# Honey just won't try =(



## Fractal (Jun 26, 2008)

Honey our 4 month old golden just won't bother to go outside to wee.

If the door ain't open, she ain't goiing - Thats what she thinks in her mind. We all make sure we take her out and let her go etc.

We thought Rocky would try and teach her but he just doesn't bother.

We tried the crate but ended up taking it back to the shop since she kept messing in it.

We all praise her like mad and give her treats for going outside but she's not caring.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

did she come from a pet store???


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I always tell my adopters that they don't housetrain the puppy, the puppy housetrains them. You have to learn what their signal is and respond to it immediately. It can be very subtle, like a different whine from usual or circling before going or coming over and climbing into your lap. Eventually you will catch onto what she is telling you, but it can take some time.


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## Fractal (Jun 26, 2008)

hotel4dogs: Pet store.

fostermom: She doesn't really give any signal, we all watch her almost all the time. She trust trots to the hallway and squats. The main issue is the night. 

I take her to the garden at 2am every night and we still come down to wee and she does know we're not happy because she won't come near until we call her.


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

Fostermom is right. You have to look for her signals. When Tucker has to go, he'll start sniffing the floor and/or walking around in circles. He is actually to the point where he will occasionally even go to the door if he has to go. You definitely want to have a crate. You will find out later that it will be a lifesaver for you. I'm sure she'll get the hang of a routine soon enough. Good luck!


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

Fractal said:


> hotel4dogs: Pet store.
> 
> fostermom: She doesn't really give any signal, we all watch her almost all the time. She trust trots to the hallway and squats. The main issue is the night.
> 
> I take her to the garden at 2am every night and we still come down to wee and she does know we're not happy because she won't come near until we call her.


If she is a pet store dog she should still dislike going in her crate. I would have stuck to my guns on the crate and taken her straight outside every morning to go to the bathroom.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

You fight a tough battle with pet store puppies and crates. They learned from about 5 weeks old, when they were taken from their litters and put into "quarantine" and then shipped, to go whenever and wherever they are. It's not her fault.
How big is the crate? For a pet store puppy having a problem with still going in the crate, you want an incredibly small space. Just barely big enough for her to stand up, turn around and lie down. That's lying down CURLED up, not stretched out. She will be much less likely to mess in the crate if she will be forced to lie in it. If there's even a small corner where she can get away from it, she will go ahead and go in the crate, it's all she knows.
She knows you're not happy, but trust me, she has no idea why. She just knows that every time you come down,you're upset. So she doesn't come until she's called. Again, not fair to her. She can't figure out why you don't like her every morning.
Go back to the crate. Make it VERY small. Start all over as if you had brought her home for the first time today. Take her outside, let her pee and poop. If she does, fine, she can play out of the crate, IN YOUR EYESIGHT, for about 1/2 hour. Then back outside, pee and poop, then right back into the crate. If you ever take her outside, and she doesn't go, don't let her free in the house. Back in the crate, and then try again in a short while.
When she does finally go outside, TONS of praise like she's the smartest best dog you've ever seen. Treats too. Don't hold back. She is confused as to what's expected of her.
When you catch her squatting in the house, don't EVER yell at her for it. All that teaches a dog is not to go when and where you can see them do it! Just sweep her up quickly, rush outside (yes, dribbling pee all the way if you have to) and give her potty command repeatedly. If you get even a small try from her, BIG reward. 
It's much harder with pet store puppies, I'm sorry to tell you, but it CAN be done with gentle, patient, consistent training on your part. Even your subject line indicates that you blame the dog....it's NOT her fault. She was taken from the situation in which she needed to learn potty behavior when she was too young to have learned it yet.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Fractal, a puppy doesn't "not care". She had a rough start in life if she's a pet store purchase, so she doesn't know (and I mean really know) what you expect of her. You will need to be especially patient with this puppy to undo what has already been done...taken far too early from her mother and littermates and put in situations where she couldn't learn any proper behavior.


