# Need help w/a defiant puppy



## teedoab (Sep 5, 2011)

Hello folks, this is my first post about my first dog, & I could really use some help.

I've heard people say that dogs will never do things out of spite, but that doesn't seem to be the case w/my 6 mo old mini dachsund/terrier mix. I picked him up on my way across the country & have had him about 3 weeks (he was on his way to the pound from a family that didn't want him). I was told that he would be very good about alerting me when he needed to go outside to go, & for the first couple of weeks he was. I also purchased a crate & have had him sleep in it every night. He HATES the crate, even though I tried to do the recommended stuff to introduce him to it (he also HATES not being in the same room as me for even a few minutes). I have never used the crate as punishment. He's recently had some poop accidents, so I've started putting him in the crate during the day as well if I need to leave for an hour or two. He wouldn't go into it on command until the other day when I put him on his back first. He ran right in & I thought we'd figured it out.

So here's the issue. The next morning, I let him out of his crate. The first thing we do every time after that is go straight outside so he can do his thing. But that morning, as he was sprinting down the hallway towards the door, he stopped, ran into my room & started peeing. I yelled "No!", grabbed him, flipped him on his back, gave him a swat, let him up & he took off outside. So the next morning I made sure to shut my door. He ran past it, all the way down the stairs...& started peeing on the rug next to the door. I responded the same way. So today I needed to leave for just a bit. I put his crate right next to the front door so that peeing on the carpet wouldn't be a temptation. When I came home I let him out & opened the front door. He went out, looked around...& then sprinted up the stairs, down the hall into my room & proceeded to go again! I gave him quite a spanking, ignored him, & then let him make up with me later.

I'm at a loss as to how to work with this pup. I've tried lots of positive reinforcement, but he's incredibly unpredictable. I know he's smart as it took him a very very short amount of time to learn how to sit, stay in the backseat of the car, not bite, etc. It seems pretty clear that he's pissed at me for leaving him alone for any amount of time, & he lets me know it, regardless of how excited I act when he goes outside & how upset I act when he goes inside. Any ideas?


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## zeronightfarm (Jun 15, 2011)

teedoab said:


> I yelled "No!", grabbed him, flipped him on his back, gave him a swat, let him up & he took off outside. So the next morning I made sure to shut my door. He ran past it, all the way down the stairs...& started peeing on the rug next to the door. I responded the same way. So today I needed to leave for just a bit. I put his crate right next to the front door so that peeing on the carpet wouldn't be a temptation. When I came home I let him out & opened the front door. He went out, looked around...& then sprinted up the stairs, down the hall into my room & proceeded to go again! I gave him quite a spanking, ignored him, & then let him make up with me later.
> 
> I'm at a loss as to how to work with this pup. I've tried lots of positive reinforcement, but he's incredibly unpredictable. I know he's smart as it took him a very very short amount of time to learn how to sit, stay in the backseat of the car, not bite, etc. It seems pretty clear that he's pissed at me for leaving him alone for any amount of time, & he lets me know it, regardless of how excited I act when he goes outside & how upset I act when he goes inside. Any ideas?


Positive reinforcment???? I don't call beating a dog positive? I think there is a house training sticky some where. Go read that.

Other people will beable to help you more with this than I can. But the dog had now learned when he pees in the house that you will hit him. so now he will just do it where your not looking. YOur not going to have a fun happy relation ship with your dog by flipping him over, yelling, and spanken hin


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Don't yell, roll him on his back or swat him. You're only going to make him distrust you, possibly become aggressive, learn to not pee/poop when you are around, or start submissive urination. He's not peeing out of spite. He knows you smack and yell at him, so it sounds like he has to go to the bathroom and is associating doing it near you with you yelling/hitting, so he's trying to get away and go to the bathroom. Stop hitting, yelling and rolling him over.

From now on, put him on a leash before you take him out of his crate, and take him out that way. If you catch him having an accident, simply go pick him up, (you can say Ahh, ahh, to break his concentration, but don't yell), and take him out. Clean accident w/an enzyme cleaner. Bring high value treats (like pieces of cut up cheese or hot dog) with you when you take him out, and praise him when he potties, and give him a treat.

Try leaving him in the crate with a frozen peanut butter stuffed kong.


