All I can say is wow! I can't believe half of what I've read in this thread...it's amazing.
First of all...rubbing a dog's nose in it's urine or feces is so mean and old school...it does nothing for the proper care of training or teaching your dog. It does, however, feed into your desire to be in control of the situation or to relieve the stress of it.
There is a big difference between discipline and punishment. Discipline teaches in an appropriate way not to repeat the same behavior...punishment only releases anger and stress on the part of the punisher and teaches the poor victim nothing but fear and possibly aggression at some point.
You said the dog marked when you walked him. If he is not neutered I would consider having that done...it may fix the house training issues.
I would also consider a puppy playpen or x-pen for proper training until you get this under control. Can you install a doggie door with a potty area for him to come and go as he needs to? No dog should be allowed free run of your home until it is properly trained and that falls squarely on the shoulders of the humans who have taken it into their home and made it part of their family.
You can't blame or punish the dog for areas where you (or your girlfriend) have failed them by improper or no training...it all starts with you. Take a step back and look at the whole situation...you, your girlfriend and the dog...put all past feelings aside and be honest with yourself...once you have things in the proper perspective you should be able to start dealing with things appropriately.
Good luck...we're here for you if you need us. |