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I have rescued and fostered two dog families through our local organization, and my family and I decided to keep one of the puppies from the last family (see my previous posts). However, we keep the dogs outside in pens so we don't have to worry much about leash training and especially housebreaking. I know I'll probably be berated for their being outside, but we have a elderly cat that isn't used to dogs being around, so we had no other option. The only reason this pup is inside is because she's young enough for them to adjust to one another, and it's going well. But that's not the issue.
Zoe is a 3 month old Pit mix. Our family's last dog was adopted in 1992 and was put to sleep in 2005 due to extreme hip dysplasia. I am the primary caretaker because I'm out of college for the summer and my parents work. I'm trying my best, but I didn't have much of a hand in training our last dog because I was so young.
We've been crate training her and taking her out about every 4 hours, because I've heard that's how long they can hold their bladders at that age. However, when we put the leash on her to take her out (we don't have a fenced in yard), she refuses to move. I say "Zoe, come" several times, and pop the leash like Cesar says (not hard, but enough to get her attention). It doesn't work. I don't want to have to drag her, so I carry her outside. Sometimes with coaxing ("Potty-potty outside") she'll go, but sometimes all she wants to do is roll around in the grass, play with bugs and chew on her leash. For the leash, I just say "no" and take it out of her mouth, but it doesn't work for long. As for the just laying there, I don't know what to do. I can't exactly drag her upright and make her go. And she doesn't give any indication of when she HAS to go.
I wait about 20 minutes outside with her, she might mark (pee just a tiny bit) then she'll come inside and eventually use the bathroom on the carpet. I absorb all the pee, and spray it with Lysol and Febreeze but she keeps going back there. We've had her a few days and she's peed inside three times.
I don't want to be a bad mommy and I just feel like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing for her. Please help me, and thank you for reading all of this.
Zoe is a 3 month old Pit mix. Our family's last dog was adopted in 1992 and was put to sleep in 2005 due to extreme hip dysplasia. I am the primary caretaker because I'm out of college for the summer and my parents work. I'm trying my best, but I didn't have much of a hand in training our last dog because I was so young.
We've been crate training her and taking her out about every 4 hours, because I've heard that's how long they can hold their bladders at that age. However, when we put the leash on her to take her out (we don't have a fenced in yard), she refuses to move. I say "Zoe, come" several times, and pop the leash like Cesar says (not hard, but enough to get her attention). It doesn't work. I don't want to have to drag her, so I carry her outside. Sometimes with coaxing ("Potty-potty outside") she'll go, but sometimes all she wants to do is roll around in the grass, play with bugs and chew on her leash. For the leash, I just say "no" and take it out of her mouth, but it doesn't work for long. As for the just laying there, I don't know what to do. I can't exactly drag her upright and make her go. And she doesn't give any indication of when she HAS to go.
I wait about 20 minutes outside with her, she might mark (pee just a tiny bit) then she'll come inside and eventually use the bathroom on the carpet. I absorb all the pee, and spray it with Lysol and Febreeze but she keeps going back there. We've had her a few days and she's peed inside three times.
I don't want to be a bad mommy and I just feel like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing for her. Please help me, and thank you for reading all of this.