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MAJOR potty training issues

So I work during the day 5-6 days per week and my sister takes care of Tibbs while I'm not home. Our apartment is the top floor of a row house so it's one loooong hallway with 5 bedrooms all off one side of the hall and opens up to the living room and kitchen at the back of the apartment. I walk her between 6:30 and 9:30 am then she in her crate for a few hrs until my sis is up and ready. She takes her out as soon as she lets her out of the crate and then again around 6 if I'm not home yet. Lately she has been using the bathroom outside when we take her but also peeing on the house 3-4 times per day and pooping at least once. She gets fussed at for it and looks guilty before we even say anything so she knows its wrong. She seems to always do it toward the end of the hall where we can't see her from the living room. She isn't allowed in any of the bedrooms without someone in there. Should we gate off the living room and only let her in there with us when she isn't in her crate? Would that maybe help since she's less likely to do it right in front of us? She is also in her crate when no one is in the living area or home. Any other suggestions? This is getting ridiculous and my sister is fed up with cleaning up dog pee. She is 10 months old and we know for a fact she can hold her pea for a good 6-8 hrs because she doesn't pee in her crate. Thanks! Helpp!!

Comments

  • edited September 2013
    I would suggest gating off the hallway and not letting her in there. Just because a dog can hold it for 6-8 hrs, doesn't mean they should. They don't go wee in their crates, cause that's where they sleep and dogs like to keep their sleeping areas pee free. I would suggest letting her out more often, and when she does go out and does her business give her praise. You should also have a scheduled feeding time, dogs usually relieve themselves a couple hours after eating, this can help you better plan for her to go number two. Since I'm assuming she drinks after you let her out of her crate, she will have to go again in a short moment, so it would be best to take her out after she drinks. Dogs also will mark in the same area, so that's where you're hallway is coming into trouble. So long story short, let her out right after to take her out of her crate, take her out after she drinks, and let her relieve herself more often.
  • She doesn't necessarily only go out every six hours we take her out about every four hours or more often than that. When I'm home I'll let her out about every two hours just to P and then take her for three or four long walks to give her the opportunity to poop. The first thing she does when she gets out of her crate ever is go straight outside. I don't think my sister takes her out as much as I do because she feels like it's not her responsibility But when I got her she agreed to help me with her. I'll talk to her about taking her out more often when I'm not there. I think you're completely right about her marking the same spot I think that if we took her out a little more often and also gated off the hallway that might help a lot. Thank you so much for your input I'll let you know how she's doing once we switch our schedule she always eats first thing when she wakes up But her dinner time tends to be a little more sporadic. I will also regulate her dinner time.
  • philsergeantphilsergeant Palm City, Florida, USA
    edited September 2013
    Sorry you are having trouble with my favorite girl.... Three main things.... First it's all about routine.... Mostly on the pooping... Ours completely ignore the "after feeding" idea. ( They eat at 7am and 6pm .. this is important to keep consistent too). They go first thing in the morning 6am... And when young they didn't get to come inside til they'd pooped... And just big praise and treats when they did... Now it's a no brainer. They go at 5pm, same routine.... Pick two times when you know you're going to be home and make it happen... There should be no poop left after that for "accidents" .... Peeing, your biggest problem is the smell... You didn't mention the floor covering but you've got to ( professionally? ) get the smell out... The only place she must smell urine is on the grass ( or on the sand if you live in AZ) ... Again big treats and kisses when pee and grass meet....
    Second is consequences... She obviously knows its wrong but it's not enough to know you're peeved ( and that your sister doesn't love you any more) but she has got to feel the wrath! Nose in it and a huge swat on the rump... In her crate and no love for an hour at least... [my wife treats me like that every time she thinks I'm looking at another woman, so don't feel bad]....
    Lastly, "holding it".... Something's not trying up.... She can hold it in her crate overnight ( 6or7?) so she obviously doesn't have a bladder problem... And you take her to pee when you get back?.?????.. So if she's peeing after that she must be doing it for the attention... The attention should be very unpleasant.... So besides the smell and the habit... .??? If you go with serious praises and consequences your timings should be okay.... Just let her know that it's your way....... ( or you can send her my way :-) )
    In the beginning God created English Bull Terriers, in the image of EBT's, God created all other breeds.
  • I think the distance to get outside is also a problem.

    We are lucky that we live in a one level home and our pup Stoeger can get to the front door while in our view.

    After two days we had him house-broken at <7 weeks old. We would simply take him out every hour, on the hour. Then we worked it back to every two hours and so on.

    After very few "accidents" (which were our fault, we were too stupid to understand that our little man had to go)... He now (13 1/2 weeks old) simply goes to the door and stares at it. Sometimes a quick whimper if he doesn't have our attention. That's our cue, we let him out and he does his business without any fuss.

    We clip him to a rope when we can't watch him do his biz (unfenced yard) and he returns with a quick paw at the door we un-clip him and let him in.

    When supervised, he is off lead and returns in the same manner or with a quick recall.


  • I used the bells at the door. They paw at the bells to go potty worked beautifully! !
    Your actions speak so loudly I cannot hear your words.
  • A local college student here invented something wonderful for pets and their owners... It's called "Gotta-Go!!"

    Check it out!!!


  • I've thought about the button or bell thing but I think she's way too ADD for that. It took her like 4 months to learn how to shake. And I used treats and positive reinforcement. I have this really good pet odor remover that I sprayed on the wood floors in the area that she goes and let it sit for an hr then mopped the whole hall with pinesol. It seems to have gotten rid of the smell. She didn't use the bathroom in the house at all yesterday so we'll see if she keeps up the good work or picks a new spot. If she does she is def getting the same treatment that Phil's wife gives him :P below is a picture of her looking down baltimore's longest hall.
    image.jpg
    3264 x 2448 - 2M
  • Update: Tibbs has only had 2 pee accidents and 1 poop and its been 2 weeks. That used to be the daily norm. So proud of my little boo :)
  • BulliesofNCBulliesofNC Richlands, NC
    That's fantastic! She's doing great and learning quickly!

    - Steve Gogulski
    "It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
    www.bulliesofnc.com
  • philsergeantphilsergeant Palm City, Florida, USA
    edited October 2013
    And we're so proud of you too! We all know that these ( not so) little training issues are frequently trying and tough to overcome... Perseverance takes some doing and "Tibbs" will reward you in many ways .. Least of all by not p&p in the house!
    What techniques did you find the most effective?
    In the beginning God created English Bull Terriers, in the image of EBT's, God created all other breeds.
  • edited October 2013
    Honestly, putting up the gate seems to have done the trick. We also figured out that she had been pushing open my roommates door and sticking her head in her dog's food bag and chowing down...which explains why she was pooping spuratically and 4 times per day. Since she doesn't have acces to that anymore she's been doing it twice per day around the same time each day. Now I know if she needs to go out because when I stand up she runs to the gate and wags. Before she would go to the door but no one could see her down that long hall. It's been great. Love my baby.
  • :-bd
    Your actions speak so loudly I cannot hear your words.
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