HELP! OUR DOG WON'T STOP PISSING AND SHITTING ON THE FLOOR!

[cojo965]

The dog in question is some kind of chihuahua mix and we have been at this for several months and are losing our patience with him. We don't want to send him back either because our other dog would be a sad puppy, but techniques that worked for her are not working for him to the point that he will come inside after doing bugger-all outside and promptly make a mess. Needless to say we are getting pissed, so I must turn to The Escapist for a solution for the good of everyone else in the house.

Captcha: once again, no captcha I am not in the mood for this shit.

 

[tippy2k2]

Well...only one thing to do. Out of curiosity, have you seen Old Yeller?

Don't panic, that's not really your only option. There's one way to train a dog:

Treats!

http://www.dogtrainingbasics.com/Potty%20Training%20Basics.htm

I could write all this out but I think that this website gives you everything that I was going to say, along with plenty more tips and tricks that I was not aware of. The main thing to remember is that dog's have memories like gold-fish; you have to give them the treat (or yell if he's pissing on the floor) within seconds or else it won't sink in.

 

[The Funslinger]

Instant verbal punishment, coupled with the fact that our dogs have some sort of living space (our terrier lives in our living room and our labrador has a kennel) should iron out those issues. Dogs are tidy creatures and are smart enough not to stink out their own living space when they understand that's what it is.

But then, are you sure your dog hasn't got a sensitive stomach? My former boss's golden retriever has that, and they have to keep him to a strict diet or he goes full on incontinent.

Sources: I've trained work dogs since I was old enough to walk.

 

[JoJo]

Is it still within it's warranty? Maybe you can take it back to the shop for a replacement or a refund.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

FUNNIEST.
TITLE.
EVER.

Verily I do concur.

You should get it nappies for Christmas!

Oh Lord dog nappies are actual things, shame on you humanity.

 

[Remus]

My minipin pissed and shit all over the house, including his own bed, from birth to his dying day. By death I mean put down. My family got sick of the messes being left by him and this other dog that would follow a person then pee right behind them. Turning around for any reason in my house usually ended with a warm splash. Some dogs aren't neat and tidy and likely enjoy the smell of their own urine on every piece of furniture and every square foot of floor. Have you tried mace? Try this - get the hottest hotsauce you can find. Don't skimp out on the hot. Dilute 1 drop per quart of water in a spray bottle. Apply spray to the places your dog deficates the most or is likely to. Observe results.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

Well all I can say is don't get a chihuahua in the future. Get an obedient dog breed instead, like a lab or border collie.

 

[JoJo]

Is it still within it's warranty? Maybe you can take it back to the shop for a replacement or a refund.

Nah, no need to do that.

Just connect it to the internet. I think these problems have been fixed in the latest patch.

Really? Damn, why didn't technical support say that last time I called them, I had to package mine up and send it off to be repaired >:-(

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

 

[tendaji]

Yeah chihuahuas are very hard to house break, we have a long haired chihuahua mix for over 2 years now, and it doesn't want to go outside if it can use the inside as the bathroom. They have a history of difficulty in terms of house breaking, so keep patient, but also remember that there is a good chance that you won't be able to train the animal, seeing how they are so stubborn in that sense.

 

[FalloutJack]

Okay, serious answer here.

What my folks did for my Collie was first confine it to an area covered in newspaper, so it associates bathrooming with newspaper. Then, gradually decrease the space of newspaper to a smaller amount so that it thinks of doing it in the same associated place, but smaller now. Then, once you've gone that far, start taking the newspaper outside so it gets into the idea of doing its business outside on newspaper. Then, AFTER THAT, take away newspapers altogether. Your dog should be more keen to piss and shit outside.

 

[DaKiller]

No offense, but you would probably get more answers in the advice forum. Ya dig?

 

[omega 616]

I always find it funny how everybody is an expert dog trainer.

With that being said, remember stuff like super deep voice (think chef from south park) voice for when the pooch I's naughty and woo girl style voice when it's good.

Give a little tap on the nose, not too hard cos it rattles it's whole head.

The closer to the actual event the better, don't be punishing the dog when your partner gets home. Like if it does it at lunch and you get home at 5 to be told the dog shit inside, saying bad dog and punishing is stupid... You might be saying "don't shit in the house" but all the dog hears is "jsgfkskfhidnfb" and thinks it shouldn't greet you any more

Sorry for any grammar problems, doing this on a phone sucks

 

[Reginald]

Do you have a back yard? A back yard is a nice place to poop.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Is it too obvious to refer you to http://www.dogforum.com/ ?

 

[dmase]

It's weird every animal I've ever owned has been house broken right off the bat, even the fucking cat never used a litter box once in it's life. It would meow to go out and do it's business like a dog would bark.

Anyways what most of my friends do and one friend who raised mastiff's suggests is crate training. If your doing it make sure your doing it right, chihuahua's are small dogs so I think it makes sense to have a smaller cramped crate. Then the first week of it you have to be really attentive to the dog put it in their feed and water only in the morning take it out every hour or two during the day for that week and you should probably keep it in the create until your 99% sure they don't have the fluids necessary to do any marking. One part of this might be using a leash to take the dog out, it creates a habit where the dog will only go to the bathroom when they're are hooked to a leash but that means they always need to be walked.

After the first week leave the dog in the create for 9 hours only feeding in the morning and then the afternoon. Immediately take the dog outside after the 9 hours food and water and watch him closely make sure they go to the bathroom. If you see them go for a squat yell at them enough to startle them then immediately take them out assuming they haven't already pissed in the floor.

I've never done it but that's how everyone I know does it, I'm sure they're are better methods to follow online if you just look up crate training.

 

[Batou667]

Sounds like a behavioural problem rather than a physical problem. Clearly the little bastard is choosing to go indoors.

My advice? Don't let him into the house until he's done his business, and when (and only when) he does then let him in to have a treat and praise.

If he does go indoors, I heard that you shouldn't discipline them - don't let them know that they're getting any kind of rise out of you at all. Clean it up immediately and use disinfectant so the smell doesn't linger (so he doesn't associate indoors with a toilet).

Good luck. With a small breed like that I'd be sorely tempted to pick them up and throw them out of the back door if he started squatting on the kitchen floor, but of course that'd be counterproductive. Baby steps and the patience of a saint are required here.

Source: had a dog, watched some TV.

 

[manic_depressive13]

-snip-

Wow, that's... completely fucked. Leaving a dog confined to a crate for nine hours? Is that really legal?

 

[dmase]

-snip-

Wow, that's... completely fucked. Leaving a dog confined to a crate for nine hours? Is that really legal?

Your telling me you have never heard of crate training? I'm pretty sure it is the most common and preferred method to training dogs.

http://www.animalhumanesociety.org/training/library/crate-training-your-puppy

Dogs aren't people and have to conform to people's schedule, having them spend 8 to 9 hours in a crate is preferable to them tearing up the furniture to the anxiety of being left alone or going to the bathroom around the house like the OP. Because at that point people start getting rid of their dogs.