# 8 Month Old won't poop/pee outside



## rcemech (Jun 4, 2008)

Hi this is my first post. I have been reading a lot of posts and searching this forum and google for answers. 

I rescued Jules from a kill shelter on Saturday 5/31. She is timid and shy, but loves to cuddle. I am working on building her confidence. I know she needs some more time to settle in. When we got home on Sunday she ate her dinner and I took her out about 20 minutes later like your supposed to and she would not go potty. The next morning I took her out and still she would not go, same thing after she ate dinner. Tues morning I walked her for an hour and she would not go either. Finally after I left for work my roommate called and she pooped and peed in the house. Again last night after she ate dinner she still will not go potty outside. 

This morning i got ready for work and she ate breakfast and still would not go durring our walk. So, I pretended to go to work and snuck around back and watched her inside. She became restless and howled and barked for me to come back which is typical separation anxiety, but then she went potty in the same spot in the house. I have spent at least 9 hours in the last 3 days trying to get her to go outside, and I have been consistent with the walk and the spot I take her to. 

What should I try next? I have placed some of her poop outside in the back in hopes that she recognizes it and wants to go there from now on. Is this a good tactic? Am I hoping for too much too soon? Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Rich


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## rcemech (Jun 4, 2008)

I'm still having problems. I just finished walking her for 30 mins and still no potty same as last night. She sniffs the heck out of the area, and looks like shes about ready to go and she gives up and comes next to me and just stands there. If I sit down and wait for her she just runs up and snuggles. I hope she goes in the morning, but not in the house! 

I have started her anxiety training. She did better when I left for dinner. I gave her a paper towel roll that i smeared peanut butter in and she tore that up while I was gone.

Please if anyone has some advice on how to get her to go outside I would be very appreciative. 

-Rich


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## rcemech (Jun 4, 2008)

She did it again. I left, she barked and howled and peed in the spot again. I had her eat breakfast first thing so she would have to go on our walk but she held it again. This is really frustrating. I have never known a dog to refuse to go potty outside. 

Again, any advise is welcome. 

Thanks,
Rich


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## Mac'N'Roe (Feb 15, 2008)

Well, first of all...you should enroll her in obedience classes. This won't teach potty training, but it will strengthen your bond and help you to communicate with her. You have to WAIT outside until she goes. If you wait 30 minutes and she doesn't go, take her in and then try again in 10 minutes. Once she goes, give her treats and praise like crazy like she just moved a mountain. 

You have to watch her constantly. If you cannot watch her constantly...she should be in the crate. (You should consider crate training her). Then, she cannot mess in the house. 

You are making it sound like she only goes potty once during the day. This can't be the case. 

Get a enzyme cleaner that will eliminate the odors from where she's going. Once they go inside the home, they will continue to potty there unless the stain/odor is removed. You'll have to be diligent about this. do not correct her unless you catch her in the act. When you catch her in the act...give her a negative marker (eh-eh or no...eh-eh works better) and swoop her outside. This will teach her your expectations. Consistency is key. Take her out at the same times everyday on a schedule. This will take time, especially a shelter dog that may not have any previous training. 

Obedience training will help.


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## gingersmom (Jun 2, 2008)

*I agree about the crate*

If you confine her to a spot just small enough for her to sleep, she will not want to mess her bed. If you don't have a crate yet, try a very small bathroom (usually at least easy to clean.)

Is she messing in the house on a smooth floor, or on carpet? If she was in the shelter a long time, she may be accustomed to doing her business on concrete rather than dirt or grass. 

Placing her poop outside seems a good idea to me. Definitely get enzymes to clean inside. You can also try feeding her where she pooped, to disassociate it from going potty in her mind.

Just don't scold her or rub her nose in a mess -- that can make her clamp up and encourage her to go again in the same spot, when no one is around to watch.

I wonder if she wants privacy to "go". Normally I would not recommend staking a dog outside, but if there's a way to do this and you can supervise her from out of sight, you might try brief stints twice a day.

My dog will only poop while on the leash with me -- my husband and daughter are still a little too fun and exciting to play with outside, while she will calm down for me after a few minutes of walking around.


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## rcemech (Jun 4, 2008)

She was a stray for an unknown time up until last monday when she was taken to the shelter. The dogs only have a week at the shelter before they are put down. It was a concrete shelter, formerly a chicken coop. She is not afraid to roam for a few minutes outside and she will even jump in the pond for a swim. I don't walk her on the leash (I carry it in case I need to put her on it) because she just walks calmy behind me anyways, and I let her sniff wherever she wants. I am trying to get her to lead the walk to build confidence in her.

Its funny because she gets that look like she is about to go (stiff back legs, nose to the ground) and then she will stop, look over at me, and trot up to me and sit down. I try not paying attention by turning away, and i have tried sitting and waiting, but she does the same thing she comes to snuggle up to me rather than go potty.

She is very well behaved other than housebreaking. She has learned her name, sit, and come in three days. She doesnt jump up or chew things either.

She didn't have this problem at my girlfriends house with the other dogs, she went out with them and went potty in the yard just fine.

I wouldnt just stake her up outside and not pay attention to her, I would watch carefully until she went potty and would be prepared with a treat when she did.

Its pretty frustrating.

Thanks,
Rich


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## Mac'N'Roe (Feb 15, 2008)

Make sure you aren't petting or talking to her while you are waiting for her to potty. She may be getting mixed signals if you are allowing her to snuggle/or talking with her. 

When I took my GABI home from the shelter lsat week, I just kept saying go potty...over and over again until she did. When she peed, I praised like crazy. She often will come to me and sit and look up at me for attention as well. I don't give it to her. I continue to say go potty until she gets the picture. She will potty on command now..most of the time. 

