Tracy contacted me via my Squidoo housetraining lens:
“I have a seven month old Boxer and I can’t get her potty trained. She doest seem to care if she soils where she sleeps and she gives no signs of needing to go out. I take her out every time she wakes, plays or eats, sometimes she goes outside and then within a few minutes she goes in the house. I have a four year old great dane so i thought she’d learn from him, but she didn’t. I’m really at my witts end so if you have any ideas please let me know. Thank you “
Here is the assistance I was able to offer…
You probably need a little more help than I can provide in a single answer. I will do my best here, but highly recommend you get a copy of “Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days” if you are really serious about getting this problem dealt with quickly – it is well worth the $8 cover price if you are in the USA (even worth the £7.20 I paid in the UK for my review copy) . Another great resource, though a little more expensive (about $20) is the Ultimate Housetraining Guide. With Ultimate Housetraining, you get the added bonus that it is an instant download and you do get a free, detailed consultation with a professional behaviorist included in the price, plus lifetime access to the members only forum.
Either of these guides will provide the more detailed help you are looking for
OK, onto my suggestions (not in any order of importance)
> When you take her out to potty, stay with her. If you leave her out by herself or with the other dog, she is less likely to toilet. If you stay with her, you can then praise her when she is done, which lets her know that peeing and pooping outside is a good thing. You can also use the time to teach her a command such as “go pee” so that on the occasions she is holding out, you can ask her to go using a familiar command
> Stick to strict meal times and take away any leftovers. If she has constant access to food, her digestive system will be working all the time, whereas if her body gets used to “food goes in” at a certain time, it will naturally set itself to let poop go out the other end at the same regularity.
> Make sure all soiled areas, including her bedding have been cleaned with a biological agent (a mild solution of washing detergent does the job) to get rid of all traces of soiling.
> Crate her when she cannot be supervised, or use a short line/leash and attach one end around your leg, so if she is going to toilet, you are near enough to correct her and take her outside
> Soak up some of her pee on a cloth and put it outside in the spot you want her to go.
> Persevere at it! Some dogs do take longer to get the hang of toileting outside
Tags: boxer, house breaking, House Training Your Dog, housebreaking, housetraining