HELP---WONT BE TRAINED

MILO · Jul 8, 2004

Hi Everyone,

Long time no see..... so much has happened since my last post. What happened to Auspet??? Anyways. Last time i posted a message i was saying bye to everyone because i was switching jobs. The new job is great, just moved last weekend. Everything is great.... EXCEPT!

I have a problem. Milo my pup is now 9 months old. He won't learn the basic commands.... you know..... like going to the bathroom outside!! I don't know what to do. And also, like i said above, we had just moved from an appartment to a house. Well i have neighbours who has a dog who is very well trained. The dog won't do anything unless told! WOW! anyways, Milo keeps runing over to his house and wants to play with his dog, he runs out in the middle of the road... YES WITH CARS! i don't know what to do. I have taken him to obedience school, each time he does something he shouldn't be doing i look at him and say no really loud and stare at him. I have lost all hope in getting him to learn. If anyone could give me some advice i would be forever gratefull!!!

i am gonna try and attach some pictures of him so everyone can remember.

Thanks everyone

Christina

papillon/mom · Jul 8, 2004

Hello Milo, welcome to the new board, I don't remember talking to you before. First off what kind of dog do you have? Do you live on a busy street? Do you have a fence?

As for the potty training is it just since you moved to your new house? Maybe the change of surroundings has confused the lil guy (girl) not sure too.

For running in the street, that is a no, no, :x I think maybe you might want to try using a leash untill he is trained a little more, you don't want him to get hit by a car. I had the same problem w/my Max running after rabbits into the street, where ever they went he ran there too. I just think it is a natural reaction, so maybe use the leash would be good if you don't have a fence for now.

I would like to help but I think I need a little more info to give any advice... :wink:

Maybe good old Puttin or MyBabyShipoo (she is full of knowledge on all topics :bow_now: also none other than Monster to fill you in on all the in's and out's too) good luck :0023:

MILO · Jul 8, 2004

Papillion Mom,

Thanks for the reply. I guess i forgot to put in a few things. Milo is a shi-poo. He is 9 months now. He was some what trained. It was like clock work. One week he would go on the papers ( we used to live in an appartment) he would go on the papers when i was at work, then outside when i got home. But one week he would do that one week he would go where ever he pleased. So this isn't a new thing. Also, where i moved to, there is a fence in the back yard but people like to leave the doors open so he can roam free. Actually, my mother told me today that she saw him in the middle of the road!!!!! this is bad! my little pup! I really don't know what to do and i am hoping someone could give me some advise as to how to train him. I feel like i have tried everything!

Christina

MILO · Jul 8, 2004

Hi Everyone, Gonna try to load a pic of my little guy. Maybe someone will remember him.

MyBabyShihPoo · Jul 8, 2004

Milo~

Holy guacamole, it sure has been a while...SOOOO happy to see you back and posting again!!! That pic of Milo is just too darn cute, I bet he's grown a lot since then!

Now to the issues at hand -

First off, potty training:

The fact that Milo was indoor potty trained is definitely going to work against you right now! (I'm NOT saying that you were "bad" for taking that route before, b/c I COMPLETELY understand why some people choose that option, I'm just saying that to help you understand why the problem is arising.) Milo is more than likely having a hard time comprehending why exactly it is that he can no longer potty indoors, but must now potty outdoors. To us humans, it is an easy concept, but for dogs it is quite complex and confusing. Therefore, it is going to take patience, persistence, positive attitude, and lots of praise to re-train him to do his business outdoors now, which is essentially what you will be doing. You'll have to take it back to step one.

There have been endless posts about potty training, so for convenience (more like b/c I'm lazy :wink: ) I am just going to copy and paste my previous replies in regards to potty training.

Several ideas to rid her of the habit:

~Continue to take her out on a consistent basis as you are, and when she does eliminate outdoors, praise her like crazy and give her one small treat.

