Housetraining a dog problems

[Richard]

We've had our share of dogs.

Today we have Otis and Chloe. Had them now for maybe 3 years. Nicely housetrained such that if they need to go out, they will come to us and bark.

Last summer, almost a year ago, we added two strays to the mix. One of them had given birth to some pups so she wasn't a "puppy" per se (hattie). The other dog, Fanny, WAS a pup, though probably several months old. She has grown maybe 12" in length since finding her. She looks like a German Sheperd but my sister in law (fanny's actual 'owner') looked her up and thinks she might be a Belgian Malameux (sp?). VERY VERY sweet dog.

My point about Fanny is, she was young when we found her and she was brought into a home with already house trained dogs. I THOUGHT the already trained dogs, might help a new dog "get it".

Seems I was wrong.

Fanny STILL wets inside the house. She's a VERY quiet dog, usually keeping within herself. She's pretty shy. She also seems to be somewhat timid, usually keeping her ears bent back. At dinner time, she's always the one getting pushed around (and she's the biggest dog of the 4)

We're totally flabbergasted how Fanny CONTINUES to have this problem of house wetting.

We take them ALL out at 7:00 AM (when I get up). Many many times, Fanny will NOT go then. Wife takes them out at roughly 12:00 prior to her going to work. I get home about 5:00 and take them all out and then I take them all out between 11:00 and midnight prior to going to bed.

MANY times Fanny won't pee during one (or even two) of these consecutive events. Then all the sudden, we find a puddle on one of the wifes favorite rugs or on the carpet. I've sometimes thought about blocking her in their room until the next 'outside' time to prevent her from roaming inside the house until she DOES go.

Fanny is actually sister in laws dog and when sis in law is done refinishing her home, she'll move in it and take Fanny with her (whew)

We're not at wits end YET but I think it's in sight

Could this issue be a sign of perhaps some kind of infection?

Fanny has ALWAYS seemed to be a little "slow" mentally. I feel strange saying that, but she really does give the vibes out at times that she just doesn't "get things" like perhaps some of the others do.

When we take them out, if the cat is out there, or deer, ANYTHING that might distract a dog, she becomes enraptured with that event and totally 'forgets' about the reason why we're here.

I've lately even tried to give her treats when she goes out and gets down to business.

This is nuts that a dog goes 10 months, lives with other house trained dogs and still doesn't get it.

Any thoughts to help me BEFORE I DO get to wits end and cause strife within the family? (eg, telling sis in law to get Fanny out in spite of having no where for her to put her)

thanks for any thoughts

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Dogs don't figure out house training from other dogs. Cats work that way, but dogs are less likely to "get" the concept from others.

Yes, this could be a sign of infection. If it hurts to pee, the dog will put it off until it just can't stand not to.

It could also be a sign of stress. It does sound like this dog could be under stress in it's current environment.

Personally, I would try putting the dog in a crate if she hasn't produced lately, then letting her out only to pee, then back in if she doesn't.

Make sure you are giving her some positive attention when she's comfortable (maybe not around other dogs) this may reduce her stress level.

Cliff

 

[RonMar]

Yep, look up "Crate Training" online and you will find plenty of references. She might not also be going when the others do because she has other hidden spots inside that you havn't found yet...

With crate training, you limit the dogs access to the house. the dog is placed into the crate or cage where their bed is so they can be comfortable. Make it a home for her. Dogs won't typically pee where they sleep(unless they are desparate). When the dog comes out, it is straight outside to go. If she dosn't go, it's back into the crate when inside. If she does go, reward her, praise her and she can come back into the house to socalize and play for a while. After a while, but before the urge might strike her to pee inside, put her back into the crate for a while then it is straight from the crate back outside. At night or when you are away, she sleeps in the crate and it is straight outside in the morning. the ammount of time this takes for her to get the idea depends on the dog and YOUR consistency in the application.

The last dog I trained, our current yellow lab Sadie, wouldn't bark. She didn't find her voice till almost 9 months old. I incorporated some large sleigh bells hanging from the door knob into the routine. When we went from the crate to outside, I would set her in front of the door and ring the bells with her paw then we went outside. Within about 5 days of repeating this routine, she had it down. Crate door would open, she would head for the door and ring the bells then I would go out with her. She is 3 years old now and she still rings the bells to go outside even though her bark works just fine.

I hope you have not punished her for going inside(rub her nose in it or speak harshley to her). This is counter productive unless she is punished while she is actually peeing(hard to catch). This applies to any bad behavior... Dogs have a short memory and won't know what they are gettig punished for if it is after the fact.

Good Luck

 

[Cliff_Johns]

I agree, bells work very well for dogs that don't have another way of letting you know. Very effective, highly recommended.

As for catching them in the act, I prefer to run them right out the door if you catch them all the while saying "outside" repeatedly. If you react with any form of punishment, or yelling, you will teach them that you don't like it when they pee in front of you, which is the opposite of what you would like to teach them.

Cliff

 

[Richard]

I hope you have not punished her for going inside(rub her nose in it or speak harshley to her). This is counter productive unless she is punished while she is actually peeing(hard to catch). This applies to any bad behavior... Dogs have a short memory and won't know what they are gettig punished for if it is after the fact.

Good Luck

Thanks (everyone) for the comments.

We have NOT admonished any of the dogs like that. Having no kids ourselves, they (the dogs) probably get MORE of our attention than your normal dogs.

Fanny is as sweet as they come, but the truth be told, I can't be 100% absolute sure that it's HER and not Hatty.

I AM 100% that it's not Chloe or Otis as they've simply been around too long and are "Mr. Reliable" to go, whenever we're out.

Hatty USUALLY goes just fine too...it's only because Fanny doesn't "always" go outside that she's the lead suspect. I'm about 95% sure it's her but not 100.

Even if I DID know 100% it was her, I'd not rub her nose in it. We've never done that.

I'm going to print this for the wife so she can read what you have to say and see how she feels about it.

What's interesting is, Fanny is probably a year old now. We've had her for probably 10 months.

in the beginning, she had issues going BOTH ways inside the house (by size of #2, it had to be her and not Hatty), anyway, over several months she went from 100% going in the house, to maybe once a month, having an accident which we've always felt was OUR fault by not getting her out enough (which really strikes me as near impossible)

Then she goes a couple months with NO accidents, then WHAM, yesterday, we have TWO puddles.

we THOUGHT she finally got it several months ago but evidently we were wrong.

 

[CurlyDave]

I hve known this to happen in female dogs who have been spayed too early.

Lack of hormones doesn't let the urinary tract develop properly. Hormone treatments can help.