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## B&B (Sep 6, 2011)

A 6 month old puppy is likely not being defiant, that would have to be one smart dog to have the mental makeup to do that at that age. If you've resorted to negative reinforcement already then you've lost the battle. I'm not trying to be a smart a$$ but you are clearly in over your head.


A young dog needs a LOT of positive interaction with at least one human, just like a human kid it takes a LOT to raise a good dog.


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## teedoab (Sep 5, 2011)

Sigh, thanks for the condescension towards an admittedly ignorant person honestly trying his best, zeronightfarm. I'm a rookie. And I didn't beat the dog, & I wouldn't call that positive reinforcement if I did. I'd expect a little more grace when asking for help.

The reason I flipped him over is because I'd read elsewhere (and talked to numerous dog owners who had much more experience than I) that it was good to do that to establish dominance. Am I correct that all of you are saying that is a bad idea? I'd also been told/read that yelling "No" was encouraged. I don't need to do anything that's not helpful, it's just what I'd been told.

Can anyone address the fact that he has suddenly made sure to pee in my room even though I give him ample opportunities outside? He had not done anything like this until the incidents I described. Why, after 3 weeks of sleeping in his crate, with treats, followed by a routine of going immediately outside would he change his behavior? He gets lavish praise & affection for going outside every time. Whenever he obeys ANY command, he gets loved on. I use treats, & petting, & all that stuff. Why would he run from peeing outside where he receives praise towards peeing inside & being in trouble?

Also, I must disagree about him trying to do it "away" from me. Each of these instances has been with me 2 feet away. 

Summary: dog is consistent with peeing/pooping routine until he spends a little more time in crate than usual, then is inconsistent with routine. As a sidenote, owner tries to do what he's been told, realizes it's not working & asks for help.


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## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

1) Don't alpha-roll. The technique is entirely out-dated, even if it is still pushed by certain trainers.

2) Don't swat/hit the dog. At best it riles the dog up into play-mode, at worst you end up with a fearful dog.

3) Try to avoid the word "no" because we over-use it. "No" gets said so much that the dog has no clue what it means. Teach the dog words like "Leave it," "Off", "No bark," etc. instead of just using "No" which is supposed to mean all of those things and then some. You can kinda see how a dog might be confused when you look at it like that.

You've only had the dog for 3 weeks. I know you really want this dog to transition well 100%, but it's going to take time to settle in to a new routine. Just be consistent, be _positive_, and keep at it. If the dog has an accident, quietly clean it up. Obviously you don't want to praise the dog but you don't want to scare the dog either. Just clean it up and place the dog in the place you _want _him to be instead. You can use lots of facial expressions that express disappointment -- dogs do notice. Smiling is not a good way to convey disappointment for example. But swatting / alpha rolling just ends you up with a fearful animal that will try harder to hide things from you rather than try to stick to the rules.

Remember that a dog can't follow the rules until he or she knows the rules, and this can take time. It's frustrating, but be patient <3


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## Nil (Oct 25, 2007)

Hello teedoab, 

Most likely the harsh responses were an instinctive defense to help your dog. On this forum there is an overwhelming amount of knowledge and experience in puppy raising, training theory, and care and management of dogs. Sometimes this information is so clear to us that we forget that others may not be on the "same level". I am not trying to put you down, just try and explain some of the responses you have got. By no means do I speak for anyone but myself either. 

Puppies are infants. You do not correct an infant baby with physical corrections for crawling, pooping in its diaper, crying, or otherwise being an infant. This rule is generally applied to puppies as well. Puppies, just as infant babies, are not capable of spite due to the complex nature of it. Adult dogs do not understand spite either. Spite and defiance are traits that dogs are not capable of (though they sure make it seem like they can sometimes). Dogs are opportunistic and do what gets them what they like (attention, food, etc.)

1. You're number one goal while your dog is a puppy is to establish a very strong emotional bond to that dog. By using physical corrections (alpha rolling, pinning, shaking by the scruff, etc.) only teaches the dog that you bring pain/make him afraid. He can not rationalize why. All he knows is that when you are near him he may get corrected and feel pain or feel afraid. You really need to stop with physical aversives and build a bond of trust. While all this sounds kind of "hippy", I assure you, training a dog that loves you because you are kind and fair is a lot easier than trying to train a dog that fears you completely. 

