100% potty trained but now...

[Tami'n'Charly]

... she asks to go out every 5 minutes!?! She's 10 months now and can certainly hold it for many hours. This isn't a request to "go potty" rather it's just to be let outside to hangout.

We taught her to jump on the door when she needs to go out and recently added a bell to the mix. She uses both reliably and hasn't had an accident in the house in forever. But she asks all the time now!! I can see her brain working... "1)I want to go outside, I'm bored 2)Crap, I'm outside now but mom and dad are inside. I want to go inside 3) Wow, nothing is going on inside and I see a nice chipmunk to harass outside. I want out 4) the stupid chipmunk ran away. Huh, I wonder what mom is doing in the kitchen." So on and so forth.

I don't want to tell her "no" when she asks to go out. Undoing potty training would be the worst- but does anyone have any suggestions for this problem?? Giving her plenty of outside time isn't an issue. She gets 2 walks a day and a trip to the dog park- she's not in jepordy or going stir-crazy.

Suggestions would be very helpful!! :hail:

Thanks,
Tami & Charly

 

[Herschel]

Get a doggy door?

 

[Tami'n'Charly]

Installing a dog door is not an option- I live in an apartment/town-home and rent.

Does no one else have any suggestions for me?!?!

 

[juleski]

We are having the same issues with our pom who is almost 2 now. She is "pretty much" housetrained. But I would never leave her out of her crate when I leave, unless it's like 15 minutes. She is the same way though. ALWAYS ringing the bell on the door to get outside. I have noticed that when she really needs to go out to pee, she comes to get me though, and when it's just to go out and goof off, she will ring, then look at me, then ring again, then lay in front of the door in protest. Those times I don't let her out. I am trying to get her down to at least once an hour, then maybe every two. Right now she is constantly asking, just like yours.
Good luck! Let me know if anything works for you!
~Jules

 

[RD]

What breed is she?

I generally figure that my medium-sized dog at 10 months would need to pee or poop every 1-2 hours. If she pees and poops when you let her outside, and she's asking to be let out 5 or even 15-20 minutes later, it's safe to assume she's bluffing unless she's sick. Ignore her. When she stops jumping on the door to go outside and play, then let her out and play a game. Teach her that ringing the bells is only for bathroom purposes.

I'm going through the same thing with my 13 week old girl, she's not having any more accidents but she's wised up and has started bluffing her way outside by whining and scratching at the door.

 

[Saje]

Sounds like she needs more mental/physical stimulation. How much exercise (out of the yard/house) is she getting? You may also want to get some interactive toys to keep her busy.

 

[TopShelfPets]

We are having the same issues with our pom who is almost 2 now. She is "pretty much" housetrained. But I would never leave her out of her crate when I leave, unless it's like 15 minutes. She is the same way though. ALWAYS ringing the bell on the door to get outside. I have noticed that when she really needs to go out to pee, she comes to get me though, and when it's just to go out and goof off, she will ring, then look at me, then ring again, then lay in front of the door in protest. Those times I don't let her out. I am trying to get her down to at least once an hour, then maybe every two. Right now she is constantly asking, just like yours.
Good luck! Let me know if anything works for you!
~Jules

lol, Jager is just the opposite. When he's actually got to go, he rings the bells then looks at me, then rings the bells again. If he just wants to goof off, he rings them and steps away from the door.

 

[Charliesmommy]

Charlie does the exact same thing. I have been ignoring him and it hasn't caused any "accidents". I know when his usual time to go is and I let him out at those times and no others. It has been about 3 weeks since he started doing this and it is improving.

 

[Cheza]

It may help to keep track of your dog's schedule for a day or two, to pick up on when she's bluffing, and when she needs to actually go out. That way by glancing at the clock you can figure out if she actually needs out or is just being a brat

Also, I agree. If you can distract her from the door for more than a few minutes, she probably doesn't have to go. If she wanders back to the door again, she may actually need to go out. Best of luck.

 

[yoko]

yoshi use to do the same thing!

what i did was when she wants to go out i'd say 'go potty?' if she reacted i'd know she actually had to go to the bathroom. if no she just wanted to play.

i have a lot of treats and unopened toys for yoshi hidden around the house for times i cant take her out whe she wants. and those usually make her forget about wanting to go outside. even old toys i've taken away for a while work.

if she acted like she needed to go out and then didn't go to the bathroom i'd stand outside and say 'go potty' until she did. if she tried to play i'd say 'no play, go potty' and point to her corner of the yard. as soon as she'd go i'd reward her and play a game with her.

so *ok yeah this wording may be the completely wrong way of saying it so forgive me ^^;;* if she told the truth she'd get toys andplay time but if she fibbed she'd be outside with no play until she did what she was going to do

a way i foudn that wears yoshi out pretty fast is a super fast run through of her basic trics. like i could say

sit, down, jump, down, paw, other, speak, jump
and she'll do them really fast it's fun to see how well she can do them and she gets tired after a while and is content to cuddle

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Take the dog out on a leash.
If the dog goes potty then she can play. If not, then you walk right back inside.
Takes a few days, but it's no longer fun to keep asking if you can chill on a leash till you potty.