My mini-rat terrier is one year old, I’ve had him for about six months, and while I was never able to paper train him I did get him mostly housebroken (the occasional accident once every few days, but nothing unmanageable).
For some reason, he’s now started using the floor at least once a day. There’s been no change in his diet, he seems totally healthy and happy, and he gets walked or let into the yard as often as he ever did.
He was abused by a former owner (I got him as a rescue), so physical punishment is right out. I generally fuss at him and try to put his nose in it, though that’s hard since he goes from feisty little cut-up to pitiful little orphan boy in half a nanosecond when he’s called “Bad!” Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions for what can reverse housetraining or how to get him back on track? Also, is there any real way you can be sure a dog knows what he’s being punished for?
“Putting his nose in it” doesn’t help. Dogs aren’t smart enough to make the connection.
The answer to housetraining is to never let your dog have the opportunity to make a mistake.
What you need to do is get a crate. Feed your dog and give it water, then take it outside immediately and give it a command like “Hurry up”, or “Go pee”, or something like that. If the dog goes, praise it like crazy, play with it, etc. If the dog doesn’t go within a couple of minutes, bring the dog back in the house, and put it in the crate. Dogs have a strong compulsion against relieving themselves in their dens, so it won’t want to go.
Wait an hour. Take the dog outside, and give it the same command. Repeat as above, until the dog goes. Then praise it, and let the dog run free in the house until you think it’s even remotely possible that it has to go again. Then take it outside, and repeat the crate routine.
If the dog is doing it at night, it sleeps in the crate and you take it out first thing in the morning.
If you do this, it shouldn’t take more than a few days before the dog gets the point. Then you’ll have a dog that you’ve trained to relieve itself on command. This is a great asset. I take my dog with me everywhere, because I can just let her out of the car on a long trip and say, “Hurry Up”, and she gets the point and relieves herself immediately and jumps back into the car (and yes, I clean up after her, unless we’re out in the woods or something).
All dogs should be crate trained. They are much easier to live with, happier, and it’s safer because you can put the dog in the crate when you’ve got dangerous chemicals out (i.e. bleaching tile, or washing floors with caustic chemicals), or if peopel come over who are allergic or afraid of dogs.
And, it’s easier on the dog. Dogs are den animals, and when they aren’t with their pack they can feel ‘separation anxiety’. That’s why some dogs chew up the furniture or dig up the carpet when they are left alone. They’re anxious and worried. If you crate train your dog, you may find that it voluntarily goes into its crate to sleep, or if little children come over and it’s getting hassled, or whatever.
If you don’t have a crate, get one that is big enough for the adult dog to turn around in and be comfortable, but don’t get a really large one on the theory that the dog will like a real big crate better. It won’t, and if it’s too big the dog will relieve itself in a corner.
Hope this helps!
First of all DO NOT punish him for a mistake. What is happeneing is that he is associating peeing in front of you with punishment. He will never learn to pee on command outside if you continue to do this.
Dogs respond much faster to positive reinforcement than to punishment. he honestly has no clue why you punish him and is just going to try to find ways to pee when you aren’t looking. He does not understand it is the location you are upset about, but the peeing.
You need to diligently schedule potty breaks. Take him out upon rising in the morning, after eating, after playing, after napping, etc. Give him a command to “get busy” or “go potty” or whatever and then wait. If he has recently peed on any papers or you have a paper towel with his urine on it, put it on the ground where you want him to eliminate so he can smell it. He may be anxious because you have been punishing him for urinating. Be patient and low-key and repeat the command. When he goes, at the moment he is actually going, praise him like crazy and pet him and tell him what a good boy he is. You can also use a clicker to “mark” the event and give him a treat instantly.
He is going to start to associate pottying on command with praise and treats. He will start to tell you when he needs to go out because when he potties outside, he gets the star treatment.
Just as important–IGNORE mistakes in the house. If you catch him in the act, simply scoop him up, says “oops” and take him to the spot outside where he is supposed to go. Even if he doesn’t have any left to do, praise him after a moment and take him back inside. Do NOT rub his nose in it, tell him he is bad, or in any way call attention to a mistake other than an “oops” and transporting him outside.
If he will not go at the times you take him out, bring him back in and put him in a crate or other confined area for a bit, then take him out again.
This WILL work.