Help!

[marineangel]

My husband's Boxer is driving me nuts! We got him when he was 1 yr and 2 months old. We've had him for about 3 months now and when we got him the lady said he was potty trained which he obviously wasn't. We have been trying to potty train him for about 3 months now and he still doesn't get the concept!!!!! I don't know what to do. I take him out and everytime he goes out i give him treats and praise him. When i go out i take him out so he can do his business and he does but when i come back 2 or 3 hours later he has gone in his crate. I just went out for no longer than an hour i had taken him out and he went potty but when i got back he had gone potty in the crate! It's like everytime i leave him unsupervised he decides to go in the crate! I never had a dog that would take this long to get potty trained! I don't know what to do!! Any advice????:dogmad:

 

[marieke]

Wow, that's not nice. If you tried training him already for a while you might wonder if it is a medical problem. Did you ask your vet yet?

 

[leema]

Elimination can be a sign of seperation anxiety. Mac pees in the house straight away if I leave him, regardless of when he last toiletted, as he is anxious about me leaving. Do you think this is a possibility with your dog?

 

[marineangel]

That might be his problem but imagine coming home from work or something and always finding a little present in his crate? not only that but i would like for him to get trained quick so i don't have to leave him in the crate, but i dont know what to do, i'm very fed up with his behavior, he always wants to jump on the bed and couches and i do not appreciate that, i'm sure that the girl who used to owned him didn't raise him the right way because his manners are very bad and i know it's not his fault but i have tried a lot of different things and methods to train him and he just wont learn!!! this is just driving me crazy. My husband got me german shepherd puppy and we're getting him next week, hopefully i'll have better luck training him since he's little but i really need to solve Niko's problem or he's going to drive me crazy, thanks for replying!

 

[whizzy]

Are you leaving water out for him? he might be drinking too much or eating too much, and then going while your out.

But I agree with "leema" I think its possibly separation anxiety.....try leaving a towl or an old shirt with your scent on it for him.

 

[marineangel]

Are you leaving water out for him? he might be drinking too much or eating too much, and then going while your out.

But I agree with "leema" I think its possibly separation anxiety.....try leaving a towl or an old shirt with your scent on it for him.

Actually no, i don't leave food or water for him for that same reason but i think it might be a separation anxiety, i never really look in to that, does anyone know how i can help him with it?:dogunsure:

 

[Jean Cote]

How big is his crate? Is his urinating in one corner and sleeping in the next? If so, then your crate is too big. There should only be enough room to go in, turn around and lie down.

You haven't answered the questions about the vet. I know that it costs money to bring him there, but another member here in the past had the same problem until she figured out that her dog had a bladder infection.

he always wants to jump on the bed and couches and i do not appreciate that, i'm sure that the girl who used to owned him didn't raise him the right way because his manners are very bad and i know it's not his fault but i have tried a lot of different things and methods to train him and he just wont learn!!!

Well, if you've had him for three months and he doesn't understand that you don't want him on the couch or bed, then the information you are giving him is not precise. Obviously his previous owner didn't mind, but is he getting away with it in your house? What does your husband do when you are not at home, does he let the dog on the couch?

There is so much frustration in your posts, and I can tell you that you won't find the solution being angry at the dog. He's not doing this purposefully because he secretly hates you, he's either been reinforced for his bad behaviors or hasn't gotten clear and precise information on what isn't permissible in your household.

Dog training takes time, but learning how to train is a lot harder than to actually train a dog.

Note: Thread moved to the Behavioral Problems forum.

 

[marineangel]

How big is his crate? Is his urinating in one corner and sleeping in the next? If so, then your crate is too big. There should only be enough room to go in, turn around and lie down.

You haven't answered the questions about the vet. I know that it costs money to bring him there, but another member here in the past had the same problem until she figured out that her dog had a bladder infection.



Well, if you've had him for three months and he doesn't understand that you don't want him on the couch or bed, then the information you are giving him is not precise. Obviously his previous owner didn't mind, but is he getting away with it in your house? What does your husband do when you are not at home, does he let the dog on the couch?

There is so much frustration in your posts, and I can tell you that you won't find the solution being angry at the dog. He's not doing this purposefully because he secretly hates you, he's either been reinforced for his bad behaviors or hasn't gotten clear and precise information on what isn't permissible in your household.

Dog training takes time, but learning how to train is a lot harder than to actually train a dog.

Note: Thread moved to the Behavioral Problems forum.

