I'm doing something wrong and I've yet to figure out. Romeo (3 months) has a few issues... I say that in a general sense knowing I am to blame. But how?
I take him out litterly every 20 minutes to go potty - we spend a majority of our days outside anyways because of our kids and he's always outside with us. However - He STILL will come right in the house (after I've waited at least 10 minutes after brining the kids in for him to do his thing) and pee on the floor. None the less directly in front of me with NO shame at all. My husband is just about over his head with it. What am I doing wrong? I take him out ALOT - we got for at least 4 good long walks a day.. we play outside.. we're always outside. I take his water away at 6pm every night.. he goes out before going to bed. However - bed time is usually 10-11pm.. we take him out and EVERY Morning we're up at 6am. He has already peed in his crate without telling us he needs to go outside.

He just pees all the time.. everywhere. I thought dogs didn't pee where they sleep? This crate is big enough for him to sit up and turn around. So when he pees.. he lays
right in it. Any ideas?

On another note I always praise him immensely when he goes outside so he knows I am thrilled. I'm just not sure what I'm doing wrong, because he just isn't getting the idea that he needs to let me know... I thought he was.. in fact he went a week with NO accidents.. no I'm right back at square one. He just goes whenever he feels like it.. even after taking him outside and I wait, wait, wait - and he DOES go outside. But he'll come right in the house and 2 minutes later go in the house. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

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.....I take him out litterly every 20 minutes to go potty - we spend a majority of our days outside anyways because of our kids and he's always outside with us. However - He STILL will come right in the house (after I've waited at least 10 minutes after brining the kids in for him to do his thing) and pee on the floor......directly in front of me with NO shame at all. My husband is just about over his head with it. What am I doing wrong? I take him out ALOT - we got for at least 4 good long walks a day.. we play outside.. we're always outside. I take his water away at 6pm every night.. he goes out before going to bed. However - bed time is usually 10-11pm.. we take him out and EVERY Morning we're up at 6am. He has already peed in his crate without telling us he needs to go outside. ......He just pees all the time.. everywhere. I thought dogs didn't pee where they sleep? This crate is big enough for him to sit up and turn around. So when he pees.. he lays
right in it. Any ideas?......

This is classic urinary tract infection behavior. I would call the vet first thing Monday morning and ask if s/he wants you to get a sample to take with you when you bring the dog in.

If s/he wants a "clean catch," here's a simple way to get one:
http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/showf...rue#Post4174907 It's even easier with a male; the container can be less shallow.

He would have no "shame" because he would be unable to control this. (He would have no shame in any case; even if he did not have a UTI, and was, say urinating submissively, it would be a training issue and *not* something the dog was doing deliberately.)

A UTI can be both pretty miserable for the dog and also very responsive to treatment -- good reasons for calling the vet right away. Good luck! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

First, I would take him to the vet to rule out stones or a urinary tract infection (especially prone to them in hot weather). If he doesn't have a UTI or stones, then your problem is definately behavioral. It doesn't sound like submissive urination to me, if he is peeing in the crate when no one is around. But if he pees when you talk or look at him, then the following will not really apply.
Then you have to go back to housebreaking 101 (if it is not a UTI, stones, or submissive peeing).
1. Feed and water at regular times.
2. Keep him in the crate at all times when he is in the house and you cannot watch him directly,.
3. 20 minutes (or 10 for a younger pup) after drinking, take him outside to a designated spot (it should be the same spot every time) and repeat a go potty command over and over until he goes, continue until he goes. He should be on a leash. Praise when he goes with what ever praise phrase and markers you are using.
4. Take him back in side and put him back in his crate (if you cannot watch him, OR if he doesn't go).
5. NEVER let him out of the crate unless you can watch his every move. I would even go so far as to keep his leash on him at all times in the house so he can't run away from you.
6. IF he goes on the floor, you should say a loud stern NO or HEY (if should startle him) and follow with a strong scruff shake while you are saying NO NO NO NO and taking him right outside back to the place where he can finish while you are saying the go potty command. If you lift him up during the scruff shake, he will stop urinating so you can take him right outside. The key here is actually catching him in the act and giving a well timed correction. The second key is to praise him when he goes in the right place - over the top praise. You should also be incorporating this kind of praise during his regular training, so he understands what the praise means (a small treat, scratches, a ball, a toy...).
7. Use an enzyme based cleaner to clean the areas where he goes, and feed him only in his crate if he is going in the crate (most dogs will NOT urinate/deficate where they eat.
Basically, you have to make it very uncomfortable for him to be going in the house and very great when he goes on his spot.
Use the crate. He should not be allowed out of the crate unattended long enough to finish urinating on the floor. If he does, you are not doing it right because you can't correct him after the fact. Take him out much more frequently and so you set him up for success. He is just a baby and needs to go out very frequently in this kind of heat.
Consistency, timing and motivation are the keys to successful housebreaking.
Be consistent in your praise AND corrections for going in the house.
Time the corrections and praise to follow with in SECONDS of the urination/defication
Use the right levels of praise/corrections to either get or stop the behavior.
Good luck.
Michelle

