karen
Junior Grey Lover
[red]Tiger and Fiona's Mom[/red]
Posts: 226
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Post by karen on Nov 8, 2007 11:15:26 GMT -5
I need some advice as to what I should do about my little Fiona. We adopted her in July/06 and I am still having problems with her housebreaking. She is let out regularly and is always put out first thing in the morning, before we go to bed, when we get home and before we leave the house. Yesterday morning she had only been in the house for a few minutes and she pooped on the floor - right in front of the door. I'm not sure that she is fully aware of why she is going outside other then to chase after Tiger. The pooping in the house doesn't happen as ofter as the peeing. I know she can hold it because she does, she can be a good girl for a few days and then messes up again. I've considered getting a crate for her put hate to make her stay in it when Tiger has a run of the house. Any suggestions?
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Post by kpparker on Nov 8, 2007 13:01:24 GMT -5
How old is Fiona? Bia my two year old can get very easily distracted outside, and sometimes wont pee or poop no matter how many times I walk her back and forth along the grass where they normally do their business. Is Fiona let out to the backyard without a leash? If thats the case then I'd suggest actually taking her out there yourself and encouraging her to go potty. She may very well not know that she is supposed to go potty out there if she's wanting to run around with her brother all the time.
In terms of the crate - I crate Bia when we are not home, but dont crate Tavi. She seems to do fine with it. If I left her uncrated she'd probably eat something she shouldn't or get into who knows what. However, I've always crated her - I dont know if it's a problem to recrate after so long.. maybe someone else can weigh in with that.
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Post by jiffer on Nov 8, 2007 13:38:14 GMT -5
Go back to the basics of housetraining. When she potties outside, praise enthusiastically!!! "Yay! Good Girl! Good Pee/poo!" Heck, clap your hands if it excites her. Leave her outside until she does both her pee and her poop. In my morning ritual, I put them out as soon as we get up. Then just before I leave the house, they all go out again. Usually, this second outing will result in poops from the whole pack. In the evening when I come home, they do a potty as soon as I get home, then an hour after they eat they go out again. Eating tends to move things along Do you know her signals for potty? Greys are very very discreet with their signals. If she pooped by the door, then there must have been some signal from her ahead of time that was missed. For example, when Echo has to go potty, she will pace the hallway with a toy in her mouth. It took us a long time to realize that means "Gotta Go NOW". Crate her, if necessary. If she's comfortable in a crate (doesn't panic or resist it), then why not use it? Uber still crates everyday when we're out of the house. He LOVES his crate. He feels most comfortable and safe in his crate. Who am I to take that away from him? The others get free reign in the house. Remember, dogs don't feel jealousy in the way that we think Good luck! I know it can be such a challenge.
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Post by morristahlgreys on Nov 8, 2007 22:10:17 GMT -5
I've never had a dog as hard to housetrain as Jana was. We lived in a town house (no yard). She came to live with us in a very cold February, she was very shy and to her horror I expected her to pee/poop at the end of a leash. I tried walking her, I tried staying in one spot giving her the pee/poop command, sometimes for hours. (It seemed that way in the cold) And she would come into the house and do her business in the living room. She waited till I wasn't watching. I guess she wanted privacy. She was fine in her crate and I put her there when I couldn't watch her. I used to mark the calendar and count how many days without an accident. We got to 2 weeks and then it happened again - I could here the supertanker unloading in the living room where the person who was supposed to be watching her was asleep on the couch. I confess that I was so vexed that I took my index finger and smacked her behind. She ran upstairs and I brought her down and outside where she finished her job. I made her stay in the kitchen while I cleaned up. I read somewhere that it isn't a good idea to let them see you clean up - they think its maid service. She was good for 4 more weeks, even whining when she wanted out. Then it happened again, again in the living room. She heard me coming and ran for the stairs but I was faster. And I smacked her again on her behind with my index finger. We have never had a problem since. I am not recommending that you smack your dog, nor am I in the habit of smacking my dogs; but iur problem had been going on for months and Larry was ready to take her back and I was at the end of my rope. I really think she knewwhat it was for and what she was supposed to do outside. Once she decided that she was going to be the alpha dog in our house, getting her to pee outside was a breeze. Cassidy pees on command and Jana likes to cover her spot. Jana will pee on command now, too, if we are at a trial and I want her bladder empty before we go into the ring. I don't know if this is helpful. I know how frustrating it can be and how hard it is on the carpet. Inge
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