We took him to the vet about a month ago and she did a couple of test on him and said everything was alright, however we didn't mention anything about this because i just thought he was taking some time to learn. I do tell him to get off the couch/bed when he's in it and he understands but i went away for about a week and he stayed with my husband, and i think my husband was letting him get away with him getting on the bed because the first night i was back he jumped on it as we were falling asleep, i questioned him about it and he said that he didn't let him on the bed but i didn't belive him, he spoils him way too much! You're definitely right though, i am very frustrated and i understand that it's not his fault but i get frustrated because i just don't know what to do to change his behavior. I do understand that training a dog can be hard and it's the reason why i have been on this site and many different others to try to learn more about it and see if i may be doing something wrong. Thank you so much for replying and i didn't mean to sound so angry i'm just very frustrated.:dogsad:

P.S His crate it's not big it's like the perfect size like when he lays on it there's a little bit of space left but not much, most of the times i have to give him a bath right away because he lays all over it

 

[Jean Cote]

I think it's safe to say that we've all had our ups and downs training our dog. When you don't know what to do, it feels like the world is on your shoulders, and I understand completely.

There are a few things that I can think of that should help you, at least from what I can tell. Sometimes it’s hard to know the situation without seeing it first hand.

1. Get clear on your household rules. Write them down and have a discussion with your husband about them. They do not have to be complicated, it’s just that you both must commit to enforcing them otherwise you will be sending your dog mixed information. If the dog is able to get on the bed one week, and not another, it is extremely confusing.
   
   A simple list would be: no jumping on couch, no jumping on bed, dog in other room or in his crate while we eat, dog always eats after we do, no unnecessary barking, dog has to be in the same room as one of us until he has shown himself to be trusted.
   
   
2. What do you do when he misbehaves or do something inappropriate? Like jumping up on your bed, or on the sofa, or urinating on your valentine teddy bear?
   
   A dog must always be reprimanded while he does something, they have no concept of past. So unless you catch a dog in the act, he will never understand if you punish him for it.
   
   
3. Does your dog have a collar? It is hard to tell from the picture but it seems like he doesn’t have a collar on. Judging from what you’ve told me so far, it seems like your dog does something bad, then you tell him “NO!†or chase him off the furniture and then everything seems fine.
   
   In this scenario, although your voice sounds angry and reprimanding, your behavior is actually reinforcing the dog. If the dog jumps up on the bed and you run at him to get him off, he’ll think it’s now a game. And especially if you can’t get hold of his collar, then he’s in control of that game.
   
   
4. So he can spend 3 to four 4 hours in his crate without peeing. Have you tried letting him out every 3 hours, and then to slowly increase the amount of time in his crate?
   
   I’ve had a similar problem with my border collie when she was a puppy. She would urinate in her crate every single night, for about 2 months. What I did to help the situation is to let her out more often, which enables her to create a routine where her crate is constantly clean, and that she learns to hold it in. Eventually I could keep her in there a little bit more at a time, until she never did it again.
   
   This is of course difficult to do if you have a full time job. But you can definitely practice this on the weekends.
   
   
5. Supervision. Yes, I’ve mentioned this in other threads before, but it’s the key to potty training. As mentioned above, you must catch a dog in the act or it doesn’t register. But if your dog is able to pee anywhere in your house without you seeing or knowing it, then you are not supervising your dog.
   
   This is why that I recommend you keep your dog in the same room as you or your husband until he has proven himself to be reliable. So that you can always catch him in the act. If you aren’t able to supervise him, then in the crate he should go.
   
   
6. Have you hired an animal behaviorist to come to your house? It is expensive yes, but it is valuable! Because he will tell you why the dog is doing what he is doing.
   
   Sometimes humans relate to dogs like they are people. We see things as a human and there are things an animal behaviorist will be able to tell you that you’ve never noticed before.
   
   It’s kind of like buying a new outfit. You’ve never seen that outfit before in your life, and it looks fantastic! But as soon as you buy it, what happens? You see it everywhere you go! You can pinpoint it a mile away!
   
   Same goes with dog training, a trainer or animal behaviorist can tell you exactly what you don’t see.
   
   
7. Patience. Dog training doesn’t have to be complicated, but it has to be consistent. I am actually quite impress that you are seeking out the answer to your problem, and I can guarantee you that you will find it.
   
   Sometimes the answer is obvious, like using a special cleaner to get rid of the urine smell. Other times it takes time and dedication.

This is pretty much all I can think of right now. It should at least give you a few more pieces of information to help.

 

[marineangel]

I think it's safe to say that we've all had our ups and downs training our dog. When you don't know what to do, it feels like the world is on your shoulders, and I understand completely.

