couple of questions....

[Nuclear Fishin]

So. We've got the newest puppy (layla) trained to go in the crate, and to go potty outside.

She jumps right in her crate, turns around, sits... no issues getting her in. The problem arrises when we leave. She is usually quiet in the crate when we are home, as we reward her for being quiet when we train her for the crate.

The second we leave, she starts yelping and howling. Literally. You turn the key in the lock, and she starts.

Any ideas?

Secondly: She loves to go outside now. She runs to the door, even lets us know when she needs to go. We attach her to the leash, open the door, she bounds outside and....

What happens next depends upon what we do. If we walk outside with her while she is on the run, she runs down the stairs, and immediatly goes, while turning and looking at us to make sure we see her do it.

If we don't, she sits on the porch for about 3 minutes, then starts yelping to be let back in. She comes inside, goes to her "normal spot" for going in the house (the boys playroom, of all places) and pees.

She won't go to the bathroom outside unless we are standing outside and watching her.

Any ideas on how to solve these two issues would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
-Nuke

 

[lizzybeth727]

How old is your puppy??

The crate - I'd suggest "practicing" leaving several times a day. WIth your puppy in her crate, calmly act like you're going to leave - pick up your purse, put on your jacket, whatever you do when you leave the house. Then walk out the door (don't lock it since that's her cue to start whining), close the door, then immediately walk back in. The whole time, don't say anything to your puppy, and don't let her back out of the crate for a few minutes after you come back in. Practice this at least 4 or 5 times a day, and she'll start to figure out that it's not that bad when you leave. After a few tries, you can lock the door behind you, and immediately unlock it back and walk back in. Then you can start leaving for gradually longer and longer periods - start with just 2 or 3 seconds, then increase by 5 or 10 seconds each time. If she can see or hear you walk away, you can practice that too. If at any time she starts yelping again, you know that you've gone too fast and don't leave for so long the next time - but don't come back in until she's quiet, even if it's just for a second to take a breath, and always remember not to give her any attention until you've been back for several minutes.

When you have to leave, make sure that you put her in the crate about 10 minutes before you leave. Don't "gush" over her at all before you leave - just put her in the crate matter-of-factly, and don't talk to her again. When you come home, don't talk to her or give her any attention for 10 or 20 minutes after you get home.

Pottying outside - young puppies, and even many adult dogs, don't like to be outside on their own. I had a dog who, even at 7 years old, would not potty outside unless we were out with her or standing at the door watching her. At this point in the process, though, that's ok for you, because if you see your puppy potty outside, you can reward her for that, which will teach her that it "pays" to go in the right place.

If she doesn't go outside, you have a good idea now that she's going to go in the playroom - so make sure she doesn't get to go in there until she potties.

 

[sglord]

I think lizzybeth727 covers almost everything.

Though I think you can try to stop her from peeing in the boys playroom by shouting out a stern command.

I have ever try using a water gun to squirt at my dog startling him from peeing and then guiding him to the yard to pee. After a few tries, he has never even pee inside the house.

Hope it helps

 

[Dekka]

I don't shout or squirt. I used to.. but JRTs are very smart. Soon Beacon (my first JRT) learned that peeing in the house NEAR ME was scary, but if I wasn't there it was fine. He took the longest to house train that any other dog I have owned. So if you have a smart or sharp dog this method may backfire on you.

 

[lizzybeth727]

I don't think it's necessary to shout at the dog either. I think it's very simple - you know he's going to pee in there, so prevent him from doing it.

 

[Nuclear Fishin]

She's only four months, and honestly, I don't mind taking her outside every time. It's the pregnant wifey who has to do it when I'm not home that is having the issues.

She's already fallen down our backhall stairs once, and the front door is protected from the elements very well. The front window is plate glass, so she can't stand at the window either.

I think she is a border collie or a mcnab mix (I'm thinking mcnab, but only because it is more exotic!)

I'm going to try slowly changing things up a bit. Instead of standing at the end of the porch, I'll move to the door. Then open the door then stand in it. Then close it a bit, etc. etc. etc. Hopefully that will work!

Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[adojrts]

I think lizzybeth727 covers almost everything.

Though I think you can try to stop her from peeing in the boys playroom by shouting out a stern command.

