Accidents in the house

Question
Hello Jill. I apologize in advance for the length, and am so grateful for any information you can give me.

We have two dogs who, up until a few weeks or so ago, were perfectly housebroken (they are 3 1/2 and 2, both females). We made the mistake of watching a friend's dog while they went on vacation. This dog had accidents (poop, not pee) in our house almost every day we watched him. After he went back home, our dogs started pooping in the room that he had, every day (one was doing it in pretty much the same spot, the other one in a spot a little farther away). I don't know if it's because they saw him do it and figured that they don't have to hold it anymore either, or because they could still smell it and wanted to cover the marking because it wasn't his territory (we had obviously cleaned it up and it didn't smell to us, but since dogs' sense of smell is better than ours this makes sense to me).

We steam cleaned that section of the carpet to remove any smells that might be lingering. It worked for a little bit, but they are doing it again. We tried keeping the door to that room closed, but the furnace is down there and my husband says that we can't leave it closed because the a/c wasn't circulating well. Their favorite treat is american cheese, so after they would poop outside we would give them a slice of that and a regular dog treat, as an extra incentive to go outside. That worked for the past week, there hasn't been any poop in the house, but I came home from work today and they had both gone. I watched both of them poop outside before I left for work this morning, so I know they should have been okay to hold it.

They have stopped going while we're home (they were doing that for awhile when it first started), it's just while we're at work now. But that is almost even more frustrating, since there is obviously no way for me to watch/punish/reward at that time.

I have never actually caught them in the act of doing it, but have yelled at both of them and smacked them on the nose each time I have found it. I have read that you aren't supposed to punish a dog after the fact, only if you catch them in the act, but I know they know it's down there, because when I take them down there to yell at them they put their heads down and don't want to go in the room. I thought that if I didn't yell at them, they would think that I was okay with it and would keep going. I don't know if it makes a difference, but the 3 1/2 year old is a lab/jack russell mix, and the 2 year old is a chow/corgie mix. We have one crate we could put the 2 year old in, and then lock the older one in our room while we are at work. But that isn't really solving the problem.... just removing the opportunity for them to go. Right now they are just out in the house while we are at work.

Do you have any suggestions for me? I am at my wit's end, frustrated beyond belief, and TIRED of picking up dog poop. I have no idea how to solve this. Thank you,

  Natalie.

Answer
By "putting their heads down" your dogs aren't demonstrating remorse, they are demonstrating submission out of fear.  The dogs have NO idea you are angry because the poop is there; they DO know that you are angry. This is unfair and is harming the bond of trust they have formed with you.  Also, an entire slice of cheese is far too much "treat" to offer any dog for any reason.  Cheese is not a product dogs metabolize easily and can actually increase their need to defecate.  Learn about positive reinforcement training by reading Patricia McConnell Ph.D. or going to Karen Pryor's web site (but don't use a clicker; condition another cue, a different and unique word for each dog.  Condition these cues separately so each dog does not readily pick up on the other's cue.)  Use your conditioned cue when the dog(s) defecates outdoors and then follow it with a tiny food treat (chicken frank, snausage, just a bit of something good.)  Dogs actually work for the CUE and the food becomes secondary (if you condition them properly, which is why you need to study.)

In terms of barricading the area, if there's a door frame (it appears that there is), buy a spring loaded gate and use that to keep the dogs out of that area.  Crating them is not humane at this point (nor is separating them) for long hours.  Your dogs ARE house trained.  They are marking OVER the spot left by the interloper.  You are correct in reinforcing their house training skills and that, coupled with barricading the area, should do it.  Meanwhile, if you should find poop in that area, pick it up in full view of the dogs, direct your anger to the poop and carry it outdoors and put it down, then smile and praise its new location.  This sounds bizarre (I know!) but it's a neat trick that often works.

Give this some time and patience and all should revert to normal.  In future, ask you friends and relatives to find a pet sitter.