Quote:
Originally Posted by linda8228  ......snip...... I think she must originally from a puppy mill because I can not get her to potty outside. She will potty on my carpet however and in her crate........snip..... |
Most dogs are averse to soiling their den. Puppy mill mothers learn corprophagia and soiling their den from being in a mill. If that is in fact the case then your dog will have picked up a couple nasty habits that are breakable with consistency and a boatload of patience.
If this dog comes from a puppy mill I would not sleep her in a crate (they are hard to wash). I would have her sleep in an exercise (x) pen and just be prepared to clean the mess in the morning. I would put out papers and hope she used them and put the pen on a tile or lineloum or wood floor or a water proof mat.
Then it becomes merely taking her out hourly until she potties and keeping high value (very tasty), treats in your pocket until she potties and making a big positive deal over it. Becareful not to reward to soon in the pottying or you can interrupt her and have her save it so make sure she's almost finished when you start the potty party.
Whenever she is out of the x pen have her on leash with you and have your eyes on her or her sitting on your lap or have her in her pen if your eyes can not be on her. Then it becomes taking her to potty every hour. When she potties in the pen just clean it up. Don't say bad dog or anything don't feel negative if you must feel negative direct it to the horrible humans who abused her.
Also you must keep her scrupulously clean. Puppy mill mothers lose the aversion to being dirty so if she soils at all on herself bath her. Initially this may mean several baths a day, just do it (blow dry her well so she doesn't get sick). She will learn to be clean again.
Finally with pottying her outside hourly and praising/treating her handsomely for going she will get it but it will take time. Another thing she might not be a puppy mill mother, when dogs are scolded or have their noses rubbed in their excrement or other rotten people behaviors the only thing they learn is to fear pottying in front of humans. So they are afraid to potty in front of you. So just stay patient and make a big happy & tasty treat thing when she goes potty outside and in front of you. Let's hope it's just that as that is easier to fix. If that is it having her sleep in a small crate will keep her from soiling herself. But do NOT leave her in that crate except for the hours she sleeps at night. Otherwise she should be with you on leash or in her x pen as she learns.
hth,
Jo