i don't know what to do with my dog?

Question

we've had him for alittle over a month. he's 6 months old. i've been working hard with him to try and get him house and potty trained. but i'm about at my witts end. i take him outside, NO JOKE, 10 times a day! and when i' can't watch him he goes in his kennel. but yet he still pisses and craps all over my house. now i could understand if he was dirty, or if my house was dirty. but i clean my house everyday, and he gets a haircut every 3 weeks, and i've bathed him 3 times since hes been here. he chews on all my stuff, my furniture is ruined. and i give him toys to play with. i just shampooed my carpet, and it looks like a reck again. hes not even 10 lbs. hes a small dog. sounds like i would have a german shephard living here. i just don't know what else to do. i'm thinking about giving him up if i can't get him trained soon. i'm a stay at home mom, so i'm here all the time. he gets all the attention he needs. i don't know what i'm doing wrong.

Answer 1

Obviously he doesn't go in the kennel when you can't watch him? Are you just watching him pee and poop in the house and chew on your stuff? How does he get to that point if you are watching him.

ANY time you cannot have your eye on him, he needs to be kenneled. When he's out of the kennel, he needs to be attached to you by a leash so he can't sneak off and have an accident or find something yummy and fun to chew on. As soon as he starts to sniff around and look for a spot to potty, you whip him outside to go... if he looks interested in a shoe, remote control, piece of furniture, you give him a short leash correction (snap the leash to get his attention, not to injure him!) and tell him no, then give him something appropriate to chew on like a kong or nylabone.

Get some behavior books. I recommend anything by Dr. Patricia McConnell. Also Housebreaking: Pure and Simple by Mark and Dru Katz is excellent.

Here's the gist.

The dog needs to be in the crate ANY time you cannot watch her. This doesn't just mean the times you are out of the house or sleeping. When you are watching tv, reading, cooking, eating, on the computer, showering, step outside to check the mail... anytime you cannot have an eye directly on her, put her in her crate. When she IS out of the crate, she needs to be on a leash that is in your hand or attached to your belt. This way she can't wander off and have an accident that you find later. The instant she starts to sniff around for a spot to potty, you will notice and take her immediately outside.

WAIT outside for her to potty. Give her a command like "Go Potty" or "Hurry Up" or whatever you want to use. Say it ONCE, then stand there and ignore her until she goes. THEN wait some more if she usually goes right inside and goes again. Most puppies go twice. You whip them inside as soon as they potty and they will likely go again inside. If she's just jumping around trying to play or really wants to go inside, let her in, keeping her on the leash or in her crate. Praise her when she is FINISHED pottying, not right in the middle. Most people make the mistake of praising the dog as soon as they start to potty, but this often will interrupt her and she will not finish.

Play time outside only comes AFTER using the bathroom. If she doesn't go, she doesn't play. Also, take her to one specific spot every time you want her to potty, so she will associate that spot with it. Play time should occur somewhere else.

If she potties in the house AND YOU CATCH HER IN THE ACT, tell her NO in a low, firm voice (DO NOT YELL! Yelling is a signal to the dog that you are not in control and you do not have power! Never raise your voice unless you need to just get her attention. As soon as she's paying attention, speak in a low, deep voice.), pick her up and take her outside. Give the potty command and ignore her until she potties. Then praise her like she just saved the world!! She did the best thing any dog has ever done! I mean, come one! She pottied outside!! Whoo-hoo! Take her back inside, on the leash or in the crate, and clean up the mess with an enzyme cleaner that soaks down into the carpet padding if it's on carpet. DO NOT PUNISH HER EVER! The rule is, ignore the bad behavior and reward the good. Believe me, it works and she will love and trust you.

If she potties in the house and you DO NOT catch her but just find a mess later, do not do a single thing to the dog. She will not associate your words or actions with that accident. Just clean it up and move on with your day.

ALSO, the crate should NEVER be used as punishment. The crate should be a secure, safe, comfortable place that belongs to your dog. She can go in there to escape from the hectic house, or to just relax during the day, but if you use it as punishment and you always put her in there when you are mad and yelling at her, she will grow to fear and hate the crate.

She should have unrestricted access to water during the day, but you can feed her twice a day. Feed a high quality food. Premium foods are made with better ingredients that are easier to digest. This way you will need to feed less and your dog will digest more of it, resulting in smaller and fewer bowel movements. Plus the more fillers, artificial flavors and colors that are present, the more likely it is to cause your dog to have diarrhea.

She should always have a chance to potty outside before she is placed in her crate for an extended period of time. Within 30 minutes of eating a meal, waking up, or playing. And take her out fairly often in between those times. If she goes outside, praise her. If she doesn't, just quietly let her back inside, supervised.

Answer 2

I agree with crate training. Don't treat it as a punishment, but when you crate him, give him toys and things to chew on inside of the crate so he won't be bored and he won't be destroying your furniture. If you catch him chewing on the furniture, distract him and toss a chewtoy his way or play tug of war with a toy with him. Act like his toys are the best things ever. Get him a Kong. Stuff treats in the Kong and let him try and get at them. Kongs are popular toys to keep dogs distracted.

