Puppy Training Issues.. HELP?!

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k8lyn_235
k8lyn_235 Posts: 507 Member
okay, so i got my puppy when he was about 5 months old.. he's one now. i figured he'd be trained by now, but no.

sometimes he will just pee right in front of me like he doesn't know it's wrong or just doing care! today he really p***ed me off - while i was lying in bed, he stood overtop of me and just let it go. like seriously, it soaked through to comforter to the sheet and fitted sheet! i let him out about every 2-3 hours and he was doing pretty good until these past couple weeks. he also has been acting up.. i think he's mad about something.

i don't know what to do and i'm going crazy! if you have any tips please give them! i would really appreciate it..
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  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
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    My dog is 5 and he still has accidents sometimes. It's hard to know when they have to go because they can't talk, but my dog will stand by the door and whine until I let him out.

    What I used to do was, let him outside and sit there with him and tell him to go potty. If he went, I would give him a treat when we went inside. Don't give him treats any other time, only give them to him after he goes to the bathroom outside. He will hopefully learn that if he goes outside, he will get a treat.

    My dog goes outside and then runs inside and sits by the fridge (his treats are on top of it) and waits for the treat. That has helped me a lot with when I was training him.

    Has he been to the vet? It could also be something with his bladder, but more than likely it's just him being a puppy :) Oh the joys of being a mother to fur babies :wink:
  • soccermoma11
    soccermoma11 Posts: 126
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    Could be trying to show dominance... Hence the peeing on you. He also could be stresses maybe if something has changed in his routine. He may need to go out for more walks just to release some pent up energy.
  • PulchritudinousLady
    PulchritudinousLady Posts: 66 Member
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    My chihuahua is puppy pad trained -- every time she started to go I would grab her and throw her on the nearest puppy pad. After a while she got the hang of it. Sounds like you've got it easier than I did -- Emma used to pee in the furtherest reaches of the house and usually when I was doing something. Try not to kill your pup before they figure it out! :)
  • retriev00
    retriev00 Posts: 227 Member
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    Make sure you are exercising the dog a lot. Dogs are more happy when they are exercised a lot and a lot of problems will disappear.

    Also, consider hiring a trainer.

    I have an 11 week old, whose already potty trained. Our only issue left is jumping up on people but hopefully we'll have that licked soon. My pup does have a personal trainer though which seems to help
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    okay, so i got my puppy when he was about 5 months old.. he's one now. i figured he'd be trained by now, but no.

    sometimes he will just pee right in front of me like he doesn't know it's wrong or just doing care! today he really p***ed me off - while i was lying in bed, he stood overtop of me and just let it go. like seriously, it soaked through to comforter to the sheet and fitted sheet! i let him out about every 2-3 hours and he was doing pretty good until these past couple weeks. he also has been acting up.. i think he's mad about something.

    i don't know what to do and i'm going crazy! if you have any tips please give them! i would really appreciate it..

    The thing is - he DOESN'T know its wrong. It is up to us as owners to teach them. He isn't mad about something, dogs don't have the ability to predict how their behavior will affect us. They do things because they want to or need to, not because it will affect us.

    How are you training him?

    My suggestion for housebreaking a dog - this isn't specifically for you, I don't know what you are doing but anyway
    teach them what you want them to do, you need to set it up so they are successful and reward them. First one is easy. When they wake up in the morning, they will need to go. You take them right out, and wait. You may have to wait awhile, as they will likely hold it to get inside, but you need to stay out. If you have to stand outside for a half hour, do it. When they do go outside, throw a freakin party. Praise, reward if you want. If you find they just aren't going, you can come in, but you need to watch them closely.
    Now when I say watch them, this is something you need to do all the time. Dogs will tell you they are going to go, you just need to learn to recognize it. Some signs are sniffing and circling, particularly in an area where they have accidents before. When you see this, the dog goes right out sides. Repeat the above.
    Many people use crates for training for when they can;'t supervise the dog. You can google crate training. A crate should never be used as punishment..
    You also need to learn their schedule. How often does each dog need to go. I know my older GSD needs to poop before 3 pm. If we are leaving the house and he hasn't gone and I know we won't be back until after, I take him out and stand outside forever until he goes.
    Scheduled feeding helps narrow down the schedule but even a free fed dog will develop one. You have to learn it.
    If you catch them in the act of going in the house, a stern no will suffice. If they have to finish, take them out to finish and praise. Clean the area well.
    If they go in the house and you don't see it, forget it, the dog already has. Clean it up, no correction.
    I forgot -if you schedule feed, that is another easy setup for success as most dogs will need to go within minutes to a half hour after eating.

