Hi,
I have a 6.5-month-old Giant Schnauzer puppy.
I have only one problem with her that I am not sure how to correct. When she asks to go out she jumps on the door, and scratches the door. Jumping on the door doesn’t bother me if she only did this when she really needed to go and relieve herself, but the problem is she does it anytime she just wants to go out and play. Sometimes we walk her; sometimes we let her out by herself in the back yard. Most of the time when she jumps on the door we let her out, so she learn that all she need to do is just start jumping. If we ignore her she would go from the front door to the balcony door and would start going back and forth. The problem that is really hard for me to tell when she really needs to go out and relieve herself or when she is just goofing of. Many times I would take her out and 10 minutes later she asks again, I will ignore her she will stop for 10-20 minutes and starts her jumping again. Unfortunately, this behavior is already well reinforced because sometimes we let her out and sometimes we don’t, so she learn if she starts jumping and scratching the door we will eventually let her out.

I don’t know what to do, and how to go about it. One thing I got to mention, she doesn’t start jumping right away. Here is her routine.
She goes to the door pushes the handle with her nose and looks at us if we saw or heard her. After a minute later she starts jumping. She would jump once and turns around and moves to see if we are watching, and than continues.

Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot in advance,

Marina

This is where Giants are fun! They can be pushy little snots.

The dog is training you... You have to be in charge instead of her. If she just went out she doesn't need to go again unless she didn't use the bathroom when she was out. Best way to eliminate the wonder is go accompany her outside. I know it is easy to just let her out and then back in, but you can't be sure she went to the bathroom unless you are out there with her.

Then when you go back in and she does her little deal, tell her NO, or Phooey. You can only do this if you are sure she doesn't need to go. I know you are thinking you will confuse her asking, but what she is doing right now is not asking to go potty, it is asking to go play. When you are going to take her out ask her "do you wanna go outside(potty)" whatever is comfortable for you and then take her out for a business trip only.
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My giant that just passed used to do this after dark because she knew that after they went out to potty at around 9 or so I would fix dinner. She would ask to go out, fake her way down the stairs, and then come back to the door and bark for dinner.... I would have to stand at the top of the stairs and MAKE her go potty. You would think I had made her miss a meal or something.... :rolleyes:

Hi Deanna,
Thanks for the response.
Most of the time I do go with her and know if she went or not. But sometimes when she needs to poop she doesn’t go right away and I bring her inside and only 20 minutes later she would ask to go again and than she will go. She is to smart to deal with. She knows when I take her out on a leash she needs to go pee, so she goes almost all the time. If I let her out by herself she wouldn’t go, just run around and play, and this is what she is hoping for every time, that I will let her out by herself. You may think that she has UTI if she goes that often, no she doesn’t. If we just live her in a crate and don’t let her out, she will be fine for hours. You are right about that she got me trained. However, today I was tough with her and didn’t want to let her out because I knew that she went outside just an hour before, so I told her NO very strictly several times, so she stopped jumping and went to me and started whining. She put her head on me and started liking my face, after that I was sure that she needed to go for sure, and she did needed to go poop.
He behavior was kind of funny.

Sorry, your schnauzer is no longer with you. They are great dogs, extremely smart, and will try outsmarting you in everything.

Marina