2. You need to clean all accidents with an enzyme cleaner to get the smell off of what he peed on or else he will be tempted to go again in that same spot. 

3. When you take him outside, put him on a leash. If he is on a leash he can't run into your room. 

4. When you want him out of his crate during the day then have a leash on him and attach the leash to your belt buckle or hip. This way, you are forced to watch him every minute of every day. If you notice him sniffing, circling, getting ready to poop, quickly shuffle him outside. 

5. The reason you saw some progress and then regression is both somewhat of a mystery and also a great foreshadow to trainers. If a dog is responding to something very well, then all of a sudden regresses for no reason, you know he is on the brink of mastering it to some degree. No one really understands why this is, but what you need to do is go back to housebreaking 101. He goes out, on a leash, every hour on the hour. He will begin to get back into the rhythm and he may regress 1 or 2 more times but him regressing means that you are on the right track (as odd as that sounds).


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## zeronightfarm (Jun 15, 2011)

Nil said:


> Most likely the harsh responses were an instinctive defense to help your dog. On this forum there is an overwhelming amount of knowledge and experience in puppy raising, training theory, and care and management of dogs. Sometimes this information is so clear to us that we forget that others may not be on the "same level". I am not trying to put you down, just try and explain some of the responses you have got. By no means do I speak for anyone but myself either.


Not only that but there is a thread like this at least once a week. 

Sorry my post wasnt saposed to come off as rude. I didn't feel like writing a novel so I just posted fast and rather blunt. I'm not exactly haveing a good night. sorry if it seems like I took it out on you.


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## teedoab (Sep 5, 2011)

Thanks for the tips Sendiulino, I appreciate it. I've been trying to use different words for different things. I think I only use "no" when he's doing this. 

A few questions:

1) Am I ever supposed to discipline the dog? If so, how? What does positive discipline look like in specific situations?

2) Any ideas on how to get the dog into the crate? Like I said, he HATES it when I'm not in the same room as him. As soon as I say "kennel", he slinks around & tries to run away. When I have a treat he refuses it. It's only in the last few days he's gone in on his own (after running away numerous times). How do you positively coax a treat-refusing dog into his crate? (he'll go in & out of it during the day, but won't ever lay down in it). I'm pretty sure he was crated by the people that had him before me, but I don't know how they went about it.

3) Any thoughts on why he's suddenly peeing in my room?

Thanks for your help!


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## teedoab (Sep 5, 2011)

Nil, just saw your reply. Thank you taking the time to post a kind, detailed response. I'm encouraged by it! 

Zeronightfarm, I'm sorry to hear you aren't having a good night. I hope it improves! I apologize as well for being defensive.


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## Nil (Oct 25, 2007)

teedoab said:


> 1) Am I ever supposed to discipline the dog? If so, how? What does positive discipline look like in specific situations?


This depends on the way you want to raise and train your dog. Positive reinforcement basically goes like this: You reinforce things the dog does that you like, you ignore the things the dog does that you don't like. However, if the dog is doing something potentially dangerous, you can intervene with an aversive/correction (in some cases). For a puppy, corrections are not given. If the puppy is doing something dangerous or something you do not like, you redirect them. For example, if the puppy is chewing a shoe you get a toy and redirect the puppy to play with the toy. When the puppy is playing with the toy, you take the shoe and put it out of reach. 




> 2) Any ideas on how to get the dog into the crate? Like I said, he HATES it when I'm not in the same room as him. As soon as I say "kennel", he slinks around & tries to run away. When I have a treat he refuses it. It's only in the last few days he's gone in on his own (after running away numerous times). How do you positively coax a treat-refusing dog into his crate? (he'll go in & out of it during the day, but won't ever lay down in it). I'm pretty sure he was crated by the people that had him before me, but I don't know how they went about it.


You want to show the puppy the crate is a good thing. Feed all meals inside the crate with the door open. 3-5x a day, throw a delicious treat inside and walk away. Start training him to go inside on command and giving him a treat and them immediately letting him out. Have you tried a Kong filled with yummy things? Trying buying a small-medium Kong and filling it with peanut butter. Freeze it. Give it to him only when he is in the crate. Soon he will love going in to get his Kong and eat it. 



> 3) Any thoughts on why he's suddenly peeing in my room?


