[yorkietalkjilly]

My Tibbe was 9 mos. old and practically feral from living mostly outside in a cage when I got him and he knew nothing about anything so I know whereof you speak. I crated him unless I was right there with him - which was 98% of the time so he was crated very little. When I took him out of the crate, I took him outside first thing always. I took him to the same area and said "Potty outside" in a very upbeat voice any time he sniffed the ground. I left him out 5 minutes and then brought him back in, either out of crate where I watched him for circling, sniffing, etc., and if he showed signs of either, out we went and repeated the above command and time length. If no go, back in, to repeat the inside watching. If he showed no interest, I took him out in 15 minutes from the last visit outside and repeated the same command/site and if no go, back inside. Often when I put him in the crate if I had to shower or clean house or run chores, he would pee/poo there as that is all he knew. If I came back into the room and saw it, I would say "Uh oh" and let him out of the crate and say "Potty outside" and take him out for five minutes and repeat the above and of course, there would be no going then, but wanted him to associate pee/potty in any way he could with outside. And then I brought him back in and started the same thing over and would take him outside every 15 minutes and, of course, taking him out after every water drink or eating episode, play, barking or great activity episode, after every grooming episode, after removing him from the crate if I left the room or went outside the house. He went out all of the time!

Before long, he peed outside and was praised and treated to high heaven and we went back to the same schedule. Before long, he poo'd outside. Same celebration/treat and started over the 15 minute clock. If somehow I missed it and he did accidentaly pee/poo on the floor, I would say "Uh oh" and then "Potty outside" and take him outside so he could try to associate that action with my mild displeasure and my happiness at taking him outside to do that.

Anyway, it worked. Before long my little once-feral dog was getting it and holding his pee/poo and really liking that he could mark his outside property with all his "wonderful" smells. He actually wanted to pee and poo out there so he could claim his territory. He finally, after almost 12 mos. of training, (no longer 15 min. intervals - got stretched to 1 hr. and then 2 hrs. and then prn), was totally clean in the house. Until I was in the hospital and he had to stay with my son and got all off his schedule, he had been totally clean in the house for over 2 years! After a bit of time back home, he resumed his lovely clean habits again.

But I found that if you take them out right after emerging from the crate, drinking, eating, play/other activity, long barking episode, grooming or any training activity, it is a wonderful end to the activity and stress reliever and they are usually going to try to "go" once they get the idea. So a troubled dog with a horrible history can learn quite quickly once they are put on a nice schedule. Good luck with your rescue!