Housebreaking for adult

[Guest]

We are at the end of our rope! Willie is a year and a half old. Since the birth of our son 6 months ago Willie has seen fit to urinate and occasionally defecate in the house. Prior to the baby being born accidents were far and few between. This situation has been very depressing because I really value the relationship I have with my dog. We have been confining him back to the crate where he never has accidents. However, he can't stay in there all day. Willie NEVER urinates in public view. He is near impossible to catch in the act. Last week he defecated in the babies room! Although Willie doesn't actively ask to go out, he is walked at least 6 times a day. Personality wise, Willie is very submissive and very needy for family attention which he always gets. Our relationship with Willie has become one of suspicion and impatience, any help would be appreciated.

[Posey]

these little bundles of fur are very, very sensitive. Any change in the environment or routine distrubs them. (And your dog who is really a puppy til two yrs. old) in my opinion, is reacting to a little baby in the home.

And a little one can certainly change the environment of a home. A newborn does take a lot of attention. So your puppy is bound to react to this change by regressing to an earlier phase of his development-when he does his business in the house he gets something-even if it is negative, your attention.

And when he does this, does he see your clean it up? They sometime take interest in watching their "mistake" being cleaned up. Don't let your puppy see you clean up his "mistake".

As difficult as it may be, your puppy will grow out of this. Give him a lot, lot of attention and love, and patience. Which I know with a little baby in the home stress can run patience thin.

Good luck.

Posey

[Guest]

I agree that your puppy may grow out of it, however, you need help now and not whenever! Do don't mention crating your dog. If you don't then, let me suggest you do. Only when you can't keep your eyes on him! It's my opinion that you'll have to start from the beginning. I have taken in several rescues and most of them haven't been housebroken. I start the process by teaching them the crate is good (feeding them in it) and crating for short periods. After they're use to crating, I simply put them in the crate when I can't watch them. When they are out, they are attached to me with a 6 foot leash. That way you can always catch them in the act! Remember, don't scold! Simple stop him with a verbal cue "Eeeh! Hey!" something on that order, pick him up and take him outside. When he does go outside, praise him and even give him lots of treats. Sounds like a lot of work, but believe me, it does work. After several weeks of this, your dog should be housebroken again and better yet, you and he will be the best of friends! Good luck!

[Guest]

I was keeping him in crate with good results. He only comes out when I can keep an eye on him. Lately I have put him in the laundry room with the crate. He never messes in there either. I was letting my kids walk him but they don't let him roam around and pee on everything. I noticed that he never pees just once. Why don't dogs pee once and go about their business? In the last week he has been doing well, but I'll keep it up until I'm convinced. I'm guessing a couple more weeks. Thanks again.

[Guest]

Willie is doing awesome. I really limited him when I couldn't keep an eye on him by putting him in the laundry room. He usually sleeps in there at night in his crate so he is comfortable. When I could supervise him I let him out. This, in combination with longer walks seems to have done the trick!

[Posey]

It is good news to read that Willie and your family are doing better.

These little Cairns are just so precious-and by your family being willing to take the extra care that your baby Willie requires; is proof positive of that.

Longer walks also add up to giving your puppy more attention too!

They are a breed that requires a lot of love, attention and reassurance. but he will reward your family and new baby also, by being a loving and

trustworthy pet.

Posey

[Guest]

You are right Posey. Willie is the most sensitive dog I've ever had. But, he is also the most affectionate.

[pat d]

Help!! We adopted about a year ago from the APL a neutered male cairn named Taz. He's a great dog except that he just can't get the hang of ONLY going outside to pee. We just moved into a new apartment about 6 weeks ago after having sold our home. In the home he would pee and poop on occasion. Of course, we did the praising when good and "Bad Dog" when bad. We are ready to let him go as living in a brand new apartment with brand new carpeting as been too much. We leave him in the bathroom when we are gone and at times he pees in there but for the most part holds it until we come back, which can be for more than 8 hours at a time. There's no rhyme or reason to him peeing. He can go outside and then pee after coming in right when you are looking at him. He'll go days being good and just when you think that things are looking up he'll pee somewhere. At the house he also pooped, too, but one good thing is since we have moved into the apartment he hasn't pooped at all. Since we have called the APL to take him back (we are now scheduled to take him back on Thursday) but really don't want to because he is such a wonderful boy otherwise and we love him. Also, we're so afraid that he will be mistreated. Does anyone know how to help? We called our vet this morning and he said that considering that he has done this for more than a year and there seem to be no signs of anything physical that this is just a bad habit that will NEVER go away. The notes when we picked him up at the APL said that he 'occasionally peed in the house' but was housebroken. We think that they just got tired of it all instead of it being a divorce situation. Maybe that's what caused the divorce :wink: :wink: