. Eliminating indoors & refusing to go outside. Very often this is the case with dogs who came from shelters, since they’ve become used to going indoors.
Aside from this, dogs who fit under this category often eliminate when their owner is not watching. This behavior is likely caused by prior experiences when the dog was punished or taken to the accident long after the potty mistake.
The owner needs to establish a relationship based on trust. And a structured schedule needs to be established and followed for about a week. After this period, some correction may be necessary. But it needs to be done correctly, otherwise the issue will become worse.
2. Urinating due to emotional excitment. 101 Dog Training Tips refers to this as “submissive urination.” This is actually a social/ temperament issue as opposed to a house training one. These dogs will urinate while excitedly greeting guests at the door. They might also urinate if you express that you are upset with them.
Do not punish your dog for their mistakes. Again, a higher degree of trust needs to be established. This can be achieved with different types of touching exercises.
3. Territory Marking
This is common with males or highly dominant dogs. It is their way of communicating to other dogs to stay away from their territory. Many times feelings of insecurity are behind this behavior.
If your dog is a male, get him neutered. Communicate where to go using a scent post.
Overall, it is important to make sure your dog is clear about where they are expected to eliminate. High valued reinforcers are very helpful with this. Make sure to reward your dog immediately after they go where they were supposed to.
If your dog makes a mistake, they need to be corrected properly. A clear, verbal “no” is often sufficient. This should be done immediately during or after the mistake. Improper correction can make the problem worse.
Communicating with Your Dog
Most pet stores carry sprays that have ph adjusters, fatty acids & phermones. They help to communicate where your dog should go, much like a verbal command. You can spray an area in front of your dog and get him/her interested in in sniffing it. They will want to rub their noses in against the ground as a response before they actually eliminate. This option is not a guaranteed solution for all dogs. But it is definitely worth considering.
A Structured Routine
The Sacramento SPCA gives some great tips for creating a structured house training routine.
Take your dog out at the same times every day. For example, first thing in the morning when he wakes up, when you arrive home from work, and before you go to bed.
Praise your dog lavishly every time he eliminates outdoors. You can even give him a treat. You must praise him and give him a treat immediately after he’s finished and not wait until after he comes back inside the house. This step is vital, because rewarding your dog for eliminating outdoors is the only way he’ll know that’s what you want him to do.
Choose a location not too far from the door to be the bathroom spot. Always take your dog, on leash, directly to the bathroom spot. Take him for a walk or play with him only after he’s eliminated. If you clean up an accident in the house, leave the soiled rags or paper towels in the bathroom spot. The smell will help your dog recognize the area as the place where he’s supposed to eliminate.
While your dog is eliminating, use a word or phrase like “go potty,” for example, that you can eventually use before he eliminates to remind him of what he’s supposed to be doing.
Feeding your dog on a set schedule, once or twice a day, will help make his elimination more regular.
If you are interested in reading both articles here are their links:
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