Hello Forum....Cooper is 2.5 years old. In the morning he poo's in his fenced in area but will not pee there. He pee's when I take him out for first walk in the morning. But the peeing is done on the lawn! Or on the flowers or on a bush....you get the idea! That is one problem. The other is "how do you train your dog to pee on cue"? Sometimes he will not pee for over 12 hours and he drinks a lot of water...specially in the Summer months. I really would like to train him to pee when I ask him to and not dilly dally as he does for ages until he decides HE wants to do it. When we have to get somewhere at a certain time,it is a real problem. Thanks for any help.....Have a great day!
I was unable to train to use just one area of the yard. Apparently we need a light at the end of our long yard for nights that get dark at 4:30 and the humans in the house can't see to get out there. Shouldn't have picked such a dark spot but it wasn't dark in summer. For a cue though, we were successful in that. It's "Hurry Up" for pee. They would all oblige, especially if a walk or car ride was in the offing. But I think they faked it a lot of the time. All we did was consistently say Hurry Up when the dog was peeing. Even the rescue we got at 4 years old learned it.
I have a wee on cue. I just started when they were very little by saying the words ("wee wees", man I wish I'd chosen something a little more ... a little less... well, you know!) when they were going. They clicked what it means quite quickly, combined with giving them treats for going, which they still get at two years of age! Now, if I want them to go, I just use that cue. Willow will hunker down really quickly, and Shadow will walk around in circles for about five minutes trying to find the best place to go. When it's his choice, he'll go on any and every post, but when he's being asked, well, it has to be perfect!
I DO have flood lights for the fenced in area but he will not go out there alone when its dark! Believe we have wild turkeys roosting in the woods in the back where the area is and he must either hear them or smell them! But he has no problem going out there at night when it has snowed!! who can figure our pups out!!! Fiona, I also call it "wee wee" so am stuck like you with the words. But I can say it many,many times and he will only pee when HE wants to. I used to treat him but now I make a big fuss when he pee's.....obviously should have kept on treating. Maybe I can start treating all over again.....do you think that would be a good idea? And,yes, Cooper will walk around and around until he finds the right spot to pee on.....sometimes. I know it sounds silly but he is a male and HE wants to decide when he is going to do anything. Example. If I give him a treat that I know will make him thirsty....after he eats it I tell him "go and have a drink of water"....he slumps to the floor to "rest".....a couple of minutes later he gets up and goes and has a drink of water.....I chuckle to myself thinking he just doesn't want to be told what to do!! In a way I love him for that, too! I will treat for peeing and see how that works.....thanks.....what would we do without these magnificent dogs in our life?????
We made a wood chip, toilet area for Honer as a puppy as we didn't want to be scraping poop off the paving. This was the area he was taken to every time it looked like he might poop or pee. So he soon learnt that this is the area to go to. Wev've replaced the wood chip regularly especially during the tummy trouble days. He later started peeing under the bamboo but his morning poop is still on the wood chip area. His training to poop in a specific area happened when he was so young I'm not sure how successful it would be with an older dog.
It's very easy to do when they are tiny pups. But, as older pups or adults it will take enormous dedication of a type I don't have, much as I'd love Tatze to use the spending area all my pups use - it's soooo much easier all round. First get a wee on cue - by saying the cue word AS they wee. For weeks and weeks. Then say it JUST before they wee, when you are sure they are about to - also for weeks and weeks. Treat when they do so. Then - knowing they are 'full' say the cue in the correct area, every time. It works, I just don't have the dedication with an older dog. ...
Mags, I know what you are saying about how long it will take with an older dog. Cooper has been in "boarding school" (day and night) for four months.....I had knee replacement on left knee in March and right knee in June so I could not have him at home since I live alone plus when I got back from rehab was using a walker to get around! Now I use a cane outdoors but manage to get around the house without it. While at boarding school Cooper sort of did what he wanted regarding wee and poo! So now it means getting back to work....he and I. He is a very smart doggie so....if I am consistent with taking him to the area, and treat him when he goes, we should be able to make it. Wish me luck.....
