driving me nuts... or how do I prevent Poochicide?

[huntinguy]

He is a lab shepard mix. I think.

Have been working on training but not hard enough I know.

I can't seem to get him house broken. He never asks to go out. He will pee on command most of the time. But, if he thinks he doesn't have to go he doesn't. I carpet cleaned the floor this morning 

That brings us to item two. He has a few rooms that are off limits, and he does know it. But, guess where he goes to wizz? It is also the room where the delicates are, guess what he likes to chew on

And, I can't get him to do come outside, inside he will come up in front of you and set down and look up at you. Outside... A speeding bullet is all I can compare him to.

He is closing in on a year old... may not get there... 

[DoubleJ]

Was just there a couple of years ago with my lab/border collie mix.  Took 9 months to potty train using every trick in the book.  I almost shot him when he chewed the water line on the back of the fridge and let water pump into my house for 6 hours while we were at a dr.'s appt. causing a $40,000 home owners insurance claim.  He has destroyed more things than I can count.  He is 3 years old tomorrow and acts every bit like a puppy still.  He still gets the muzzle whenever we leave the house.  And, at 3 years old, I still occasionally wake up to a turd on the livingroom floor but, those are on mornings where I can remember that we didn't let him out before bed the night before.  Regular potty intervals is what helped the best with ours.

He'll get there, just be patient.

[ribka]

Are you crate training him? Many times it is the owner not the dog. Learned that many years ago via a good dog trainer.

[DoubleJ]

I agree.  In my case it was definitely the owner.  I am gone 14 hours a day and my wife was not up to the task.  We decided that grown dogs is all we will own from now on.  Just not enough time, consistancy, or skill to train puppies.

We tried crate training but in our case it didn't work.  Every time we would leave the house, EVERY TIME, we would return home to a dog covered in his own piss and poop because he would go in the crate and not care.  Crate training went on for 3.5 months and he never got it so we stopped.  We know it was separation anxiety and, for the most part, he's gotten past that but, he will still destroy a shoe or pull dishes out of the sink and destroy them, or anything else he can get his mouth on while we're gone, hence the muzzle.  He had gotten good about not destroying stuff and went without the muzzle for about a year.  This past October, we left for a week and had the neighbors let him in and out for that week.  Since then, the anxiety has come back.

[cem3434]

I don't know how to say it kindly, other than its you and not him. He is doing exactly what you have taught him and allowed him to do. You should be frustrated with yourself and not the dog.

With that being said, you have to be militant about taking them out at that younger age whenever they eat or wake up. He has gotten away with going in the house for so long, its going to be hard to break at this point, but not impossible. The chewing is also going to be harder to break, but you need to make sure he knows what he can and can't chew on. I'm assuming he has plenty of chew toys.

Its tough love time because you have let him get away with it for so long. Remember that you need to be patient and don't let him feel your frustration. He just wants to please you and if you would have taken the time when he was younger, you wouldn't be in this situation.

[Happy Gilmore]

Don't let him roam the house freely. Put him in a crate. When he comes out of the crate, he goes outside. Sounds like he should go outside on lead.

Time to paint a little black mustache under your nose.

[wildweeds]

Crates will cure all the things that ail in your canine endeavor,will stop the chewing,whizzing and dumping.The only time you allow them out to free range is when you can keep an eagle eye on them.

[Huntbear]

Crates and training collars work wonders..

Training collars are not just for bird dog owners.   Also, the more exercise they get, the better.  Along with mental exercise. 

[ghosthunter]

If you got room for a outside kennel and house. That's where my pup goes when I have to leave her for longer than she can old it. Crate training is great. But you have to give them a break. You can't expect them to hold it all day. My 12 week pup is up to five hours in crate with no problem. I get up at 4 am take her for  quick break back in crate till 7am.

This week she will spend the days in the big kennel till I get home. She will piddle inside if you don't get out regular. But am confident that will go away.

Keep at it.

[KFhunter]

you need an outside safe area, if you don't have tall enough fences then get one of those green stakes from double u hunting supplies and tie him up outside while you are gone for ahwile.

When your home kennel him inside the house, don't let him roam about the house destroying it for you.  Once he figures it out, when you open the door to let him in he'll fly to the kennel.  Let him soak in the kennel for a while, then open the kennel and take control of your dog and lead him outside to go.  Then back inside the indoor kennel, don't let him roam the house until he's flying in the kennel each time you open the door to let him inside


There is NOTHING wrong with keeping a dog in it's kennel, it's their den and safe area.  Keep some safe chew toys in there, once you get things settled down let him out the kennel for short periods of time and play with a chew toy then back in the kennel or outside to go take a wizz.

It's not rocket science, once you figure its a damm dog and not a little kid you'll be better.

[huntinguy]

ya, he has chew toys... lots.

I have a fenced yard and a kennel. Our last dog I kept in the kennel when we were away at work but in the house when we were home (we didn't have a fenced yard then. I walked her around the property line and told here NO at each corner. She really never left the yard too much). I was just worried that kenneling this guy would keep him wound up so, I don't hardly ever kennel him. Maybe I should.

I haven't tried the crate thing. Maybe that is something I should do. He never whizzes in the rooms where he is allowed to go, just the ones he is not allowed in.

Also, I think this may have a meaning. He likes to lean on us when we are inside. If we sit in a chair he has to lay on our feet or as directly under as he can. Also, when we are just standing doing something he walks up and leans against us.

How large of crate for a lab shepard mix?

not sure what this means either. When I correct him, the loud voice thing, he won't get near my for several hours.

[wildweeds]

just big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around and lay down in.If it is to big you'll find yourself cleaning up 1&2 from inside the crate.Lab sheperd x would lead me to beleive a 300 if  the dog is smaller statured and a 400 size if it's bigger.

[Revwrangler]

Crate training is the only way too go. I've trained multiple dogs this way and they have all turned out great. My current dog is 7 months old and never goes in the house, never chews on anything but his toys, and can stay in his kennel all night since he was about 3 months old with no accidents. Major key is when starting it they need to be either in the kennel or with you.

[lokidog]

Crate training is the only way too go. I've trained multiple dogs this way and they have all turned out great. My current dog is 7 months old and never goes in the house, never chews on anything but his toys, and can stay in his kennel all night since he was about 3 months old with no accidents. Major key is when starting it they need to be either in the kennel or with you.

 

"It's not rocket science, once you figure its a damm dog and not a little kid you'll be better. "  KFH

Our pup house trained in about three days with the crate at less than 8 weeks old.  Slept through the night 10-6 by 9 weeks.  I had a dog that seemed like she was having problems with figuring out pottying outside, I finally realized that I was the one with the problem since I did not recognize that her signal was walking past us and then sitting down about 15 feet away from the door.  Once I learned to read her, the inside accidents ended.

Try putting child gates at the rooms you don't want him in if you don't want the doors closed.  We block our upstairs, eventually they willl learn where they are not allowed. 

We do, fortunately, have the luxury of spending a lot of time with the pup which helps a lot.

[Revwrangler]

I agree lokidog. The baby gates work wonders. I uses them to train mine to stay downstairs. By this point it's no longer needed.