6 year old rescue soiling in the house

[lililoon]

Hi, would really appreciate any help as Im at my wits end.

I rescued a six year old working cocker two months ago.  She had supposedly been housetrained even though she was kept with other dogs in the barn - she did have access to the house and was quite at home in the house when we went to meet her.  However, she will NOT go to the toilet outside and will go all day without weeing unless she gets the chance to get in one or two of the rooms in the house.  She is taken out consistently and everytime we go out I use a cue word, we can have an episode where she might go several times in a row and I really praise her and give her treats.  Then we will go out again and it will be back to square one and she wont go.

I have spent nearly an hour tonight with her walking her around and using the cue word etc etc to no avail, just cold toes and fingers!!!

I really dont want to give up on her but I just dont know how to cure this.

I previously rescued an ex-breeding bitch that was kept in a concrete square and within two weeks she understood her cue word and we never looked back.  I just dont know what i am doing wrong.   

Helen and Maisi

[HeatherandBenjy]

You're not doing anything wrong. Two months is not a long time in terms of a rescue dog settling into a home (although I appreciate it feels like forever if you're constantly cleaning up mess). If she's been kept in a barn, it will take a while for her to adjust to life indoors. Some dogs take longer to get the hang of it than others. Keep doing what you're doing, praise like mad when she gets it right and don't make a fuss if she gets it wrong.

It might be worth taking her along to your vets to check that she doesn't have an infection. Is it just weeing in the house or does she poo as well?

It probably doesn't help that its so cold, dark and miserable outside. Don't know what her eyesight is like, but Fizz who can hardly see hates going out in the dark and her toileting always takes a step backwards in the winter.

Hang on in there, it will get better!

[Karma]

A cue word will only work if she associates it with going to the loo, which it doesn't sound like she does yet... 

Ordinarily I wouldn't suggest allowing a dog to use pads in the house, as it can delay house training, but if she is holding on all day until she gets to opportunity to go in specific rooms, could you use a puppy pad to allow her to go in one of those rooms... establish your cue word using the pad, then start taking a pad outside and using the cue word there to help her learn that she can go outside?? 

When she goes in the house, is it when you are there, or does she wait until she is unsupervised??  It could be she has been told off for going in the house before and now is reluctant to go in front of people??  Which might explain why her previous owners felt she was housetrained (if she was only allowed in the house when owners were there, perhaps?)

[Ninasmum]

Its really early days still & you aren't doing anything wrong 
I'm sure she will get there in the end 
Just to add to the other's good advice....is she food orientated?    if so it might be worth using the cue word for toileting outside but also adding 'biccie' & give her a tiny treat each time.    if this works then carry it on for at least a few months. 

[ejp]

We took on an ex-breeder from Many Tears, and it took a while to get the toilet thing sorted.  Really hit and miss for ages, and even now she still doesn't 'ask' to go, so we have a routine that seems to do the trick.  Also doesn't like going out in the rain, which is a bit tricky living in Scotland  but you will get there, I promise.    It will be a struggle, it's hard going constantly cleaning up, I sympathise.

[Poppypuppy09]

I too have Bella my ex breeder from MT and she took about 3 months at least to get into a routine, she still wont ask to go out now (we have had her 5 months) but we know her routine and take her out at regular times and she will then toilet on cue, I know its hard but you will get there 

[lililoon]

Thank you all for your good advice, sorry for the delay in responding to those that have replied, my internet has been down since posting.

Was just having a down day with it all when I posted, happier days now !! Have managed to get her to come outside with me now by being positive as I go out the door stating "lets go wees then" and walking to a patch she seems to favour and through using "go wees" and major major fuss when she does followed by some biccies - we seem to be getting the hang of coming outside for a wee.  Have just been concentrating on the wees first - she still isnt keen to do her "other"!!

In answer to a couple of the questions, she does wait until we arent around and then goes, my partner is at home with her all day while I am at work and takes her out and leaves the door open for her to go in and out - however he comes to pick me up from my bus and within the half hour he is gone she does several toilets of both - is this a separation problem?

I previously rescued an exbreeding bitch and we rarely had any problem, she was as good as gold.  Still missing her terribly, but certainly will not give up on this little scamp !!  Even if she is a headcase !

[ejp]

Might be a daft suggestion, but here goes!  Can you pop her outside safely on her own?  Maybe she doesn't like to 'go' when she has someone watching her, so to speak.  Totally understand that you were having a down day, been there 

[Ninasmum]

On the positive side she has made some progress, although it will still take some time for her to fully get the toilet training. 
Does she go out for walks? & if so does she toilet then? 
Imho it is just a matter of being patient, consistent & always praise/reward her afterwards. 

[fizzyntiffy]

Darn it can be hard!  One thing that came to mind when you were saying you'd been outside for an hour and she hadn't done anything was that, as I've learnt with my tiddler, you need to say the cue word as she drops to squat 

I've been a bit lax with my two and they expect the biccie before the deed now