    I also forget to say take them out at regular intervals, I would start with every 2 and see how that goes. As the pup gets older, the time can increase.
  • Trail_Addict
    Trail_Addict Posts: 1,350 Member
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    If your dog pees on YOU... he is marking YOU as his property. The age is right, and if he's in bed with you, you have set yourself up perfectly for not being his boss.

    That is the answer, plain and simple. This is NOT a potty-training issue... it's a behavioral issue.
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,071 Member
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    If your dog pees on YOU... he is marking YOU as his property. The age is right, and if he's in bed with you, you have set yourself up perfectly for not being his boss.

    That is the answer, plain and simple. This is NOT a potty-training issue... it's a behavioral issue.
    FYI...this guy gets paid to train dogs not to pee on folks. True story.
  • mrs_deg1983
    mrs_deg1983 Posts: 157
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    First off is he fixed? That could have a whole lot to do with it.

    Also if you dont know when he wants out do what i did. I put a wind chime on the door knob and she runs up there and hits it still when she needs out.
  • Trail_Addict
    Trail_Addict Posts: 1,350 Member
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    If your dog pees on YOU... he is marking YOU as his property. The age is right, and if he's in bed with you, you have set yourself up perfectly for not being his boss.

    That is the answer, plain and simple. This is NOT a potty-training issue... it's a behavioral issue.
    FYI...this guy gets paid to train dogs not to pee on folks. True story.

    Can't say it works for people peeing on people though! :-0
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    If your dog pees on YOU... he is marking YOU as his property. The age is right, and if he's in bed with you, you have set yourself up perfectly for not being his boss.

    That is the answer, plain and simple. This is NOT a potty-training issue... it's a behavioral issue.

    I defer to the expert. I overlooked the peeing on you.
    If it is more than just peeing on you, you may have more than one issue on your hands. I do think all things go hand in hand.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
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    Peeing directly on you is NOT something you should ignore. If he gets on top of you and literally pees on you, he's said "Hey, I'm taking control of this, and you're my beetch." I don't think his issue is with not being able to hold it; his issue is he's trying to exert control over you by acting out, and peeing is just what they do.

    Do you do any training with him, specifically obedience? If he knows that you are in charge, he wouldn't be purposely be peeing in front of you, and he certainly wouldn't be peeing ON you, by any means. Is he fixed yet? At five months old, he can be snipped, and the hormones will stay in his system without the adverse attitude issues that can result from waiting too long.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    First off is he fixed? That could have a whole lot to do with it.

    Also if you dont know when he wants out do what i did. I put a wind chime on the door knob and she runs up there and hits it still when she needs out.

    I have intact dogs who don't pee on me or anything else they shouldn't. Intact dogs can be trained.
  • Trail_Addict
    Trail_Addict Posts: 1,350 Member
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    First off is he fixed? That could have a whole lot to do with it.

    Also if you dont know when he wants out do what i did. I put a wind chime on the door knob and she runs up there and hits it still when she needs out.

    I have intact dogs who don't pee on me or anything else they shouldn't. Intact dogs can be trained.

    When people hire me for these problems, the solution is usually the same.... stop being the dog's best friend, and be it's boss. That means no more sleeping with you, cuddling on the couch, giving biscuits and kisses every 10 minutes. The Boss doesn't so those things with lower ranking members of the pack. Once you gain respect and leadership over your pup, the problem goes away, and it actually affords you the ability to ease off a little, and bend some rules. But you gotta have rules in place before you can ever think about bending them.

    A dominant dog will be a dominant dog, testicles or not. Therefor, I never recommend neutering to solve a problem unless all training and psychological training methods have been exhausted. Again, you never EVER will see a lower ranking dog pee on a higher ranking dog. It's like a Private in the Army pushing the General out of his chair. It ain't gonna happen without a helluva fight.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    First off is he fixed? That could have a whole lot to do with it.

    Also if you dont know when he wants out do what i did. I put a wind chime on the door knob and she runs up there and hits it still when she needs out.

    I have intact dogs who don't pee on me or anything else they shouldn't. Intact dogs can be trained.

