QuestionQUESTION: I just adopted a 12 month old sheltie today after the recent loss of my last adopted dog. I was told he was housebroken, but he has peed 3 times in my house already. Is this just the adjustment period? He lived in a house for the past 12 months with an owner, and was only in the shelter over the weekend. Do you recommend just the normal potty training techniques? How long do you think it will take him to adjust?
ANSWER: Hi Shannon,
For starters, look back through my answers regarding crate training and accidents. Today's crate method is the reminder that 90% of housebreaking is training the owner to recognize the times and signals that it's time to go potty. The other 10% is getting the dog used to a schedule you can live with.
Restrict water availability until you both get on the same schedule. Otherwise follow the crate training rules.
Hope that helps!
Dave
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QUESTION: I understand about crate training, but I do not want to crate train my dog. I am interested in having him completely housebroken without the use of a crate. I don't mind using the normal potty training techniques, but I would like for him to have the run of the house. I am just wondering if this is an adjustment period for him, because the owner did say he was housebroken when I adopted him.
AnswerThe best answer is that I have a crate trained Sheltie who has run of the house. The distinction is that rather than trying to use pee pads to teach them to pee in the house and then not to pee in the house which is confusing to the dog, we taught him it was very good to pee outside.
Now that he is older he doesn't pee indoors because he knows where to go.
Think like your dog for a moment: Small personal space (the crate is their private hidaway) is not where we pee, we pee outside of personal space to be clean. Where is it good for me to pee? Away from personal space. Is that space indoors our outdoors? What message do pee pads and paper send: please pee in the kitchen or beside the door?
If you are managing the personal space (note, it doesn't have to be a crate) they will understand the clean area and learn where it is ok to do business. (Please remember that a crate is practical because it is still social in that they can see what is going on and not locked away in a room somewhere.)
For the record, we have constantly seen dogs voluntarily go into their crates and relax with the door open. If you do not use it for a punishment and use it correctly it is a welcome refuge. Tucker used to go put himself to bed if we stayed up past the usual time. Over the weekend a visiting 7 year old dog who is not crate trained at home went into the crate yesterday and relaxed after a walk, with the door open.
I know this works for housebreaking Shelties without confusing punishments and confusing indoor ok to pee and not ok to pee spots. You are free to make your own decisions about how to raise your dog, I am only giving you my advice based on experience that you may choose to follow.
'sneezes
Dave
