[Toedtoes]

I thought I'd share this as it relates to the off-topic discussion of the use of the word "stubborn" when describing dogs.

My Tornado-dog is what I would have called "stubborn" in the past. He doesn't give up what he considers "fun" and he doesn't always pick things up quickly.

In particular, potty training. At first, he did great. Then winter came and he didn't like walking on the wet ground or being out in the cold. I would go out and say "potty" and he'd do everything but pee. Finally at 10 months, he worked it out and now as soon as we go outside he pees.

Unfortunately, poop has not been so easy. He would spend an hour outside playing and then whine at the door to go inside - I'm outside with him. I'd walk him over to where his sister pooped and stand there for 20 minutes while he just did everything but poop. Of course, if I brought him in, he'd poop. He'd finally poop, but the connection wasn't there.

As I mentioned on the other thread, he takes longer for certain training to get into his head. Yesterday morning, I took him out to potty. He peed and then ran to the door to go in. I sat in the chair on the patio. He looked at me, I said "poop". He suddenly ran across the yard, pooped, and ran right back to the door. I praised him profusely as we came in.

Last night, I took him out and he peed. Then he looked at me, ran across the yard and pooped and then raced to the door.

This morning, I had to say "poop" but he responded right away.

Finally, at 13 months, his brain has absorbed the lesson. It took a long time, but he wasn't being stubborn, he just really didn't get the connection between "poop", go poop, and come inside. Once he did, his whole attitude has changed. He bounces when he runs to a spot to poop - instead of milling around. It's a deliberate action now instead of a coincidence.

We'll continue to reinforce the behavior, but the big hurtle has been jumped.

And yes, this is an excuse to share my joy that he finally gets it.

P.S. Right now he's talking at me because he wants to go downstairs and I'm not going. I suspect he's calling me stubborn (I simply have a neck arthritis induced headache and moving is gonna hurt).

 

[pupsRus]

I thought I'd share this as it relates to the off-topic discussion of the use of the word "stubborn" when describing dogs.

My Tornado-dog is what I would have called "stubborn" in the past. He doesn't give up what he considers "fun" and he doesn't always pick things up quickly.

In particular, potty training. At first, he did great. Then winter came and he didn't like walking on the wet ground or being out in the cold. I would go out and say "potty" and he'd do everything but pee. Finally at 10 months, he worked it out and now as soon as we go outside he pees.

Unfortunately, poop has not been so easy. He would spend an hour outside playing and then whine at the door to go inside - I'm outside with him. I'd walk him over to where his sister pooped and stand there for 20 minutes while he just did everything but poop. Of course, if I brought him in, he'd poop. He'd finally poop, but the connection wasn't there.

As I mentioned on the other thread, he takes longer for certain training to get into his head. Yesterday morning, I took him out to potty. He peed and then ran to the door to go in. I sat in the chair on the patio. He looked at me, I said "poop". He suddenly ran across the yard, pooped, and ran right back to the door. I praised him profusely as we came in.

Last night, I took him out and he peed. Then he looked at me, ran across the yard and pooped and then raced to the door.

This morning, I had to say "poop" but he responded right away.

Finally, at 13 months, his brain has absorbed the lesson. It took a long time, but he wasn't being stubborn, he just really didn't get the connection between "poop", go poop, and come inside. Once he did, his whole attitude has changed. He bounces when he runs to a spot to poop - instead of milling around. It's a deliberate action now instead of a coincidence.

We'll continue to reinforce the behavior, but the big hurtle has been jumped.

And yes, this is an excuse to share my joy that he finally gets it.

P.S. Right now he's talking at me because he wants to go downstairs and I'm not going. I suspect he's calling me stubborn (I simply have a neck arthritis induced headache and moving is gonna hurt).

10 months to potty train is wayyy too long. In my experience, this isn't stubbornness but poor communication between the handler and dog.

 

[Jack Naylor]

I hear your frustration ...I expressed a similar

Who's Got The Chills from Waiting fo Dog to Poo in...

While out covering our brick patio with a tarp to prevent water seeping into the mortar cracks that I haven't finished parging yet, I thought ... better put one down just in case, at a spot under the doggie zipline so afterwards so they won't have to squat in the snow should it get too deep...

www.dogforums.com

Somehow thread drift resulted in all 20 responses talking about sticking things (specifically a match) up a dogs but. I offered another use for the word match <tongue in cheek> as doing a demonstration and trying to get the dog to "match" the behavior. That's an impressive accomplishment "poop on command" I have had instances where I would have loved to had the available with certain neighbors.

The only poop training I have done is:

a) Let them out on a consistent schedule
b) Reintroduce the crate overnight if I wake up to any surprises and take out immediately after opening
c) Walk to to the most frequently used poop area
d) If 'it's been a while,keep them out until the goal is achieved.

 

[Toedtoes]

I camp and travel with the dogs, so teaching them the "poop" cue is extremely helpful. I have also learned their natural schedule and only use the cue at the appropriate times. For Tornado-dog, that is the first trip after getting up and the last trip before bed. It was just a matter of getting him to connect "the faster you poop the sooner we go back inside and the fewer trips out into the cold we need to make".

The cold wet weather set him back a lot. It took a while to convince him that walking in wet grass isn't horrid and something to be avoided at all cost

Cat-dog is great and does her business right away without any cue from me. Tornado-dog just focuses on certain things, like going inside, and everything else just zips past his head. He is maturing and that is helping a lot.

 

[3GSD4IPO]

As I have said in the past... I can be doing BEAUTIFUL Competition heeling in a public park.. perfect recalls, wonderful retrieves.. all off leash.. with people and dogs watching.

No one says much.

Then I tell my dog "pee pee" and she does and then "Poop Poop" and she does and people flocked to me wanting to know how I trained THAT.

So now you've got it you're a "real" dog trainer! Haha!

 

[Toedtoes]

I don't think of it as a reflection on me. I give all the credit to Tornado-dog. He did all the work. I do suspect that he will be much better at it than my past dogs because once he "gets it" he never lets go of it. And he is an excellent trainer of people.

 

[Khecha Wacipi]

I know what you mean, Toedtoes. I always have figured, with my dogs and all of the foster dogs I have trained and especially the ones I have helped to recover from terrible trauma, it is the dogs doing all the hard work. My role is always just to show the way, be a mentor, and be a cheerleader.