# Dog refusing to pee. (need quick advice)



## stevenham

My dog 2 years old, and for the 4 months I've had him, he would just pee while we were on a walk. He has several usual spots, but he would always be picky about which spot he pees at. Sometimes this behavior gets a bit frustrating especially when I'm in a rush. 
There's a small lawns and a tree in front of my apartment (right outside the door) and I want him to start peeing there before we start out walk. 
I started this morning by just standing right outside the door for several minutes. I took him out several times over an hour, but he would not go. It was time for me to leave, so I had to take him to one of his spots. In the afternoon, I attempted this again by going out every 30min~hour. It's been about 15 hours since he went this morning and he is refusing to pee. It's time to go to sleep and I have him in his crate, but I don't know if I should just take him to one of his spots. He's had accidents in his crate in the past. What do I do?


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## Cracker

A sudden change of routine is likely to be hard on YOU and on him. Dogs are animals of habit. Have you put the "pee" on cue? Do you reward him when he pees? He's an adult dog I know, but that doesn't mean you can't switch it up a bit for him and work on putting the pee on cue and then rewarding him.
There's nothing Quick about it though...just like learning anything it will take practice and time. You've got the right idea in trying to wait him out...but you have to understand he doesn't KNOW WHY you are waiting him out..lol. I would, for a couple of days go back to the normal routine, wait for him to START peeing and use a cue word of your choice and then reward it. Say the cue as soon as the leg starts to lift or the squat starts to happen. Then after several sessions of this you can start trying the cue in different places than his usual along the walk and then try the wait it out at the front yard. At least at this time, if you use the cue (assuming he "knows it") he will have SOME idea why you are standing out there doing nothing, possibly pee for you and then get a reward and a "life reward" of a walk.


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## stevenham

I started using the cue/treat about a week ago. I'm not sure if he knows exactly what it means, but he seems to get excited (anticipating a treat) whenever I say the cue word. Its been 24 hours since he last peed. This is one STUBBORN dog. It feels like a waste of time (and giving in) just to take him to his usual spots right now...I've waited soo long. He can't be able to hold it much longer right? I'm ready to give him the praise of his life. But I only have an hour until I must leave....sigh..


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## spotted nikes

Take him to where he WILL go and teach him a verbal cue, as Cracker mentioned. keep taking him to that spot, and using cue, and reward. Only after he is 100% trained to that cue, should you start cueing him just a little further away from his "spot". When he is good there, move a little closer to where you want him to go. Repeat, until he will pee whenever you cue.

If you don't teach him the verbal cue he will eventually have an accident in his crate, ruining your crate training. You don't want to teach him to pee in his crate. Holding it for long periods can also increase the chance of UTI's, bladder infections, etc.


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## stevenham

He just peed and pooped in the crate while I was gone for 2 hours. I don't want to blame him, but I've been taking him outside for literally 24 hours every 30min~hour even throughout the night. 
I am trying not to be angry, but I am and he knows it. He must have been DESPERATE do go this morning, and I took him out many times but he didn't seem remotely interested in going. 
Why is he so picky about where he pees/poops? I will take it a step back and try and get a soild cue, but its probably going to take a VERY VERY long time. He's on a prescription diet, so there are no special treats I can give him when he pee/poops. 
He also never lets me know that he needs to go. Is this a sign that he's not fully house broken? He has accidents in the house every so often, and the previous owner of this house had a dog that pissed all over the living room. I've used professional carpet cleaners and gallons after gallons of nature's miracle (I literally just poured it all over the carpet) but even I can still smell something.

I should also point out that he's had few too many accidents in his crate recently.


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## spotted nikes

Well, you KNOW he won't go unless he is at his spot where he normally goes, so what do you expect? (re-accidents in crate).

Teach a verbal cue in a spot he WILL go. Ask your vet what he can have as a treat. Even dogs on prescription diets, have things that can be used as treats. You need to find out from the vet what would be ok.

Tether him to you when you are home. Take him out after eating, after playing, after he wakes up. 

Take him for long walks twice a day. Walk briskly, but stop occasionally to let him sniff/poop. Be sure to bring bags to clean up after him. He's probably stressed out, since you wouldn't take him to where he feels comfortable going, and since he sounds like he is crated a lot, and now "he knows you are mad". Walking will help relieve the stress. Walking also gets things moving internally. He will be more likely to pee/poop in a new spot on a walk/after a walk, than just taking him out to a spot and standing there.


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## doxiemommy

I know you're frustrated, but take a step back.
Your dog has only been with you 4 months, right? So, he's had a lot of adjustments to make. And, not just adjusting to his environment, but getting to know his new human and learning to trust. And, just when he thinks he knows what's going on, you want to change the peeing routine. Now, you may have a perfectly good reason, but, to him, it's just confusing, and will take time.

You mentioned that he doesn't let you know when he needs to go, and asked if that meant he wasn't fully house broken. First, not all dogs do the same thing to show their owners they need to go out. My Harper just stands by the door, and will scratch at it if I'm not fast enough in getting there. Abby, however, will stand at the door and bark once. If I don't come right away, she will come "get" me, which means she comes to where I am, and tries to get me to go with her.
But, that really doesn't have anything to do with whether or not he's fully house broken.

