This morning we took the dog out, he peed but didn't seem like he
needed to go further because he ran back inside.

When he was left alone for a few minutes he pooped in the house, in
multiple places in the same room, a same location where he has done
this before.

Since we had just taken him out, is it a reasonable conclusion that he
did this solely to get our attention?

He was doing great for a week, no accidents at all. Now he has them
every day. It's like we took a step backwards.

I read the Puppy Wizard guide to dealing with mistakes like this but
it just doesn't seem practical. The dog does not behave according to
the way the manual claims he should. We can't get him to calmly come
over to the spot and when we drop the can (no matter how quietly) it
startles him and/or he thinks it's something to play with. The only
way to get him away from the spot to allow us to clean it is to
confine him someplace because otherwise he follows us around.

I'm inclined to confine him to the kitchen and give him no attention
at all for awhile. Shouldn't this defeat the purpose of his 'mistake'?
I'm sure the answer is no, but this is very frustrating. I really
believe we are treating this puppy very well, with unconditional
affection and no scolding.

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 11:36:01 -0400, DaveR
, clicked their heels and said:

This morning we took the dog out, he peed but didn't seem like he
needed to go further because he ran back inside.

When he was left alone for a few minutes he pooped in the house, in
multiple places in the same room, a same location where he has done
this before.

Don't leave him alone. Most dogs need to pee AND poop in the morning.
Depending on individual and age, all of mine have pooped first thing
out or right after breakfast (which is right after outing).

Since we had just taken him out, is it a reasonable conclusion that he
did this solely to get our attention?

Nope. He needed to poop. He was indoors and you left him
unsupervised. Bad idea.

He was doing great for a week, no accidents at all. Now he has them
every day. It's like we took a step backwards.

Did you slack off in supervision and TAKING him out?

I read the Puppy Wizard guide to dealing with mistakes like this but
it just doesn't seem practical.

Of course not - PW is an idiot.

I'm inclined to confine him to the kitchen and give him no attention
at all for awhile.

Why? Do you think he'll know that he's been "grounded"?

. I really
believe we are treating this puppy very well, with unconditional
affection and no scolding.

How old is this puppy and what kind?

Unconditional love needs TRAINING along with it. Schedule, schedule,
schedule, and supervise, supervise, supervise. No puppy should be out
of your sight.

--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 12:32:50 -0400, Janet B
wrote:

Nope. He needed to poop. He was indoors and you left him
unsupervised. Bad idea.

He usually poops outside when he needs to. When he heads back to the
house we give him one more chance to go, taking him to the spot where
he usually goes. I don't know why today he was so intent on going back
in the house, if he indeed had to poop.

He was doing great for a week, no accidents at all. Now he has them
every day. It's like we took a step backwards.

Did you slack off in supervision and TAKING him out?

He's 5 months old and we were taking him out every 3 hours or so. I
fear he is not learning to hold it in so we are trying to lengthen
time (and to get him to go to the door or otherwise indicate when he
needs to go). But in this case, it was just after we woke up in the
morning, when we always take him out. It's just that he was left
unsupervised immediately after we brought him back in (assuming,
wrongly, that he didn't have to poop).


How old is this puppy and what kind?

5 months, mixed breed, was a stray until we adopted him.

Unconditional love needs TRAINING along with it. Schedule, schedule,
schedule, and supervise, supervise, supervise. No puppy should be out
of your sight.

I'd love for him to come down to my office while I work but he just
won't come, he seems scared. I don't want to force him down here. I
did manage to coax him once, maybe I'll try again.

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 13:10:07 -0400, DaveR
, clicked their heels and said:


I'd love for him to come down to my office while I work but he just
won't come, he seems scared. I don't want to force him down here. I
did manage to coax him once, maybe I'll try again.


I went to visit a Golden like this recently. Guy worked from home,
office in back of basement. Dog wouldn't come near the area, and
would be destructive if left uncrated. I out her on leash and MOVED
her. SHe wasn't keen the first time, but the second was better and
the third better yet, Then she did it all on her own. Convincing her
that it wasn't evil was a step they weren't brave enough to take.