I also agree with creating a schedule to take him outside. If you happen to catch him going inside the house, pick him up quickly and put him outside. When he goes outside, reward and praise him, make the biggest deal like he's just won the Nobel Prize. Whatever you do, do NOT punish him when you find the mess and he's not there. Punishing after the fact confuses the dog and he has no idea what he's done wrong.

You've only had him a month. A month is not a long time. You have to be very, very patient and some dogs are just slow to catch on.

If all else fails, seek professional help of a behaviouralist or trainer. Giving him up should be a very last resort because by getting this dog, you've taken full responsibility of him. Dumping him because you couldn't train him fully in a month's time says irresponsibility and lack of dedication. Dogs are a huge amount of work and don't deserve to be given up on.

Answer 3

One thing you have to be careful about is this: When he goes in the house he might be doing it when you are not looking because he knows its bad because you may have punished him for it...so then when you take him outside and you are standing there watching him he is not going to do it becuase he thinks its wrong..so he ends up doing it in the house again when you not looking. Get a crate...make him stay in it for a while (chances are he wont do his business in there) wait long enough till you think he may need to pee/poop take him out and wait as long as you have to till finally it happens Praise him like never before..he is the best dog EVER right now! take him back in the house keep him with you play with him for a while..put him back in the crate and wait for a while and do the process all over agin. If he does have an accident dont do anything..ignore it...just as long as you praise him really good outside you dont have to punish him inside remember..punishing him will make him think doing it is just bad all together. This will help you if you are consistant. If you arent he will be confused and never know what to do. Once he is trained (it will happen eventually) you will be so glad you put forward the effort and you will have a great friend. In my opinion you should never let a new pet raom the house without being watched..keep an eye on them at all times..you could even get a gate and only let him in the kitchen..then to the crate for a while then outside..I know it seems hopeless right now but it will come in time....Good luck!

Answer 4

first of all I'm very sorry that your dog is a handful. but ill try to teach you some of the stuff you need to know.

Potty Training-when he is out does he go. if he does he should not be going to the bathroom that often. he may have a bladder infection or something. you should see what your vet has to say. if it is just simply training then heres how you can go about doing this. whenever you catch him going where he is not supossed too yell NO and take him straight out side. If he doesn't respond to this technique hang a little bell on your door and whenever you take him outside get down to his level ring the bell or even take his paw and ring the bell then open the door and go out to where he does his business. eventually he should ring the bell when he wants to go outside. if possible you could get a doggy door. remember he is still a little bit of a puppy and you just got him a month ago. he could still be adjusting to your home. he could also be nervous about being new too. If nothing above works you could even try puppy pads. when he does go outside praise him mucho grande haha. pet him treat him cook him a hot dog!!!!

Chewing-theres a product called Bitter Apple that you spray the stuff you don't want to be chewed like furniture. Its odorless and it tastes bad so the dog does not want to taste it. If this does not work(some dogs actually like the taste) you will just have to say NO in a very stern voice whenever you catch him in the act. don't worry about being too stern when scolding him because he knows you love him so he will not hold a grudge. also give him a Dingo Bone they love chewing on them and it will keep his mind of your stuff.

you could also try to section off a room in your house that doesnt have carpets, like your kitchen maybe, and that would be the only room he would be allowed in. it would be alot easier to clean up.

im so glad that you take care of your dog so well wit all the grooming and pampering. good luck and hope this helps!!!!!!

Answer 5

I read your question twice and never saw where the exercise came in. I have two small breed dogs and believe my they need all they exercise they can get. I mean structured exercise like walks on a regular basis. All dogs are full of energy. I find this especially true with smaller dogs. I have had german shepherds most of my life until i got these two small dogs. They need more structured play time. Quit taking him out 10 times a day. Take him out about 20-30 minutes after he eats or whatever time you notice it takes him to want to go and then take him. If he doesn't go crate him. Make sure the crate is just big enough for him to move around in. Dogs won't poop where they sleep. if the crate is to big hen he'll just go to the far side and do his business. You have to remember you are the boss and not him. Dogs are a pack animal and need an alpha leader thats you. Good luck

Answer 6

You have two issues here.
The first is that you have only had him a month. Most rescue dogs take up to 6 months in order to be adjusted to your house.
The second is that a dog will never soil a place where he sleeps. Basically, he doesn't see your house like that. You need to be consistant, not get angry, and if you really are that frustrated, hire a trainer to help you with methods to housetrain your dog.
Also, as for the chewing, dogs will chew either for attention or because they have nothing else. You say he has toys, but does he have a really good knuckle bone or something to massage his gums on?
As well, a dog should NOT be bathed more than every 2 weeks. It will dry out their skin and make them itchy :(
Try creating a command to make him tell you when he needs to go out and a command to ask him to go. Such as "need to go outside?" and "go pee". Generally this will help the communication between the two of you.
I also suggest looking into NILIF or "Nothing in life is free". After trying this training technique with my dog, she has improved VASTLY in the last month.

