potty training

Question
ok, i have a shelti, she is my 3rd one, she is 10 months old.  When i first got her we lived in a house with a back yard and potty training was not that hard.  Now i have moved to the apartment she is pooping and peeing all over the place.  She wont come to me and let me know that she needs to go out.  I am at my wits end.  I take her out often but she gets side tracked (she is a little high strung) and i think she forgets that she is supposed to go.  Most of the time she will pee but will not poo.  She is too busy sniffing and barking at sounds and shadows.  What can i do?  I have never had a shelti that was not house broken in like 2-3weeks.  How do i get her to tell me that she needs to go out.  I mean i take her out so often i am just at a loss, please help!
sincerly
Delina Volkerding

Answer
Hi Delina,

I hate to say it, but you are doing the right things.  You and your Sheltie need to get on the same page about potty times.

First, I assume you are crate training and she isn't going inside her crate?  If she WON'T go outside, then bring her into her crate and take her back outside in 10-15 minutes.  Don't give her an opportunity to do her potty inside.

Don't take her inside until she goes to the potty.  Period. Apartment complexes are confusing and busy.  This is causing most of your problems- as you might have guessed.  

When she barks at a shadow she may be hearing & smelling something from inside someone else's apartment.  Your Sheltie is responding to the new environment and needs to spend a LOT of time desentizing to the imputs.  Try to find the least busy area of the complex to walk her.  Be patient with her as her instincts and early puppy hood were geared to your backyard.  Things have changed dramatically.

If possible, both of you need to get to an obedience class.   A good class will focus on getting the leashed attention on the human and away from distractions.  I realize you may not have a lot of time, but these classes usually meet once a week and give great tips for both of you to work on during your daily time together.

Don't loose hope!

'sneezes
Dave