Dog pretending he needs the toilet to go outside

[DifferentName23]

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 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

I read it and thought ‘terrier’ before I even saw your comments 😂

Mine is the same. When she is clearly swinging the lead we distract her with a game and she tends to forget. She’s a lot better than she was as a puppy. She would have turned us into her own personal butler if she could.

I agree with too much exercise. Terriers need to learn to chill out. They’re naturally ADHD. My 12 month old border gets 45 mins to an hour in the mornings and 2 training classes a week - agility and obedience. Nothing in the afternoons other than some training and maybe some sniffy puzzle games. That is just about right for her. Too much and she struggles to settle and yes will want to go in and out.

Re the agility at 9 months it should be very basic. No jumping, tight turning or weaving. I taught for 14 years and mine has been going to very light skills based classes since she was 7 months. She has started jumping 10 cm now she is a year. Just in case it’s not as I’ve seen some awful things with puppies!

Door open all the time in the summer for dog. If I leave him home alone with the door shut he never wees inside.

Haven’t read all the comments but since you’re still toilet training I would do two things; first teach a command word for toilet, and when he scratches, pop his lead on or just take him out, say command word then back in again. A bit like when you’re taking them out at night as puppies you want them to understand that if they ask to go out you will listen, but it’s for a specific purpose. If you take him out and play with him all you’re doing is teaching him that scratching at door = getting you to play (assuming all his attention needs are being met already of course).

Hi, I was worried about this too, whilst toilet training last year. The issue I was worried about was that how on earth would they know what was inside and what was outside if you left the door open?
I left my back door open anyway, I have a very secure back garden. Dog was ok at toilet training despite this. Took longer than weeks but not months and months.
I just have a dog that prefers being outside. She never barks and it's great when she takes her disgusting natural chews outside.
In the winter it's not an issue as she doesn't like the wind or rain.
My only concern with leaving the back door open is the foxes round here. It's just a quick trot into my house to get to the Guinea pigs so am keeping more of an eye on it.

The other thing to do is not bring him back in immediately after going to the toilet.

My dog loves being outside. If I restrict her outside time she will hold on as long as possible when she's outside knowing I won't bring her in until she has gone.
I fixed it by rewarding her as soon as she had toileted then sent her back to play outside. I then let her play/ sniff whatever before calling her back in and rewarding again.

That way she has learned to go on cue. But also has learnt that going to the toilet doesn't equal being shut inside.

My door is always open just wide enough for my dogs to come and go as they please! I've never done any different and had 7 dogs in total over time. All perfectly toilet trained!

Sometimes I see them go out for a run or a stretch. It wouldn't cross my mind to restrict this!

If he isn't 100% reliable with the toilet, then 1 hour is a very long interval for offering him out. Could you go back to 15 minutes or 20 minutes? Once he gets the idea that it won't be long until the next time, he'll naturally extend it.