Please don't give up just yet! You will find a lot of heartfelt, positive advice on here, so just keep the faith. My Lucy is crate trained and every morning, the FIRST thing I do, before ANYTHING else, is I take her outside. When she was younger, I had to literally pick her up and walk to the door, out to the lawn and start with the "go potty" command. Now, I have heard that saying nothing until they start to actually go versus saying it consistently until they do go and then giving an absolute enormous amount of praise. Personally I liked the constant saying it, in a firmer voice, not a high silly one, since I felt she would rather have me talk to her than just silence. I also felt that it kept her on task a little better. Probably no difference, but I made me feel a little more successful.
You might feel silly out there, and I have had neighbors that actually got a kick out of my praising her, but the happier you sound and the more enthusiastic you are, she will want that kind of attention and will begin to understand and connect the two. I'll take looking silly and having people look over at me, rather than being upset and frustrated in the privacy of my own house anytime! And i loved the idea of the Peanut Butter baking chips idea! I'm going to start doing that also!!
It is a hard road, and it is NOT easy. But these little babies are so worth
it. After Lucy ate, I tried the 30 minutes, then 20 minutes and then I figured out that her potty time was about 15 minutes after that. Sometimes on the way to the door she'd start sniffing and wham! there she went. Again, you might have to carry her to the door. I have heard that they cannot pee/excrete as soon as they are lifted up. So if you "catch" her just before or even as she has just begun, pick her up immediately and high tail it out the door! And remember that once outside you say the "go potty" or whatever you choose to say and not scold her for spotting on the floor.
If she did make a mistake, it was hard to just go and clean it up, out of their site, and not scold them. Cleaning it up out of their site also does not give them the idea that they have left you a present and that you are accepting their gift and keeping it. Sounds stupid, but dang, I really believe that is the trick!!
It is difficult to realize that their mistakes are actually because of our inattentiveness, cluelessness, or just (sorry) laziness. At first, I was kind of the laziness problem. I figured she should know better. Well tough cookies for me, she didn't know better. They actually have to be taught with patience and positive enforcement.
My husband thinks the old way; "they know when they are doing/have done bad by pottying inside and should be scolded". It took me a lot to change his way and I literally would have her leased to my pants/leg and she went EVERYWHERE I was going inside the house. I watched her constantly taking her out no less than EVERY 30 minutes. It's alot of HARD work, but it can be done. Now, she has free time to roam around the house some, but she is still watched and when she disappears, I find her immediately and out we go. Because I bet she needs to go and is trying to find somewhere to go!
I have had to stand out in the rain with them (Lucy and my other dog Max) and walk around with them, yes ALL of us getting soaked, until they go. If they don't, crate them and do it again in @ 15 minutes until they finally go outside. You will tire and get more frustrated with being wet and cold and tired than they will at first, but just do it!!! They will get the clue that that "hey, I better go because these crazy people keep taking pout here and getting me wet. If I go, I can then get dry and warm again!!"
Sorry this post is so long and I hope you are not upset by anything I had said or suggested. Good luck and keep reaching out for help. |