Potty training

[tonyafetner]

Where can I find the course about potty training

[JMFS]

Here you go!

 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/7-secret-potty-training-strategies/ (this is the main article)

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/potty-on-command/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/?s=potty (a search of the site - the first 5 results are specific to potty training, the others mention "potty" and came up in the results because of that)

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi there!

If you need have any questions on any particular potty training issues, please feel free to post them here.

Best,

Adrienne

[cdvalenzuela]

My dog which we found abandoned as a puppy is still having episodes of peeing and sometimes even pooping in the house. She is on phenobarbitals for seisures. How much does that influence this. It seems like she is lazy and just doesn’t make the effort to go downstairs ( the door is open). Also if we leave her down, when we come back we have to wait til she goes as she will have not done anything while we were gone

[cammidge]

I would treat any dog with seizures or other health issues as a brand new puppy - on leash at all times when not crated, and you go with to witness the production. Also use a cue, go pee, get busy etc with lavish praise and/or treats. How old is the dog?

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Greetings,

You may have to discuss these issues with your vet to make sure your dog is on the right dose of phenobarbital. This drug may cause dogs to become sluggish and tired and may play a role in accidents in the house if the dose is incorrect (meaning some dogs need adjustments in doses over time, ask your vet about this). Also, I think increased drinking and increased urination may be some side effects of this medication. It's always good practice to play it safe and discuss with the vet to rule out possible medical issues triggering the accidents.

 

Puppies and dogs in general, also enjoy companionship so they may be reluctant to go potty when they are left alone or if going potty translates into being separated from their family. It may help to accompany her downstairs to potty also so that you can praise and reward her, and as Cammidge pointed out, to introduce her to a verbal cue that teaches her to go potty on command which can come handy in many situations.

Edited July 2, 2019 by Adrienne Farricelli

[sawah3]

Hi Adrienne, I have a 12 week old toy goldendoodle and he takes a long time to go potty or poop outside. When I see him sniffing around in the house, I immediately grab him and bring him outside expecting he will go soon. Most of the time, he starts off sniffing around the grass and then he comes to sit or lie down by me for awhile. Eventually he'll go back to sniffing around the yard and ultimately go, but I would say on average, I have to wait 15-30 minutes for him to finally go to the bathroom. I make sure not to engage him while he's out there or distract him, but is this normal puppy behavior? Once winter comes, I need him to be able to go much quicker so we're both not out there freezing!!

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hello Sawah3,

Welcome to the forums!

Many dogs are this way and this can happen due to various reasons. Possibilities that come to mind is that he may get overstimulated and distracted by all the scents, sights and sounds associated with the outdoors. He may therefore temporarily "forget."

 

However, sometimes, it can also be a matter of the pup being a bit uncomfortable of his surroundings. When a dog is nervous about his surroundings, he may inhibit his need to eliminate. For instance, placing a dog scared of noises in a balcony where construction workers across the street and causing a cacophony of loud noises, will likely cause the dog to at least feel uncomfortable. Elimination won't just happen right away in this case!

 

Here are some tips/ideas:

 

-Make sure your dog has a safe, quiet place to eliminate where he feels safe. If your dog refuses to pee/poop in your yard, but then eliminates the moment he comes in the house, evaluate if there's something in your yard that worries him. It could be he's nervous about those barking neighbor dogs or that he just needs to sniff and feel safe about his surroundings before going.

-Stick to a feeding schedule. When your dog is fed on a predictable schedule, his poop may come out predictably at the same times every day as well. This is why it's so important for young puppies to adhere to a strict puppy feeding schedule, so you can predict when you can take your puppy out to eliminate.So if you take your dog out at the same time every day and he doesn't go, perhaps you want to try taking him out a bit later, when his need is a bit more urgent and he is less likely of making you lose time. In such a case though, make sure you gradually increase the time and keep an eye on your dog if he isn't housebroken yet; he may anticipate you and leave a little present on your favorite rug.

-Keep track of your dog's elimination times. If you take your pup out every day at 8 am to eliminate, and he eliminates at say 5:45, try taking him out the next day at 5:20, then at 5;30 and then at 5:45. Keep a chart on his progress so you can track his progress and watch for setbacks. Keeping him crated until then can help reduce accidents.

-Walk your puppy. It's a known fact that movement increases motility. Walking your puppy on leash may keep your puppy from wandering and getting distracted. Go on a nice walk and bring along some poop bags with you.

-Reward your pup for eliminating by using high-value treats. Treat after treat, your pup learns that great things happen when he eliminates so he'll be eager to get that pee/poop going just to get the treat. Make sure you keep your treats hidden in a pocket though, as the sight of a treat may distract him. Wait for him to finish eliminating and then say "good boy" and hand him the treat.

- Train your pup to potty on command. This can be really a great way to expedite the process and will help dogs generalize the potty area. By the time winter is around the corner, you'll likely have a dog who goes potty as soon as you pronounce the command. Here's a guide on how to train this: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/potty-on-command/