# Potties outside for everyone *BUT ME*



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Wait until you try to explain that other people's houses are also no-go areas! Dogs don't generalise easily ...


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

Or, they overgeneralise!

In case of any doubt whatsoever, Vasco holds it until his eyes turn yellow. This includes the back gardens of people we visit who don't have dogs (he accepts pee-mail as a valid authorisation), which I didn't twig to until we left and poor guy found the closest lamppost and went and went and went and went ....


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## MyGirlAbby (Oct 15, 2010)

JE-UK said:


> Or, they overgeneralise!
> 
> In case of any doubt whatsoever, Vasco holds it until his eyes turn yellow. This includes the back gardens of people we visit who don't have dogs (he accepts pee-mail as a valid authorisation), which I didn't twig to until we left and poor guy found the closest lamppost and went and went and went and went ....


Were these amazing manners the result of your training or was Vasco born with a respectful spirit? 
My Abby is also 4 months old and I can sympathize with your dilemma. They are so smart. I tether her to me in the house as well except for playtime when she runs with my other dogs. These moments have not been a problem However when she is tethered to me she actually will go potty looking right at me and this is without warning she just squats and pees. Typically this is within 20 minutes of being outside which frustrates me to NO END. I yell out and lead her outside eachtime she does it. Well, Abby loves to be outside and the first time I put her in the garage instead of putting her in the yard she didnt mess in the house again for the rest of the day! She was actually training me to take her outside by piddling!!Another training method I am thinking of trying is to treat her immediately after she goes potty outside. Before I try this however I am really thinking hard on how she can use this to her advantage! I am also going to get bells for the front door so she can ring the bell when she wants to go out. Any other suggestions from the folks out there is appreciated!


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## Karma'sACat (Jun 1, 2010)

Have you not been praising her for pottying outside? Start now. When puppies potty outside, you have a potty part with treats and praise like crazy. And if she "uses this to her advantage" so what? You have a dog that wants to potty outside all the time.


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## CelticKitti (Jul 1, 2010)

I was having trouble getting Mia to alert me she needed to potty. The bells made a HUGE difference. Once she figured out that ringing them ment outside to potty, about 2-3 days after we started training almost all house accidents stopped. The same thing happened with Kodi a few years ago when I started him on the bells. 

Yes I agree ALWAYS ALWAYS big celebration for pottying outside. And if you start using bells if she rings them she goes out even if she was just out. When she potties CELEBRATE!!!


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## MyGirlAbby (Oct 15, 2010)

Ok I got the jingle bells for the front door. I take her paw and hit the bells with it and then open the door and we go outside. The first time we did this she had the zoomies outside. Ha Ha! I think she was celebrating our new communication. 
Your Right whats the bigdeal if she takes advantage as long as she is going outside :doh: I think my sleep deprivation is wearing on me.


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

I call it a potty party. c:


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## rubymom (Apr 24, 2010)

Just had to chime in here about how well praise works for potty results!
Ruby (7 months old) is potty trained with indoor, washable potty pads. I keep one by the pantry door in the kitchen. (She is gated in the kitchen area while I'm at work. ) I also place one of these pads in my bathroom, which is on other side of house. 
Because I always praise and reward every potty I witness, Ruby has made it a point to come find me whenever she pottys now!  
She runs up to me and lowers her head and chest while her little rear sticks up in the air, tail going a mile a minute! I'll ask her, "Did you stinky or peepee?" Her answer is clear when she darts to the exact piddle pad where results are evident! I quickly give her verbal praise, clean up area then go to kitchen to give her a kibble treat! She is delighted!


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## Lilith (Sep 29, 2010)

I do give her treats and praise when she goes in her spots. Actually, pee-time is the only time she gets freeze-dried liver treats, which are her absolute favorites. She will go back and try to squeeze out a few more drops for some extra treats (which she does get). During the day, however, she doesn't get these consistently because she goes out on her own. She also knows the command _xixi_ (portuguese for 'take a pee').

Last night, for reasons unknown, she peed in her crate. First time she's ever done that. I had to give her a bath at 5am this morning - she was soaked. I just don't understand it. If she whines at night I take her straight out, but most nights she sleeps straight through. Maybe I was sleeping too soundly. But more than likely she didn't whine this time. A few days ago she was really revved up when I put her to bed, and whined and whined. She had had a bit of diarrhea, so I took her out. Put her back, more whining. Took her out, put her back, more whining. I don't talk to her or play or anything when we go out during the night like this. She goes out, does her things, goes straight back. After the 3rd trip when it was obvious she just didn't want to go to sleep, I just sternly told her to "Go to sleep!" 2 or 3 times when she'd whine and finally she did. I have a horrible feeling that she's decided the whining 'doesn't work' and didn't bother last night. Hard to tell. But also hard to know what to do...

