TinaK,
You mentioned that you left your pup in his crate while you were at work. How long did you leave him in there for? huh My OH and I are having a big problem with our 4-month old puppy because we both work. I come home for lunch in the middle of the day and he almost always has gone poo and pee on the floor. Angry We leave him in the utility room with a baby gate, so he has a bit of freedom. We think if we if we leave him in the crate it will stop this, but I've been worried about leaving him in there for so long. What would you, or anyone else, suggest? Any advice would really help!
Thanks.
If all medical reasons are ruled out, then here I go...
We left him in the crate for 4 hours. I mean, I found that 41/2 was too long for him in the beginning. I don't think you should worry about exercise at this point, he will get it when you come home.
i also don't think that it's cruel do leave a pup in the crate while housetraining. If anything else, it's a "rule", or something that remind him that he is a dog. Rules are good-depending on context.
One thing that would help you train.... I think that changing the environment does something to dogs. It's like they are more attentive to you and your needs or something. Maybe a bit surprised or insecure, and that makes them look up to you... Even with peeing, in a familiar environment, they just do it, but in a new environment it takes them longer to find a spot, sniff it all out, etc., - use that to your advantage!!
Get the dog out of the house- your OH can take him out to hang with friends for a few hours. Clean the hell out of your floor/house, his favorite peeing spots if he has them and old spots. I used a cleaner with natural bacteria - it eats odor causing bacteria. Jack only had a handful accidents in the house, but I polished the wood floors we have here. I also like to move the furniture about
so, I rearranged the plants and furniture - I am a bit manic when I clean.
Not sure how you can apply this advise, but changing the environment helps. After this, your pup should smell the new scents and it WILL take him a bit longer to decide on a spot.
Take a couple of days off of work. It sounds stupid taking time off for a puppy, but in a long run it's a good idea. The plan is to not to let your dog fail for 2 days or so, and for you to figure out how long he can last in a crate-- and get the time up to 4 hours, so that you can go to work (4 hours worked good for me because I could then come and see him over my lunch break.)
While at home, use baby gates to confine him in the house - you have to be able to keep an eye on him. Mine HAD to go every 20 mins - after getting up from sleep, after running around like mad - if he ran around very mad, then the peeing time was every 15 mins. It was very intense and tiresome for me, but it didn't last long. Don't let him out of your site, and take him out more often than needed. Your puppy is older, and I don't think that he'll be running around too much like a mad man...
Do you have a word for no.1 and no.2 ? Ours is "business". When I caught Jack circling about-just ready to do it, I commanded - "Outside!", he knew that meant to ran to the door. Next, when we are out I command: "Business!". If he gets distracted repeat the command to remind him that that's why you are there. If he doesn't know the command for "business", say "business" WHILE he is doing it. Then, when he is done - "Good business, good boy". sounds stupid, but that's how i did it. I exaggerated my happiness, but i was calm.
Next step, when jack learned what business meant, and that he is supposed to do it outside:
- when I THINK he has to go, I ask "Outside?". If his tale is wagging, and he starts heading towards the door, it means that he wants to go. If he continues doing what he's doing, he doesn't need to.
Noticing his signs is very important. You can also condition your dog to give you signs. Jack sometimes does a sneeze. it's a cute doggy sneeze... I decided to make that a command. He sneezed once in front of me, and I happily said: "outside?" like I always did before. Ignore his reaction, 'cause he doesn't know at this point what is going on. Take him out to do business.
You might not hear him sneezing in a while, but when you do, repeat - "Outside?", and take him out. Jack's learned to sneeze when he needs to go, and poo especially. He'd sneeze in my face if he wants to go do no.2. In the mornings he'd stand there in the middle of the room looking at me, making sneezy sounds
I also hang a bell by the door, I taught him to ring that. He doesn't use it a lot - not a much as sneezing.
While you are at home with him, leave him in the crate for 30 mins, go to a store or something. when you come back don't greet him in any way. Open the crate and say - "outside". when he does business greet him. He'd probably do it just to hear your greetings.
Next, extend the time you are out - little by little. till it gets to 4 hours.
When you come back for lunch, make sure you take him out before he goes back to his crate. Don't put him in if he didn't. Because while you were there with him, he probably played and then drunk a lot of water... So, make sure that you stop playing 15 mins BEFORE you have to go back to work. That will give his bladder a chance to fill up. you can use this quiet time to go over commands like down-stay, or sit, or whatever.
this is what i did with a small puppy- hopefully you'll take some tips for yours.
don't let him fail for a few days-he'll remember then that the last time he went was outside, the time before that - outside- he'll ask for it himself soon.
ps. give him a candy before going to the crate. jack learned that as soon as a got a treat ready - crate time. he'd go there himself and drop down tired and happy.
