Advice on House training?

[Wolfman]

Hey again, dudes and dudettes

I was wondering if those of you with experience in doggie house-training might drop me a comment or two concerning getting a dog to signal when he needs to go out. Its been about 13 years since i had to train a dog and my 13 year old Briard picked up signaling almost by herself: She would go to the door and bark, or come up to me with this sort of whiney rumbling sound (grin) and i knew that she needed to go out.

However, young Koda, my 4 month old Goldie/Chessie cross hasn't picked that up from my older girl. The little guy is trying hard to let us know he needs out, but he hasn't picked up the signaling thing. Is there a way to encourage/teach a dog to bark/whine or otherwise signal?

Thanks in advance!

Wolfman

[ohno]

Have you tried kennel training?
It worked slick with my black lab. No newspapers or anything to mess with.
She either goes and sits by the door or makes a low groaning sound. I tell you when I hear that sound in the night I JUMP out of bed if you know what I mean.

[memphis]

ok this might sound cheesy, ive heard it from every trainer ive seen with my dog, (house training the only problem we didnt have with him) ...

hang a small bell by the door, and get the dog to touch it, when it does give em a treat and then make him go outside for a few minutes even if he aint gotta go, as soon as he touches that bell you gotta open the door so he knows thats how to get outside to do whatever he needs to do.

Its works for some... ours would eat the bell... not a guaranteed way, alot of trainers recommend it. Just dont show your friends when yall have a small "bear" bell hangin in front of the door.

hope it works out, My wife used to call a trainer every time Memphis misbehaved (all the time) so we've had a few visit to say the least.

[farside]

I'm with Memphis on this one

Get a nice big bell and hang it on or right close to the door the would normally exit the house from. Take the dog to the door VERY OFTEN and take his paw and hit the bell. THEN open the door and let him out. If your consistant with getting the dog to hit the bell, the dog will soon grasp the fact that when the bell rings the door opens.

Took my 1 dog about 3 days to clue in. He just SMACKS it now. Second dog clued in about 2 days. She just nudges the bell though so you have to listen for it.

Good thing about the bell is you can take it with you when traveling. Show the dog where the bell is and he will let you know when he needs out.

[Wolfman]

That bell idea is awesome. I will try it right away! Thanks!

Wolfman

[Wolfman]

Have you tried kennel training?
It worked slick with my black lab. No newspapers or anything to mess with.
She either goes and sits by the door or makes a low groaning sound. I tell you when I hear that sound in the night I JUMP out of bed if you know what I mean.

Hey Ohno:

Yeah, he's being kennel trained right now, but having troubles with letting us know when nature is callin'.

Wolfman

[srupp]

Dad raised German shepards for RCMP and he used the kennel training method..just keep the kennel crate small so the dog cant mess and avoid it...dogs normally wont soil their beds..had Moms dog trained in 36 hrs..

Steven

[Paulyman]

One of the books i read says that a puppy should go outside very very often 30-45 minutes no matter if it is signaling or not.Yes it is a lot of work for you, but in the long run it's less work.Every time you let your pup go in the house by you not being on top of it you are re enforcing the behaviour that it is ok to go in the house and therefore slowing the house training process down.

I have seen it before where people with very young puppies have become frustrated that their young pup won't learn to go outside....well geuss what iv'e been watching and you haven't let the pup outside in over and hour and a half,way too long for a puppy if you want it to be consistent then you have be consistent in your training which means keep your shoes by the door, cause your gonna be using them alot.

[srupp]

when out side tell the pup.."go pee " or whatever words of encouragment you choose..and wait no more than a minute no playing no nothing no buisneess take the pup in and back in its CRATE..45 minutes later repeat when the pup pees praise the living daylights out of it AS YOU COME INSIDE..pee time is NOT PLAYTIME.........

Steven

[BANG!]

The last two posts are spot on (and have worked well for me and my last two dogs). I think pups also have the additional challenge that when they need to go, they need to go now - they don't have the control to 'hold on' for a bit. It's like a light switch - either: I'm OK or I need to go/now.

I've never heard of the bell idea and I'm wondering if I might try this on my Dane. She's nearly 8 months old, signals well with the whiny message, "Can I get out now?" - but the bell would be fun.

I have always got my dogs used to the vocal command: "go pee" - at first you just say it as the dog's leting go by himself - then they finally click to the point so that you can encourage them to pee with the voice command. Good when you're in the car/truck and you want them to fit around your schedule - not the other way round.

PS - my dane is laying pipe that looks kinda similar to the bear scat picture with the Pepsi can on one of the other threads right now!