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TOILET TRAINING
TOILETING GENERAL
It is always important to ensure that there is no underlying medical cause
for toilet problems, particularly if the problem develops very suddenly.
Bladder or bowel infections and injuries can mean that a dog just cannot
hang on until you return. Get your vet to check. Just as in humans, elderly
dogs can become incontinent. There is very little that can be done, so please
don’t distress your old friend. Sometimes elderly dogs can become senile
and just ‘forget’ where to go. If this happens, go back to the
puppy routine and praise him every time he goes outside.
FEEDING
If you are expecting your dog to hang on for long periods or if you have a
problem generally, look carefully at the food you use. Tinned foods are at
least 70% water and poor quality ingredients so there is a lot to come back out
of the dog. It may be you need to change to a good quality complete food
and feed at times that you are available to toilet the dog. You sometimes
have to watch your dogs habits for a few days to see the relationship between
feeding times and toilet times.
PUPPIES
The general routine for puppies is to let them out after eating, sleeping
and every hour or so in between. Try to persuade your puppy to walk himself
to the area he can use, whether it is inside or outside. Too many puppies
are picked up and carried, so they do not let you know when they want to
go by running to the door, they just hang around waiting to be carried!
Do
not punish a puppy for any mess you find later.
Do not EVER rub your dog's nose in the mess or point at it shouting.
Do not come into the house looking for mess and looking like you want to kill
the dog.
Dogs cannot learn unless you catch them in the act. Many owners say that their
dog ‘acts guilty’ when they return. Dogs do not feel guilt. What is happening is
that they associate a mess on the floor and your return with punishment. They
cannot work out that if they didn’t do it in the first place you wouldn’t be
mad! You will only produce a dog who worries about you returning and the stress
of that can mean he cannot hold on very long. If you do catch your puppy ‘in the
act’ the best thing to do is to clap your hands and shout loudly to distract
him. Get a toy or treat and lead the dog to where you want him. When he does
perform, give him lots of praise. You need to be there to praise your puppy
every time he performs for much longer than you think. Too many people put the
dog outside and leave him alone. When he does go to the toilet there is nobody
there to tell him he got it right so next time he comes and does it indoors. You
need to be outside with your dog until you are absolutely sure that he
understands the rules.
OLDER DOGS
When an adult dog starts messing indoors there is usually a psychological
cause. The following are the commonest reasons:
A new dog in the house, or even just visiting.
A fright outdoors, such as fireworks.
A family crisis, causing tension in the household.
New dogs must be introduced properly. If your pet is fairly submissive he will not
want to draw attention to himself by urinating and he will be afraid of marking
over the other dogs mark. It is vital that you settle the dogs together and
they are clear about which is top dog. In the case of a frightening experience,
the dogs confidence can only be gained slowly. Taking him in the garden on
a lead can help, and lots of physical praise, even feeding him outdoors until
he settles down again. Where family tensions are upsetting the dog it may
be better to board him temporarily. No matter how hard you try to hide things
from your pet, dogs are very good at reading your body language. It is impossible
to help your dog until the cause of the tension has gone. Never add to your
pet’s stress by trying to punish him. With adult toileting problems
it is often necessary to get professional help to make sure that you are
treating the dog for the right thing.
SCENT MARKING
It may come as a surprise to know that both dogs and bitches scent mark! It
is important to recognise it and not mistake it for real urinating. It is more
of a short burst and often frequently performed! Again it is commonest when
another dog has entered the household and usually stops as the dogs settle down.
When you first bring an adult home, even if it is an only dog, it will tend to
want to mark for a couple of days to make itself feel better by marking its’ new
territory. The puppy treatment of clapping and shouting works best, but remember
they don’t need to be ushered out into the garden afterwards! Remember to praise
your dog for stopping, don’t continue to shout. A few repeated squirts of water
from a good water pistol in the face puts off most dogs. The secret is to
pretend it wasn’t you! Do not make eye contact or shout anything to the dog, if
he looks worried, call him and praise him.
CLEANING
Dogs tend to return to the same spots to urinate so it is very important
to clean up effectively. Do not use any products containing ammonia as urine
contains ammonia and you are only making the area smell more attractive.
Some dogs also do not like the smell of some strong disinfectants and will
mark more vigorously to get rid of it. The best cleaning product is a biological
washing liquid. The biological action helps to break down the fat and protein
and really get rid of it. If you can get some, a quick rub over with surgical
spirit finishes it off.
ATTENTION
Some dogs will perform right in front of you to get some attention. If your
dog is becoming dominant he may be doing it to prove a point about who is
really in charge. Some insecure dogs are so desperate for attention that
they prefer to be shouted at than ignored. Again it may be better to get
professional help if you suspect that your dog is doing this as the treatment
is completely different for each reason.
LAST THOUGHTS
NEVER RUB YOUR DOG’S NOSE IN THE MESS! This is an outdated and barbaric
treatment and only serves to upset and traumatise your pet. Usually you end
up with a pet who is even frightened to go out doors as all that he has learned
is not to go in front of you. Whatever the reason for the problem, try to
examine the bigger picture. When trying to help your pet, remember never
to punish your dog for anything you find later. You must catch them in the
act if you are to stop them.
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