Another Potty Training Question

[Fred&Me]

Hello! I hate to ask yet another potty training question, but we are getting frustrated and I can't seem to find an answer in previous posts. Fred is our seven month old Cairn. He is crate trained but not house trained. I have him on a schedule, but if he develops an urge to go he'll just squat and go. He'll go in front of us while we yell "no" firmly and just walk away like nothing happened.

We give him treats every time he goes outside and plenty of praise. He is not getting that he needs to "go" outside and inside is off limits. What are we doing wrong? Any veterans have advice? Will he just "get" it one day? Any information will be great! Me and my flooring will greatly appreciate it!

[Puddlesmama]

When he squats immediately pick him up and put him outside. I would put a tether on him and have him with you at all times while out of the crate. I tied mine to my beltloop. That way you can learn to recognize signs that he is about to go. The less chance he pees on the floor will teach him all he needs to know but it is up to you to catch him before the deed is done.

Maybe have a vet check him for a bladder infection too if you feel it is a serious problem. Alot of potty training issues are due to that. Good luck.

[pkcrossley]

i know it's frustrating, but i had to laugh at your description, my cairn and others i have seen will have the same kind of remorseless "accidents."

once it has started, he can't stop. if you pick him and carry him out it will register with him consciously and is a good idea, but be ready to clean up a wider mess because he won't be able to interrupt himself no matter how much he wants to. it might be a good idea to have old towels around and wrap him up in one if you catch him in the act and want to transport him.

from your description i agree with you, he doesn't get it yet. puddlesmama has the right idea, you need a period of time when you can watch his every move and make it clear to him at the moment that counts that he is doing the wrong thing. retrospect doesn't work, the dog will have no idea what you are objecting to.

a dog that knows he is doing wrong, even a cairn, shows guilty knowledge. they hide, or crouch, or flatten their ears and widen their eyes, whatever they can do to look sorry and defenseless. your fred clearly doesn't know that he is doing wrong.

i once had a book by a trainer who said it is perfectly effective to take your dog to the mess, after the fact, show it to him, and get loud about the fact that this is not permitted. he wrote, "who will your dog think made the mess, you?" i don't think this writer has known many cairns. of course my dog might think i did it.

there is no substitute for being timely. and patient. you are trying to teach fred something that he has no ability by instinct or even by logic to understand. he will get it, you just need to get him to connect cause and effect.

[Shazza]

Make sure you are cleaning his mess up with natures miracle or any enzyme type cleaner.

I would also double check with the vet to make sure he doesn't have any type of infection, this can greatly effect their potty habits.

[Hawkeye]

You have just described my Bailey. I would get mad and say"No" and rush him outside but most of the damage was already done. Besides the cleaning up previously mentioned I would also gate him into the room I was in and watch closely. I also monitored the water intake...this dog thinks he's a camal. One of the first signs Bailey started to give me was his ears would go down just before he was going to pee and I was able to catch him before he went. He finally got it, but it did take time.

[Sandi16]

This seems to be a common problem with cairns. Trust me, and I think others will back me up, as long as you're consistent one day they'll just "get it" and just start going outside.

[Kit'sOwner]

We just went through this with our 5 month old. One day, she just "got it".

Couple of points I want to heartily agree with:

1) I KNOW THE LOOK OF WHICH YOU SPEAK. This is a look that says "are you talking to me"? whilst mid-pee. It doesn't nothing to stop them

and

2) I FIRMLY BELIEVE that they KNOW they've done something wrong when they see YOU looking at THEIR puddle. I don't believe in rubbing their noses in messes, but I DO believe that they know why we're pissed when we see the puddle or pile. They know. We're not supposed to say anything about it....but the little buggers know

ps: I had to let Kit out half way through typing this because she had to go outside and pee on her patch of thyme in the garden which is now black and will never be used for cooking but whatev!