Housebreaking Help

[Guest IHeartDogs]

I have a foster who is young (18 months old). Medically, everything is fine with her.

I let her out to pee/poo every 2-3 hours. She often will stand around or play instead of going potty. I encourage her to go the whole time(lots of praise when she goes) and leave her out for 10 mins to make sure she is done.

We're having trouble with her pooping whenever she feels like it.

She refuses to hold it and sometimes will poop after having just gone out a couple hours ago. When she does go outside she likes to poop/pee right next to the door/steps.

Kenneling is not an option; she hates it and will bark the whole time and will poop in there as well.

She doesn't care where or when she goes it can be any time of the day and in any/all rooms.

 

I need to figure this out for her to get adopted. Can I use baby/toddler diapers to catch poop? If so, what size?

 

Also, she will hold her pee/poop the whole night through sleeping in our bedroom with a baby gate up.

I have been fostering her for almost a month.

Any advice/tips are appreciated, thanks!

[Batmom]

1. Get a fecal and urine check just to be sure she is healthy.

2. Attach her to you with a leash, or gate her into the same room with you, so you can see when she's looking for a spot and whisk her right outside.

3. What is she eating, and how much?

[Guest IHeartDogs]

1. Get a fecal and urine check just to be sure she is healthy.

2. Attach her to you with a leash, or gate her into the same room with you, so you can see when she's looking for a spot and whisk her right outside.

3. What is she eating, and how much?

 

 

They have run fecal and urine and she is clean.

I am always next to her watching like a hawk and catch her every time. She does not react when I use voice correction and statues when I try to pull her outside.

She is eating science diet (that is what they feed) 4 cups a day with some treats/chews. She is at a good weight.

[Batmom]

I wouldn't correct her. I would probably leave a 12" leash attached to her collar (ONLY when I was right there to watch), and as soon as she starts looking around, brisk cheerful "Let's go out!" and march her straight outdoors.

[MaryJane]

Usually with my fosters I take them out

 

- when they get up from a nap/sleeping

- after they have been playing

- after they eat

- and at least every 3 hours

 

I do this until I know their toilet schedules a little bit better.

 

In addition to praising, you need to get a "word" or "words" to identify what you want her to do outside and then praise her when she does and make sure that you use the "word". With all my fosters so far, I was able to use the keyword and the dogs would just go outside and do what was needed. Depending on the foster it could take anywhere from a few days to 2 or more weeks for them to "make the connection". Note I use a different keyword for each.

 

Good Luck

[Guest sheila]

Barring medical issues I agree that you need to keep a short eye on her and catch her in the act, even if that means that you have to have her tethered to you or gated in the same room. Most regular diapers will not be able to control a poop issue since they will need a hole for the tail and that is directly where the poop chute is. At any rate diapers are not intended to be used in place of proper house training. As a foster mom it is part of your duty to see this dog get the proper training in this area so that she can make the transition to a forever home.

I adopted my broodie Jane from the HS and she came straight from the kennel so had never been formally trained. I closed off all the doors to other rooms in my house and I watched her close. Did she start to pee/poop where she shouldn't. You betcha. When I caught her in the act (which was all but one time) I corrected her and took her outside. It didn't matter to me if we had to stand outside for 5 min or an hr, we didn't go back into the house until she did her business. She didn't get any special rewards other than getting to go back into the house. Luckily Jane caught on pretty quick and was good that way in a weekend. It took me another week or so to then teach her how to use the dog door.

[Guest Bamn]

I would walk her instead of letting her wander on her own accord. Praise like crazy when she poops.

 

The "clean fecal" can be a false negative. There are several parasites that shed in cycles that will not be found in every sample even if they are infected with them. One example - coccidia. Auggie had it for months before he was diagnosed. He would go in his kennel, have a strong urgency level even if he had gone on our walk.

 

Good luck

[JJNg]

Is she fed on a consistent schedule - set meals at about the same time every day? How many times does she poop on an average day, and have you noticed any pattern to about what time of day she needs to poop? I'm assuming she has normal formed stool?

 

When you say she poops inside after being out just a couple hours ago, did she poop on that prior trip outside? If so, needing to poop that often is not normal, and I would explore the medical possibilities further.

