Please help with housetraining before I go insane!

[PaperScissorsRock]

4.5 month old lurcher, previously reliably pooing and weeing outside unless it was wet outside.

Now she is very difficult to encourage outside - needs to be coaxed - and is holding on up to an hour to then do it all inside.

She has two walks a day off lead, but rarely goes to the loo on a walk.

I can’t think of anything that’s happened that’s made her reluctant to go in the garden at all, let alone toilet out there. It also seems a little young for an adolescent regression.

For the last week I have been going back to basics, but it’s not working.

Any ideas what I should do?
I am so sick of the house stinking!

[LaughingDonkey]

Nothing unusual - toilet training regression can occur anytime between 4 months to 1 year old.

Any changes in the garden? A windchime? Washing flapping in the wind? Maybe visiting neighbour's cat that scared her? Any changes in the household?

Does she still pees and poops ''on schedule''? Do you have a routine? Do accidents happen when you are not present? Did you change feeding times (example, going from 3-4 meals to 2-3 meals a day)?

You mention stinking house - do you use enzyme cleaner to destroy any smells (hence repeated peeing and pooping in the same spots)?

Does she go potty when on the lead? On walks do you play ball with her (a good exciting play makes my boy pee few times on a walk - easier to run after a ball when he is lighter )

You might reconsider your routine - note the times when she does business and take her out 5-10 minutes before she needs to go.

[PaperScissorsRock]

She wees and poos when expected, but not outside any more - she’ll hold on for as long as we wait outside (was previously weeing on command).

No change in the garden.
I’m phasing out 4th feed.

She rarely goes to the loo when in the lead, or when out at all.

I need more cleaner. Will blitz the house and see if that helps!

[WhatAStupidIdea]

We had similar with one of ours. Firstly, the enzyme cleaner every single time she toilets inside is a must. Otherwise your house is full of ‘pee/poo here!’ signs.

The only thing that helped for us was spending a few days outside all day. I took her into the garden with me, on lead (slightly extended using some thin rope so she had more length to wander but not as much as with a longline, so I could still keep an eye in order to praise & reward when she did go). I took a book, my tablet and headphones to watch Netflix, a blanket (was winter at the time) and a flask of tea and just waited. If she is outside all day, she’s not having the opportunity to practise the unwanted behaviour. No it wasn’t fun, yes it was a royal pita, but after 2 days of rewards and praise and no chance to go indoors, she was back to her usual self and never regressed again. It was well worth 2 days of freezing myself half to death to avoid daily breakdowns because someone had found a poo under the table.

Good luck ☺️

[LaughingDonkey]

Hmmm, yes, might be the case that you need to clean the floor thoroughly (with enzyme and then something like floor cleaner with lemon or water+vinegar). Then use enzyme cleaner right away if she pees/poops. It is possible that she can smell the (old) areas she marked for toilet.

I would still look for a trigger that changed behaviour in the garden. It might not be obvious right away - it can be (even) plant pot that was moved 1 inch. Similar thing happened to my pup when we cut the grass in the garden, he was quite confused and had to sniff around for a while until he was sure it is indeed our garden

I agree with the PP maybe spend 1-2 days in the park - make a picnic! At some point she will have to go, then treat and praise!

It will pass :) Persevere! Good luck!

[Juiceey]

I am commenting to say I feel your pain. I have a 4.5 month old that wees inside at least once a day and it's infuriating!

[vanillandhoney]

What are you cleaning accidents with? You need to use a proper pet cleaner with the appropriate enzymes - otherwise it really won't make a difference as she'll still be able to smell it.

[PaperScissorsRock]

Just updating that I now have the proper cleaner, and she’s back to weeing outside!

Thank you 😊