Howdy,
We have a dear little 3.5 year old miniature wire-haired dacshund named Nola.
The problem we have is that she seems to see the (finished) basement as her personal potty spot.
We have a baby gate at the top of the stairs and have been, for all this while, jumping over it to descend the stairs. This is getting old and will eventually become virtually impossible as we get older.
Nola is pretty darn good about upstairs. She consistently lets us know about her needs and does her thing after we let her out.
However, given the opportunity (and it happened this morning before work) she'll head downstairs to eliminate. This morning it was even after she had peed outside and indicated that she was done.
Of COURSE, when she's downstairs and being observed she will NOT eliminate downstairs, removing our ability to correct.
If anyone has had this problem and whipped it, please let me know.
My wife simply wants to install a permanent swing-out gate at the top of the stairs. I insist that there has to be SOME way to impress upon Nola that the basement is ALSO part of "her den" and shouldn't be soiled.
We have a dear little 3.5 year old miniature wire-haired dacshund named Nola.
The problem we have is that she seems to see the (finished) basement as her personal potty spot.
We have a baby gate at the top of the stairs and have been, for all this while, jumping over it to descend the stairs. This is getting old and will eventually become virtually impossible as we get older.
Nola is pretty darn good about upstairs. She consistently lets us know about her needs and does her thing after we let her out.
However, given the opportunity (and it happened this morning before work) she'll head downstairs to eliminate. This morning it was even after she had peed outside and indicated that she was done.
Of COURSE, when she's downstairs and being observed she will NOT eliminate downstairs, removing our ability to correct.
If anyone has had this problem and whipped it, please let me know.
My wife simply wants to install a permanent swing-out gate at the top of the stairs. I insist that there has to be SOME way to impress upon Nola that the basement is ALSO part of "her den" and shouldn't be soiled.