Your room smells like you thus he likes to be in there. When a puppy has to go, he has to go. Puppies don't understand "I have to go pee!". They understand "Oh, I'm peeing!". They can't sense it, much like how human babies can't sense it. As he grows and matures he will begin to understand the signs and know "Oh I have to pee soon." So I think it is partly because he likes your room because your room smells like you and "Oh, I'm peeing!".


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## zeronightfarm (Jun 15, 2011)

1) Am I ever supposed to discipline the dog? If so, how? What does positive discipline look like in specific situations?

I wouldn't really call it Discipline, more or rediction. If your pup is doing some thing undesireable, redirect him to some thing you want him to be doing. Lets say he is eating your couch, say ah ah, then give him some thing he is alowed to chew on.

2) Any ideas on how to get the dog into the crate? Like I said, he HATES it when I'm not in the same room as him. As soon as I say "kennel", he slinks around & tries to run away. When I have a treat he refuses it. It's only in the last few days he's gone in on his own (after running away numerous times). How do you positively coax a treat-refusing dog into his crate? (he'll go in & out of it during the day, but won't ever lay down in it). I'm pretty sure he was crated by the people that had him before me, but I don't know how they went about it.

are you makeing him stay even though he is whinning or does he stay in the crate and whine till the cows come home? I would give him a toy or some thing fun to do while in the crate, then right when he is done with his toy take him out before he gets upset. As for running and hiding, I wouldnt tell him to get in his kennel. I would play with him for a while to tire him out, then pick him up and as I'm puting him the the kennel (with his toy/treat) thats when I would tell him kennel.

3) Any thoughts on why he's suddenly peeing in my room?
is your room carpet? you said he ran to the rug so I assume your house isn't carpeted. I know that before my dog was house trained he would pee on the carpet insted of the tile. as to why I have no clue


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Google "crate games". It will help you get the dog to actually like his crate. Peanut butter stuffed kongs (frozen) will occupy him in the crate. Or a raw meaty bone (although I'd give him those when you can supervise.)

Discipline is actually the absence of attention/praise. If you look at it as whether the dog truly knows and understands something vs they don't, you'll realize that negatively disciplining them when they don't know what to do under all circumstances just isn't fair or effective. Dogs don't generalize. So, for example, you could teach him "sit", in the living rm, but he might not associate sit with doing it in the back yard. Disciplining him when he doesn't truly understand, is not fair to the dog and just confuses him and will make him not trust you.

Make sure you are giving him a verbal cue to potty. Like tell him "Go potty", or "find a good spot", or something like that every time you take him out to go. And reward and treat with a high value treat. Not the same treats he gets just "because".

He's probably peeing in your rm, either to get away from you, and that is the closest place if he really needs to go, it's darker, or he went there once before and smells it. Leash him before removing from crate.


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## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

It's better to reward the positive and try to almost ignore the negative in a calm manner. The dog will naturally go toward what he or she is praised for.. but this isn't to say a sharp scold isn't necessary at times. Our pup will rip a pant leg off of you unless you tell her "Leave it!" in a *very *strong voice with a bit of a nasty look. It's definitely a scold and sometimes it's necessary. She stops and does not go back to her behavior.

Crate: Food  Couple food with a command, like "Bed" or "Crate". If that doesn't work alone, google "crate games" for help with this one.

Peeing: The peeing in the room could be a lot of things.. if my pup were peeing somewhere I didn't want her to pee, I think what I would do is I would confine her to an area where I can watch her 100% of the time and work from there. This is the best way to go about things. At this point, more space will be "earned" by the puppy for good behavior / pee'ing in the right place. Another option is to tether the dog to you with a leash. Where ever you go? The pup goes. This way you can watch him like a hawk  Make sure not to create a situation where the dog sees the crate as a punishment for wrong-doing.. the crate should be an awesome place for the pup, you may have to work up to this obviously since the pup doesn't like the crate. I'm not the person to advise you on the crate because frankly I don't crate train (and I do just fine without it).

If the pup is running and pee'ing in places it shouldn't, I'd recommend confining it to a room with you with baby-gates and watching it like a hawk, then taking him out regularly and praising with treats and praise when he goes in the right spot. If you don't have baby-gates, I'd recommend the tether/umbilical cord option. Also make sure you clean any areas he soils in the house with a product designed to break down the enzymed in dog urine.. regular cleaner won't do it and the dog will re-soil the same areas.