I have ever try using a water gun to squirt at my dog startling him from peeing and then guiding him to the yard to pee. After a few tries, he has never even pee inside the house.

Hope it helps

I would suggest that you DON'T use this method, follow Lizzy's advice she has covered it.

 

[lizzybeth727]

I'm going to try slowly changing things up a bit. Instead of standing at the end of the porch, I'll move to the door. Then open the door then stand in it. Then close it a bit, etc. etc. etc. Hopefully that will work!

If you're going to do this, I'd at least wait until she's consistently pottying outside - like, no accidents in the house for at LEAST a week, if not more. If she decides that she doesn't want to potty outside if you're, say, standing at the door, she's going to have more accidents in the house. But, if you wait until she's not having accidents in the house, she'll have a much better idea of what to do and it will be much less confusing.

Four months is still very young for her to want to be outside without you. She'll probably grow to be more independent in about two or three months (although border collies are very in tune with their humans, so it might never happen).

I find it interesting when people get a puppy when they're about to have a baby. It's hard to raise a puppy, it's harder to raise a baby, hope you (and your wife) are in for the challenge.

 

[Sch3Dana]

Hi Nuke,

The problem you are having with your pup is pretty common and most dogs just grow out of the clingy stage and start wanting to go into the yard on their own. Sounds like with your pregnant wife you would like to hurry things along and that seems reasonable to me. Your idea of gradually going out less and less with her seems good to me. But you have to recognize that hurrying things like this may occassionally cause her to not go, or to not completely empty out before rushing back to be with you. That's no problem, but you have to improve your supervision in the house so that it doesn't lead to accidents.

I would recommend using "umbilical cord training" to keep the pup right with you anytime you are not 100% sure that she is empty. Meaning most of the time that she is in the house. Keep her with you on a leash so that she has no chance to sneak off to potty. If she shows signs of needing to go, take her to the back door, go out with her and watch her potty so you can praise her. Each week you can stop a little further from the top of the steps until you are waiting at the door and then inside the door. I would expect some episodes where she refuses to potty. No big deal. But you have to keep her on the leash in the house for 100% supervision. As Dekka suggests, they will get sneakier about mistakes if you are not careful. Keep her on the leash and don't let her make the mistakes. If she can't go in the house, and she really needs to go, she will be much more motivated to get down those steps and take care of her business!

One other thing to think about, she may decide to potty on the deck without bothering to go down the steps. I imagine that is not something you want, so you'll need to keep an eye on her and make sure that that doesn't become the new problem.

Good Luck!

 

[Nuclear Fishin]

Hi Nuke,

One other thing to think about, she may decide to potty on the deck without bothering to go down the steps. I imagine that is not something you want, so you'll need to keep an eye on her and make sure that that doesn't become the new problem.

Good Luck!

That's the other dog, but I've cured that. He was confusing the snow on the deck with being the ground. Hasn't done that in a couple of weeks.

As far as taking things slowly, I am. Last night, as opposed to standing at the top of the steps while she was on the run, I walked out there and then took one small step back. She noticed it alright, but it didn't seem to bother her too much.

We are working on the "practice leaving thing"...

What do you all think about during the "practice leaves" if we only come back in when she is quiet? perhaps she will associate the "arrival" of us coming home with her being quiet, much like getting out of the cage... Just an idea.

 

[lizzybeth727]

If at any time she starts yelping again, you know that you've gone too fast and don't leave for so long the next time - but don't come back in until she's quiet, even if it's just for a second to take a breath

Yeah, don't come in if she's barking.

 

[Sch3Dana]

Yes, I agree with Lizzybeth- don't return if she is barking. Another thing that may help you is making extra reasons for being outside without you. One thing is keeping the food and water dishes outside so she has to go out for those things as well. Another is to give her a really good marrow bone that she is not allowed to bring into the house- an outside only toy. You can also play a game where you hide really yummy treats in the yard and let her out to find them. In the beginning you show her that you are hiding them and then let her find them while you go back up on the deck. As she learns the game, you leave her inside while you hide them and then let her out on her own to go find them. All of these things should encourage more confidence about being alone and make a really positive association with yard time.

 

[lizzybeth727]

^^^^Great ideas!