Apartment Woes

[Enikuo]

Yesterday, Scooter and I were interrupted three times during his housetraining.

At lunch, someone was walking their two huge dogs without leashes. She wanted to see my puppy and talk while her huge dogs inched closer and closer. I’m standing there, holding Scooter, trying to be polite and wondering why she’s oblivious to the fact that Scooter came out there so he could go potty and he can’t go potty with her and her two huge dogs there. I wrapped up the conversation and walked to the front of the building to get away from the big dogs. Guess what, so did she, with her big dogs! Ugh….

That afternoon, my neighbor’s cat decided to follow me and Scooter. No matter where I went, the cat showed up. It totally threw Scooter off because he was too interested in barking at the cat to worry about going potty. I ran into the neighbor who owns the cat and she told me how her cat likes to harass dogs and get them to chase her, which apparently ticks off the people who walk their dog without a leash. I was irritated about the cat harassing Scooter, but a little glad the cat irritates all those people who don’t leash their dogs.

Finally, that night, I caught Scooter in the act of piddling in the kitchen floor. So, I’m in the middle of disciplining him by marching him outside to show him where to go potty, and another neighbor stops to exclaim how cute he is and starts asking me questions. I tell her that I don’t think he’s so cute now because he just piddled in my floor and I keep going. I know she couldn’t have known I was in the middle of disciplining, but the interruption was still so annoying!

It’s no wonder he piddled in the kitchen, he can’t get any peace when he’s outside to go potty. It’s almost enough to make me want to buy a house and commute! But, then I couldn't have lunch with Scooter every day. Oh well....

[typerk]

I would venture to say you actually will do better with the distractons. It teaches him to go when you tell him to no matter what is going on. If you are training him to go outside it will never just be you and him so him learning to go with distractions is necessary. You can't give him the excuse of being distracted, he has to learn how to do it right. good luck.

[DianaB]

Get a squirt gun or a spray bottle for keeping the cat away. We used a squirt gun to train our house cat when we had one. Works great!!

[Enikuo]

I understand the point about going with distractions, but the fact is he can't go potty when there are two huge dogs off leashes because I'm not going to let him down to be attacked. And there's no way any dog is going to go potty with a strange cat around. Even with the two big dogs and the cat, we stayed outside until he went. So, he wasn't excused, it was just a bad day.

I think I will grab my spray bottle if that cat starts showing up regularly though. That’s a great idea.

[SnowWa]

Keep going out -

Nothing in the world could keep my pup from peeing his heart out when we go outside. If he can't do it one place, he'll do it someplace else a minute later.

My pup is on a 50-foot clothesline leash - which lets him get quite a ways away from me. I really think this has made him pee much more readily. This way, he can get some distance between himself and me and smell all the trees, bushes, and everything else.

I really have known some people whose pups have been reluctant to go the bathroom when they are on a leash -- because, if nothing else, they have learned that "going to the bathroom" isn't always a good thing to be caught doing. That's why I think the longer leash works --- at least when they are first getting used to peeing outside. And, of course, after they learn it's okay --nothing can stop them.

Good luck! Carol Jean

[Enikuo]

Originally Posted by SnowWa

Keep going out -

Nothing in the world could keep my pup from peeing his heart out when we go outside. If he can't do it one place, he'll do it someplace else a minute later.

My pup is on a 50-foot clothesline leash - which lets him get quite a ways away from me. I really think this has made him pee much more readily. This way, he can get some distance between himself and me and smell all the trees, bushes, and everything else.

I really have known some people whose pups have been reluctant to go the bathroom when they are on a leash -- because, if nothing else, they have learned that "going to the bathroom" isn't always a good thing to be caught doing. That's why I think the longer leash works --- at least when they are first getting used to peeing outside. And, of course, after they learn it's okay --nothing can stop them.

Good luck! Carol Jean

He doesn't have any problem going potty on the leash. He'll go within a few seconds of being outside. He just wanted to bark at the cat that day and the big dogs could have eaten him, that's all.

Thanks for the good wishes though =)

[SnowWa]

Okay - in this case, just stay out longer. I get outside with my pup and before he ever pees (if he can hold it) he'll run and visit all the neighbors who are outside - but even so, it is enjoyable for me to visit with my neighbors also -- however, he certainly pee's as soon as he is ready --- depending on "how bad he has to go." He just has to "stop and smell the roses" and visit with everyone ... and perhaps chase a few squirrels and birds along the way.

We're not on "just a mission to pee." It's also a time for him to visit and socialize and have fun....and me too - I have spent a lot more time visiting with my neighbors since I started taking my pup outside. It's good for both of us.

And, I can attest to the fact that he does do a lot of peeing and marking every time we go out. I figure there has to be some marking going on -- if he lifts his legs and pees 12 times in 20 minutes.

Good luck! Carol Jean