Nervous wetting and low self confidence

Question
I have a black lab that we estimate to be a year and a half old and we have only had her for two months and i dont know much about what her life was like before i got her other then she lived with 6 humans and more then 8 other dogs. We live in an apartment and every time i try to take her out to go to the bathroom, i get the leash and she pees a lake on my carpet and it wreaks! I dont know how to fix it. She is also very shy, always goes under the coffee table or the desk. Every time i try to work with her on basic commands like sit and lay down she puts her head down and looks for a place to crawl under. What can i do to fix these problems with Sasha, especially the nervous wetting. Thanks

Answer
Initially I would leave the leash on her-it sounds like as soon as she knows it is coming she gets very stressed.  If you  already have it on her you can nonchalantly grab it and walk her outside.  Do so without even talking to her or looking at her.  Just act as if you are taking the leash outside.  You will also need to clean the carpet with an enzymatic cleaner-that will get rid of the smell. Go to your local pet store and ask for one.

It is going to be very important that you keep things low-key with her.  Praise as well as any corrections.  A very good technique that will allow you to train without setting her into a shut down mode is clicker training.  You can learn about it at http://www.clickertraining.com/

Also visit http://www.positivedogs.com/ for some excellent concepts in positive training.  They are very similar to what I use myself, and already spelled out on these sites.  One adjustment I would recommend with the clicker training is using a verbal marker instead of a clicker.  I have found it much easier than carrying a clicker with you and trying to manage life.  Personally, I use the word "yes".  You will understand as you investigate those sites.

Best of luck to you,
Erica Slomka
Jumpin JACS Dog Training
We Train YOU To Train Your Dog

visit us on the web at http://www.jumpinjacs.com