[artistsway1]

I adopted a cute little Terrier Mix last month. Her name is Sochi. This is my first time having a house pet. Sochi is currently taking puppy training classes at Petsmart. I'm feeling a bit frustrated with the class because, while we're working on introducing basic commands, its not that she doesn't already know the commands. The problem is she doesn't listen when we're outside of the home. She follows all the commands in the house when were practicing. But as soon as we step foot outside it goes blowing in the wind. In class, its the same thing. She doesn't listen, so I'm not sure if the class is a waste of money.

When we're out, she doesn't hear a thing I say because she's so distracted by all the sights, sounds, smells, people passing by, other dogs barking miles away. The simplest thing catches her attention. I try to take her out with me, but its difficult when I can't contain her. I can't even get her to go potty outside. She'll hold it for hours and as soon as she gets in the car, she let's go.

I hope I can find some solutions to our problems soon.

 

[cookieface]

Welcome to Dog Forum and congratulations on your new pup! How old is Sochi? If she's young, everything is new to her and will be a huge distraction. Even if she's not young, things are still new to her if she's only been with you a month. It's expected that she will respond easily in your quiet, familiar living room, but not in a new environment filled with so many exciting things. Plus, dogs tend not to generalize well, so she doesn't really understand that "sit" means the same thing in the living room and the kitchen and the yard and at the park. Plus, young pups have the attention span of a gnat.

Take things slowly and have tons of patience. When you're in a new or very distracting place, you may need to go back a few (or more) steps with training. If she sits in the living room, great! But, you may need to lure her into a sit a few times when you're outside or at the park. She'll catch on quickly.

Although Sochi doesn't seem to be doing well in class, that's fine. The class is more for you to learn how to train her so you can practice in a variety of places. It's also helpful for her to learn to focus on you in distracting environments and ignore other things that are going on. She'll get there.

As far as the accidents in the car, since you she goes once she's in, I'd try putting her in the car and then taking her out before she has a chance to go. So, if you know she gets in, sniffs around for a minute or two, and then squats, put her in the car, let her sniff for a minute (or less), and then take her right back out. Also, be sure you're cleaning the car with a cleaner designed for urine odor (e.g., Nature's Miracle).

 

[artistsway1]

Hi there! Thanks for the prompt response. Sochi is 3 months. I'm having a really frustrating time with getting her to go potty outside or do anything outside besides play. Luckily she's pretty consistent about going to the bathroom to find her newspaper in the designated space. But once outside, she is just doesn't cooperate. Every morning I put her on her leash, walk her to the bathroom, let her sniff around the area, then when she's just about to potty, I walk her out to the front door and out to the tree in front; where I've placed some of her feces and pee soaked newspapers. And there, we wait, and wait, and wait. I've tried picking her up, and repeating the process...up to 8 times. Nothing. Then I bring her in, take her leash off, close the door to the bathroom. Then she goes. She'll only go if I close the door. Even if I'm in the bathroom with her, if the door is open, she thinks I'm there to play with her or she'll try to leave. So I have to leave and close her in there. After she has both pee'd and poo'd she'll scratch at the door to let her out. Sometimes she whines, but I know if she's scratching that means she finished her business.

After an hour hike yesterday, and plenty of stops for her to pee along the way, I stopped for 45 min at a nearby Starbucks patio. Gave her more water. She just played around on the patio. Once we left, we Passed by several urine soaked trees, she sniffed but wouldn't go. I stopped, got some newspaper and held it on the ground. Said, go potty. Stood there for 20min. Nothing. Put her in her crate in the car along with the paper. She started whining within 1 min because she peed and wanted out. Unfortunately we had a 45min journey home so I couldn't take her out.

Today I was at my wits end! She did poo, but she didn't pee when we went out. I gave her a treat and praised her, but brought her inside. She went back to sleep. Woke up, 3hours later. Ate, played. 30min later I take her out to try again. We sit there for 30min. Nothing. She's jumping around, trying to run away, digging holes, eating leaves, you name it. I go through the run of taking her in, sniff, then out, nothing. So I give up, go inside, get her crate, line it with newspaper and puppy pad. Give her more water. And sit there, for 40min, I was hoping that being in the crate and smelling the newspaper and puppy pads, as well as the feces that was left there in front of the tree would help her get it. But no, she decides to lay down in the crate. I take her in the house, take her out of the crate, then She bolts to the bathroom and goes potty.