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  • EndlessSacrifice
    EndlessSacrifice Posts: 325
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    Is the dog more important than your house? I hope the answer is NO. If what the guy said doesn't work and you don't want to pay for a dog trainer, ditch the dog before you have to replace things in the house. The dog isn't worth all that! It's just a dog.

    I don't think of animals that way.
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
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    This is just like housetraining a puppy only worse because you're changing the rules on the dog. Simply going out every 4 hours isn't enough. You're going to have to work on this.
    Get a crate. If you are not watching the dog, the dog goes in the crate (with a chewy toy so it's a nice place to be). And I'm talking eyes on the dog, not glancing at the dog occasionally while watching TV and making dinner. /As soon as the dog starts to sniff or circle, go immediately outside to the designated spot.
    Get the dog on a schedule. Take the dog out every two hours. You can start to extend that when the dog has been accident-free for a month. Give meals at certain times. Mine eat at 6AM and 6PM so I know when they have to go. Mine are locked in the kitchen when I'm out (they will use potty pads) and go out every 3 hours when I am home. Go out immediately after waking up in the morning, again after breakfast, after waking from a nap, after playing.
    Take the dog out on a leash and go to a certain spot in the yard every time. Don't just open the door and let the dog out alone. This is potty time, not "explore the yard time." Bring cheese. The dog assumes the position, cheese comes out of the pocket.
    All of this is to make sure that EVERY time the dog potties, it is in front of you. You scold the dog (a firm "NO" is good, NEVER hit the dog or rub his nose in it) if he goes in the house and lots of praise when he goes outside. He can't sneak off and pee so he gets to realize that inside gets him scolded and outside gets him cheese. As far as scolding goes, think of the 2 second rule. If you scold more than 2 seconds after the dog has made the mistake, the dog won't connect the act and the scolding. He'll act "sorry" but that's just appeasing an angry owner. He has no idea that his behavior is connected to the scolding.
    Get an enzyme cleaner (Nature's Miracle or Simple Solution at PetSmart or Petco) and REALLY CLEAN every spot he's ever peed in the house. Dogs like to go in the same place and if he can smell that he's peed there before, he'll pee there again. The enzyme will actually break down the odor instead of covering it up. You can get a light at PetSmart to help find the spots you can't see.
    It can be done. It's just going to take some time and effort.
  • tami101
    tami101 Posts: 617 Member
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    I agree with the crate training. It might be a little harder with an older dog that has not been trained properly, but it can be done. Otherwise, keep him outside if your not there to watch him. Good luck!
  • EndlessSacrifice
    EndlessSacrifice Posts: 325
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    This is just like housetraining a puppy only worse because you're changing the rules on the dog. Simply going out every 4 hours isn't enough. You're going to have to work on this.
    Get a crate. If you are not watching the dog, the dog goes in the crate (with a chewy toy so it's a nice place to be). And I'm talking eyes on the dog, not glancing at the dog occasionally while watching TV and making dinner. /As soon as the dog starts to sniff or circle, go immediately outside to the designated spot.
    Get the dog on a schedule. Take the dog out every two hours. You can start to extend that when the dog has been accident-free for a month. Give meals at certain times. Mine eat at 6AM and 6PM so I know when they have to go. Mine are locked in the kitchen when I'm out (they will use potty pads) and go out every 3 hours when I am home. Go out immediately after waking up in the morning, again after breakfast, after waking from a nap, after playing.
    Take the dog out on a leash and go to a certain spot in the yard every time. Don't just open the door and let the dog out alone. This is potty time, not "explore the yard time." Bring cheese. The dog assumes the position, cheese comes out of the pocket.
    All of this is to make sure that EVERY time the dog potties, it is in front of you. You scold the dog (a firm "NO" is good, NEVER hit the dog or rub his nose in it) if he goes in the house and lots of praise when he goes outside. He can't sneak off and pee so he gets to realize that inside gets him scolded and outside gets him cheese. As far as scolding goes, think of the 2 second rule. If you scold more than 2 seconds after the dog has made the mistake, the dog won't connect the act and the scolding. He'll act "sorry" but that's just appeasing an angry owner. He has no idea that his behavior is connected to the scolding.
    Get an enzyme cleaner (Nature's Miracle or Simple Solution at PetSmart or Petco) and REALLY CLEAN every spot he's ever peed in the house. Dogs like to go in the same place and if he can smell that he's peed there before, he'll pee there again. The enzyme will actually break down the odor instead of covering it up. You can get a light at PetSmart to help find the spots you can't see.
    It can be done. It's just going to take some time and effort.

    Amazing advice. Thank you so much.
  • toabetterlifestyle
    toabetterlifestyle Posts: 230
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    The problem is probably taking it out every 4 hours....don't you pee more than every 4 hours? lol you should be taking it out every 2 hours.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Dump the loser and kick his dead beat worthless mooching butt and his mangy dog out. If he can't support himself and can't take care of his dog properly in another persons house, hes just taking you all for a ride. Worthless. Ditch him, move on and the sooner the better for you all. Other wise you'll look at $5,000.00 or more in damages from the dog urine staining and molding and wrecking carpeting, padding, floor boards, walls and sheet rock plus furniture. Toss it all together and yeah that $5k goes up to $15k really quick.

    This^^^
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    I ditto the 'kennel the dog' -buy a dog crate thingy, keep the dog in it unless you have him out for a walk.

    Slowly let him out of the kennel a little at a time, supervised, taking him outside when he looks like he has to go, etc

    And the enzyme cleaner is a good idea, too

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