 

Lots of good advice already given here, so I just wanted to emphasize/add a couple points. If she gets distracted and plays outside, I second the recommendation to take her out on leash, walk her around - no attention, no play - and tell her to "go potty" (or whatever phrase you choose) until she goes. After she does her business, lots of praise, and let her off leash to play.

 

Most dogs fed on a set schedule also poop on a relatively regular schedule. Get an idea of when she should need to go, and during those times, stay outside with her until she goes. This can take a lot of patience. My boy Wiki was a bit stubborn about this. I knew he'd need to go later in the evening, so I always made sure he pooped before we went to bed. There were nights when we'd be out there for an hour before he finally went. The times I gave up and we went to bed, he'd wake me up at 4-5 am needing to poop.

 

I also agree with not punishing when you catch her in the act. If you are verbally correcting her and perhaps a bit angry/frustrated, that may be part of why she 'statues' and refuses to go when you try to pull her outside. Instead, try to distract with a loud, neutral noise, then use an upbeat, cheerful attitude to get her to follow you out. Catching the early signs (sniffing, circling, pacing, etc) before the act will make it easier to get her attention than if she's already started getting into position or going.

 

Also agree that diapers wont't help teach her what is wanted. They might help you keep your house clean, but I prefer not to use them because I find they can make us less vigilant about watching and carrying out the training.

[GeorgeofNE]

Take her out on a leash, tell her "let's go potty!" and walk her about. Give her 10 minutes. If she doesn't go, back inside. Do NOT let her out of your sight. Try again in 30 minutes. Throw a party when she does go, give her treats, and then let her off the leash to play.

 

She has to understand that sometimes you go outside to take care of business, and some times it's for fun.

[Guest IHeartDogs]

At any rate diapers are not intended to be used in place of proper house training. As a foster mom it is part of your duty to see this dog get the proper training in this area so that she can make the transition to a forever home.

 

This is what I wrote in my original post; potty training is obviously a huge priority for a dog to get adopted and that is why I started a thread. I have been fostering for over 2 years and she is the hardest case thus far. None of my previous fosters have had pooping issues. The diaper is a just in case because I have carpet everywhere. I watch her like a hawk all day long but she is so quick.

 

I also agree with not punishing when you catch her in the act. If you are verbally correcting her and perhaps a bit angry/frustrated, that may be part of why she 'statues' and refuses to go when you try to pull her outside. Instead, try to distract with a loud, neutral noise, then use an upbeat, cheerful attitude to get her to follow you out. Catching the early signs (sniffing, circling, pacing, etc) before the act will make it easier to get her attention than if she's already started getting into position or going.

 

I just want to make it clear that I DO NOT punish her in anyway. I guess I didn't express it correctly in the original post, but all I do is yell/distract with no no no and try to get her out the door as quick as possible.

She does not sniff/circle, she just goes. Sometimes I'll catch her a second before she starts but she'll ignore me and just keep going... And this is after having pooped outside just an hour or two prior.

She does poop a lot, I think it is partly due to the science diet (yuck) the adoption has us feed. I feed at the same time everyday. I think I will cut out all snacks and treats.

She is getting better, this does not happen everyday, so hopefully with time she'll be housebroken.

 

 

Thank you everybody for taking the time to reply. I just want you all to know I NEVER punish her and there's always a praise party outside when she goes.

She is just so young and excited. Give me a broodie or older greyhound any day, they are so much easier

[JJNg]

She does poop a lot, I think it is partly due to the science diet (yuck) the adoption has us feed. I feed at the same time everyday. I think I will cut out all snacks and treats.

She is getting better, this does not happen everyday, so hopefully with time she'll be housebroken.

Glad to hear you're seeing some improvement. Needing to poop just an hour or two after having pooped before is really not normal. I'd definitely double check for intestinal parasites. However, increased frequency (even if it's normal stool) can also be due to stress. How long have you had her? This may improve on its own just with some time to settle in.

 

If switching to a better food is not an option, you can also try cutting back a little and see if that helps decrease her stool volume. Maybe try 1 and 1/2 to 1 and 3/4 cup twice a day. Obviously keep a close eye on her weight, and if she starts losing, you'll have to increase it again.