Sadiemae

My Chesepeake would have loved you spraying water at her. She would just have thought you were going to play, so I guess it depends on the dog.

gzuslivz

A squirt bottle with vinegar water works. They HATE the vinegar and it is harmless. Also, throw something noisy near him when he starts. They don't like that, either. But, if he doesn't do it when you are around these hints won't really help. I would suggest get rid of the scent and put down a blanket. And I would check with the vet. Good luck!

mighty

Sounds like you need Cesar Millian.

DogHouseMom

This is the key. There are two types of training. Training a dog TO DO something (sit, stay etc), and training a dog NOT TO DO something (eat garbage, pee in the house). You can no more expect to train a dog to sit if your not present than you can train a dog NOT to something if your not present. Dogs are not capable of abstract thinking, they live 'in the moment'. Say sit, he sits, he gets a treat and he understands it was for sitting when you said sit. Say sit, the dog wanders off somewhere then sits - if you gave him a treat at this point he'd think "cool - I get a treat for wandering off". Get it?

I've trained ummm ... well lots of dogs to housebreak and a few for competition obedience.

The key is that you have to watch them, constantly. You can't let them out of your sight. Seriously.

With puppies it's actually easier because it's not a "behaviorial" issue (as I think might be the case with your Staffie). It's not like they sneaked off, or waited until you were in the other room - if a puppy has to go he'll sit in front of you and go. Puppies poop and pee at pretty predictable times (after eating, after waking, and after playing) so it's easy to scoop them up and take them out for potty at these times. With an older dog, their schedules are not so predictable anymore - but those same moments could still be key.

When your dog is in the house, give him two options. He is either within your sight at all times (I've even attached foster adults to my ankle with a long line so I know when they've moved), or confined to a crate where he most likely will not soil (providing the crate is the correct size). When he's in your site you have to be vigilant in watching him. You need to know the "signs" of when he's about to eliminate and once you've learned these signs you need to catch him when he's thinking about doing it, but hasn't yet committed the act (go back to the first pararagraph of "thinking in the moment"). Barring the second before the offensive act, you must at least catch him IN the act. Any later than that and the moment is lost.

Lastly, once you've mastered the timing of catching him, the punishment needs to be swift and memorable (to the dog). I DON'T condone hitting, kicking or swatting with other objects. I will however throw an object (keys are great) in the DIRECTION of the dog to get their attention and at the same time yell "NO" or whatever you use. You need to make this NO sound as if Satan himself has emoted from your own bowels through your voice - make the windows rattle. If your dog RUNS - you've done it right. Yeah ... scare the *bleep* out of him. And once you've picked a word (no, stop, leave it), stick with THAT WORD.

Voice inflection is your most important tool in training dogs. If you use your happy voice and tell the dog he's a bad boy, he'll wiggle. If you use your angry voice and tell him he's a bad boy, he'll sulk. Learn to use the full volume and spectrum of your voice, when you want your dog TO do something speak with authority - good volume and steady tone. When you want your dog to STOP doing something make it sound angry. With my very young puppies (2 weeks and up). I will actually growl at them because that is a sound they associate with their mother telling them something is wrong so STOP (even before they could open their eyes).

I will often 'set my dogs up' to teach them NOT to do something, especially my puppies. I'll leave the garbage can open in the middle of the kitchen and hide around the corner with my set of keys and wait for the puppy to walk toward the can looking at and sniffing - when he's about 1' away - I sling the keys at the can and yell "LEAVE IT" at the same time. Puppy now thinks the garbage can is posessed, mission accomplished.

It is FAR easier to teach a dog NOT to do something before he's had an opportunity to ever get away with it, which is why I set my dogs up - I want to make sure I'm there when the "opportunity" presents itself. It's far more difficult for a dog to UNLEARN a behavior, but it can be done. It takes vigilance, consistancy, and tons of patience - and it will take longer.

Hope this helps.

Sue

tweetee

Wow Sue, Im impressed! You really know your stuff! Thankyou so so much for all of your information, it was a fascinating read, and Ill be sure to try out what you have suggested. You have done a great job at explaining clearly what my dog needs. He knows the word NO, as this I used whe he was a pup, and I used to clap really loudly at the same time, so I think its back to basics, and see what I can do. I will disinfect the area first to get rid of the scent, and go from there.

Thanks again for your great advice

trueimage

I have a staff too and she is wonderful about going outside. They are very affectionate dogs and love attention. They're loyal too! My guess is he needs more contact. Also, with boys, it's always good to get them neutered. I bet this would help with this behavior.

damaquilts

Never never never ever hit your dog. If you take him to the spot you want him to go to and treat him every time he goes He will soon get the idea. Dogs have a very short attention span if you don't get them in that split second they have no idea what you are punishing them for. It takes a little more time and work but the results are much better.
Since I was a foster before I moved I have trained many many dogs of all breeds to potty outside. The hardest to train was a 5 yr old chihuahua who had already been trained to puppy pads. Nope you are a dog you go outside. They were put on a strict feeding and pottying schedule. I had 9 week old puppys that would whine to go outside. I just had to move fast with 4 of them . :-) But they went outside.
oH FYI the whole alpha dog thing has been debunked. By the by the animal behaviourist that first came up with it.In the 1940's
If anyone is interested this is one article I came across there are many more
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2007250,00.html

arimuse

our vet told me, even if the pee thru the day, dogs only poop once a day unless they are sick. I think once they "go" somewhere its marked and they go to the smell. Maybe rinse down the area, or if you have soil there put some fresh on top and place a bowl of vinegar on the spot for awhile. Then, when he has to go walk him where you want him to go and take some time, dont rush him. Once he goes he will tend to go to that area. He may just want your attention.
I have 7 dogs "on the farm", they go everywhere. I have 1 dog in town w/ me. He has an enclosed area where he started to go. He pees on trees in the back, but when he has to poop he'll dance around the gate, if its closed, til I let him into where he goes. Its nice of him, lol, I can clean the area up every few days fast, and its not where I walk . (also, the more "real" food they eat - more real meat, not the dry pkged stuff, it breaks down faster in the yrd.) sharet

codydog

Please go see your vet and do not beat him with a paddle. You could turn him into a biting dog or make him more fearful then he is. Good Luck

Yellow Bird

You MUST clean the area. Then finish off by putting vinegar all over the area. (This marks the area as YOURS, not his.)

Then TAKE the dog out where you want it to do the job.

We have a new lap dog...supposed to be more difficult to train than larger dogs....but with love and direction, she only uses the area she is supposed to use.

When it is raining and she doesn't want to go to her area I just say 'finish' and she runs around the corner and does her job.