Any asssistence greatly appreciated.. =/

[RawrMeow]

Hello everyone,
I am greatly sorry for the disturbance, but my dear parent's and I are having some puppy trouble and are going on the brink of insanity.
We just brought home a 6 month old Basset Hound two days ago, whom was left to do whatever he wished in his previous home, and was never taken down for a walk, only on rare occasions. His past owner explained that she worked over-time, thus never had time to care for the pup, and actually bought him as a birthday gift for her sixteen-year old son who did not bother to take responsibility in properly treating the canine. The little dog was given a puppy potty pad in one corner of the apartment, where he would relieve himself everyday since the boy cared less about the dog and acted as if the poor thing was just another worthless gift, however, if his mother had time, she supposedly took the dog for a small stroll in a tiny grassy area around the apartment complex. Since nurturing him in his new abode, he has been going down for long walks several times a day, enjoying the new opportunity of being outside, but only sniffs, plays, and trots where ever we take him. Once we arrive home, he immediately urinates or produces stool around some part of the apartment; basically doing his bathroom duty reversed or backwards. He does not seem to understand the main concept of a walk, and despite we have tried most tactics to train him where to go,-example letting him sniff a cloth that he urinated on in the house, to outdoors or walked him for hours, but nothing has worked. He still continues to use the potty in the house than outside, mostly doing so once he comes back from a saunter downstairs. The other day we gave him plenty of food and drink, then went with him a great distance in the city, but throughout the entire trip, he did not use the bathroom once, only as we entered our home, he scurried immediately to a spot we have found to be his favorite, now covered with newspaper. Or he held back his stool for so long, despite I took him outside at every hint of him needing to go/sign, he did not release his urge, but waited the second we came back upstairs to whining that he cannot bear holding anymore but use the potty indoors. We owned two Great Danes, one of them had a similar problem when she was young, but she swiftly learned how to use the restroom outside within a few days pass, and we have tried the same instructions we used for her on our little one now, but it seems inevitable as he repeatedly potties in the house after a walk outside. Unfortunately, crates are extremely pricey here, and we cannot afford such a devise, if it is possible to ask for any assistance or advise on how to train him, other than "crate-training." We would greatly appreciate any help.Thank you so much for taking time to read our situation, and if really it is not much to ask for any help, it would be highly appreciated. Thank you so much once again, and many apologies for the long rant and bother.

Much love and regards, thank you, Aya

[rossibear]

Hi not very experianced with dogs but have rehabed other animals but your boy has only been with you a couple of days and I think you are maybe expecting too much from him at this point. He needs time to settle and don't forget for the formative months of his life he has been trained to go inside, There are very experianced people on here that can help you much more than i could. Good luck

[stephw0722]

I agree with rossibear that your pup needs more time, but you also might try thoroughly cleaning his current 'favorite spot' with an enzymatic cleaner that will eliminate all traces of the scent of his urine and feces. This will help decrease the likelihood that he will eliminate there again. If he likes to toilet on newspaper or a wee-wee pad, put the paper/pad right next to the door you use to take him outside and consistently take him out that door to toilet. Do you have a predictable schedule set up for him yet? Feeding him at the same time each morning and evening will help, as will taking him outside immediately upon waking up, about ten minutes after each meal, right before bed time.

If you can't afford a crate, tether him to a sturdy piece of furniture in what ever room you can stay in and supervise him most of the time. Give him a comfy bed and some nice toys. This has a similar effect as crate training in that he won't want to toilet in the area where he is tethered. If you keep him leashed to you in the house, you can immediately take him outside when you see that he might need to go.

[RawrMeow]

Thank you very much for the advise from both of you, however I forgot to correct the post and also do not know how to edit, sorry, as the dog has been with us about a week now. I am greatly sorry for my misleading error, but I have asked for help from some others as well.
Otherwise, he does have a proper feeding time, has in total four large comfy beds, in each room, and the newspaper/pad is right in front of the apartment entry door. He eats three small meals, split at specific times, though he does not use the bathroom after his breakfast, instead waits till the late afternoon to do so, even if I take him down not long after his first meal. As all our dogs have, he has cushions covered with a soft blanket, and numerous toys, his favorite being a small bunny. His wee-wee pad is at the front door which we take him out of. Unfortunately we live in an apartment on the sixth floor, but have a very large grassy garden where many other dogs go as well.
Otherwise, we supervise him at all times, and take him down as said to, almost every hour, yet he would hold his stool and urine until we do not reach back home. We know exactly when he needs to go, and take him down immediately, but its as if he forgets about his urge once we are outdoors; happily trudging around sniffing. Yet as we come back inside, he rushes to use the potty on the pad.
Thank you, we use such enzymatic cleaners and always clean the spot after he makes his mistake, also opening all windows to blow away the smells.
We have gathered his feces and sorted it outside around a spot he likes sniffing around best, but he just ignores it or takes a brief sniff then leaves it, same goes with urine. He just doesn't understand the concept of walking outside nor shows any sign of improvement.
Sadly, my parents are growing quite impatient as all we have been doing is just watching him, taking him down, and cleaning after his reverse bathroom usage; which I am afraid he won't stay if he does not change habit.. We have house trained before, our dearest great dane pup who died not long ago, but she was not as problematic as this.
Once again, thank you very much for all the help and advise, have a wonderful day. <3

farewell, Aya

[chelle&honey]

I totally agree, you are expecting too much of this 6 month old pup, which in your words was left to his own device. He has clearly NEVER been shown the correct way to potty and so unfortuatly you have to go back to basics, and this is going to take you a few weeks if your lucky. You have to realise that his life has just turned upside down, he once lived with people who didnt care and now he lives with those who are telling him what to do, he may have become a little stubborn.

I think with a little time and patience you will have him turned around, you have to realise all dogs are different!

Hope you manage to get on ok.

Michelle

[emmabeth]

Just to add to the good advice you have already had...

Have you tried taking him in, say, half way back to your apartment, and then back outside again? You might need to go all the way back to your front door, or you may get away with just going a quarter of the way.. but going in and then back out again might be enough to 'catch' him, and once he does go in front of you outside you can reward him super well.