My situation is different though, she was in a home before (she's 6 months) and wasn't on the streets that whole time. So, she MAY have already heard this. She's had a couple of accidents in the den though, so she isn't housetrained. She has only had an accident downstairs...so I make sure that when we are downstairs I have a constant eye on her. I take them out frequently (on a schedule) and they have become accustomed to the routine. 

Good luck!


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## PeppersPop (Apr 13, 2008)

You need to get a crate. It should be large enough for her to sit, turn around, and lay down... bigger is not better. Put a blanket or towel (something washable) on the floor of the crate.

The dog needs to be in the crate unless you are able to directly supervise her. If she's out of the crate and starts to go to the bathroom or starts shows pre-potty behavior, get her attention (clap your hands, say her name, whatever it takes) and take her outside. 

Take her out first thing in the morning, after meals, and periodically through the day. You might want to write down when she goes (in the house and out) to see if there is a pattern.

Whenever its time to go to the bathroom, take her out of the crate and immediately outside. Give her the opportunity to go. If she doesn't go, bring her inside and put her back in the crate. Give her 10 or 15 minutes then take her out again. If she doesn't go, put her back into the crate. Rinse and Repeat.

Dogs don't like to go to the bathroom where they eat/sleep/live. A properly sized crate will make it so she can't go to the bathroom at one end and hang out at the other. Sitting on a cold, wet blanket will help motivate her to hold it.

You have to wait her out. Eventually she will go. Don't let her out of the crate unless you are supervising so that she doesn't have the opportunity to go in the house--it's either the crate or the backyard.

Good luck. 




rcemech said:


> Hi this is my first post. I have been reading a lot of posts and searching this forum and google for answers.
> 
> I rescued Jules from a kill shelter on Saturday 5/31. She is timid and shy, but loves to cuddle. I am working on building her confidence. I know she needs some more time to settle in. When we got home on Sunday she ate her dinner and I took her out about 20 minutes later like your supposed to and she would not go potty. The next morning I took her out and still she would not go, same thing after she ate dinner. Tues morning I walked her for an hour and she would not go either. Finally after I left for work my roommate called and she pooped and peed in the house. Again last night after she ate dinner she still will not go potty outside.
> 
> ...


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## rcemech (Jun 4, 2008)

Some success! I walked her really hard for an hour last night , making sure she trotted and ran. She wouldn't go while on the walk, but after we got home I gave her a treat and she drank some water. After we went upstairs for bed, I ignored her a bit while on the computer and she got restless and was goofing around on the bed, so I took her downstairs and outside and told her to go potty. She finally went pee, but still no poop. Again this morning I walked her hard and did the same thing. She went pee outside this morning, but still no poop. She has eaten 2 meals and hasnt pooped since yesterday morning so Im sure it is coming soon, I'll be ready!

Thanks for the replies, I have a crate coming tonight for her and I think we are making good progress.

-Rich


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## gingersmom (Jun 2, 2008)

Wonderful!

I hope the crate makes a big difference.


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## doggymommy (Jun 5, 2008)

The crate is going to change every thing! My opinion is that all pups and "new to the home" dogs, need a crate, not only for potty training , but for chewing and safety issues as well.

Dogs are "den" animals and are quite comfortable in their "den" I leave my crates open when I am home and even my young adult dogs will go in their crate just to be by themselves sometimes.

Good luck, so far the progress you are making sounds good, and like I said, the crate will really make a difference!


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## MolliesMom (Jun 8, 2008)

I'm having a similar problem. I got Mollie, a two year old Dachshund, just a few days ago. I've taken her on long walks several times a day and she has only gone outside twice. The times she's gone in the house are always the two seconds I wasn't looking. I bought a crate for crate training but all she does is whine and whine and whine and the first time I put her in it, she peed in the crate. I'm a nurse and am gone for 8 hour shifts at a time.


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## rcemech (Jun 4, 2008)

The puppy is doing well now, she has not had an accident since Thursday. She knows to "Go Potty" outside in the backyard, and she has taken well to her crate. She whines a little, but settles down pretty quick and works on a chew toy.

MolliesMom: If the crate is too big then they will pee or poop in it. My dog is pretty regular now and I take her out to go pee a few times a day, but she poops at least twice, once after breakfast and once after dinner. You have to figure out what motivates your dog the most and use that as your learning tool. Jules' motivation is physical affection so I pet her a lot and tell her that she is a good dog every time she goes pee or poop outside. 

I am very grateful for all the advice here. Thanks you all!

-Rich


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## Mac'N'Roe (Feb 15, 2008)

That's awesome! sounds like she's settling in.


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## MolliesMom (Jun 8, 2008)

rcemech said:


> MolliesMom: If the crate is too big then they will pee or poop in it. My dog is pretty regular now and I take her out to go pee a few times a day, but she poops at least twice, once after breakfast and once after dinner. You have to figure out what motivates your dog the most and use that as your learning tool. Jules' motivation is physical affection so I pet her a lot and tell her that she is a good dog every time she goes pee or poop outside.


Her crate is not big at all - just big enough for her to turn around in, etc. Yesterday while I was at work I put her food in the crate to really establish "This is where your food is. Don't pee here." and she pooed and peed everywhere and the food and water were all knocked over. This morning when we woke up I immediately took her outside for about 15 minutes. Nothing. Then we came inside and I went to go brush my teeth and my roommate yells "Oh! She's peeing!" I did the "eh, eh" and she stopped and I took her outside again but all she did is sniff around and then lay in the sun. I cleaned up the crate and put her breakfast in it but she refuses to go in it.


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