Peeing In One Area Of The House

[Guest jessicaksu125]

My dogs have never had a problem with going indoors before, except for a couple isolated incidents.

 

Now they've gone in one area of our apartment, right outside my fiance's office, on several occasions. These weren't times where it could've been a real emergency either (one time they had just been out a half hour before and one of them went while I was in the shower.)

 

We know the problem, the dogs don't often frequent that area of the apartment therefore don't respect it as part of their home. We know dogs lived in the place before us so it's possible it's a marking thing.

 

What we can't agree upon is the solution.

 

My fiance thinks the dogs should be permanently barricaded from that part of the apartment until they can learn that it's not an indoor bathroom.

 

I think we should do just the opposite -- whenever Matt is working in his office he should bring a couple of dog beds up and babygate the dogs in with him, so they learn that part of the house is just as much their home as any other part.

 

Who's right?

Edited December 31, 2009 by jessicaksu125

[FountainLady]

Both would work, but I would go with your solution, as you train away the problem - not just block them from getting to the spot.

[Guest SusanP]

I say neither, because you are both right, not just one of you. Either way would probably work. We are having a similar problem right now, and our solution is to keep the dogs out of the rooms unless we are spending time in there with them. Unfortunately, these are not rooms where we want to spend lots of time. Anyway, I vote that you combine your solutions.

[Guest SillyIzzysMom]

I'd barricade them out except when you're with them and watching, then barricade them in with beds treats etc. . .so I'd say if you combine your strategies you'll get it figured out (plus clean that carpet good!)

[Guest jessicaksu125]

Thanks. Matt spent some time up there with Pulitzer today... and Gigi was happy to have some mommy time. He'll take them both up next time I'm gone... problem is Gigi is my velcro dog, she's never not in the same room with me when I'm home.

 

And I got some good enzyme cleaner, too.

[Ragsysmum]

All ours and fosters have the full run of the house from the start, except for the bathroom, so they learn straight away that the whole area is their 'den' and not for toiletting. For the first couple of days I watch them like a hawk wherever they move and stop any attempts to mark or poop and whip them outside (not literally )immediately. This has worked fine for us for over 30 years having dogs and we have never used a crate nor limiteed their free rein in the house and house-training is one of the doggie problems we have never had.

[Figma]

our grey, that we've had over 7 years, is again marking in the living room and even once when I was at home, of course, the christmas tree had just been put up. when we are not at home, the doors to the extra bedrooms are and the bathrooms are closed off and I put an ex pen across the large opening to the living room. this leaves him with the kitchen, den, entryway and master bedroom. He has not messed, that I've seen, since the living room is blocked off. When we are home, nothing is blocked off except the living room until we take the tree down.