I have a full blooded Shepherd, Marley Girl. She is my baby and I love her dearly. We have had her now for just about a month and she is quickly becoming more and more relaxed but here are the issues at hand. We are doing basic obedience with her and she seems to take to them very quickly BUT she will not do what she is told unless you have cheese. So even if I try to get her to say stop jumping my husbands buddies I have to have cheese in hand or she completely ignores me. Is there a way to correct this? I'm trying not giving her anything but then she continues to misbehave. What is the best way to handle this. I do not want to award bad behavior.

The second thing she is doing is she will pee outside but we are in the middle of a room addition and with that addition is small bathroom which is not completed. She poops in there. And yes she can open doors and shut them! I've watched her! So why does she insist on pooping in there and peeing outside? And how do I correct this! Thank you each of you for your help and advice!

Why, of course, it's more private in the bathroom! Just kidding, welcome to the forum, I am really not experienced but I just could not stop laughing at your post. I am sure someone experienced will give you an answer shortly. Good luck!

Yeah it is pretty funny! At least she goes in the bathroom!I wonder if I can get her on the toilet! lol

Have you ever scolded her for making an acciden in the house?

Edited by (09/16/2010 07:32 PM)
Edit reason: Spelling

No only because we only find the evidence but no one has actually caught her doing it. I've always been told that if you don't get on them as soon as it happens then don't know why they are being scolded? Is this incorrect?

How old is this dog?

She is 15 mo's. The guy I got her from took her because he said she was bone and skin. He said she offered no resistance in being hauled away and looked sad. He put about 10lbs on her and then gave her to me because he is a fireman and couldn't take care of her and was swapping her with four other people. I have gotten another 8lbs on her and she would do well to gain another 5-10lbs. She is sweet but a touch insecure and she doesn't like me leaving her side at all. The other day my husband was in the process of installing a new side door and he had to run up to home depot for something and I was gone. When I came home she had pushed the door through the wrong way and busted the frame up and when she saw me she went happy crazy and was just crying her little heart out. I gave her a hug and then realized how she got out. She tries to stay in between my legs or right up against me while walking. She is getting better but it is a bit hard to walk with a dog under you. LOL

PS your babies are beautiful!

Is she crate trained? If so I would strongly suggest using it to housebreak her. She poops in the bathroom because she is not housebroken.....somehow that sounds backwards

I would train her like a new puppy. First thing in the morning I would take her out of the crate and let her do her business. And when she does, it is party time!!! TREATS, PRAISE, DANCING, SHOPPING SPREE. If not I would take her back into the house and back into the crate.

Two hours later I would try again and so on. I would also try to schedule all her activities as consistantly as possible. For instance up in the morning out to use the appropriate facility then morning exercise another opportunity to relieve herself then back in the crate. Try feeding her at the same time and several short training periods and play periods at the same time so she gets use to what is expected of her.

What you don't want, is to give her the opportunity to have an accident in the house. BTW if she does have an accident, clean it up and take that as your punishment for letting it happen . If you catch her in the act interrupt her do not punish just rush her outside to finish and throw the party.

It sounds like she may have been over corrected when she had an accident in the house and thinks she gets in trouble for going and hides so you don't see her. Understand she is not doing this to be spiteful or hiding because she knows better she doesn't.

If she is not crate trained I would work on that but in the meantime have her tied to you so she cannot have an accident; or jump on friends or open doors or any of a number of behaviors that are so satisfying to dogs but annoying to us. Control her environment so that you can reward good behavior because that is the only thing she can do when she doesn't have any other option.

I'll let someone else tackle the cheese question. Are you marker/clicker training?

Sounds like separation anxiety.
Recue people! Here here.

Not to worry we have people here that almost specialize in recues. Hang in there Michelle someone will chime in.

Welcome to the board.