As always thank you for the wonderful input. I Will for sure the call the vet to rule out any health problems. I'm so ashamed I didn't even think of that to begin with. In all honesty I was on the level of thinking - it's a puppy thing and I am to blame for not being consistant or not correcting him the way I should.
My biggest fear is - I do not want this dog to see me as a bad person - I know that sounds SO silly. But, as a child - my father was the one who did all corrections on bad behavior for our GSD. I used to cry because it was violent. My childhood GSD used to COWER when he walked into the room. =0( Therefore I have always been soft when it comes to animals. But I REALLY want to do the right thing with Romeo.. for the success of having a well mannered dog as well as for the basic functionailty of my family. There's nothing worse than an out of control wacky dog. LoL. THanks again everyone. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

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..... I'm so ashamed I didn't even think of that to begin with...... my father was the one who did all corrections on bad behavior for our GSD. I used to cry because it was violent. My childhood GSD used to COWER when he walked into the room......

We live and learn. That's why you posted. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

The violent corrections -- you learned from that, too. You learned what you did not want to perpetuate.

It helps to remind ourselves, I think, that the dog needs pack structure and order....... and that appropriate (non-violent) discipline is part of that. I think what you want is the dog's affection *and* respect as a pack leader, and you can absolutely have both.

JMO! Good luck with the UTI tests.

I agree with all of the posts on what to look for and how to control this behavior, but on another note...

A lot of times we try to humanize our dogs. They aren't humans and can't rationalize behavior (oh she had a bad experience with a pet so she's going to be really nice to be, I had better be good)...They CAN however, determine your emotional state.

Just remember that you aren't being mean by giving the dog boundaries and corrections as long as you are making it clear to the dog in the dogs eyes. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> And of course as long as you are being fair (just like with kids, the punishment should fit the crime).

Good luck!! The puppy stage is always the hardest to get through. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hey Amanda,

the article Ed has on here about Housebreaking a puppy is a great place to start.
http://www.leerburg.com/housebrk.htm

It even explains why you're having some issues with his housebreaking.

good luck! Don't worry, he'll get it eventually!

Don't know if this applies but in my younger days (a long time ago) I had a puppy that was difficult to housetrain. I didn't make any progress with the housetraing until I gave the pup more water. Yep, more water. A mistake I made was because the pup would pee in the house I tried to limit the water to make the situation more predicable. What it did was make the pup's urine very concentrated and strong which seemed to make it harder for him to hold. I came to this conclusion while cleaning up a mess in the house and noticed how strong the smell was so I changed tactics and made the water more accessable. That was 20 years ago and ever since my dogs have unlimited access to water. The pup has had all the water he wants since we brought him home at 12 wks old and has had a total of 2 accidents in the house. Both were my fault for not noticing the signals.

Anyway, like I said, I don't know if this applies at all, probably not, but I know how difficult it can be when housetraining doesn't go well. Good luck.

I love this board. I'm not even close to being qualified to comment or give advice, but from what I've learned so far is it's all about balance. Strong corrections are sometimes necessary (the minimum level needed is something that needs to be closely observed) and so is praise & postive re-enforcement. The dog has to respect you...a lot of people confuse love & respect...if you can get both you're doing your job right. A dog can love you and see you as a subordinate. It can also "respect" you and be scared shitless of you. Guys like Ed have figured it out...and it seems to not be much more than common sense.

Once you rule out health reasons, you shouldnt be afraid to strongly correct your pup (but no more force than is necessary to change the behavior).

I understand where your coming from w/ your situation w/ your father, but coddling to the dog could lead to aggressive & dominant behaviors later. He needs the comfort and protection of you being in control...and with that comes discipline.

I could be way off, so the experienced folks on here feel free to give me a level 8 if I am.

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.....The dog has to respect you...a lot of people confuse love & respect...if you can get both you're doing your job right. A dog can love you and see you as a subordinate. It can also "respect" you and be scared shitless of you. ........Once you rule out health reasons, you shouldnt be afraid to strongly correct your pup (but no more force than is necessary to change the behavior).......I understand where your coming from w/ your situation w/ your father, but coddling to the dog could lead to aggressive & dominant behaviors later. He needs the comfort and protection of you being in control...and with that comes discipline.....

You addressed this to me, but I think you meant Amanda (whose father had dogs who cowered in fear).

Yes, I agree 110% that dogs want and need the security of knowing their place in the pack and knowing who is the leader and caretaker. I have seen many (not a few -- MANY) dogs who had assumed the pack leader role because they perceived that no one else had done so. The choice to a dog, hard-wired from the wild, is very limited: follow the pack leader or be the pack leader. That's it. There is no democracy in the dog world. Think of what stress it is for a natural follower who perceives that he must be the pack leader because no one else is doing it.

JMO.

I hope Amanda posts back with the vet results. This sounded so much like a UTI to me.........

P.S. Timing is all with corrections, I believe. If the deed isn't observed immediately, then IMO there is no correction. Not only is it useless -- it's worse than useless. It's a correction out of the blue on a dog who is doing nothing at the correction time to warrant it.