[johnsonv]

Hello! We have a 10 week old lab who does great not going potty or poop in her kennel or in the house (we take her out regularly when in the house). Once in a while we like to let her play out in the garage with our older dog to get more acquainted with him, but she always poops in there! There is a doggy door that she knows how to use as well. Even after I take her outside to try to go poop. She does poop outside if I take her out at the right time, but sometimes even after pooping outside I'll let her play in the garage a bit and she'll poop again.

I've bought special cleaning spray for dogs to get the smell away but she still seems to try to poop in the garage. How can I stop this? It is cold outside so she obviously doesn't like to go out in the cold much.

 

[3GSD4IPO]

Dogs do not generalize behavior from one location to another. What they learn in the house does not transfer to the back yard.. you have to teach it over there.. and then it does not transfer to the front yard so you mnust retreach it there.. and then again in the park.. and different places until the dog understands the training in about 20 locations at which point the dog typically knows what you want when you ask.. and the taught behavior is generalized.

At 10 weeks old it is highly unlikely she is actually house broken.. but even a well house broken dog might "lose" that training if in another location (someone else's house, in a store or, in your case, in the garage).

So, you need to train house breaking in the garage in addition to the house and do it the same way. Crate when cannot be watched.. reward for going to the bathroom outside.. and interrupt and get the dog outside to finish when she starts to go inside.

You cannot just let her loose inside with the other dog and expect that at this age she knows. She does not know. The other thing that can happen is the other dog may decide going in the garage is OK too and now you have a double problem.

So, the only time they play together is outside. Always watch them and reward for going to the bathroom outside and train the garage the same as you would in the house. And yes, it is a quite a lot of work now but it will pay off later.

 

[LeoRose]

Yep, "don't potty in the house" doesn't also mean "don't potty in the garage". You need to treat the garage just like you do the house, and at the first sign that she is even thinking about pottying, hustle her outside with whatever cue you are already using.

 

[johnsonv]

Dogs do not generalize behavior from one location to another. What they learn in the house does not transfer to the back yard.. you have to teach it over there.. and then it does not transfer to the front yard so you mnust retreach it there.. and then again in the park.. and different places until the dog understands the training in about 20 locations at which point the dog typically knows what you want when you ask.. and the taught behavior is generalized.

At 10 weeks old it is highly unlikely she is actually house broken.. but even a well house broken dog might "lose" that training if in another location (someone else's house, in a store or, in your case, in the garage).

So, you need to train house breaking in the garage in addition to the house and do it the same way. Crate when cannot be watched.. reward for going to the bathroom outside.. and interrupt and get the dog outside to finish when she starts to go inside.

You cannot just let her loose inside with the other dog and expect that at this age she knows. She does not know. The other thing that can happen is the other dog may decide going in the garage is OK too and now you have a double problem.

So, the only time they play together is outside. Always watch them and reward for going to the bathroom outside and train the garage the same as you would in the house. And yes, it is a quite a lot of work now but it will pay off later.

Thank you! This is what I have started doing. I have stayed outside with them while they play and then when I need to get work done she goes in her kennel to nap. I will keep trying!

 

[K9luv]

I live in Canada and have mini schnauzers. It's not too cold for a short play session outside unless it's -35C with a frost bite warning. Especially running around, they keep warm.