Tue, 07/21/2009 - 10:58
I have a dog (2 1/2 yrs old) and he still insists on urinating and now and then stools in the house or on the deck. We have build a deck for him with a doggy door and he goes outside a lot but if we are not home he will not go out the doggy door to urinate he lifts and goes whereever he wants. My husband is quite fed up and wants to get rid of the dog but I won't. We live in a mobile home and are redoing the floor removing carpet, which is stained everywhere, and putting down floors but I don't need the dog doing his thing in the house. I walk him when I am home from work and we constantly bring him for rides and such but I truly need some help.
ANy suggestions?????
Some dogs are tough to potty train. I, too, have a male dog who sometimes marks where he shouldn't--usually on top of something new or an unfamiliar scent. Here are some tips I've used to help train him to go outside instead!
While you're home:
-Watch him constantly and if you catch him going potty inside, immediately correct him with a sharp "No!" and take him outside. I actually leash my dog to me so I don't miss a golden opportunity!
-Take him outside once every 2 hours. Wait with him until he goes potty and reward with a tasty treat.
-Keep his feeding on a schedule (once in the morning, once in the evening) so you can predict when he will have to go--take him outside after eating, drinking heavily, or exercising.
-Look into crate training. A crate is an indespensible tool for potty training.
-Clean any soiled spots with an enzymatic cleaner. My dog always goes in the same spots and this seems to prevent re-marking.
When you're at work:
-I use a male wrap on my dog when I'm not home. It doesn't replace training, but it does prevent my carpet from destruction when I can't be there.
-Remember that dogs live in the moment. If you stumble upon an accident and punish him after the fact, he will not understand what he did wrong.
I hope this helps and good luck!