Hi there,
We have the cutest bulldog puppy. He's been with us for almost 4 months now and we did all the house training with him from the beginning. He'd been really good and we kept giving him praise for doing it well. It seemed he had the hang of where/when to do his things. However, last week he started peeing everywhere again, he even got on the sofa to pee and he regularly pees on his bed.
Could anyone give me any suggestions as to how we can help him understand he can't/shouldn't do that? Is it our fault? have we done something wrong?
Also, I've been told by some other dog owners that when they do something wrong giving them a 'light' bum smack with a rolled newspaper is a good method to make him understand when he does things wrong. Is that right?
Any help would be hugely appreciated.
Maria
back to square one -- house training
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marquess32
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:06 pm
- Location: London
back to square one -- house training
Will & Maria
back to square one
hi Maria
I think hes trying to "mark" like its my sofa its my bed!
I would NOT advice that you give him a "light" smack with a newspapper because then you are telling him to be afraid . What you could do is every hour put him out in the garden . Also if i can ask is he neutered?because that can sometimes that can stop it ,sadly if neutered does not help if will have to start the house training all over again!
Thats the best i can do hope that helps
lauren
I think hes trying to "mark" like its my sofa its my bed!
I would NOT advice that you give him a "light" smack with a newspapper because then you are telling him to be afraid . What you could do is every hour put him out in the garden . Also if i can ask is he neutered?because that can sometimes that can stop it ,sadly if neutered does not help if will have to start the house training all over again!
Thats the best i can do hope that helps
lauren
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marquess32
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:06 pm
- Location: London
Hi there,
thank you for your reply. the funny thing is he was neutered about 3 weeks ago and i'm almost beginning to think he was better before getting 'the snip'.
my problem is that i don't understand WHY he's doing it. We show him lots of affection and attention, he's well fed, we play, we take him for walks and suddenly he starts peeing in his bed at night. the other day he even tried to do a poop on it!! why does that happen? Sorry, I'm a first-timer and some things i find a bit tough to understand.
We live on a 2nd floor and we have a pee pad in the kitchen so if he needs to go in between walks (he gets 3 walks a day + big ones at the weekends) he can go on the paper pad -- should we get rid of the pad?
thank you for your reply. the funny thing is he was neutered about 3 weeks ago and i'm almost beginning to think he was better before getting 'the snip'.
my problem is that i don't understand WHY he's doing it. We show him lots of affection and attention, he's well fed, we play, we take him for walks and suddenly he starts peeing in his bed at night. the other day he even tried to do a poop on it!! why does that happen? Sorry, I'm a first-timer and some things i find a bit tough to understand.
We live on a 2nd floor and we have a pee pad in the kitchen so if he needs to go in between walks (he gets 3 walks a day + big ones at the weekends) he can go on the paper pad -- should we get rid of the pad?
Will & Maria
back to square one
hi Maria
ok he is peeing to "mark" his territory because its his house and he lives in it. .each time he goes on the pads praise him if you see your pup peeing somewere else in the house say AH AH firmly , pick him up mid pee (he will stop) then take him to his pad and praise him or because hes being outside you can maybe (if you can) put him oputside and praise him. then you are begining to show him that reliveving himself in the right place brings great things. saying AH AH firmly is a CORRECTION not a PUNISHMENT ,but telling the dog he has done something that you dont like or hasnt done something hes been asked to do.
Hope that helps maria
lauren
ok he is peeing to "mark" his territory because its his house and he lives in it. .each time he goes on the pads praise him if you see your pup peeing somewere else in the house say AH AH firmly , pick him up mid pee (he will stop) then take him to his pad and praise him or because hes being outside you can maybe (if you can) put him oputside and praise him. then you are begining to show him that reliveving himself in the right place brings great things. saying AH AH firmly is a CORRECTION not a PUNISHMENT ,but telling the dog he has done something that you dont like or hasnt done something hes been asked to do.
Hope that helps maria
lauren
Agree with Loz - dont smack him. You'll just teach him to fear a rolled up newspaper. You wont teach him anything useful........ oh there is ONE use for a rolled up newspaper.
I use one to smack myself round the head with when ive been too stupid to see what my dogs telling me.
Loz - this is scent marking but NOT the way you mean.
He was better pre neutering yes?
When you castrate a dog, you take away all the hormones, and whilst those hormones mostly 'do' sexual urges, they also 'do' confidence.