Sigh.


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## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

It's fantastically difficult sometimes trying to figure out what it is the dog is interpreting from what you are doing. Further complicated by the fact that I think poodles are capable of grasping quite complex ideas, certainly much more than the Golden that was my last dog.

We just did the normal when we housebroke ... the puppy was either under very close supervision or in the crate. Every time he squatted in the house, we picked him up and RAN for the back garden, then praise, praise, praise, potty party. We didn't scold, and a few times were running through the house with a still-dribbling puppy (which is a mess!). The first time he peed in the garden on his own, he won the lottery. The first time he stood thoughtfully by the back door, lottery. The first time he looked meaningfully at us while standing at the back door, lottery. The first time he rang the bell to go out, lottery. 

I'd be worried if she peed in the crate, as that's unusual. 

The whining in the crate is a hard one. When V was still crated at night, we got up every time he whined and took him out back. But no playing, no petting, nothing else, just a trip to the garden. He did take advantage a few times, when he just wasn't ready to settle, but worked it out pretty quickly that whining in the crate just got a pee trip to the garden but no games. It sounds like that is what you are doing, but it may take a few bad nights for the message to get across. I found it was not until about 5 months that he could reliably hold it all night, just for physical reasons. Maybe set an alarm for 2 am for a quick pee trip?

(Re Vasco's respectful spirit, that is all him. Somehow he has devised his own interpretation of the rules, and it is pretty strict!)


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## MyGirlAbby (Oct 15, 2010)

Have you thought of having her sleep with you? I had the crate issue with Abby since her first night home so I have brought her into our bed so when she moves I am up and we are outside. This has worked really well and she holds it all night now until my alarm goes off in the morning. 

Are you giving her water before bed? I pick the water bowl up at 7pm.


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## Lilith (Sep 29, 2010)

Well, I think I'll up the 'pottie party' celebration and try again to convince the housekeeper and dogkeeper to keep up the celebration as well. 

Last night the pup whined three different times and three different times we went out. I'm _tired_ today, but no pee in the crate, so all is good. She is _barely_ making a sound for some reason. I'm surprised I even woke up a the 3am pottie break.

This morning, I had opened the kitchen door already but then had to run back to find my shoes to take her down to her pee spot. She followed me, but then I got a text message and got distracted. I look down and she's gone. Called her, looked around - no Lilith. Walked out to the back veranda and looked down - and she down in the garden at her spot all by herself. GOOD GIRL! Too bad I don't have some sort of remote controlled treat dispenser! (or better yet, a way to turn on the outdoor sink tap from afar - jumping up to drink out of that is better than a treat for her) 

I'm shopping for bells (oddly, have not found any type of bell at all at 3 different stores here. Not even in the kids toys,... and holiday stuff isn't out yet in Maputo).

Thanks again for all the advice and just plain support!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think an automatic pee and poo triggered treat dispenser would make you a fortune - the ultimate dog training tool! Combine it with a really effective dog loo, and you are onto a real winner.


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## MyGirlAbby (Oct 15, 2010)

Lilith said:


> This morning, I had opened the kitchen door already but then had to run back to find my shoes to take her down to her pee spot. She followed me, but then I got a text message and got distracted. I look down and she's gone. Called her, looked around - no Lilith. Walked out to the back veranda and looked down - and she down in the garden at her spot all by herself. GOOD GIRL!


WOO HOO LILITH!



fjm said:


> I think an automatic pee and poo triggered treat dispenser would make you a fortune - the ultimate dog training tool! Combine it with a really effective dog loo, and you are onto a real winner.


Ha Ha! Yes you would surely be sitting pretty with one of those

Hmmm...bells. I guess if you think outside the box you could come up with some creative solutions. A small set of windchimes? Something she can paw and it will make noise. Come on people, my creative juices are going dry here:alberteinstein:


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## CelticKitti (Jul 1, 2010)

I found Kodi's bells at a local craft store. I just tied 3 on a string.

Kodi pushes the bells with his nose, and Mia swats them with her paw. It makes it very easy to tell who is ringing the bells!


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## Lilith (Sep 29, 2010)

MyGirlAbby said:


> Hmmm...bells. I guess if you think outside the box you could come up with some creative solutions. A small set of windchimes? Something she can paw and it will make noise. Come on people, my creative juices are going dry here:alberteinstein:



OOOOH! The windchime thing made me remember - I have a little luck charm with chimes on it from Thailand somewhere around here... it should work! :highfive2:


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