I bought a decent bark collar for Senta. She's crated for most of the day. She goes out on walks a few times a day, and gets to run in the backyard.

Monday, 6am Senta starts barking(neighbors are going to work). She has on her collar, so she barks... goes 'yip'... 5 mins go by... She barks again. This goes on until I walk in the room where her crate is. I stand there for about 5 mins, and she doesnt bark the whole time. I walk away, try to go back to bed and about every 5 mins she barks and gets zapped. Could she have short term memory loss? Or???? Ive turned up the stim and it doesnt stop her from barking. The thing that helps is to have a leash on her in her crate- but she chew's through them. She has a bone in there and a rope.

Next problem. Her crate. She 'fits' in it. Its not large, but yet she still poops/pee's in it. She's out every 5-8 hours and doesnt have constant supply of food or water. When she goes out she WILL NOT use the bathroom. I've teather her for an hour out there, and let her have free roam... both with the other dogs, and without. She comes back in, and a few hours later, sometimes 20 mins after she uses her crate instead. Then she'll sit in it. I dont understand! I'm at my witts end... Im so done with cleaning her crate 2 to 3 times a day. A gallon of bleach...

Help! For those of you who dont know, she was found walking the street. She's about 11 months old, GSD.

I'd say her memory is just fine. Maybe too to long.
See what happens without the crate if possible.
You have no idea what she is associating the crate with.

Wrong me, and I'll remember forever.
Anonymous dog

 Quote: Rebekah Schwartz

Next problem. Her crate. She 'fits' in it. Its not large, but yet she still poops/pee's in it. She's out every 5-8 hours and doesnt have constant supply of food or water. When she goes out she WILL NOT use the bathroom. I've teather her for an hour out there, and let her have free roam... both with the other dogs, and without. She comes back in, and a few hours later, sometimes 20 mins after she uses her crate instead.

She does not get it. It's not her fault; she does not get it yet.

Take her outside on a day off and stay outside until she HAS to go. When she does, mark and praise and reward like a lunatic.

Take her for a long walk. When she has to go, see above.

QUOTE: She's out every 5-8 hours END Once she gets it how wonderful life is for her with outdoor potty, I'd make sure her opportunities for outdoor potty are numerous. I'd also keep a log of her poop times and make SURE I was outside with her at those times.

I'd make as many opportunities as possible to catch her going outside so I could reinforce it with praise and rewards and make it her favorite new hobby.


I would also make sure not to give in to my frustration and scold her when I found poop in the crate. Unless caught IN THE ACT, this is not only useless; it puts you back a step. It means to the dog that when you come home you are angry and she gets scolded. The poopy crate doesn't connect in her mind with her scolding.
JMO.

P.S. If the log pointed out that poop time was a time when you HAD to be away from the house, I would modify the eating schedule so that poop time happened when you could take her out.

At what age was the dog when you found it wondering? Also, I know someone that lost their dog and they never found it and still think about it to this day. Did you ever try to find the dogs owner? Is the dog microchipped that you know of?

I dont think anyone was looking for her. No microchip, or tattoo, no collar. I checked local shelters, but they found no dog matching the description.

The problem with her poop schudual is that she doesnt have one. ITs spontaneous. Sometimes its a few hours between and others is a day.

The barking in the crate doesnt stop there, I forgot to mention. She will walk in circles, and every so often bark at nothing. The other dogs dont chime in. It was thought she could be slightly hard of hearing, but it turned out to be VERY bad ear infections. Probably the reason for the person letting her run loose, instead of taking her to the vet.

I work 8 hour shifts, so I'm gone for almost 9 hours at a time. Shane works almost the opposit, so he's home. I dont think its going to make a difference if she is let out often or for long periods, as we've tried an hour in the yard. She doesnt poop outside. She'll pee... but I've never seen her do 'it' outside.

I've resorted to leaving her in the yard until I(can figure out how to fix) or she can figure out thats where she has to go to the bathroom. Surprisingly , she isnt barking. She has shelter, but FL is so hot I hate doing it. There is a kidde pool with water for her to get into.

I'm going to try to watch her more and see if I can catch her pooping and praise.
As far as the barking goes, it seems she wants to be outside.

I cant let her loose in the house since she chew's on stuff- all kinds of stuff. I tried teathering, but she chews through the leash.

 Quote: Rebekah Schwartz

I dont think its going to make a difference if she is let out often or for long periods, as we've tried an hour in the yard. She doesnt poop outside. She'll pee... but I've never seen her do 'it' outside.

It is going to make a difference if you are there with her until she HAS to go so you can mark, praise, reward. If an hour wasn't long enough, then stay longer.

How often and what is the dog eating? You might switch to a once a day feeding on a very regular schedule. I think a really strict by the book schedule is what this dog needs for everything until it "gets it" that things are going to happen at certain times.

I would feed her, crate her, take her out in 2 hours and give her baited water (to encourage her to drink till she is "full" and then take her out and exercise her til she performs-they can only hold it in for so long.

Once she poops don't crate her right away reward her with some really good treats and extra attention.

The idea of a log is really good. You don't know what her early rearing or living conditions were - she might not have been raised in clean conditions so she doesn't know what it is to "be clean" - so you are going to have the job of teaching her.

Same with the barking and other stuff - she might have some baggage due to her early rearing so you might have to treat her as a small puppy and kind of begin at the beginning. Keeping her tethered to you in the house so you can watch her would be a good idea - get one of those little cheapo chain leashes at the dollar store - they don't like to chew on those. How much exercise is she getting?

Exercise will help the poop work out. If she will play hard or long she will probably poop soon after. Take her for a long walk (with a back pack if she has lots of stamina).
When I train mine I give the 'go pee' or 'go potty' command, when they have finished I will profusely praise them. If I praise before they are done they will usually stop eliminating and turn to me for attention, then I have to wait for them to start again.

I'd take Lynn's and Debbie's posts and print them out. :>

Also, the schedule does work magic, and I'm embarrassed not have said so.

And exercise is soooooo important to get the peristaltic action going.