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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Dog pretending he needs the toilet to go outside

58 replies

DifferentName23 · 22/08/2023 17:55

Okay, I realise he is not "pretending" and has probably just learnt to paw/scratch at the door and then I open it, but how do you get around this situation? He did it today and had only just been out for a pee so I assumed he didn't need to go and then he did actually pee on the floor and I feel I've undone everything Sad am I supposed to just open it every time? More often than not he is signalling to go out and then not needing to.

I'm thinking of having set times he can go in the garden? Will he learn to just wait especially if I start with small intervals? But then still, he may need to go outside of that and if I ignore his signals and he goes on the floor......

I've tried putting him on a lead to go out when he does it and he doesn't care, he will roll around in the grass having a good old time right next to me! Or he will stand and just bark and look at me (if he doesn't want to go) so it feels pointless

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 22/08/2023 17:56

What’s wrong with opening the door and just letting him go out when he wants to?

I mean, it’s still warm enough for you to even leave the door open so he can go in and out

BlueKaftan · 22/08/2023 17:58

I would first have him checked your vet to see if he has a utr. Barring no medical issues then he just wants time outside so perhaps a couple of long walks in the morning and afternoon/evening? He could just be bored and wants to enjoy the fine weather.

Namechange77427 · 22/08/2023 17:58

Sounds like he’s bored.

can you take him for a longer walk to tire him out? Or do some scent work?

is there a reason the door can’t be left open for him to Potter

Original poster
DifferentName23 · 22/08/2023 17:58

@Soubriquet I've read countless times, even on here that doing that can mess up completely toilet training a dog, what happens when winter comes? Feels like I'm setting us up for complete failure

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Knockon · 22/08/2023 17:59

If you’re home why not leave the door open? That’s what I do and my dog can come and go as she pleases, including toilet or for a sniff

Original poster
DifferentName23 · 22/08/2023 18:00

He gets a 2 hour walk in the morning and a 45 min one in the afternoon plus countless training sessions in the day and agility class 2 times a week. He's a jack russell and we provide all the stimulation we can and it's a lot! I don't think he is bored and if he is, we simply can't give any more, we genuinely give loads

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MrsMitford3 · 22/08/2023 18:00

When we are home we leave the back door and bifold doors open all day.
We have a walled garden so they are safe.

The dog and cat love basking in the sun and napping outside.

Why can't the dog just go out because he fancies it?

Original poster
DifferentName23 · 22/08/2023 18:01

And as I say, this is more a toilet training thing, he's still under a year, not even lived a winter yet. I think would be silly to leave the door open all the time! We was actually doing that and that's when we read about how that can be a big reason he was having accidents still

OP posts:
Original poster
DifferentName23 · 22/08/2023 18:02

And what happens if I had asked this in winter? Smile

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tabulahrasa · 22/08/2023 18:04

I just let mine out if they ask tbh, once the novelty of getting out on demand wears off, they don’t really bother unless they need the toilet I find.

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 22/08/2023 18:04

I let my dog out every time he asks, no matter what time of year. We can't leave the door open as we have a kitten who can't go out yet.

In summer he goes out a lot more - mostly to sunbathe or eat grass. In winter he'll run out, pee, and charge back in as fast as possible. He toilet trained really quickly and it's never been an issue for us.

mrsm43s · 22/08/2023 18:06

Can you put a dog flap in, so he can come and go as he pleases? We did this for our JR cross and was less than £500 to have it set in glass, would be much cheaper in a solid/uPVC door.

IngGenius · 22/08/2023 19:01

Your dog is getting a lot of exercise if he is under one.

If he has a two hour walk in the morning and then I hope comes back for a sleep, he needs to be allowed out for a wee when he wakes up without him having to ask .

If he has a long period at home then again he needs to be offered the option to go out at regular intervals , then he will learn to hold it until he is given the opportunity but I am unsure how old he is. My dogs have rarely (unless ill) asked to go out for a wee, they are always given the opportunity at regular intervals so know to wait and hold it until then.

