Fostering a puppy mill survivor (poop, spaniel, housebreak, training)
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My family decided to foster a dog! She's a cocker spaniel that was rescued from a puppy mill, and I cannot imagine what she lived through before landing in my living room. Despite everything, she is a sweetheart. Her tail never stops wagging.
But I have some questions. She will poop outside, but training her to pee outside is going to take some work. Since she spent her life in a crate, crate training is not going to be an effective means of house training her. Does anyone have any tips?
She also has no idea what to do with toys. How do I teach a dog that a stuffed duck is not a threat?
crate training is not going to be an effective means of house training her. Does anyone have any tips?
Spend time with her outside. When she goes #1 outside, reward (treat, click, whatever). Also, big party. You're excited - Good Girl! Good [potty*]. Dogs generally want to please. She'll get the hang of it. *Connect a command to it so later in training you can get her to go on command.
When she goes inside, ignore it. Nothing positive or negative. She'll prefer going when she gets a big party vs. inside with no party.
Spend time with her outside. When she goes #1 outside, reward (treat, click, whatever). Also, big party. You're excited - Good Girl! Good [potty*]. Dogs generally want to please. She'll get the hang of it. *Connect a command to it so later in training you can get her to go on command.
When she goes inside, ignore it. Nothing positive or negative. She'll prefer going when she gets a big party vs. inside with no party.
Also, DO NOT LET HER OUT OF YOUR SIGHT, not even for a minute! Many people have trouble with housebreaking because they allow the unhousebroken dog too much freedom too early. Pupster will have a much easier time figuring out what you want her to do if she can't dash off for a quick pee in another room while you are distracted.
Only when she's perfect while in the room you are in should you begin to allow her access to the rest of the house.
Really focusing on the dog until housebreaking is achieved isn't much fun, but it is how you get a perfectly reliable housebroken animal. Every time your dog goes in the house, she's learning the wrong lesson, so it's crucial you take all possible measures to prevent that from happening. The fewer indoor accidents she has, the faster she'll come to associate eliminating with being outdoors.
Also, DO NOT LET HER OUT OF YOUR SIGHT, not even for a minute! Many people have trouble with housebreaking because they allow the unhousebroken dog too much freedom too early. Pupster will have a much easier time figuring out what you want her to do if she can't dash off for a quick pee in another room while you are distracted.
Only when she's perfect while in the room you are in should you begin to allow her access to the rest of the house.
Really focusing on the dog until housebreaking is achieved isn't much fun, but it is how you get a perfectly reliable housebroken animal. Every time your dog goes in the house, she's learning the wrong lesson, so it's crucial you take all possible measures to prevent that from happening. The fewer indoor accidents she has, the faster she'll come to associate eliminating with being outdoors.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1200RT
Spend time with her outside. When she goes #1 outside, reward (treat, click, whatever). Also, big party. You're excited - Good Girl! Good [potty*]. Dogs generally want to please. She'll get the hang of it. *Connect a command to it so later in training you can get her to go on command.
When she goes inside, ignore it. Nothing positive or negative. She'll prefer going when she gets a big party vs. inside with no party.
Both are excellent posts...excellent advice. Your pup will be house trained in no time.[/quote]
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