I suggest taking up mats as well if at all possible because dogs love to target them for some odd reason... and finally if you don't mind the idea of the dog going in the house in a controlled manner, you could try to introduce a puppy-pad as a condoned place for the pup to pee inside. Most people around here will yell "no no no puppy pads" but we use them during the day for our pup since we work and really I don't mind them much at all, our pup is trained to do both inside and outside potty at 5 months old with only the occasional confusion


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## zeronightfarm (Jun 15, 2011)

Nil said:


> This depends on the way you want to raise and train your dog. Positive reinforcement basically goes like this: You reinforce things the dog does that you like, you ignore the things the dog does that you don't like. However, if the dog is doing something potentially dangerous, you can intervene with an aversive/correction (in some cases). For a puppy, corrections are not given. If the puppy is doing something dangerous or something you do not like, you redirect them. For example, if the puppy is chewing a shoe you get a toy and redirect the puppy to play with the toy. When the puppy is playing with the toy, you take the shoe and put it out of reach.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


UGG how rude of you makeing your post all fancy by using multiple quotes. rude! you made mine look bad!  tee hee.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

If your dog is a Dachshund/terrier that is what I'd call a butthole mix.  I have a Dachshund and they aren't easy. 

First, don't worry about disciplining him in this situation. Discipline here comes from a place of anger. Does it make me mad when my pup would pee on the floor? Yes. What can I do about it? Nothing but interrupt him and immediately go outside. The pee will wipe up, the potential damage from spanking a dog will be a lot harder. How LONG is he in the crate before he gets out to go the bathroom? If he's 6 months old the general rule is an hour for every month, so he could hold it for 6 hours
depending on his size. If he isn't in terribly long without a break, I would suggest putting a lead on him before he's out of the crate and then immediately taking him outside. That way if he DOES stop to pee you can easily interrupt him and take him outside. 

Forcing him into the crate isn't a good idea either. Look up Errorless Housetraining by Dr. Ian Dunbar. It's a very simple how to house train guide incorporating crate training. He has to learn that the crate is an awesome place, not a prison. If he doesn't take treats, run the gambit of food to see if you can find something yummy he WILL take. If not, it doesn't have to be a treat. Does he respond to any other item? A ball, tug, etc? Not all dogs turn flips for food and some our toy motivated.


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## zeronightfarm (Jun 15, 2011)

ThoseWordsAtBest said:


> If your dog is a Dachshund/terrier that is what I'd call a butthole mix.  I have a Dachshund and they aren't easy.


This has to be the truest thing I've herd all day. I have a terrier and I know a lot of wenies.  the 2 together! wow I pray for you. 

naw I'm just kidding. There not that bad. I love my Jack.


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## Nil (Oct 25, 2007)

zeronightfarm said:


> UGG how rude of you makeing your post all fancy by using multiple quotes. rude! you made mine look bad!  tee hee.


Lol I just learned how to the other day! Woohoo!!

Edit: TWAB, that was a great statement! Too funny!


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## So Cavalier (Jul 23, 2010)

Do you free feed your puppy? If he has access to food all the time, then he probably won't be interested in treats. Make sure you have high value treats, cheese (different types), chicken, small bits of beef, etc for the crate. Since you have a small dog, keep the pieces super small (pea size)...you can give him more pieces if they are very small. He will think he hit the jackpot. My dogs run like crazy dogs to their crates because they know they are going to get something tasty.


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## CricketLoops (Apr 18, 2011)

teedoab said:


> 1) Am I ever supposed to discipline the dog? If so, how? What does positive discipline look like in specific situations?


I don't have anything specifically to add about your situation but I thought I'd answer this.

Here's the basic theory of corrections/aversives/"discipline" in dog training: Dog performs behavior A, Dog receives correction that dog finds unpleasant and worth avoiding AND correction is associated with behavior A, behavior A decreases. 

There are some people who choose to "force train" and basically teach a dog what acceptable behavior is by correcting everything else (usually with the help of a training collar of some sort) until the dog stumbles on the correct action and isn't corrected -- then the dog learns that that's how he needs to act to avoid being corrected. I really strongly dislike this method because it's not at all the kind of relationship I want with my dog, where I am associated with causing pain and the dog is choosing to obey because he wants to avoid pain. 