Castrate and suddenly the dog becomes much less confident which can lead to anxiety about various things.
Anxious insecure dogs often toilet in their beds, its a safe place for them where they dont run the risk of another animal 'reading' that they are there (like a nervous kid wouldnt graffitti on another gangs patch!), and urinating in 'his space' will reinforce that its his and its a safe place.
If AT ALL possible, even if it means you runing around like the proverbial blue ***ed fly, DONT USE PADS. You want him to go outside, you want him to know that outside is the place to go always. So dont train him to go inside!
Instead, treat him as you would an 8 week old puppy for a month or so, dont put him out, TAKE him out and do so every hour, when he wakes up, after games after food. Take him outside, wait for him to toilet and praise him. If he doesnt within about ten minutes, come back in, if hed rather play than toilet, come back in. The aim is to teach him that every visit to the garden is for toileting first, play second - might be helpful to use a long lead so you can stop him from playing.
Dont take your eyes off him during this, if you have to leave him, crate him, over night, crate him.
He will get the hang of it, but the way is to show him where he MUST go, amd reward him for it. trying to explain to him the concept of 'you must never' is far too vague and will mean youd have to use aversives which are rarely effective.
Em
I use one to smack myself round the head with when ive been too stupid to see what my dogs telling me.
Loz - this is scent marking but NOT the way you mean.
He was better pre neutering yes?
When you castrate a dog, you take away all the hormones, and whilst those hormones mostly 'do' sexual urges, they also 'do' confidence.
Castrate and suddenly the dog becomes much less confident which can lead to anxiety about various things.
Anxious insecure dogs often toilet in their beds, its a safe place for them where they dont run the risk of another animal 'reading' that they are there (like a nervous kid wouldnt graffitti on another gangs patch!), and urinating in 'his space' will reinforce that its his and its a safe place.
If AT ALL possible, even if it means you runing around like the proverbial blue ***ed fly, DONT USE PADS. You want him to go outside, you want him to know that outside is the place to go always. So dont train him to go inside!
Instead, treat him as you would an 8 week old puppy for a month or so, dont put him out, TAKE him out and do so every hour, when he wakes up, after games after food. Take him outside, wait for him to toilet and praise him. If he doesnt within about ten minutes, come back in, if hed rather play than toilet, come back in. The aim is to teach him that every visit to the garden is for toileting first, play second - might be helpful to use a long lead so you can stop him from playing.
Dont take your eyes off him during this, if you have to leave him, crate him, over night, crate him.
He will get the hang of it, but the way is to show him where he MUST go, amd reward him for it. trying to explain to him the concept of 'you must never' is far too vague and will mean youd have to use aversives which are rarely effective.
Em
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marquess32
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:06 pm
- Location: London
Hi,
Thank you both so much. We'll get cracking with your advice and hopefully we'll go back to a well house trained pup. Yes, i think he was better before the neutering and what you say makes a lot of sense so we'll try and get rid of the pee pads slowly making them smaller until there's none left.
I'll report back!
M
Thank you both so much. We'll get cracking with your advice and hopefully we'll go back to a well house trained pup. Yes, i think he was better before the neutering and what you say makes a lot of sense so we'll try and get rid of the pee pads slowly making them smaller until there's none left.
I'll report back!
M
Will & Maria
Don't forget to clean the area properly where he has peed
as he could well be marking over his scent...
If possible wash with something like biological washing powder and warm water mix as this will get rid of the pee scent
Also if you can't crack it make sure he hasn't got a waterworks infection.
A trip to the vet with a pee sample will be whats needed to test
for infection.
as he could well be marking over his scent...
If possible wash with something like biological washing powder and warm water mix as this will get rid of the pee scent
Also if you can't crack it make sure he hasn't got a waterworks infection.
A trip to the vet with a pee sample will be whats needed to test
for infection.
Re: back to square one
LOL - had to have a bit of a laugh at this. Pups won't stop mid wee as a general rule - at least they never have in this house.loza123 wrote:hi Maria
AH AH firmly , pick him up mid pee (he will stop)
lauren
Fantastic advice from Ems there
Re: back to square one
I'm pretty sure that was a quote directly from Victoria's first book actually!KathyM wrote:LOL - had to have a bit of a laugh at this. Pups won't stop mid wee as a general rule - at least they never have in this house.loza123 wrote:hi Maria
AH AH firmly , pick him up mid pee (he will stop)
lauren
Fantastic advice from Ems there
