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My puppy is trying to extort treats from me!

1745 Views 11 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  DaySleepers
My Colonial Cocker Spaniel puppy is just over 4 months old and not doing too badly with learning the rules about toileting. Although hardly a day goes by where there isn't an accident inside. I think it's usually caused by excitement (or sometimes anxiety). She gets very excited when I return home and usually springs a leak then as well.

The method I used for toilet training was to take her ever hour to the designated toilet spot, say "go-toilet" and praise and treat is she was successful. She's now started going to the door when she wants to pee which I thought was a great sign. Recently, however, she has started going to the door and when I let her out she pretends to wee! She will squat for a few seconds, leave nothing by dry paving and then look at me as if to say "where's my treat?". I don't give her treats for pretending.

It's only a problem because I don't know if she's serious about needing to pee and I don't want to be letting her out every ten minutes for phantom peeing in an attempt to get a treat.

Are puppies normally this cunning? Do you think she will stop in time when she realises she doesn't get paid for phantom pee?
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Thank you all for the responses.

@LeoRose I've read a lot of stuff about how to deal with excited pee-ers, what you have suggested is how I handle it. Some say ignore her for 20 minutes when you get home but that's not why I have a dog - I love that she wants to greet us when we get home and I look forward to seeing her too - a little pee isn't a big deal and I'm sure she will grow out of it.

She is doing great to be honest, she has even mostly mastered loose leash walking :)

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She's gorgeous, so adorable! I'm glad you are not ignoring her for 20 minutes when you return home because that would be totally unnatural and this weird behaviour could confuse your pup and make her feel something is wrong. Instead just keep it low key and calmly take her out to pee as soon as possible.

Sidenote: I've never heard of a pup pretending to pee! I never used treats for potty training either, but those are some sneaky pups lol!
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