Don't think "force" or "coax". Think - "let's go" - upbeat but keep
moving - don't let him put on the brakes - put his leash on and get
him moving and just keep going.

--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

DaveR wrote:

I'd love for him to come down to my office while I work but he just
won't come, he seems scared. I don't want to force him down here. I
did manage to coax him once, maybe I'll try again.

I suggest you take him there on a leash in a very no-nonsense manner, close
the door so he can't escape, then give him a treat and a toy or yummy chew
and let him get accustomed to being there while you work.

I have a very spooky rescue dog, and she would never learn to be anywhere in
the house but the kitchen if I didn't take her there on a leash or kennel
lead. Coaxing has no effect other than to heighten her fears. She's becoming
more and more comfortable around the house using the method above.

Janet B wrote:
On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 13:10:07 -0400, DaveR
, clicked their heels and said:


I'd love for him to come down to my office while I work but he just
won't come, he seems scared. I don't want to force him down here. I
did manage to coax him once, maybe I'll try again.


I went to visit a Golden like this recently. Guy worked from home,
office in back of basement. Dog wouldn't come near the area, and
would be destructive if left uncrated. I out her on leash and MOVED
her. SHe wasn't keen the first time, but the second was better and
the third better yet, Then she did it all on her own. Convincing her
that it wasn't evil was a step they weren't brave enough to take.

Don't think "force" or "coax". Think - "let's go" - upbeat but keep
moving - don't let him put on the brakes - put his leash on and get
him moving and just keep going.

Yup--that's exactly what I do. And if she does put on the brakes I just keep
moving and she starts walking again after brief resistance.

In article VbaEe.5$Sr2.0@trndny03,
Janet Puistonen wrote:
Yup--that's exactly what I do. And if she does put on the brakes I just keep
moving and she starts walking again after brief resistance.

A lot of puppies won't do that. I find it's generally
better to change direction and keep going, which they will
tend to do even if they've put on the brakes going forward,
and then tack a few times. Maybe it's because I've got a
breed that likes to pull but I'd rather take care to avoid
tugs-of-war, ever.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Average real weekly wages are lower today than they
were at the end of the 2001 recession.

Melinda Shore wrote:
In article VbaEe.5$Sr2.0@trndny03,
Janet Puistonen wrote:
Yup--that's exactly what I do. And if she does put on the brakes I
just keep moving and she starts walking again after brief resistance.

A lot of puppies won't do that. I find it's generally
better to change direction and keep going, which they will
tend to do even if they've put on the brakes going forward,
and then tack a few times. Maybe it's because I've got a
breed that likes to pull but I'd rather take care to avoid
tugs-of-war, ever.

Yes--that's a very good point. In my case, she's 14 months--well, 15 now--so
beyond the puppy stage which makes a bit of a difference probably.

In article 1zaEe.42$S72.16@trndny06,
Janet Puistonen wrote:
Yes--that's a very good point. In my case, she's 14 months--well, 15 now--so
beyond the puppy stage which makes a bit of a difference probably.

Sure - at this point you're trying to correct a mistake
rather than teach her something new. I still don't like to
teach the dog that pulling is okay under any circumstances,
whether it's pulling forward or pulling backwards.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Average real weekly wages are lower today than they
were at the end of the 2001 recession.

Melinda Shore wrote:
In article 1zaEe.42$S72.16@trndny06,
Janet Puistonen wrote:
Yes--that's a very good point. In my case, she's 14 months--well, 15
now--so beyond the puppy stage which makes a bit of a difference
probably.

Sure - at this point you're trying to correct a mistake
rather than teach her something new. I still don't like to
teach the dog that pulling is okay under any circumstances,
whether it's pulling forward or pulling backwards.

I agree completely. And she really tests me on that one sometimes! When
we're out on a walk and she gets spooked by something--a passing truck, for
example--I *will not* let her pull me down the street. Sometimes we progress
one step at a time between sits for about 5 minutes. But eventually she
walks. Not perfectly, but not in a flat out haul me either.