If he is still being toilet trained then you do have to take him out every time he asks. Otherwise he will get really confused and not bother to ask to go out

Original poster
DifferentName23 · 22/08/2023 19:12

Oh of course I do intervals as well, I even take him out the front for pee breaks in case he doesn't want to go in the garden. He doesn't need to ask at all, that is what i am saying, it is a huge pain as he still will go inside if I do not have the door open, I just need him to wait an hour until his next visit outside (which he absolutely can and has done) but if he doesn't want to he won't and I just think it is confusing him all together and that is why I ask if I keep the door closed and do strict intervals say every hour to start with and ignore any accident in between, but praise when I take him; will he in the end get it and hold for that interval?

He does get a lot of exercise for under 1, but my understanding is it's only strict short lead walks that should be heavily restricted? His afternoon walk is one of those and is 45 mins. The morning one consists of a lot of running around on an extendable and sitting breaks whenever he wants. He always comes home and sleeps for about 5 hours! Always take him out after sleeps and he pees outside fine of course.

He was toilet trained fine and that was when we had the door open, we realised the issue came up when we closed the door one day and from that point we realised we need him to be trained even when the door is closed because it can't be open forever. Hence I'm now asking as having it closed has made it feel like he is having accidents again which we haven't seen for bloody months!!

He's 9 months

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Mmmmdanone · 22/08/2023 19:21

I have a 5 year old dog who is always asking to go out. Her M.O is to stand and stare at me rather than scratching the door though! Or make huffy noises 🤣. It's infuriating, but I realise i made this situation myself by allowing her to bully me into it! I'm trying to undo the behaviour and just ignore her until I think it's been long enough. She's getting better.
Harder with a dog you are toilet training but I would try and extend the intervals or she will become bully, like my dog!

Mmmmdanone · 22/08/2023 19:21

Sorry, HE.

mondaytosunday · 22/08/2023 19:22

I leave my door open a lot in winter too. Issue is the mud my dogs bring in!
What does he do when he goes outside - have a sniff around or looks at you expectedly for play? A firm no if you can't do it.

Changingplace · 22/08/2023 19:22

If he asks to go out just let him, I don’t see why you wouldn’t.

Original poster
DifferentName23 · 22/08/2023 19:28

@Changingplace not sure what you do all day but I certainly can't be up and down every few minutes of him asking because that is what he does the more I let him out when he asks. He takes the piss by doing it every few mins and I've already explained why I can't have the door open all the time. It's not just the fact I want him to be completely toilet trained and know to hold his bladder if there isn't an immediate grassland 5 seconds away it's also that he can bark at some things and I'm trying to be respectful to the people I live around by not having him run out every time one of them goes into their garden etc.

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Mrsjayy · 22/08/2023 19:31

Can you take him out to play for a bit ? Then bring him in? No I wouldn't be opening the door up every time he paws at it if you don't want to but you need to work out how often he pees and poos and let them out. Mine gets to potter about until he starts digging the garden then I bring him in.

GertrudeJekyllRose · 22/08/2023 19:32

I agree with the others, just let him go out when he wants to, leave the door open in the summer. It's a miserable life for a young dog to be holding his pee and confined to the house unless it's part of a schedule.

Also cut down the walking times, you are setting him up for arthritis by over exercising a youngster.

Mrsjayy · 22/08/2023 19:33

I throw treats about when mine is being an arsehole

Winederlust · 22/08/2023 19:38

2 hrs 45 mins of walks is far too much for a 9 month old pup.

Have you noticed any patterns about when he does his business? How often and rough times? Maybe that will help you predict when he really wants to go?

But maybe it's just he likes having a mooch and a sniff or a sunbathe when the weather's nice?

Mrsjayy · 22/08/2023 19:40

2hrs is too much mine is 6 months and gets 2. 30 minutes and a rest day where he just potters about or we take him to 1 of those run about fields.

Aworldofmyown · 22/08/2023 19:52

Go back to basics, reward and praise when he wees outside. Do you have a toilet word?
(I agree it's not always feasible to have doors open constantly)