~Limit her access to the house! Only let her be in the room you are in so you can keep a close eye on her. If it is difficult to confine her to one room with gates and the like, leash her to you, or even something in the room (i.e. leg of a couch or chair). The whole idea here is to make her earn your trust! She obviously knows what she does is wrong when eliminating indoors, so you have to show her that you are the boss and won't tolerate that behavior. This is done by LIMITING HER ACCESS to your home...simple, she is only allowed to be where you are so you can closely supervise her, and catch her "in the act" if she decides to eliminate indoors. (The more times you catch her in the act, and correct the behavior, the quicker she will learn and likely cease the behavior.)

~Are you using a high quality deodorizer to clean up her accidents? When a dog eliminates indoors on your carpet, the smell of the previous elimination will remain if a quality deodorizer was not used the time(s) before. That smell will entice CoCo to eliminate in the same spot again, or somewhere else in your home...it's just their natural instinct.

A high quality deodorizer that I like is Nature's Miracle, which can be found in just about every pet store.

~When you can't keep an eye on her, it is vitally important that you confine her. I always used our kitchen for this. I would close the door that led to our dining room, and gate off the doorway that led to our family room, so there was no possible way they could escape to the rest of the house and have accidents while I was unable to supervise them, or when I was gone. Confining your pup to a room with tiled floor is ideal because if your pup does happen to have an accident while in there, the clean-up is easy.

~I am going to quote a response I wrote before regarding signs that a puppy may need to eliminate:

Quote:
A few tips: 1)take the puppies out soon after finishing a meal (10-30 mins. after) 2) after they have been playing for a while 3) after naps (and immediately upon waking up in the morning).
Signs that the puppy may need to eliminate: 1)A sudden stop in what they were doing, and walking away (this is usually a sign that he/she is looking for a place to eliminate) and 2)Circling. A vast majority of the time the previous two behaviors are accompanied by sniffing. Over time you will begin to recognize your dogs signs that he or she needs to eliminate. (Just a note: I was once told, "When in doubt, take them out," if you are unsure as to whether or not your puppy needs to go out.) Upon seeing any of these signs, quickly pick him/her up and bring them to one spot outside to eliminate. Choosing one spot for your dog to eliminate is helpful, because the scent of previous eliminations will be there, which will help remind the dog why they are out there at that spot. When they do go in the proper place, LOTS and LOTS of positive verbal praise, and a little treat, are a great idea.

~Also, when you come upon an accident that you did not witness happen with your very own eyes, DO NOT scold her in anyway. Correction is only needed when you catch her in the act!

~Sometimes accidents in the home are due to an internal medical problem, often times bladder infections, among other things. So, just to be on the safe side, you may want to bring her in to your vet and have him/her run a few tests to eliminate any possible medical problems that may be causing the unwanted behavior. (However, it is more than likely that she is either testing you, or just isn't fully housebroken yet...she is still young, keep working at it.)

~CoCo is also getting very close the appropriate age to be spayed, DEFINITELY something to consider doing!!!

~Be very consistent, and start NOW in getting rid of the problem at hand...the longer you wait, and the more times she eliminates indoors without being caught in the act, the harder it will be to break her of the habit.
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About training: Patience, patience, and more patience is a definite must!!! Training any puppy can be quite challenging, but in the end, a well trained pup is quite worth the time and effort put forth in the beginning to train him/her.

Obedience Training: My best suggestion would be to enroll your puppy in a quality obedience class that includes "puppy play-time." If you don't already know of a good quality puppy obedience/training class, you will need to do a bit of investigating. Find a few (or one) that you are interested in and ask to sit through one or two classes to see if you like their style of training.

