Quote:
Originally Posted by micheleashley  We have been praising him for going on the paper, but he just stopped completely. We don't ever yell at him period, nor do we scold him for missing the paper. However, he can definitely control his bladder. I took him to the store with me and had to carry him most of the time, since I didn't want him stepped on. We were out for an hour and toward the end he was whimpering. He usually goes to the bathroom every ten minutes or so. When we got home and I put him down, he IMMEDIATELY peed on the floor. He knows not to pee on me, but he seems to not want to use the paper. |
Then he's probably got it in his head he
should go inside or he's just scared to go outside due to some scent or sound or something.
See what you think about this way I used to power train a dog who needs a potty re-make. An emergency way to help a confused or recalcitrant/confused dog is keep them confined in a very small wire crate with a bed at one end/pee pad at the other - fairly confining so he'll be encouraged to learn to hold his urine/poo until he's taken outside - and place it in the room you are in so he's not alone & you can watch him. Toss in a couple toys, something to chew on. Put him inside & toss in a few treats. Keep him in it as you carry out the intense schedule. I'd take him out every 30 minutes all day and evening for a couple of weeks until he gets it in his head he needs to go outside and it's no big deal to go out there. It's the quickest way I know to get a confused/scared dog to learn how to go outside. If he doesn't go outside after 15 minutes, bring him back in and put him in the crate for 30 minutes and then back outside. If you see signs he's circling or sniffing looking to "go", take him outside during any of his confinement periods. Just keep that program up and it really helps the dog to learn to go out IF you really keep to the schedule. If he doesn't go and you don't want to put him back in the crate because it's time to play, eat, train, just be absolutely certain you are watching him 100% of the time so he doesn't have ANY chance to sneak off and go. If you see the signs, focusing, sniffing the floor, looking at the door or toward the area where he likes to go, running in circles, etc., take him right outside and then praise lavishly when he does go. Really praise and smile and look him right in the eyes when he goes outside, then give the treats. After he starts to get it and goes outside, begins to hold himself when confined, you can lengthen his times between trips outside by 15 minutes every couple of days until he's able to hold it 4+ hours but goes when he's outside - and you are on your way to housebreaking.
It's a hard two weeks but when a dog is mixed up or scared to or just prefers to go inside, you need emergency measures to correct his thinking and behavior.