4 year old poodle/westie mix and house training (clean, poop, vet)

[Anneymay]

I got Toby about 5 months ago. He is 4 years old and I was told that he was house trained. Much to my dismay he is not and I have done everything I know to house train him with no results. He has chosen a spot in the living room to do his business and even if he is outside for over an hour, he will wait to do his business in the house. If I can't get him trained my husband will get rid of him. Toby is so much company for me and since I have been ill even more so. In fact, when I hold him I don't hurt quite so bad. Would someone please help me with this so I can keep him. AnneyMay

[Honeycrisp]

Would prob. take him to the vet to make sure he has no urinary tract infection etc, that's a possibility. If that's been ruled out, would get him neutered, neutering will help (he may be marking). Would confine him to one room at first (for ex., the kitchen), much like he's a young puppy, we spent a lot of time in the kitchen when ours were young. You could also tether him to you (keep him on a 4 ft leash attached to your waist, he's much, much less likely to 'go' when you're right there, they want to please). Also, would take him out on a leash every hour or 2 in the beginning, he's out there to go, not to play (he can play later), that way you know exactly what he's doing (or not doing), praise him to the skies when he 'goes', have a small piece of chicken, steak or cheese so you can give it to him right away so he makes the connection. Take him out as soon as he wakes up, before he goes to sleep, after he eats etc. BTW, would only feed him 2x a day, dont leave the bowl out all day for him to nibble on, he'll have to go all day and you dont want that, you want him more predictable.

Best of luck, he'll get it w/ patience, praise and consistency.

[luvmycat]

Sorry you are going through this...it can be very frustrating to train a dog who has developed poor habits, but it CAN be done as long as you are consistent and patient. Honeycrisp is right-on with the advice...having a routine is key in this process, and unless there is a medical reason for his behavior, he should be on the right track before you know it! Best of luck, and let us know how everything is progressing!!!

[Viralmd]

Here's my housetraining post. It's useful for adults AND for puppies. First, you need to clean that carpet thoroughly with Nature's Miracle or Simple Solution. And you cannot let her go where you don't trust her. Something that many people do is tie her leash to a belt or belt loop, so you know where she is and what's she's doing all the time. After all, who's in charge???

Please follow the directions below TO THE LETTER (and so must everyone in the house!) and you'll have a trained dog. Here's the post:

Housetraining your dog (puppy or adult!)

The first thing you need to do is to remember that you’re trying to reinforce a new behavior. That means that the rewards for this behavior must be WONDERFUL. NOT crap from the store. Wonderful treats are poached chicken breast/turkey breast, cheese and steak. And you don’t have to use big pieces. Tiny pieces (about 3mm cubes) are just fine! I poach a whole turkey breast every few weeks, cut it into hunks when it’s cool enough to handle, wrap them well and store them in the freezer. When I need some, I’ll thaw a hunk overnight and cut off pieces and dice finely, storing them in a plastic bag in the fridge. One hunk will last about five days. Cheese is also popular, so variety is fine.

I carry these plastic bags in my jacket pockets in the winter and in a fanny pack in warmer weather. You HAVE to have these with you, or this method won’t work, because you need to reward as soon as the dog finishes pooping or peeing. It’s not going to work if the rewards are in the house.

Remember that you’re trying to change a very ingrained behavior. Some dogs like to feel certain things under their feet when they eliminate, like fabric, or newspaper. This is called a ‘substrate preference.’ What you’re trying to do is change this substrate preference, and to do that you have to make the treats SO wonderful that the dog will change this very well-entrenched behavior. Thus the chicken, cheese, steak.

I love clicker training, but this can be done without clickers. You just need a way to ‘mark’ the behavior you want to reinforce. Use the word ‘YESSSSS!!!!’ very enthusiastically – that works for some.

You’re going to need to GO OUTSIDE WITH your dog and the dog needs to be on a leash. Yes, even in winter. If you don’t reward IMMEDIATELY after the event (when dog immediately finishes pooping or peeing) and wait inside, the dog is going to be reinforced for coming inside, not for doing its business. So, leash up your dog. STAND IN ONE PLACE. Be boring. Bring a book or magazine for yourself.

Eventually, the dog will do what you’re waiting for. The NANOSECOND that the dog is finished, HAVE A PARTY – lots of loud, high-pitched praise, treats and running around. You want to make this memorable for your dog! You’ll find that once the first event is achieved, the others will come more quickly. Keep on treating (you don’t have to throw a party except for milestones – a milestone = if he only pooped outside but now peed, too, or something equivalent to that) until he’s good and used to peeing/pooping outside. Before you know it, you have a trained dog.

Regarding accidents in the house: NO SCOLDING. Just clean them up. If you scold you’ll get the dog to think it’s bad to pee or poop and he’ll do it in places you won’t see. Until you step in it. Invest in a big bottle of Nature’s Miracle or Simple Solution and use it liberally on accidents.

With young puppies, remember they have little control of the muscle that holds the bladder closed. This is something they grow into. Just as it’s not expected that a human baby is toilet trained at six months, don’t expect much from a puppy. Patience, patience, patience!!!! The nervous system in a puppy has to mature, and it won’t have much control over the sphincter (closing muscle) at the neck of the bladder until six or seven months. The same goes for the anal sphincter. Until control is achieved, both of these muscles operate on reflex: there are stretch receptors in the bladder wall. When the bladder is full, it sends impulses to the spinal cord and these, in turn, send signals to the sphincter to open and the dog pees.

In the stomach wall, there are also stretch receptors. So when the dog eats and the stomach is stretched, the impulses again go to the spinal cord, but this time the reflex, outgoing, nerve signals are sent to the anal sphincter, so the dog defecates. This operates in people, too – which is why some people rush to the ‘reading room’ after a meal – especially breakfast.

[maggiekate]

My dog is crated, if I am not at home. She is use to her crate, and she gets real happy, when
I tell her the go out for potty, and crate. Why, she does know she does need to go, and we walk on the leash, so I am sure she did what she had to do. I give her a busy bone, not the ones she may chew in 1 minute either, but the one which takes her at least 30 minutes to chew! The dog is also maybe, somewhat nervous, in a strange place etc. When out walk the dog, and watch for the potty. When out do the crate, or a small room with tile, and toys and the baby gate. They also have belly bands for the male dog. Get the dog on a meal plan, 2 times per day. a.m. and p.m.
first thing in the am out, and potty, feed that a walk! When home in the pm feed, and the same. It really takes some time, so don't give up!
Be4 my other dog did die, I had the 2 with toys, water, chews, a chair big enough for the 2, with the baby gate. Then did work, and yes I had pads for this one, because she could not hold it, when I did work. It worked well, now she is 9, and trained, but needs her crate for security.
Anyway when I need to be out it is not more than 4 hours if that.