Then there are some people who choose not to use corrections or physical punishment and instead employ the theory of "positive reinforcement" in their training, which basically operates like this: Dog performs behavior A, behavior A is rewarded (by affection, treats, toys, play, access to outdoors, the chance to look at a squirrel, etc), the frequency of behavior A increases. 

This is the method I use, because I don't just want a dog to do what I ask, I want a dog to LOVE doing what I ask and to choose to do what I ask because the dog has learned again and again that I am the most reinforcing thing in its environment because of my ability to control absolutely everything the dog finds rewarding. 

The other group of trainers that I see the most are those who start out teaching the dog how to do things with positive reinforcement but, once the dog demonstrates sufficient understanding of the task, begin to apply corrections when the dog stops doing what is asked or doesn't do it well enough in order to create consistency. In her book, Excel-Erated Learning (an explanation of how dogs learn), Dr. Pamela Reid summarizes an effective punishment:



> Punishment can be an extremely effective method of teaching but only if certain conditions are met. Meeting these conditions is often impossible or is so challenging that it is easier to take a different approach. First and foremost, punishment must not be used as retribution. Punishment is a learning tool, not a means for revenge. That’s why Ted Turner’s classification of death as punishment is incorrect: dead things don’t learn. Punishment must be initially severe, must fit the crime, must be consistent, immediate, and not reliably associated with inconvenient [predictors], such as a particular person.
> 
> Ideally, an appropriate alternative behavior is available. My all-time favorite example of the perfect punishment comes from Karen Pryor, in her book Don’t Shoot the Dog!. She imagines what the world would be like if every time someone parked a car illegally, the car exploded. I suspect no one would ever park illegally! This punishment completely fits the bill: it is intense, it is immediate, it happens every time, it happens remotely, and it fits the crime because your car no longer exists. Contrast this with the way things usually happen: I receive a ticket that doesn’t have to be paid for a week or two, the fine is not heavy ($20 in Toronto), more often than not, I get away with it (I would guess I am on a FR-20 to FR-30 schedule of punishment), and if I watch for the parking enforcement officer coming down the street, I move my car and avoid a ticket. It’s not a totally stupid system, though - towing is an effective punisher - I have never parked in a tow-away zone since the first and only time I came back to find my car gone :-(!


If you feel as though corrections are something you want with your dog, I would urge you to pick up a copy of the book (I think you can get it for 5 dollars on Amazon), as if you try to use corrections without knowing how to use them properly, you can really damage your dog. 

Many people argue that corrections are needed for this "proofing" stage of teaching a dog that Sit, for example, always means Sit. I disagree, and one of my favorite dog trainers, Susan Garrett, explains it better than I do. 

It's up to you to spend time finding all the resources out there and finding out what you, personally, believe best teaches a dog how to be a good human companion and creates the kind of relationship you want with your dog.


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

Most puppies don't automatically understand where they should pee and where they shouldn't. If it is an area they aren't in a lot, they assume it is okay. Manage him better (leash or tether, or with a small dog, just scoop him up and get him outside) so he doesn't have the opportunity to do this. Hitting him and yelling at him will only make him afraid to pee while you are watching outside and make him careful that you don't catch him doing it inside. It may also make him afraid of you. There is nothing defiant about his behavior. It is typical puppy behavior and you need to look at it that way instead of taking it as a challenge to you. Anger is never a good trainer.


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

teedoab said:


> Thanks for the tips Sendiulino, I appreciate it. I've been trying to use different words for different things. I think I only use "no" when he's doing this.
> 
> A few questions:
> 
> ...


"Disciplining" a dog tells him one thing he shouldn't do, but that leaves a world of other options. I find it far more useful to show the dog what I want him to do, and reward that behavior. It also makes me a kinder and more empathetic person if I'm looking for the good stuff a dog does instead of the "bad". So, no, I try very hard not to shout, and I don't hit or pin a dog.