House training: Toy/Small breed dogs are, in most cases, a little more difficult to housebreak than the large breed dogs, simply due to a *much* smaller bladder. But, that is not to say that it can not be done, because it can!
A few tips: 1)take the puppies out soon after finishing a meal (10-30 mins. after) 2) after they have been playing for a while 3) after naps (and immediately upon waking up in the morning).
Signs that the puppy may need to eliminate: 1)A sudden stop in what they were doing, and walking away (this is usually a sign that he/she is looking for a place to eliminate) and 2)Circling. A vast majority of the time the previous two behaviors are accompanied by sniffing. Over time you will begin to recognize your dogs signs that he or she needs to eliminate. (Just a note: I was once told, "When in doubt, take them out," if you are unsure as to whether or not your puppy needs to go out.) Upon seeing any of these signs, quickly pick him/her up and bring them to one spot outside to eliminate. Choosing one spot for your dog to eliminate is helpful, because the scent of previous eliminations will be there, which will help remind the dog why they are out there at that spot. When they do go in the proper place, LOTS and LOTS of positive verbal praise, and a little treat, are a great idea.
If in the event of your puppy eliminating in the house, which will happen as I am sure you already know , a high quality deodorizer is quite important! This gets rid of the scent so the dog is not enticed to eliminate in the same spot again. Scolding a puppy when he/she has had an "accident" is not necessary. If you do catch them in the act, a clap of the hands and a quick no (not in a mean tone of voice), then immediately picking him/her up and taking them out, has worked best in my experience. Major point though is not to get angry or punish the dog for having an accident, it does more harm than good!!!

Well, hopefully some of that info. is of some help to you. There are also lots of good books and web sites that contain valuable info. on training, in all aspects, a puppy. I am sure others on this board will be able to provide you with other great info. to help you out!

Most important thing to remember is to have FUN and be real POSITIVE with the puppies!!!

Best of Luck to You!
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Close supervision is a MUST when it comes to potty training. NEVER EVER let him out of your site (Is it difficult to do? Yes, but it is incredibly important in order prevent the majority of his accidents!!!)! Also be very aware of the signs that signal when a dog needs to go, or is about to go! Plus, take him out after he has been playing a lot, after he has been chewing a lot, as soon as he wakes up from his naps (and in the morning), after he eats, etc.

A small reward (rewards must be something they REALLY like as MonsterBailey pointed out) and lots of positive verbal praise should be given when your pup does eliminate in the appropriate area! Tell your dog in a firm voice "NO" when you do see your pup eliminating in the wrong area. Then immediately take him outside (if you have a special word for this such as "outside" be sure to use it). Patience and persistence is SO important in every aspect of training, and potty training is no exception!

You are doing the right thing by keeping him confined when you are unable to watch him!!! WHENEVER you can not watch him, he MUST be in his play pen area that you have set up for him!

He is still young, so don't give up hope!!!
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About shih-tzus and potty training:

Not ALL shih-tzus are easy to housebreak. Some catch on very quickly, while others take more time; each dog is different.

Not all accidents are preventable, but A LOT are! The basic rule of thumb is, if you can't keep a VERY close on your pup and watch his every move, he/she needs to be confined. (Note: It doesn't have to be a kennel/cage, I used our kitchen which worked wonderfully!) A puppy simply should not have free run of the house, that is just asking for accidents!!!

One of the most important keys in housebreaking is correcting the dog WHEN the accident happens, which is why you ALWAYS want to keep an eye on them. Each time you catch your dog in the act, you have moved a step closer to a housebroken dog. On the other hand, every time a pup eliminates in the house, and it is not seen and corrected by someone, the negative behavior (eliminating in the house) has just been reinforced, which is precisely what you want to avoid!

While keeping a close eye on your pup, you want to pay very close attention to those notorious signs that signal to you that your pup needs to go, or is about to go! Very helpful in preventing the accidents!!!
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"When you are home, DO NOT let him out of your sight! This way you are able to correct him when he does eliminate in the wrong area. Do note that disciplining a dog when you find an "accident" in the house is utterly worthless. On the other hand, when you do catch your dog eliminating in the house a firm NO along with a clap of the hands (to get his attention) and immediately bringing him outside (if you have a certain word for outside such as out, outside, whatever it might be, use this when you are taking him out) is the best bet. When he does eliminate outside, immediately give him lots of positive verbal praise and a small treat to reward his behavior.