    When people hire me for these problems, the solution is usually the same.... stop being the dog's best friend, and be it's boss. That means no more sleeping with you, cuddling on the couch, giving biscuits and kisses every 10 minutes. The Boss doesn't so those things with lower ranking members of the pack. Once you gain respect and leadership over your pup, the problem goes away, and it actually affords you the ability to ease off a little, and bend some rules. But you gotta have rules in place before you can ever think about bending them.

    A dominant dog will be a dominant dog, testicles or not. Therefor, I never recommend neutering to solve a problem unless all training and psychological training methods have been exhausted. Again, you never EVER will see a lower ranking dog pee on a higher ranking dog. It's like a Private in the Army pushing the General out of his chair. It ain't gonna happen without a helluva fight.

    I don't disagree with you at all. I have two very dominant dogs, one, not so much, lol. I honestly kind of glanced over the peed on her part. That was sort of my point when I said about intact dogs.
  • mrs_deg1983
    mrs_deg1983 Posts: 157
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    my dog is very dominant but she doesn't go around peeing on me and in the house.
  • Trail_Addict
    Trail_Addict Posts: 1,350 Member
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    my dog is very dominant but she doesn't go around peeing on me and in the house.

    "Dominance" doesn't automatically mean they will mark you or things. It comes in varying degrees, and is a case by case issue. Passive/ submissive dogs won't mark, dominant dogs will (if rank isn't clear).

    ETA: I'm not going to debate this issue any further (dominance, etc.)

    OP, you have my diagnosis from 10 years and 1750 dogs I've trained. Good luck. :flowerforyou:
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
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    okay, so i got my puppy when he was about 5 months old.. he's one now. i figured he'd be trained by now, but no.

    sometimes he will just pee right in front of me like he doesn't know it's wrong or just doing care! today he really p***ed me off - while i was lying in bed, he stood overtop of me and just let it go. like seriously, it soaked through to comforter to the sheet and fitted sheet! i let him out about every 2-3 hours and he was doing pretty good until these past couple weeks. he also has been acting up.. i think he's mad about something.

    i don't know what to do and i'm going crazy! if you have any tips please give them! i would really appreciate it..
    What steps did you use to train him?
    Dogs don't just train themselves, regardless of age, you need to train them.
  • ultim8one
    ultim8one Posts: 80 Member
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    If your dog pees on YOU... he is marking YOU as his property. The age is right, and if he's in bed with you, you have set yourself up perfectly for not being his boss.

    That is the answer, plain and simple. This is NOT a potty-training issue... it's a behavioral issue.

    ^^^^^ THIS .... depending on the type and size of the dog you can break him of this by putting him on his back and mounting him. But be careful ... some dogs just will not give in .... that's when you REALLY have a problem
  • erikkasusann
    erikkasusann Posts: 104
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    First of all, I'd listen to Trail Addict on this one. Sounds like you need to take back H.B.I.C. status.
    Second, once you've done that, if there are still slips now & then... someone gave me this advice when I was training my dog & it sounds crazy, but totally worked. Dogs want their people to be happy & they want your attention. When your dog has an accident in the house, totally ignore the dog, no eye contact, nothing directly toward the dog. Instead, act really mad at the mess itself until it is all cleaned up. Once the mess is gone, be happy again. This will let your dog know that if there is a puddle on the floor, you won't be giving any love or attention & you are not happy. So, yell at the mess instead of the dog. You'll feel like a lunatic, but your dog will get the message! Good luck!
  • k8lyn_235
    k8lyn_235 Posts: 507 Member
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    thanks for the help, everyone! my puppy was neutered before i got him, so that's not the issue. and yes, i did train him - i know dogs need trained and don't automatically *know* what to do in a house. i trained him to go to the bathroom outside with treats until he was probably 8 or 9 months, then we stopped with the treats (he's just a little wiener dog and he really shouldn't be getting so many treats!) every once in a while he will have an accident in the house when we are gone, but usually when we are home, he's fine because i let him out every 2-3 hours.

    he is crate trained and sleeps in his crate at night; he used to be in his crate when we left the house, but we have been trying to let him have the kitchen/living room area while we are gone, however he has been acting up and chewing on the wall (he has lots of chew toys, so that's not the issue) so he is probably going to have to go back to his crate when we are gone.

    i'm thinking it's a dominance issue like a lot of you have said. he must not see me as being his boss and i will have to work on that. i do think he is mostly trained, and that he was basically peeing on me on purpose. ah, he's driving me nuts but hopefully i can get it straightened out! thanks again!