There are a few things that I can think of that should help you, at least from what I can tell. Sometimes it’s hard to know the situation without seeing it first hand.

1. Get clear on your household rules. Write them down and have a discussion with your husband about them. They do not have to be complicated, it’s just that you both must commit to enforcing them otherwise you will be sending your dog mixed information. If the dog is able to get on the bed one week, and not another, it is extremely confusing.
   
   A simple list would be: no jumping on couch, no jumping on bed, dog in other room or in his crate while we eat, dog always eats after we do, no unnecessary barking, dog has to be in the same room as one of us until he has shown himself to be trusted.
   
   
2. What do you do when he misbehaves or do something inappropriate? Like jumping up on your bed, or on the sofa, or urinating on your valentine teddy bear?
   
   A dog must always be reprimanded while he does something, they have no concept of past. So unless you catch a dog in the act, he will never understand if you punish him for it.
   
   
3. Does your dog have a collar? It is hard to tell from the picture but it seems like he doesn’t have a collar on. Judging from what you’ve told me so far, it seems like your dog does something bad, then you tell him “NO!†or chase him off the furniture and then everything seems fine.
   
   In this scenario, although your voice sounds angry and reprimanding, your behavior is actually reinforcing the dog. If the dog jumps up on the bed and you run at him to get him off, he’ll think it’s now a game. And especially if you can’t get hold of his collar, then he’s in control of that game.
   
   
4. So he can spend 3 to four 4 hours in his crate without peeing. Have you tried letting him out every 3 hours, and then to slowly increase the amount of time in his crate?
   
   I’ve had a similar problem with my border collie when she was a puppy. She would urinate in her crate every single night, for about 2 months. What I did to help the situation is to let her out more often, which enables her to create a routine where her crate is constantly clean, and that she learns to hold it in. Eventually I could keep her in there a little bit more at a time, until she never did it again.
   
   This is of course difficult to do if you have a full time job. But you can definitely practice this on the weekends.
   
   
5. Supervision. Yes, I’ve mentioned this in other threads before, but it’s the key to potty training. As mentioned above, you must catch a dog in the act or it doesn’t register. But if your dog is able to pee anywhere in your house without you seeing or knowing it, then you are not supervising your dog.
   
   This is why that I recommend you keep your dog in the same room as you or your husband until he has proven himself to be reliable. So that you can always catch him in the act. If you aren’t able to supervise him, then in the crate he should go.
   
   
6. Have you hired an animal behaviorist to come to your house? It is expensive yes, but it is valuable! Because he will tell you why the dog is doing what he is doing.
   
   Sometimes humans relate to dogs like they are people. We see things as a human and there are things an animal behaviorist will be able to tell you that you’ve never noticed before.
   
   It’s kind of like buying a new outfit. You’ve never seen that outfit before in your life, and it looks fantastic! But as soon as you buy it, what happens? You see it everywhere you go! You can pinpoint it a mile away!
   
   Same goes with dog training, a trainer or animal behaviorist can tell you exactly what you don’t see.
   
   
7. Patience. Dog training doesn’t have to be complicated, but it has to be consistent. I am actually quite impress that you are seeking out the answer to your problem, and I can guarantee you that you will find it.
   
   Sometimes the answer is obvious, like using a special cleaner to get rid of the urine smell. Other times it takes time and dedication.

This is pretty much all I can think of right now. It should at least give you a few more pieces of information to help.

I will definitely have a talk with my husband and write down the household rules because it is very important. Niko is probably confused about the bed/couch issue since I’m sure my husband lets him on them while I’m out of the house. The dog is always in the room with us so it’s not a problem, it’s just when we’re out and we leave him in his crate that he goes in it. Everytime we catch him in the act I usually tell him No bad boy, and he gets the point pretty quick, he does have a collar. I take him out a lot since he can’t tell me when he has to go, he doesn’t stand by the door or nothing so I take him out often because I have no idea when he needs to go. No I haven’t hired an animal behaviorist to be honest we can’t afford it right now, that’s why I’m on here trying to find a solution to the problem. I will keep trying until he gets the idea or next time I take him to the vet I will ask her about it. I also need some advice on potty training from scratch, I will be getting a German Shepherd puppy next week and I want to train asap! I heard that it’s easier when they’re little, I know Jean has a lot of experience because I can tell by his posts and the advice he has given me. Could you tell me how to start potty training my puppy when I do get him?? Thanks for your help!:dogsmile:

 

[marineangel]

Thanks for your help! I just checked out the thread and it's very helpful!! It's kind of weird how that person got offended when you were just trying to help, oh well, i'm sure the post will help other ppl like it helped me!