Kim Winsor Webboard User Reg: 07-28-2012
Posts: 89
Loc: Kamloops, British Columbia
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My daughter is fostering a 3 year old Jack Russell cross for a local rescue society. He is house trained as long as he is being walked a few times a day but, because some of the smaller rescue dogs are adopted by older folk, it is (apparently) necessary to train them to relieve themselves in the yard. This dog has been very reliable about peeing outside but refuses to poop in the yard. He has been crated and tethered for the past four days. He did not poop for three days and was let out of the crate after a walk today by someone visiting and, before he could be put back in, he pooped on the floor.
Has anyone ever run into this behaviour before? Should we continue the present crate and tether regimen? We were beginning to worry about him after three days of non-production.
He is a very sweet little dog but we need to be able to say that he is house-trained in order to
find a permanent placement for him.
Cathy Goessman Webboard User Reg: 12-03-2007
Posts: 1231
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
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You might find that things are moving a little better now. 3 days seems to be about the limit and once things get moving they stay moving. I would continue the crate and tether regimen along with walking the dog on leash in the yard. It might also help to move the dog's poop into the yard. You can either kind of rub it a bit into the grass and pitch the rest or just leave the pile there. Pick a back corner. A lot of dogs don't like to poop really close to the house.
Kim Winsor Webboard User Reg: 07-28-2012
Posts: 89
Loc: Kamloops, British Columbia
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Have not had any successes so far. The dog takes any opportunity to poop inside despite many
opportunities to go out in the yard on the leash. The second he is out of the crate and your back
is turned...boom. I suppose the crate and constant vigilance is the only answer....plus there is now
a small pile in the yard....put there as a result of his last indoor deposit.
On the plus side, he never pees inside. Cannot figure out what is going on in that little brain.
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
Posts: 31571
Loc: North-Central coast of California
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Sounds like you have the right idea (tethering), but he has had opportunities to poop when your back is turned.
I'd do as Bob says and treat him like a non-house-broken puppy. I'd carry on with the tethering -- he'd be tethered to me whenever out of the crate so there would be zero chance of his reinforcing that indoor-pooping.
You and Cathy both mentioned having him on leash in the yard -- yes, I'd take him outside on leash a lot and exercise him in the yard, making frequent passes by the spot where you have the dog-poop reminder. Exercise stimulates peristalsis. I'd throw him a party when he finally had to poop in the yard. (The leash both keeps him moving for the yard-exercise and keeps him near you so you can instantly praise and reward when he finally yard-poops.)
Cathy Goessman Webboard User Reg: 12-03-2007
Posts: 1231
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
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You might also start teaching him a place command meaning that he goes onto a bed or pet cot and stays there. If the bed or pet cot is appropriately sized he won't want to poop on it and normally they give you some pretty obvious signals that they have to go. My Cattle Dog would NEVER try to get off his bench as a pup except the times he had to poop.
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