Housetraining/dominance dilemma
 

Susan is having housetraining problems, the biggest of which is that she can't seem to figure out how to let me know she needs to go out. So far I'm trained to take her out a lot better than she's trained to go. She seems to have half way figured out that if she barks at me, I'll take her out. I don't really know if she wants to go, but just in case . . . But actually, I don't really think the barking is about going out. I think it's just about demanding attention. She started out very passive, a little too passive and she's getting a lot more spunk and liveliness. I think that's great. But now she's starting to bark a lot about getting her way, being stubborn about a few things, and wanting to beg for our food (which we don't give her). She's 5 months old and I read that at that age puppies start trying to move up in the pack. I don't want her to do that. I think we will all be happier and she will be more welcome more places if she stays sweet and eager to please and not demanding and stubborn. I'm going to have to get more diligent about obedience training; I think that's the real answer to the dominance problem. But about this barking thing. Do you think she might want to go out or am I just HOPING she wants to go out? Am I encouraging for no reason the exact behavior I want to extinguish? But I'm afraid to ignore her because I don't want another puddle on the landlord's floor! How do I figure this out? Help!

edgar would do this thing where he would come to me if i were on the couch and put his paws up on it.
i thought he wanted "lovin."
then if i were on the computer he would come up to me and put his paws on my lap.
again, "lovin." or to sit in my lap.
noPE!
now i even tell guests if he does that he's SCReaMINg! HELP ME! I NEED TO GO! NOWNOWNOW!

the bark is probably a sign. when you take her out, tell her to go potty or peepee or make or whatever your "go" term is. and when she realizes they go hand in hand, she'll tell you every time.

also, if you want her to act a certain way, encourage that behavior. and have your family do the same. thanks to lots and lots of yt info, i've been able to tell my neighbors not to pet edgar until he sits. (he does this jumping thing and it gets me). my husband has also been enlisted into my Edgar training boot camp. It is taking time, but i can see it working...

good luck!

Susan does the EXACT same things Edgar does! She barks at me, jumps up and touches me with her front paws and leaps into my lap if I don't stop whatever I'm doing immediately. I take her out, but sometimes she does that when we've just come in! even when she's just done all there is to do! But I do want a dog that tries to communicate. I had a poodle like that when I was a little girl. It seemed like we could read each other's minds.

o! i forgot about the URgeCy alert! i took him to the office with me and he hadn't had his morning poo. i thought he was acting weird from the groomer.
he did the paw thing. i thougt he wanted to sit with me. then he started licking my hand.

i should have "listened..."
my co worker came out after i'd cleaned up the mess and said, "something stinks!"
hehe. she's good natured enough it didnt' bother her tho :)