Hello...

My 6 month old dog understands that when he gets taken for a walk, that
it is OK for him to do his business outside. Except for the occasional
accident inside, he pretty muchseems to save his pee for elimination
when he goes for a walk.

When it comes to pooping though, that is not always the case.
Sometimes he will poop when he's taken outside, but then when we get
back home, he will do more on the carpet. Sometimes he'll be outside
for a long time and do nothing, but then after he's back home and runs
up and down the house twice, do it when no one is looking.

He has his spots along the block that I know he likes to do his
business at and we always spend most of our time there. Recently he's
been starting to eliminate more and more in other areas and therefore
when I take him out now, I expand our walking area to a wider radius.
But if he doesn't do anything there, we always wind up going back to
his spots.

Thus my question is this, what is an effective way of making him
understand that deficating inside is not OK? When I see him do
something, I try to interupt him so I can take him outside to finish,
but once he starts pooping, he does not stop. If I move him away or
pick him up, he just keeps on doing it and I wind up with a bigger mess
then if I just did nothing to stop him. (When peeing though, he will
stop if interupted.)

There is almost always someone home, so he goes out pretty often
everyday. The most time he'll have between walks is no more than 4
hours. And if one is home, then someone comes to take him out and let
him run around outside for a bit.

What should I do?

On 23 Mar 2006 06:56:27 -0800, "bobby Booey" ,
clicked their heels and said:

When it comes to pooping though, that is not always the case.
Sometimes he will poop when he's taken outside, but then when we get
back home, he will do more on the carpet. Sometimes he'll be outside
for a long time and do nothing, but then after he's back home and runs
up and down the house twice, do it when no one is looking.

Don't give him that much freedom. A 6 month old should be immediately
supervised at all times or confined to a safe place if nobody can do
that. What are you feeding him and how much/often?

He has his spots along the block that I know he likes to do his
business at and we always spend most of our time there. Recently he's
been starting to eliminate more and more in other areas and therefore
when I take him out now, I expand our walking area to a wider radius.
But if he doesn't do anything there, we always wind up going back to
his spots.

Why not have him eliminate in your yard and get the walk as a reward.
That way, you aren't carrying little bags home with you, and he gets
the idea that he needs to eliminate FIRST and then fun can happen.

Thus my question is this, what is an effective way of making him
understand that deficating inside is not OK? When I see him do
something, I try to interupt him so I can take him outside to finish,
but once he starts pooping, he does not stop. If I move him away or
pick him up, he just keeps on doing it and I wind up with a bigger mess
then if I just did nothing to stop him.

Yep - that's the way poop happens, but it also sounds like his poop
may be "messy" poop? Your feeding information can help a lot here.
Even so, I try to sound disappointed rather than angry, but also -
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISION is necessary. He just shouldn't have a choice
to be in a room other than the one you are in.

There is almost always someone home, so he goes out pretty often
everyday. The most time he'll have between walks is no more than 4
hours. And if one is home, then someone comes to take him out and let
him run around outside for a bit.

Are you scheduling his feedings as well? Honestly, this sounds like a
food issue more than anything.
--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com