Okay, here we go again!

[Vicki Pagano]

:rolleyes: Hello all, Well, another weekend has passed. Another weekend I spent at my friend's home. I was there from Friday evening to Sunday evening. During that entire time, Angel went poop and pee outside, consistently! She would sit by the door and bark to be let out. Again, I was thrilled and thought, WOW she is doing it!!! WRONG! Of course, when I returned home, she promptly pooped in the kitchen. She pooped on the front door rug last evening, and I didn't see it. You guessed it! I stepped in it and tracked it halfway across the house before I noticed the smell.

I am completely at my wit's end here. I don't understand and will NEVER understand how she can "get it" in one house, but not her own. I had previously posted this problem and one reply suggested that since she hadn't messed in that house, she "knew" she shouldn't. I've been staying there since well before I had Angel as well as after. She not only went on pee-pee pads there, like at home, but she also had accidents there, like at home. That kinda blows the whole "she never messed there, so she doesn't go there" theory out the window. Trust me, I wish that were the case. Then at least, I'd figure it is only a matter of time before she understands what she is to do.

That's the whole frustrating part for me... she DOES understand, just not at home. What's a momma to do???? BTW, I began obedience training yesterday. Within one hour, she KNOWS how to sit on command. ONE COMMAND! She's no dummy, but she seems to be selective in her intelligence.

oh, and she STILL messes her crate as well. Strange thing, though, she only does poopy in the house and crate. She peepees outside. What is THAT all about? HELP!!!!!

[Susan Bacon]

Vicki,
Hmmmm. I'm wondering if Angel is so used to going when she wants in your house, that she's conditioned herself into thinking that it's all fair ground. And when you do the weekend things at your friend's house, that she is more careful--or picks up on cues from you? Or maybe it's simply that you're around to let her out on a tighter schedule than you can during the week at home and more diligent about it since you're visiting someone else's home? It's really hard to say without knowing the full scenario!

As for the pooping in the crate and house, Panda still occasionally pees if we can't get to him in time, but more often than not, his accidents are poop-related. I'm wondering if those muscles are slower in development than the bladder control muscles.

Hooray for your obedience training--Angel is one smart cookie!! :clap: Vicki, Please know YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! One day this will all be over!! Keep reminding yourself, as I do: We can do this!!

[heathea]

that totally sucks.
I am so sorry. The only thing I can think of (I have been reading about your problem since the first post) is that you are paying more attention while at someone elses house. It is so hard to completely relax while you are in someone elses house with your dog, I completely understand.
If I were in your position I would start tethering your dog to you while in your own home. that is when the leash is attached to (for example) a belt loop on your pants. it keeps you with the dog so as soon as it starts showing any behavior that would lead to a potty (such as circling) you would take her outside.
Honestly, that is the only thing I can think of, maybe someone else has a better idea.
I know from personal experience that tethering works very well, so hopefully it will work for you too.
Take care,
Heather

[Stefie C]

I like Heather's advice. Keep her teathered to you or crated while in the house. In fact, if I were you I'd start back from scratch. Your dog is obviously very smart and able to be housetrained but for some reason she isn't clear on what's expected of her at home. Please don't think she's just being obstinate. I don't believe dogs have to capacity to be stubborn. Read the potty 101 article that Laura Redhawk wrote. It is in the articles section here and is full of wonderful advice on housetraining. If you follow that closely, I bet she'll be house trained soon! Good Luck!

[Vicki Pagano]

Hello Stefie,

Over this weekend, after she was spayed on 04/29/2005, she had loose, loose bowels! I stopped the Rimadyl as the vet suggested. She had many accidents this weekend BUT only if I wasn't closely watching her. When I "caught" her looking out the back door, where she goes, or I "caught" her circling, I was able to get her outside in time.

I don't believe she is being obstinate or spiteful, even though my adult son suggested she only does this when I'm not around.

It makes me think that she:
A. maybe can't hold it
b. doesn't believe she HAS to hold it
c. thinks it's okay to poop in the house
d. all of the above

The crate is absolutely no use here. She poops in it constantly. AND, she has now figured out she can push the plastic tray out of the crate far enough that she is not sitting in it AFTER she poops! She is one smart cookie. I think, now, that I am the one who isn't being trained properly.

