Abbie has been a doll from the moment we got her. She is warming up to us more every day, has made a wonderful buddy out of Duncan, and Pierre and her make strides toward friendship in varying degrees. She still doesn't like to sleep on the bed (but where would we have room?!?) or cuddle too long, but she is affectionate, very obedient, and mightily mischievous.
Perhaps this is our fault, but in the 5 weeks we have had her, we haven't been able to make a break-through with her bathroom issues.
For those of you who do not remember, she was rescued with a dubious background. At rescue, they did wonders for her skin and I think really patched her temperament up nicely. She went potty in the backyard, which worked for them. We do not have a backyard to release her to.
After the first week, Abbie could go pee comfortably on lead. She would still look over her shoulder to make sure you weren't looking. If she thought you would, she would get up and search for another ten minutes for somewhere better to go. This means praise for going is out until she's all done. Even the praise made her look away in what certainly feels like embarrassment or shame. We seem to have conquered this one.
What is left is the number twos. We got a 40 foot lead to take her out into the field with. She mulls around at the end of the lead but constantly is looking back at us anxiously. If she goes, it is because you stared across the little pond at the woods for ten minutes without so much as a glance at her. Crate training, you say? Abbie is fabulously crate trained. She has made VERY few accidents in the house and zero in the crate. The problem is, she hasn't connected "Oh, if I go potty, I get to go out of the crate!" And, she doesn't even mind the crate time. I think she has lived so much of her life in a crate that even if she made the connection to freedom, she might choose not to get herself into an uncomfortable situation.
The one thing that has worked is when I come home from work (she hasn't gone #2 yet of course because she NEVER goes in the morning), I take her out with Duncan. Duncan does his thing and gets the attention he wants while Abbie saunters 20 feet away, on lead. I allow no interaction between them until she goes. Abbie is crated during the day and Duncan is in the kitchen with Pierre. As soon as she goes pee, Abbie wants to play. I direct her with an "Out" and tell her to go potty. If the clouds are hiding the sun and the planets have aligned, she will go for me then. Once she has, all Sheltie-zoomie-fun breaks loose. Abbie LOVES to play with Duncan and they run themselves out. Inside we go, Abbie not going into the crate. This only works occasionally.
I need advice on how to proceed. Crating is just more time in her den. Tethering to us is a reward. I've only ever crate-trained my dogs.
Perhaps this is our fault, but in the 5 weeks we have had her, we haven't been able to make a break-through with her bathroom issues.
For those of you who do not remember, she was rescued with a dubious background. At rescue, they did wonders for her skin and I think really patched her temperament up nicely. She went potty in the backyard, which worked for them. We do not have a backyard to release her to.
After the first week, Abbie could go pee comfortably on lead. She would still look over her shoulder to make sure you weren't looking. If she thought you would, she would get up and search for another ten minutes for somewhere better to go. This means praise for going is out until she's all done. Even the praise made her look away in what certainly feels like embarrassment or shame. We seem to have conquered this one.
What is left is the number twos. We got a 40 foot lead to take her out into the field with. She mulls around at the end of the lead but constantly is looking back at us anxiously. If she goes, it is because you stared across the little pond at the woods for ten minutes without so much as a glance at her. Crate training, you say? Abbie is fabulously crate trained. She has made VERY few accidents in the house and zero in the crate. The problem is, she hasn't connected "Oh, if I go potty, I get to go out of the crate!" And, she doesn't even mind the crate time. I think she has lived so much of her life in a crate that even if she made the connection to freedom, she might choose not to get herself into an uncomfortable situation.
The one thing that has worked is when I come home from work (she hasn't gone #2 yet of course because she NEVER goes in the morning), I take her out with Duncan. Duncan does his thing and gets the attention he wants while Abbie saunters 20 feet away, on lead. I allow no interaction between them until she goes. Abbie is crated during the day and Duncan is in the kitchen with Pierre. As soon as she goes pee, Abbie wants to play. I direct her with an "Out" and tell her to go potty. If the clouds are hiding the sun and the planets have aligned, she will go for me then. Once she has, all Sheltie-zoomie-fun breaks loose. Abbie LOVES to play with Duncan and they run themselves out. Inside we go, Abbie not going into the crate. This only works occasionally.
I need advice on how to proceed. Crating is just more time in her den. Tethering to us is a reward. I've only ever crate-trained my dogs.
