Quote:
Originally Posted by westieboy  Yes, dogs like to defecate as far away from their living space as possible. That's why smaller dogs can be a challenge since 10 ft to them is pretty far. It's important to teach them how big of an area they live is.
I've gone through most of this thread and I think you are using multiple pads in the house? If so you may want to cut down on the number of choices he has. This will accomplish 2 things. One, is defining the living space so he is not even thinking about defecating in certain rooms. Two, is training him to tell you when he has to go if the door is closed or something and he has to get to his pad. When he starts telling you he needs to go you really have him trained.
Another thing you can do is feeding him on the spot of his accident. I've done this and it gets the message to them that this is where you eat and live, not peeing and pooing.
I've read that he will run to you for a treat after he goes. If he misses or has an accident will he still come to you for a treat? |
I have two pads in my apartment for now. He's fine using both of them. I don't particularly care if he tells me when he needs to go; that's what his pad is for. He recognizes the pad's scent and if I move the pad, which I do at work sometimes, he will move his business with it. I'm not sure if your Westie is pad trained, but many people recommend having multiple pads out when they are learning so they don't have to go far to find a good spot.
He does have a command word, "potty", which I use first thing in the morning and before we start playing.
I am going to say again that he hasn't had an accident in well over a month, except for one day where he pooped in two different rooms. So to ask if he comes to me for a treat after an accident... well, I don't know, because every time he's gone inside, he HAS deserved a treat. Even that time, he did have a piece of poop on his pad as well. He's had bad intentions a few other times, but I corrected him before any damage was done.
Anyway, thank you for the tip on keeping his food near his pad. I am not sure that's it because today he used the pad closest to his food to poop, but it's something I'll watch for if/when I move his dishes again.