I either am not communicating to her what I want or she doesn't understand what I want. I vote the former. What do you think?

Thanks to all who posted suggestions here. I really Really appreciate them. It is helping me to see what part I may be contributing to this.

regards,
:Puppy:

[Susan Bacon]

Oh Vicki, I'm so glad you wrote back on some of your progress with Angel, ie. keeping that close, close eye on her and being so successful with it! Thank goodness the spaying is behind you and hopefully the loose bowels will quit soon. Here's to her speedy recovery! When I read Heather's post, I thought BRAVO on the tethering suggestion too. I think that is what really turned things around for us--getting Panda out of the crate (I was only reenforcing by "allowing" him to pee/poop in there) and tethering him to me all day. With some extra diligence and constant watching for signs, Angel should be giving you signs to go out every time, really soon.

I'm just betting your obedience classes and the structure you're providing Angel by establishing a new relationship in giving/receiving commands will help a lot too. I knew nothing about practicing NILIF, but we started private training last weekend and I'm already starting to see some positive changes. NILIF is harder on me than the boys, though-HA HA! All my life I've been used to loving and giving it all to my dogs without their having to say please! And I thought THEY were hard to train!!! :p

Keep up the good, good work! Angel's tremendously blessed with such a great Momma!

Susan

[Vicki Pagano]

;) Susan,

I am laughing so hard right now!!! The obedience training IS harder on me! I too want to spoil her rotten, and I have! We do indeed reap what we sow!

The trainer told me to command her ONCE! In my bad habit box, I keep saying, " down, down, down", (what we are now working on) because I think she didn't hear me the first time. I was already corrected that the command must be given ONCE. I am indeed an old dog, learning new tricks! We'll get there, I believe! thanks so much for posting and giving me a much needed laugh. I need to not take things so seriously, either. :-)

[Vicki Pagano]

:( Hello all,

I am about to give up on the crate altogether! Angel has been pooping in her crate for days, loose as well as firm. Yesterday, my son came home to a milk chocolate covered pooch and crate and toys! Second time in one day! The crate is useless! I am thinking about puppy-proofing the kitchen area and giving her free roam in there during the day. She'll still have accidents, but the mess will hopefully be contained. I'll put back down the pee-pee pads for her to use. I am thinking maybe I'll put in a doggie door as well. I just give up!

:-(

[Susan Bacon]

Vicki,

I think your "Plan B" sounds great! Get that puppy out of her crate and inot your pup-proofed kitchen!! Like you, I was determined that Panda would be crate-trained, which was why I kept putting him back in there. Now I know that by doing so, I was only training him to go in there....

Tethering him/watching constantly was and is a pain in the a#*, but since I'm home all day it has been our best solution. Again, once I got him off his crate schedule it all seemed to start (slowly) clicking.

At this point, what do you have to lose by getting her out of the crate? I say go for the pee-pee pads, girl! I LOVE the doggie-door idea too. If we had one, our worries would be over since Panda only messes at the backdoor now and Beans is great about holding it--HA!

I'm just kinda worried about Angel continuing to have runny stools after you took her off the Rimadyl. Does your vet say it's normal for them to continue so long?

As a quick aside, I started crating Panda again this week for multiple hours, whether we're home or not. There have been NO messes and he's been staying in there 2-3 hours at a time.

[Vicki Pagano]

Hello Susan,

Her stools firmed up yesterday and they are now normal once again. I think she has an irritable bowel because she is on 4 different anti-seizure medications. I am sure they cause her system to upset easily and prolong the issue!

Thanks for the support. It just feels like I may be going backwards by putting the pads down again. She pooped last night in the kitchen, when I was in the toilet myself! And, same thing this morning. I guess I really have to keep her with me no matter WHERE I am LOL!!! I know it's really not her, it's me and what I am doing, or NOT doing. I must keep a closer eye on her.

Glad to hear Panda is doing better! Keep up the good work, I guess it really will pay off in the end!

regards! ;)