Also, when you do find the "accidents" use a quality deodorizer to help eliminate the scent so he is not attracted to the same spot because he smells the "remains" from his previous "accident.""

"The keys to remember here are:
1)VERY close supervision when you are home. Never let him out of your sight. This isn't easy, but it is so essential!
2)LIMITED access to the house. Even when you are home, only let him in the room(s) that you are in so you can keep an eye on him.
3)CORRECTION when (and only when you catch him) he eliminates in the house. And, lots of verbal praise with a little treat when he does eliminate outside.
4)PATIENCE & PERSISTENCE
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I know a lot of the above info. is repeated, but hopefully you'll be able to comb through it and find what you need!

Secondly, his free roaming issues:

Also, where i moved to, there is a fence in the back yard but people like to leave the doors open so he can roam free.
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Okay, I'm slightly confused, so help me out here. When you say doors, do you mean the doors on the fence? If so, why can't they be kept closed at all times? Are your neighbors opening them? If so, you really NEED to confront them and tell them that the doors on your fence MUST remain closed at ALL times for the safety of Milo!!! If your neighbors are opening the gate doors to YOUR fence, on YOUR yard, I guess I just don't understand why they would do something as irresposible as that knowing the dangers associated with letting a dog roam freely - ESPECIALLY when there are streets nearby!?!?

I hate to say this, but one of these days Milo might not be lucky enough to make it across the street safely! :cry: I say that b/c I have unfortunately seen one too many dogs whose owners let their dog(s) roam freely, and sadly their dog(s) ended up dead, or severely injured from being hit by a car!

It is a dog's natural tendency to roam, thus it is VITALLY important to ensure that your dog can roam in the safety of his/her confinement! If need be, buy him a tie out. (However, supervision on a tie out is necessary!)

Quite honestly, just b/c a dog is highly obedient and well trained does not mean he/she will not have the desire to roam. Trust me on this one, I have seen, and heard of, multiple highly obedient dogs killed or injured from being hit by a car!

Granted, a well trained dog is VERY useful in keeping him/her safer than an untrained dog in certain situations, no doubt about that!

Training requires practice, practice, and more practice!!!!!!!!!

Also, for liability reasons, your dog should be properly confined in your yard at all times. I don't know the laws in your area, but I know here that if someone lets their dog roam freely, such a behavior is punishable, and often results in the dog being confiscated by animal control if the law is violated one too many times! Such is the case if your dog bites someone while roaming freely outside of your confines. (I'm not saying Milo would bite anyone, or anyone would call animal control if they saw Milo wandering about, just making sure you are aware of such laws.)

Well, I think I've covered all the bases, if not, please do let me know and I will be glad to further assist you in any way I can!!! :y_the_best:

All the best to you and Milo, and be sure to keep us updated!

nern · Jul 8, 2004

Welcome back Milo!!

MonsterBailey · Jul 8, 2004

Welcome back, Milo! I remember you also!! If I remember right, didn't Milo have problems with fluxating (??) patellas??

I definitely remember Milo's picture.... he's such a DOLL! You're going to have to post a recent pic of him, so we can see him all grown up now hehe

puttin510 · Jul 8, 2004

Monster LOL it's luxating patellas.

Milo I remember you too. Welcome back.

MyBabyShihPoo · Jul 8, 2004

Monster LOL it's luxating patellas.
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I wasn't going to say anything, but I have to admit, I got a good laugh out it!!! :lol:

We still love ya', Monster!

MonsterBailey · Jul 8, 2004

oh bite me, puttin and mybaby!! LOL

puttin510 · Jul 9, 2004

rruufff rrruuuuffff growwwwllll

MonsterBailey · Jul 9, 2004

was that you, puttin? Or Rufus and Sasha!?

puttin510 · Jul 11, 2004

It was meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and my babies. LOL

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