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## nictastic (Aug 21, 2008)

Tasha was a puppy mill rescue and they were peeing pooing in the area they lived. She was the same at first. From day one we did the outside pee massive treat and praise. I also got a crate a very large 41" one, but i used the divider to give her just enough room...or so i thought ...it was too much she did a pee same again next night then i read some posts in here and moved it forward so it was smaller and she NEVER did anything in her crate again. It was like magice she was fab!!! It will work you must keep trying. She is now 15/16 weeks old and only ever does excitment meeting dribbles..but people now greet her outside x 
The crate is a god send...not only for house training but for chill out time too x


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## buckeyegoldenmom (Oct 5, 2008)

hotel4dogs said:


> You fight a tough battle with pet store puppies and crates. They learned from about 5 weeks old, when they were taken from their litters and put into "quarantine" and then shipped, to go whenever and wherever they are. It's not her fault.
> How big is the crate? For a pet store puppy having a problem with still going in the crate, you want an incredibly small space. Just barely big enough for her to stand up, turn around and lie down. That's lying down CURLED up, not stretched out. She will be much less likely to mess in the crate if she will be forced to lie in it. If there's even a small corner where she can get away from it, she will go ahead and go in the crate, it's all she knows.
> She knows you're not happy, but trust me, she has no idea why. She just knows that every time you come down,you're upset. So she doesn't come until she's called. Again, not fair to her. She can't figure out why you don't like her every morning.
> Go back to the crate. Make it VERY small. Start all over as if you had brought her home for the first time today. Take her outside, let her pee and poop. If she does, fine, she can play out of the crate, IN YOUR EYESIGHT, for about 1/2 hour. Then back outside, pee and poop, then right back into the crate. If you ever take her outside, and she doesn't go, don't let her free in the house. Back in the crate, and then try again in a short while.
> ...


Hotel4dogs is right. You can not let her out of your sight...look for the sniffing and circling. There maybe some false runs for outside, but that's ok. You need the crate and you need to watch her constantly when she is out of the crate. And make the crate small enough so she can't make a corner her potty area. She will learn.


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## nictastic (Aug 21, 2008)

Just read all your other posts...this girl really has had a tough start! Bless her hope the blood in her poop has cleared now.
Also you mentioned at 12 weeks she was peeing an pooping in the hall. in another post you have said she goes outside and is very good apart from the odd accident..so is it only at night she does it?

Do/did you get up with her at night? 

The first few weeks i got up with tasha several times a night to take her out..i had to set an alarm as she never cried.

If you didn't, she has probably learnt to go there (the hall way) and if you aren't cleaning it with a proper dog cleaner, she will still smell it and think that is where she can go.

Also during the day do you take her out at regualr times and treat praise her for her eliminations? This helps tons


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## colton (Jun 5, 2008)

If it is happening only at night that means she has too much freedom...a small crate is the answer here and secondly you aren't taking her out enough at night. You may need to set your alarm and get up every 2 or 3 hours to take her out at first but after a while she will learn to hold it longer. If you are only getting up once in the night for her it obviously isn't enough and she is doomed to fail. It is difficult with a puppy because to toilet train her YOU will have many broken nights sleep getting up, just like a human baby. It only takes a couple of months and then you will have a full nights sleep. Definitely go back to the crate....it's magic!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Crate*

I agree-definitely use a crate and take her out in middle of night if she has to go.

If this sweetie was in a pet store she had a rough life so far.
It only takes a couple of months to train a puppy-they are JUST LIKE BABIES.


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## jasnday (Sep 14, 2008)

I agree with fostermom. Daisy always gives me the signal but if some how I don't pay attention and miss it she won't hesitate to go inside. But there has to be accidents with the proper way of punishment or they won't learn.


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## Fractal (Jun 26, 2008)

Thanks everyone...

She's still not really signaling but we're making sure she goes out after each activity etc and as I have been doing with her since I got her, I've been taking her out at 2am...

Recently she's been able to hold it thoughout the night. I think sleeping close to the other Golden makes her feel more secure and see's what he does and wants to do likewise.

I'll be sure to update you all on her weekly progress.

I think its time for some pictures as well.

nictastic: Her poops all cleared up and she's back to the way she should be, thankfully.


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

The key I picked up on was something you might overlook - - it sounds as if trotting to the hall is the signal. Is that where she goes the majority of the time?? If so that is probably something to really be on the lookout for.


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