[Kathilis]

So we have this australian cattle dog named Taz. We got him from a friend who had to get rid of him. Here's the problem, our friend didn't want to train him because he didn't want him to be submissive to anyone. Well, this has caused some interesting other problems. For one, I have no idea if he has actually had any house traning? He obviously gets that he's supposed to go outside, but he has a lot of accidents. I don't know if that's because my boyfriend and I both work all day and he's not used to having to hold it that long? We take him out every morning when we wake up and every night before we go to bed to make sure he gets to go. The strange thing is, if he has to go and we don't let him out in time he just goes in the house. There's no barking at the door, there's no whining, nothing, he just goes. So I guess the problem is that I have never house trained a dog before, and I don't know how to get him to tell us that he needs to go outside, instead of just going in the house... The other thing is, he pees when he gets excited. I'm not really sure how to solve this problem. At first we weren't doing anything about it because it was just an accident and he appeared to know that it was wrong. Then one day I went to pet him and he was literally peeing on the floor and didn't even care. It wasn't just a leak, it was a lot of pee. So we decided we should do something about it (we were worried that it would make it worse to dicipline him for it). A friend told me that his dog used to do that and he would dicipline her for it (stick her nose in it and say no, then put her outside) and it seemed to work. So we're working with that method now. We used to just not say anything and then take him outside and play fetch with him till he went potty. Now we tell him no and put him on a leash outside. I thought it seemed wrong to take him out and play with him after he peed on the floor :P I would like an opinion on this excited peeing problem though, I'm sure many of you have had to deal with it and it really is quite annoying to have to clean pee of the floor two minutes after you walk in the door lol. Thanks for the help

[rosemaryninja]

Originally Posted by Kathilis

So we have this australian cattle dog named Taz. We got him from a friend who had to get rid of him. Here's the problem, our friend didn't want to train him because he didn't want him to be submissive to anyone. Well, this has caused some interesting other problems. For one, I have no idea if he has actually had any house traning? He obviously gets that he's supposed to go outside, but he has a lot of accidents. I don't know if that's because my boyfriend and I both work all day and he's not used to having to hold it that long? We take him out every morning when we wake up and every night before we go to bed to make sure he gets to go.

Er...dogs need to pee a lot more often than just twice a day. Don't you? How long is he left alone without a potty-break? I think you may need to get a neighbour or relative to drop by and let him out in the middle of the day. There's no way you can expect a dog to hold it that long.

[Kathilis]

he's usually home alone from about eight in the morning until about six at night, but he's usually fine then. The problem is, about half of his accidents now have been when we're home and he doesn't do anything to let us know he needs out. He doesn't bark or whine or scratch at the door, he just poops and pees on the floor, and then he doesn't even seem to think he's done anything wrong. The peeing when he's excited thing, that will happen any time. If he's just gone outside he's ok but even just an hour after he's been outside he'll pee if you pet him or tell him he's a good dog or tell him to sit...or pretty much any attention you give him will make him pee. I'm not sure what to do about that.

[gingersmom]

It only makes sense to scold the dog if you catch him in the act. Afterwards, it'll have no meaning to him. And don't ever push his nose in it! That will reinforce his sense that he can use that spot as a potty. Make sure that you use a pet enzyme remover to clean any spots where he has had accidents, so he's not tempted to go there again.

How do you know that he has any degree of housetraining? Just because he has gone outside when you take him, doesn't mean that he has any sense of difference between inside and out.

I think you have to assume that you are starting from zero. Here's a link to the basic ideas of housetraining. They are time-intensive suggestions, but I've never known anything else to work in the long term:

http://www.dogstardaily.com/training...-housetraining

Also, you might want to check this link out, about the way to deal with the excited peeing: http://www.perfectpaws.com/subr.html

[Kathilis]

Thanks, I'll check out those sites I'm not sure whether he has actually had training or how much he has had. I know his previous owner didn't want to train him because he didn't want him to be submissive. I don't know that he wouldn't have wanted to house train him but he doesn't seem to think he's done anything wrong when he has accidents. I know that he got some training at our buddies house (the previous owners brother/parent's house) but I know that didn't stick very well because he didn't have the same rules at home, and I don't know if they worked on house training him. Right before we got him he had been tied up outside or in the garage for a while (a few weeks) because every time they let him in he would pee on the cupboards (they have two other dogs). I'm not really sure where to start here because he is three years old but it does make the most sense to start from the beginning. My biggest problem is that he doesn't let us know that he has to go, does anyone know a good way to teach him some kind of signal? Maybe it's on one of those sites you gave me lol. Thanks again!