Good luck with your dog... remember... he is trying just as much as you are!

Answer 7

OMG sounds like a night mare. You need an indoor crate - 6 months is a brave time for you to adopt as he has obviously learned some very bad behaviours already! You can overcome thiem, but it will take months of perseverance. Get a crate, put hinm in it with loads of toys and treats and try and make it a nice place for him, let him see you waling around and ignore his cries, only let him out when he is good and calm. The theory is they won't want to mess their 'den'. Let him out every hour, don't have newspaper, just get him used to going outside. Say to him 'do wee wees' or something, then praise him and give him treats (small pieces of garlic polony are good) when he does wee or poo, he should realise then that he's done the right thing. Play and make it all fun, try to build up a a good rapport with him because then he;ll love you and want to please you. I kind of understand you might wan tot give him up because of all the mess - but if you do he might not trust people again

Answer 8

Take heart. Puppies don't have full control of themselves in that area until they are 6 months old so he is just now beginning to be able to control himself. Don't give up on him yet but do be training him where you want him to go.
If he goes when you are outside with him, praise him highly. If you see him going in the house, yell NO as loud as you can and then make him know by the sound of your voice (it doesn't matter what you say) that you are unhappy with him. Dogs generally want to please us so your being upset should get to him. If you don't see him "in the act" of going in the house, do nothing. He can't remember a minute after he's done it and won't know why he is being punished.

Answer 9

You didn't really expect to have a perfectly trained dog in a month did you? He is a puppy for a year or two. Are you just sending him out? You have to go out and stay out with him till he goes. A dog needs to walk to poop and exercise to rid the excess energy so i am suggesting that he is not getting enough of either of these requirements. At six months old your dog is teething. He literally cannot be left in a room unattended. I suggest you get some experienced help with the training. Also try reading a breed specific book for tips on which methods work best for your dog. You have two choices when you attempt to raise a puppy...either you train it or it trains you....only YOU can choose the course. best of luck.

Answer 10

Hey....Nobody said it would be easy, but you could try to put him on a strict, precise schedule:

Feed him twice a day. Once at 8AM and once at 7PM, for example.

Put him outside, in the same area every day, right after he eats, and again at 10AM, Noon, 3Pm, and 5PM and finally right before he goes down for the night, always at the same time.

Also, when he pisses or craps in the house, raise your voice a little, and say "NO!! Bad dog!! and put him outside where he should do those things. Good luck.

Answer 11

Okay, here is some things you can do:

1. Start a schedule! Start off with when you get him up, feeding times and when he will use the bathroom. Once you get the shcedule down it will become his daily routine. This way he will know when he will be let outside to go pee/poop, when he will be fed ect.

2. Even though 10 times a day of taking him out seems like a lot you may need to do it more. Right when he wakes up in the morning take him outside until he goes, dont just stay out there for two minutes and leave. Once he goes praise him like he just won a gold medal or something. Give him some treats and play some ball, hoop and holler everything! This way he knows he is the best little dog when he pees/poops outside. Then take him inside. Before and after every meal take him out. Before and after he is crated take him out. Before and after play time take him out. Just take him out everytime it comes to your mind. This way he has plenty of chances to go out side and go peepee and poopoo.

3. When he eliminates inside the house. Immediatly walk over to him and point at him and say firmly "NO PeePee/PooPoo In The House!" "You pee/poop OUTSIDE!" Then promptly take him outside. If he finishes up outside praise and treat him like I stated above. Make sure to use a good cleaner to clean his messes. Even though you cant smell it your dog may still smell where he went in the house and will think he can still go there again. This will continue to make him want to use the same spot over and over agian. So just clean it good and well the first time.

4. With crate training, make sure he is not placed in his crate for any kind of punishment. If this is done he will never like his crate. Make it comfy for him, put a bed, treats and toys inside it. Put it in a quiet area. Through out the day throw some treats inside and tell him hes a good boy when he gets near the crate or inside. Eventually he will warm up to it. Once he gets better at the potty training he will stop peeing, pooping in the crate. He will learn that that is his bed and that he doesnt like it when his bed gets messed in and will try to hold it.

5. Make sure your dog has plenty of attention, play time ect. If he insnt getting enough love he will find naughty things to do such as chew and pee in the house. Give him a walk two times a day or more if you need to. Give him some kongs, some chew toys to keep him occupied and not chewing on furniture. Try to keep him confined to a certain room and not the whole house or he will find something to the chew on like a chair that he isnt supposed to or he will find room to pee and poop. Also try getting some of that sour tasting spray that you spray on the furniture so he wont want to chew on it.

I really hope this helped you out some. Good luck. And give him a chance. We almost had it with our puppy but we kept her and she is the sweetest little 8 month old puppy. She is pretty much potty trained and has been for the past few months. She does great in her kennel and she doesnt chew on thins she isnt supposed to. Just give your puppy some time and be persistant with discipline and things will fall into place. Good luck and and good bye!