[BrookElise]

I have begun the process of adopting a greyhound and need some potty training advice.

At the house I'm living in there were previously two dogs, both who passed away a little over a year ago. I would like to train the new dog to only go potty in a specific area of our yard, but our previous two dogs were not trained this way.

There is the smell of dog potty all over the yard and I'm not sure what the best way to train the new dog to only use a small portion.

I have seen various products that will attract the dog and some that will repell, but I'm not sure if these will work if the ground has already been soiled on?

Anyone have any advice?

Brook

[Durbkat]

I believe most retired greyhounds come house trained but to train them to go in a certain area you will need to take him to that area, on leash, and wait till he goes. When he goes say "go potty", or whatever phrase you want to use, and repeat it over and over while he is going then give him a really smelly treat that he only gets for going outside and praise him like he won 1st place in a dog show. After awhile you should be able to open the door and say "go potty" and he will go out to that area as that will be where his potty odor is.

[Renoman]

When training a dog to a command, any command, you do not repeat it over and over and over.

You give the command once (in this case, timing is essential. You give the command the minute the dog starts to go) then you praise and reward.

Dogs truly are creatures of habit. If you use that to your advantage it will make training much easier. Take the dog out the same door, to the same spot and use the same command every time. Be consistent and patient.

[Durbkat]

Well I'm sorry if the way I suggested teaching the command didn't work for you, but it worked with me when teaching the "go potty" command. I didn't do it for the other commands, just this one.

[wvasko]

To command or not to command that is the question. Sorry my attempt at humor probably not good. This is way out of my norm because of my housebreaking setup is different. I actually do neither. I can imagine living in a city environment the command setup is very handy. I myself am a one command man, said at the proper time works better for type of training I do, (Obed.)Training a dog whether we like it or not can be habit forming, even though each dog is an individual I still have lifelong habits such as one command for one thing. Actually when I am done with a dog they do stay, down, heel, come with body or hand signals or voice command. It is my weakness dogs doing more me talking less. Now that being said I'm not going to rain on any body's parade If continual commands work for the person handling the dog go for it. It's just not my way.

[Elana55]

One command not repeated (regardless of the behavior) is the way to go.

Sort of funny.. if you say to the dog "sit" and the dog takes his sweet time so you say it again (we are vocal creatures, us humans) the command becomse Sit, sit. Now if the dog is latent with sit sit.. and you say it again.. the command for a sit will become sit, sit, sit...

I have seen pet dogs who sit on coomand, but the command is
"sit, sit, sit, SIT, SIT! SIT!!!

We humans (and I am one of these) tend to get LOUDER when the thing isn't done the first time (just watch a Mother with an obstreporous (or however you spell it) Child!).

I am working on retraining ME and my dog to a single command (I am pretty good at THAT part) said softly and with authority.
Old dogs are easier to retrain than this old Human with Bad Habits!

[wvasko]

Originally Posted by Elana55

One command not repeated (regardless of the behavior) is the way to go.

Sort of funny.. if you say to the dog "sit" and the dog takes his sweet time so you say it again (we are vocal creatures, us humans) the command becomse Sit, sit. Now if the dog is latent with sit sit.. and you say it again.. the command for a sit will become sit, sit, sit...

I have seen pet dogs who sit on coomand, but the command is
"sit, sit, sit, SIT, SIT! SIT!!!

We humans (and I am one of these) tend to get LOUDER when the thing isn't done the first time (just watch a Mother with an obstreporous (or however you spell it) Child!).

I am working on retraining ME and my dog to a single command (I am pretty good at THAT part) said softly and with authority.
Old dogs are easier to retrain than this old Human with Bad Habits!

One other peeve of mine is hiding the command in the middle of the sentence, such as (Fido would you please sit because I have to wash my hands) Or people that say the dog's name before every command, usually if I say a command the dog knows who I'm talking to. Now what elana55 does not understand is that there are a lot of dogs out there teaching their owners to speaklol

I am not trying to change any body's training habits or commands, just airing my personal likes and dislikes.

[Renoman]

Originally Posted by Durbkat

Well I'm sorry if the way I suggested teaching the command didn't work for you, but it worked with me when teaching the "go potty" command. I didn't do it for the other commands, just this one.

It's not that it didn't work for me because I've never trained that way. My trainer would ban me if I did.