going potty

[tinabug2000]

I have a problem and I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem...My sheltie is 8 months old and she will not potty outside, I don't know what to do i have tried taking her out right away from her cage in the morning, I have stood out there for 45 minutes waiting for her to go to the bathroom. when I catch her squatting I run her outside but then she won't go. she waits to come back in the appt. even when I take her to the dog park she never goes.I have tried walking her still won't go any advise would be soooooo great.

 

[BarbV]

Oh dear, there is something definitely wrong going on here.

At 8 months you should have a much more precise schedule than what you are dealing with.

With my boys, I know that when I get up at 5:50 a.m. Indy will pee and poop right away while I get my first cup of coffee. Bacca prefers to sleep in another 20 minutes. And he will get up at 6:20 when I go down for my second cup.

Then they wrestle for abit while I shower and dress for the day

My guys have been doing this for months.

Standing outside for 45 minutes waiting for pup to do business is just now on at this age. I think you need to go back to potty 101.

If pup does not go in the first 5 minutes, then I would suggest, back in the crate. Leave 10 minutes or so (enjoy reading the morning paper) and try again. If nothing, then back in the crate. Repeat until you have "business" then major "celebration". Treats and praise when you have success.

Whatever you do, do not let pup roam free until business has been done. You need to be top dog when it comes to this. If pups starts to squat inside, scoop him up, tell him "ah,ah" in a stern voice, and take him outside. If he finishes outside then treat and praise.

 

[Smudge]

I agree with getting your dog on a schedule. It really works a lot better. It's never taken me more than a week or so to get my shelties housebroken this way. Also, I've found that just because my dog doesn't go to the door doesn't mean he doesn't need to go. Other signs that he gives me that he needs to go are turning around in circles multiple times, whining, barking, and sniffing the floor. So maybe look for other signs that your dog has to go, and then scoop him up and take him outside. Maybe he's just not getting the fact that when he needs to go that he needs to go to the door.

Standing outside waiting for your dog to go is not a good idea, either. I take Smudge outside, wait a few minutes, and then sneak a peak outside to see. If you stand outside with them and wait for them to do it then they will expect it everytime.

 

[Caro]

Standing outside waiting for your dog to go is not a good idea, either. I take Smudge outside, wait a few minutes, and then sneak a peak outside to see. If you stand outside with them and wait for them to do it then they will expect it everytime.

Deska was the same - he didnt like me standing there to pee, I had to leave him by himself so he could pee in private. I had a lot of trouble with toilet training Deska.

Also, at 8mths has she actually gone backwards? She has hit adolescence and toileting problems are common in adolescence. Also, she could be going through an adolescent fear stage and be too scared about going outside.

The Barb and Smudge have give you some good ideas. Back to basics

 

[mbfrench]

Schedules for sure

I to am in big agreement,at that age,they should be on a schedule.I can almost set the clock with both our babes here,and even Bumper will do her business in her litter box,right on schedule.Early mornings,and always just as I'm getting into bed at night,I'm back up scooping the litter.
Earnhardt never wavers,if he did,I would think something is wrong with him.I'm with the others on this one,maybe back to potty 101.
I do know that when we lived at the rented house,we did not have the fenced in yard,so Earnhardt had to be walked several (hundred) times it seemed when he was being house trained,but I think that he could at times feel my anxiety down the leash,if he did not potty within what I thought a resonable time frame.I'm saying like late at night,or 2-3 am in the morning,when he would wake me up,or when I was wanting that first cup of coffee in the morning...He was'nt going to be rushed at all.
Hope things get better

 

[mbfrench]

Ok..I just had a thought~

If anyone had taken a look at my albums in Webshots,there is a pup called Jewel there.She was part sheltie,yorkie. She was very intelligent,I taught her to ring a jingle bell on the handle of the front door of the house we were living in at the time.She was smart as a whip that one.In less than two days,I had her touching the bell with her nose.She would touch,it would jingle,I would take her out,prasie & treat,she got thie idea very quickly,that if she did potty,she was showered with praises.
But it was a process,that I first had to get her to touch the bell with her nose,I would gently bring her close to the bell,bring her close enough to touch,when it jingled,I would praise & treat..
You may want to try something like that.Just a thought~

 

[lotsahair]

I had a problem with my pup when I first brought her home at 7 months. She kept going in the house.

I leashed her to me all day, so she couldn't sneak off and "go"

I took her out every 2 hours

I clicked and treated and had a party every time she went outside

Now at 9 months I think she finally gets the idea that she has to go outside and not in my house. She still won't give me any signals, and I have to keep letting her out on a schedule.

What is she doing while you wait for 45 minutes? Perhaps a short stroll would help get things moving. I know it helps with my dog when we are not home.

Is she averse to the surface? Maybe she prefers grass, or concrete? A quiter area?

I agree with the other posters - give her 5 minutes or so to go, then take her back inside, and either leash her to you or put her in her crate, and try again in another 10-15 minutes or so. It may be a hassle in an apt. but once she gets the idea, it will be worth it.

When she does go, give her something REALLY yummy like cooked chicken, hotdog, or cheese, and really go crazy with praise, like she just won the lottery. You could even reward her with a short stroll or a quick game of tug/chase.

Good luck!

 

[tinabug2000]

I am on the schedule when I wake up I take her out then I take her out every 2hours and then right before I go to bed. like I said before even when I catch her circling i take her outside right away.. so i am starting back at zero and doing what someone mentioned put her in her crate and take her out and if she doesn't go in 5 minutes put her back in her crate and repeat, that is the only thing I have left to try so I am hoping it works. I got her from a pet store(which i will never do again) i think that might have something to do with it she was almost six months old before I took her home. she was on clearence and i was afraid what might happen to her so i had to get her, she is really a sweet dog. thank you for all your help.

 

[Katherine]

I got her from a pet store(which i will never do again) i think that might have something to do with it she was almost six months old before I took her home.

This explains a lot. She wasn't used to being taken outside to go to the bathroom. What the others have said about starting from scratch and using the crate should help with the behavioral issue. You might also have some success taking her to a place in the neighborhood where you know other dogs are peeing. Fresh pee is powerfully positive influence !

At 8 mos, her bladder is far enough along that you should not have to take her outside every 2 hours.

 

[BarbV]

Someone mentioned the surface....some pups can be really finicky about that. So you might try different surfaces and see if you have better success.

My boys will not do business on concrete! So much so that I never bother bringing a poop bag when I bring the pups for a walk around the neighbourhood. Boy, was I surprised one day when Bacca actually did squat and poop! I was so embarrassed that I had nothing to pick it up with!

But, yes, I think it really is back to Potty 101. Good luck!