house trained puppy regressing - any advice??

[mizzannie]

our 8 month old puppy (housetrained, only goes on the paper in the night, otherwise garden / park) has started to rebel! she's pooing/weeing on the carpet in full view. we tell her off (though have been told this doesnt work - loud voices are interpreted as FUN) but can't help thinking the timing is odd.

since we found out we are PG we have naturally been a bit pre-occupied and maybe she has had less attention, is this a way of getting it back? or am i totally overananalysing the situation?

any advice welcome.

Sounds like a dominance thing.... but it's probably linked to how much attention she's getting......

Is she still getting regular walks?

From what you've said, this isn't in the night, it's during the day when you are with her (so she could ask to be let out, right?)

I'm no expert, but I find what works best with my dog is actually not speaking to him, when he's been naughty (but, I should add, I've never had a problem with his toilet habits IYSWIM). If he's naughty, I don't speak to him for 5 or 10 minutes. No eye contact, no verbal commands... If we're out, he's put onto a short lead and made to walk by my side (he's usually on a longer lead or carrying his own lead). At home, he'll be made sit on his bed...

After a few minutes, I will talk to him sternly about what the problem was, then put a much happier voice on, bend down on his level and say 'OK, you are forgiven now' (at which point he'll be beside himself with delight and we'll have a cuddle and maybe a little treat)

Anyway, I think the first step is to look at whether she needs more exercise / time outdoors. I would like to add, IMHO, an 8 month old puppy should not be toileting indoors at all. It sends a confusing message.

Good luck.

thanks youcannotbeserious
all makes lots of sense espec the not speaking part, i'm sure this would work with our puppy, she's very sensitive.
we are finding it difficult to stop her from going in the night... we let her out before bedtime but she still needs goes over night. how did you solve this one?

Depends how loud and serious your voice is

high pitch = "oh you naughty little dog" = fun

Loud, deep "omg kids going to run into road" type "NO!" = oh crap, I'm in deep trouble.

Also, take her to it - show her - they WILL remember and then shout "NO!" and turf her into garden

If she goes in garden, run out straight away and praise

Don't mix messages - be nasty when indoors, fun/happy when outdoors

Ignoring, unless you've REALLY told her off (and I mean repeated loud No, possible chasing through the house - trust me, sometimes you need to!) won't work cos dogs don't always have attention anyway

Think pack. Dogs are 89% wolf still - all dogs.. they are pack animals

I think the key here is seriousness....

I don't have to shout at my dog, but I DO have to mean business. I have 'a voice' which means 'keep doing what you are doing and you are in serious trouble, honey!' and he knows it!!!

I don't think I made it clear earlier - the 'ignoring' part happens AFTER the telling off and (if appropriate) a smack.. If I need to tell the dog off, I sit him down and make him look at me - after that, I don't speak to him... that's his 'punishment'

As for night times, go to bed earlier and get up earlier... Use a crate so that the dog will wake you up if it needs to toilet (most dogs won't soil their own beds) and then lengthen this by 5-10 minutes so the dog gets used to going longer.

My dog only needs to go out in the night occasionally, he will tell me if he needs to, but his last 'pee stop' is around 11pm in the garden and his first 'pee stop' in the morning is 6am.

I do agree strongly with Lewisfan - you do need to be extremely consistent. Dogs are very black and white like that - so indoors must always be 'bad' and outdoors must always be 'good'...

Sounds like a case of any attention is good, even negative attention! I used to have a dog like that...

I would try to just quickly get her outside as soon as she looks like she's going to do something and make as little fuss as possible until she does her stuff outside, at which point give her masses of praise and a little tibit. Dogs can interpret us shouting as like a dog barking - oh what fun, my owner is excited too!