Any time a dog goes to a new home, no matter what age they are, I think they should go back to the basics of potty training for a bit. He may have had a different potty routine at his old home, or he may not have had a potty routine at all, especially if he came from a shelter or rescue. Shelter dogs often have to fend for themselves, and when they have to go, they just learn to go wherever they are at the time, their kennel, wherever.
But, you have your own house rules, so to speak, so when your dog came into your home 4 months ago, potty training him as if he was a puppy would have given him a firm grasp on what your house rules were, and what you wanted him to do when he needs to pee/poop.

So, I guess what I'm saying is you probably need to give him a basic course in potty training, teaching him the cue, and praising him when he goes. Does he eat a special kibble (you mentioned his prescription diet). Because you can use his food as treats....
Also, even though he's not a puppy, I'd recommend close supervision until he stops having accidents. That way you don't give him the opportunity to make a mistake and have an accident. If you can't watch him closely, that's when you crate him.

As far as your carpets, it sounds like the urine has soaked into the carpet padding, too, and I'm not sure how to tackle that....


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## ben46valdez

The very first step to be able to toilet train your dog is to make sure your dog recognizes its name. This is like how you would want to educate your child, by calling your child to attention by his name. This is the same for dogs, you have to make sure they know their name so when you teach them, they know that you are lecturing them.

If your dog does not respond to its name, keep calling out for your dog every moment. Give him treats, play toys with it and keep calling its name.

Now, when your dog knows its name, this means your dog will listen to you when you speak to it. So - When your dog pees in a particular area that is not meant to be urinated on, carry your dog over to that spot, and call out to your dog, and tell your dog that he is not supposed to pee here. Then, bring your dog to the place where he can pee (be it the toilet or just some newspaper) and tell your dog to pee there the next time. You might think this is ridiculous, speaking to a dog that doesnt not understand human language, but, this method does work.


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## Elana55

You CAN hang a bell on the door that the dog can reach and EVERY time you take him out to pee/poop you can ring the bell. Most dogs will learn to ring the bell to let you know they want to go out. 

It sounds like the dog is not even remotely housebroken if he pees/poops in the house. 

Do you have a weekend (or two days in a row) off? Can you take a full 48 hours to work this (out every 30 minutes etc.)? 

One thing I have learned... NEVER work with a dog if you have a deadline to leave. It just does not work out... you get antsy and frustrated.. and the adrenaline you release the dog can smell.. and he can sense increased heart rates etc. too and then NOTHING gets accomplished. 

Long BRISK walks with no deadline to go somewhere else could help you both. You have a JRT if I recall and that is one of the most active dog breeds on earth.


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## Cracker

What is the issue he is on prescription diet for?
You can always buy the canned version of the food (tastier than wet) and use a squeeze tube to let him have a lick of it as a food reward. Also there ARE treats that can be used safely with some health issues.


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## amavanna

im just curious as wheather the dog is seeing the crate as an alternitve bathroom rather then a bed or place to be, out of curoisty why is he crated?and how for how long? Is the crate itself and being stuck in there causing the dog to get nervous and use the bathroom on impulse?

Also why is it really a big deal to switch her spots? If the spot is 10 minutes away and u got to leave in 15 minutes wouldnt it just be easier to wake up a bit earlier , I mean regardless where she pees she is still gonna need to go for the walk right? Unfortunatly I can't really relate my lela isn't picky where she squats 
It just seems to me it is more of inconvience to you then a real major issue, and since really the dog didn't make the choice to not go to the sweet spot for her to pee You can't really be upset up with her, and more to the point she wont understand what u are upset about just that she has disappointed you again.

I think with all dogs no matter what the issue showing anger or frustration at the dog will just worsen the problem because then I think they associate a negative reaction with the situation. When u see poo in the crate and scold her and say bad dog she may recognize the poo in the crate as being bad but she dosent understand that her TAKING the poo there was bad. I had a good example of that today. Since day one I have been teaching LelA that if food is in human's hands or even on the floor not to get it until we say. Training goes wonderfully. Then today when my daughter left her food unattended she jumped up and got her plate of hotdog! Now most people may take that time to scold and yell at the dog and get frustrated thinking all that training is for nothing, but she fact is I haven't taught her squat about leaving food alone on a table! So instead I just tell her to sit and clean up the mess and not allow her to finish it. 

Just remember that no matter what like everyone said its gonna take time and patience and that you really can't get mad at the dog for being a dog, its understandable to get frustrated but do your best not to direct that frustration at the dog ^_^


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## xxxxdogdragoness

Elana55 said:


> You CAN hang a bell on the door that the dog can reach and EVERY time you take him out to pee/poop you can ring the bell. Most dogs will learn to ring the bell to let you know they want to go out.
> 
> It sounds like the dog is not even remotely housebroken if he pees/poops in the house.
> 
> Do you have a weekend (or two days in a row) off? Can you take a full 48 hours to work this (out every 30 minutes etc.)?
> 
> One thing I have learned... NEVER work with a dog if you have a deadline to leave. It just does not work out... you get antsy and frustrated.. and the adrenaline you release the dog can smell.. and he can sense increased heart rates etc. too and then NOTHING gets accomplished.
> 
> Long BRISK walks with no deadline to go somewhere else could help you both. You have a JRT if I recall and that is one of the most active dog breeds on earth.


I have had a JRT from puppy hood also (he is my avatar) & he turned out so with such good manners that my folks stole him lol. But we did have some issues when he was younger but he turned into one of the best dogs I had, thanks to his breeder's advice as well & her pep talks to stick it out lol.


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