Crate Training not working

[Pink-ET]

We have been crate training lola for the last 5 weeks. As soon as we wake we take her out and she will pee. then she comes in and I give her breakfast. just before work I take her out again to see if she wants to poo and most often she doesn't.

I come home from work take her out and most of the time she will pee then as she has been crated for a few hours. I walk her and have her outside most of the evening as the weather is nice. But she will hang on as long as possible and when we come in the house she runs into the kids bedrooms and pees and poos all over the floor!

I thought I was doing my best here, (with a 3 and 5 year old girls this is a struggle) but she just does not seem to want to go outside

I praise her and give her treats so I just don't know what is going on here.

Should I be crating her the entire time she is in the house? I just found that too be so harsh

[Winston]

Have you ever tried the umbilical method? I know that would be hard with children but especially if you know the pattern she has...Basically tie her to you and then this way you can correct her when she tries to pee or poo....by getting her outside and praising her....

[14+kitties]

Originally Posted by Winston

Have you ever tried the umbilical method? I know that would be hard with children but especially if you know the pattern she has...Basically tie her to you and then this way you can correct her when she tries to pee or poo....by getting her outside and praising her....

Just what I was going to recommend.
Here are a couple of sites that explain how to do this method. This works because not only is the dog aware you are right there you are more aware of where your dog is and what it is doing. So often with our busy lifestyles we "forget" the pup just long enough for accidents to happen.


http://www.thehousebreakingbible.com...d-training.htm

http://www.dogtipsdaily.com/umbilica...s-respect.html

Do you make sure when you are outside you take Lola to her pee/poo spot and tell her to pee? If you are consistent with this she will soon learn what you expect of her and will have her pee before going back into the house. Use a firm voice, not a playful one, when teaching this method. There is plenty of time for playtime voice after she is fully trained or when it is time for play.

[Pink-ET]

Thanks, I will try that. I am going to get a pen today for outside too so that when I take her out she will be taught to go straight to that pen to do her business. That way when it snows I can shovel a straight path to it from the back door and keep it clear of snow.

I took her out for a walk last night with freshly cooked chicken, she pee'd, I gave her chicken and then she kept stopping, letting a couple of drips out and looking at me for more chicken they are just too smart for their own good aren't they!!!

[DoubleRR]

Definitely the umbilical method is required indoors--my pups do not get free run of anywhere until a year old--they are crated, or penned, or umbilical or tethered to the furniture from day one indoors. Penned might just be playing with you in a room with closed doors--but attention then is fully on the pup!

For example, Lyric is now 14 mths old and only goes into his crate overnight unless we are travelling. He gets to stay in the dog room, or outside in the 6ft high fenced in yard, or in the huge pen in the garage when we are not home--just as all my adult dogs have done in the past.

He peed once on the kitchen floor--his only mistake. He knows the "go pee" command well, and will do so anywhere on command--"do duty" is for the other--but either command means he will eliminate both if he needs to. He runs to the door if he needs out and he is with us--otherwise I make certain he either is empty or has access to elimination areas when we are gone.

Dogs come into the living room every evening to play and cuddle and nap with us. They come into the bedrooms to do the same when occasionally invited. They are loved and spoiled but they are fully aware of the boundaries. It does take a LOT of time and thinking ahead to train and continue to train a four legged family member for life--but so worth it!

[Pink-ET]

So I have been doing the umbilical method now for a couple of weeks. The problem is Lola shows NO signs that she is going to pee, ie no circling, sniffing or anything (I have been studying her for the last 2 weeks) she will literally just squat and pee!! I tried saying "ah-ah" loudly and picking her up but she is peeing in mid air then!

Pooing, when I catch her squat I pick her up and take her straight out and she WILL NOT continue outside, I can be out there for 30 minutes and as soon as we come back in she squats again

She will not bark or anything to let me know she needs to go and there is no pattern with her! I am exhausted

[14+kitties]

Maybe in conjunction with the umbilical training you can also make sure you are taking her out every half hour on the hour. Say pee. If she doesn't pee bring her back in. Try again in half an hour. Repeat. Do this until she gets the idea that she is outside to pee, not to play. You can worry about play time with her after she is house trained. I think that is what you mean by she is not crate trained?
When you go to work take her out, then back in and immediately to the crate.
When she does pee outside are you making a huge fuss over her? Do you give her a treat?
I am sure some doggie people will be along soon. This is about all I can remember from when I trained Keesha years ago.

[the gang]

make a game of it and use a bell at the door your taking her out for her business, works all the time ,best of luck brenda and the pins

[Longblades]

OK, I'm not a small dog owner and I have not had this problem but I have some ideas. Hopefully some small dog people will come and yay or nay.

I have read many times that some small dogs of certain breeds are harder to toilet train. Generally dogs do not achieve complete sphincter control to somewhere up to 6 months of age and Lola is young. She is only 3 or so months, she might just not "get it" yet.

Has she ever gone outside? Is there a place that smells of her poop outside? If not you could make one by putting some poop there.

To totally contradict the last thing I said, some dogs will NOT poop in the same place outside. None of mine ever have, they always like a fresh spot. So if you are taking her to the same place every time try a new place.

What about faking taking her in? On leash let her back in the house and then right back outside? Might just get the juices flowing enough for you to target the right spot in time.

Don't let her go to the kids bedrooms.

How long is she in the crate? A rule of thumb is one hour per month of age plus one hour. Personnally I will not leave my dog of any age in a crate more than 3 hours. It might sound backwards but if she is holding on too long she may be unable to go when she should.

Some things to think about, I hope something helps. Good luck.

[Pink-ET]

Thanks for all the advice.

She is now 7 months old, and she actually goes about 8 hours through the night no problem without using the bathroom and then I take her out she pees outside, so straight from the crate after a few hours she goes pee no problem and I give her lots of fusses and praise. its the rest of the time.

I will keep plodding on, thanks guys

[bobkerry]

hey i would reccomend you to train your pet well...this all is dependant on the training..if you really train well then every single situation will be under controlled