[BeardyInTheHouse]

Hello everyone. This is my first post.

I have a 9 month old Standard Schnauzer (got her from a reputable breeder at 8 weeks) who has been through puppy classes and Level 1 obedience classes. She has some issues, but that's for another thread. Our big problem is that we have trained her to give one sharp bark when she wants to go out (especially to relieve herself in our fenced in backyard), which she'll do just fine except when she needs to relieve herself.

In other words, she'll bark to go chase a chipmunk, but not to poo or pee. What she does is pace back and forth, whine a bit, sit at the door, get up, pace some more, occasionally jump on the door, pace some more, etc. She will not do anything loud enough to let us know she has to go. If we're not right there watching her all the time, she would go on the floor. She did this for our kids when my wife and I were out on Sunday (first "accident" in 6 weeks). They weren't watching closely and she didn't tell them, and we walked in the door to find a pile on the floor (which apparently just happened).

Again, she'll bark to go out for other reasons, but not to do her business.

Suggestions? Thanks!

[redox]

Well, here's my suggestion.

Clearly, she knows that one bark lets her go outside, but she doesn't realize it's not supposed to be for anything other than potty time. I'd work with this. Start from now on, when she barks, leash her and take her out so that she can't do whatever she wants. Take her over to her bathroom area and wait it out (get ready with some great treats or play time). After play time or whatever, take her back inside. In the likely event that she barks to go outside again and you know she doesn't need to go to the bathroom, just ignore her. It will probably get very loud and obnoxious in there, but I think that's the only way. Then once she quiets down and is maybe just sitting by the door, let her out to play again. You can use that signal for going out to play and barking for going to the bathroom. Initially though, every time you take her out after a bark, she will have to be leashed so that she can't play until after she has gone to the bathroom.

This is only what I would try. It would no doubt take a while, but I think it may work. If you want to try something completely different from barking to go outside, many people have had success with teaching the dog to ring a hanging bell. This hasn't caught on too well at our house yet though

[poohlp]

I would also suggest teaching her the "Go Potty" command. Do everything the previous poster suggested, but when she goes potty, sy, "good girl, go potty." and reward/play. Say this everytime your dog goes potty and she should learn the command pretty fast. Once she knows the command, you will be able to , when she barks and you let her out, say, "go potty" and she will do so.

[crazydays]

Hi there. I love to talk to Standard Schnauzer owners. I was reading your thread and the thought that came to mind is that a "bark" is universal for everything. My Standard talks to everything- she makes noises at birds, squirrels you name it she will tell me about it, and barks as a guard dog. I am thinking that it will be hard to distinquish between barks. But, if that is the system that is working for you- try what Redow said. My dog paws the door. She also comes into a room where I am and gives me a look. Try not to get discouraged. You pup is just that-a pup. My Cagney didn't get a gold star for speed in housetraining. One of the key things that pup owners do too early, is think they don't have to watch and be diligent re toilet training. There are signals but you have to see them, and know what to watch for.
I really agree with what Redox said. Cagney will paw at the door to go out. I took her on a leash and said over and over- "go to your place". When she did she got rewarded with a treat and released from leash for play. Now I just let her out-she goes to her place on her own (in the same spot). I tell her to go to her place where ever and she does. I have a 5 month old English Springer. I emphasis with your efforts 100%.

[LoveLilly]

There are lots of people who have had success with teaching their dog to ring a bell. We tried but it scared Lilly. She would silently stand at the door too to be let out so you had to constantly be watching. As a result when we were in other areas of the house she came with, away from her potty door that she knew to stand by. This resulted in her letting out a special little whiney noise (its quite cute really) and when she did it we gave her a treat, said lets go potty and that little potty whine noise has been happening ever since. Whether or not that first whine noise was to go potty we don't know but its what we called it and it stuck. It also grew into a single potty bark all on her own if she had to go really bad and we were asleep on the couch and her little whine did not wake you. There are still times she goes silently to the door but then you can see those wheels turning as if to say "oh yeah, I forgot I taught the humans to respond to my whine!"