For the crate training, you have to realize that going in a crate is not "worth it" to your dog right now. He may have been over-crated in the previous home, and he's learned that if he obeys and goes in his crate, he's going to be trapped in there, and you're going to leave. So, actually he is being punished for doing what you ask. Going in crate = solitary confinement.
Is there a safe area that he can be in? A bathroom, a laundry room, an area where you can set up an xpen with an OPEN crate?. If so, I'd work on the crate without shutting him up in it for a while. Feed him in it, put something wonderful in it and close the door with him on the outside wishing he could get to it. Start shaping the behavior of going into a crate (click and treat for looking at the crate, for approaching it, for putting one foot in, etc.) until he is going all the way in. Then put a word on it. Feed him several treats for going in. Then ask him to come out and don't feed that behavior. Ask him to go in again and feed while he's in there with the door open. Get him to the point of being okay with having the door briefly shut before he comes out. Do NOT go off and leave him crated until he's loving the crate or you will have to start back at square one. 

As to why he's peeing in your room? Because you let him. Manage him so that he can't, and use a good enzymatic cleaner. Dogs' noses are much better than ours and he can smell one molecule of urine. And dogs like to go where their nose tells them to go.

You might look for a good positive-based (clicker training) basic class to get you off to a good start, and help you understand dogs a bit better.


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

It seems pretty likely that the pup has developed a preference for peeing on carpet. That's probably why you have him and the original owners don't. He should be on a leash before he comes out of the crate so he can't detour to other areas on his way outdoors. Keep a line on him any time he is out of his crate.

Housebreaking a 6 month old pup can be a bother. It's about impossible if he can be out of your line of sight long enough to relieve himself in the house.

It's not defiance; he thinks he's doing the right thing because that's what he learned before you got him.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Here is some reading for you regarding "dominance:"

http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/dominance statement.pdf
http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/misconceptions-mythical-alpha-dog
http://www.davemech.org/news.html

I like what behaviorist and trainer Ian Dunbar (one of the greats in the dog training world) has to say on the subject (this is quoted from that second link I posted): 



> From an assortment of books, I have discovered the following cautionary “advice” for owners. Never let a dog stare or jump-up, never stand, crouch or kneel down in front of a dog, never look a dog in the eyes, or reach over his head, never loom over a dog and reach down around his neck, never get down on the floor or allow a dog to stand over you, never give a dog food treats or human food, never allow a dog to eat before the family or go out of a door first, never allow a dog on furniture, upstairs, in the bedroom, or on the bed, never let a dog mount your leg, never let a puppy mouth or bite, and never play chase, tug o' war, or play-fight with a dog. Instead, novice owners are routinely advised to enforce “elevation dominance”, “dominance down-stays”, physical restraint and discipline and especially, the “alpha-rollover” — grabbing a dog by the jowls and forcing him onto his back.
> 
> All of these recommendations destroy the fun and enjoyment of living with a dog, most recommendations are just too silly for words, some are counterproductive and others are downright dangerous.
> 
> The above behaviors and actions were misconstrued as the dog's intention of dominating people even though these behaviors and situations have absolutely nothing at all to do with social rank or aggression during dog-human interactions. Basically, if an owner is OK with the dog’s behavior, then there is no problem, whereas if the owner is worried about the dog’s behavior and can neither prevent nor control it, then there is a problem.


So don't worry about that. Your dog is not peeing out of spite, and you do not have to "show him who's boss" to get him to stop. People have given you good advice about what positive reinforcement actually means (it never involves physically disciplining your dog). Here is a lot more, very in-depth, reading for you!

http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonl...Statements/Combined_Punishment_Statements.pdf

Make sure you clean up his accidents with an enzymatic cleaner to get rid of the smell (dogs can smell urine long after you stop being able to if you just use normal cleaners). If your dog can still smell urine, he will want to keep peeing in that spot.


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

When taking my small pups out to potty I picked them up immediately after taking them out of their crate........this way they did not have a chance to "Make a Mistake" ...........took them straight outside and said "Potty". Praised them to the high heavens when they went......and it did not take long. Good luck. I only use positive reinforcement. Like choosing friends.....who would you like to be around....someone who treats you good or mean? Same thing!    To me it is just that simple.


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## teedoab (Sep 5, 2011)

Thank you everyone for replying! I greatly appreciate all of the responses & the advice given. Here's to doing my best with it.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Good luck! I find the 6 month to about a year stage the most infuriating. My mutt was a horrible beast between those times. Now she is the chillest adult I know.


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