House breaking a lab puppy

[Guy400]

Technically not a puppy but she is only 5 months old. Another family was going to send her to the pound because their current Rott couldn't get along with her (or any other dog) and they were afraid the Rott was going to kill her. I take this dog and they tell me ahead of time that she's already been housebroken. I get this dog back and had her for a week now and she's constantly crapping in my house. She'll pee outside no problem. We take her out about every 45 - 50 minutes and she'll run outside, pee and then want to run around and play. You can be out there with her for 30 minutes and she'll just play. Bring her back in the house and she'll almost immediately dart behind something and poop. We've tried taking the poop from in the house and putting it outside to try and show her that's where she should be going but she's not getting it. We also take her outside immediately after she's eaten and that's not working either. It's taken every ounce of self-control to not put my foot in this dog.

[ridered11]

I woudnt let her back in untill she poops.

[jcv400ex]

I also wouldn't bring her in until she poops. But is it always on carpet? maybe take a old piece of carpet and put it outside to see if she poops on it? easy clean up then too!

I got my dog trained to poop on that 3 foot wide stretch of grass between the curb and the sidewalk now!

[Guy400]

Originally posted by jcv400ex
I also wouldn't bring her in until she poops. But is it always on carpet? maybe take a old piece of carpet and put it outside to see if she poops on it? easy clean up then too!

I got my dog trained to poop on that 3 foot wide stretch of grass between the curb and the sidewalk now! No, it's anywhere. Sometimes on the carpet in the bedroom, sometimes the tile in the kitchen and sometimes on the hardwood floor in the living room. She's an equal opportunity pooper.

[Quad18star]

Cage her while she's in the house ... she won't crap in her cage.

A firm NO when she does it , then put her outside . My buddy's lil rat ( boston terrier ... dumb friggen dog) crapped in their house all the time. It took 3 years to get it trained to do it's duty outside... shouldn't take that long to train the lab since the Rat is about as smart as a goldfish.

Did you have another dog previously? It's a possibility the new dog is marking it's territory.

[aDviSol2y]

Crate training is the best, easiest and fastest way to train a dog. They wont crap in the crate, and if they do, it will only be once. I had my St. Bernard trained at 3 months. (Only 1 month after we got him) Labs are smart, he should figure it out. I would also stick his nose right in the crap when he craps in the house.

[Tommy Warren]

shoot it

but seriously just be like the dog whisperer.....just poke her and say "sshhh sshhh" and she'll stop instantly

but even more seriously if she craps as soon as she comes in it means she would rather be outside. if your playing with her outside shes not worried about doing her business just stand there and when she craps then play with her or give her a treat;)

[honda400ex2003]

i rubbed the dogs nose in it if our dog went in the house at all. very seldom does she do anything now. she always lets us know if she has to go out. she is also a shih tzu. she was trained a little before we got her but we finished. has been good for about 3 years. steve

[Guy400]

We do keep her in a dog crate at night and when we're gone and she's never gone in the crate. No other dogs in the house. It's a new construction home and she's the first dog in there. I'll just keep working with her and I'm sure it'll eventually get better. Thanks for the advice.

[bigd's ex]

Our lab was the easiest to train out of all the dogs we have had. Like previously said, crating your dog is probably the best way to train your dog. When he was out of his crate someone always kept an eye on him and when he started to try and do his thing on the floor we hurried him outside. It took maybe a week of that and he started going to the door. We also keep him on a regular feeding schedule of once in am between 6-7 am or depending on how long he'll let us sleep lol, and at 4-5 in the pm. Be patient and keep working her, she'll get it. Good Luck !!!!!!!!!

[mcarlson1]

I used potty pads with my lab, they worked great. Theres a scent on it that attracts the dog to it when they have to go, also dont lether back in until she goes. I just gotta ask my dog if she has to go potty now and she runs to the door.

Thanks,
Mike

[slightlybent47]

The best way at this point since it goes inside now is to keep the dog out side most of the time if not all the time. Do that for 2 months and the dog will want to go out to poop. Big dogs don’t go in side at all if they start out, outside. Once there grown then they will prefer the out side. The dog has the habit of going inside so out he needs to go for awhile and stay out. You can bring him-her in for a short time but keep him outside most of the time. Tuff love will cure it. Never hit or spank a dog, it will just make him stay away from you when his done bad. If told you to come here in a mean voice and then I hit you every time you came over you would stop coming over, same thing with a dog. A strong voice, consistency and some type of reward for doing right is all you need to discipline a dog. You don’t even need to rise your voice, just the right tone in your voice will do.

Good luck

[honda400ex2003]

also gestures help too. dogs seem to really learn gestures fast since they can relate to it everytime it is done and know what it is. our dog comes with a point at your side without saying anything to her most of the time. steve

[AirMalone]

When my dog pissed on the floor I would rub her nose in it...smack her and throw her outside...worked like a charm.

Pads and all that are a waste of money. Pay attention to the dog so you know when it needs to go out, and if it slips up make sure it knows so...

[Lasher]

Sorry but disagree with some of you guys...rubbing noses and what not...

If you are truely the Alpha dog, all that harsh stuff is not necessary at all.

House training a dog is easy work except for one part. You need to be 100% focused on the dog and do the right stuff (positive/negative reaction) at the right time, that is the hard part.

You mentioned the dog does not go in the crate...that is great. So much, that I would say within a weekend you should be pretty much done.

The key is timing...

Let's start in the morning...you wake up and the dog is in the cage. If there is poop in the cage, then the cage is too big or the dog got sick. But do not yell at the dog or rub its nose in it. If not poop, immediately take the dog outside. Actually pick the dog up and carry outside or use a leash. But straight outside!

Let the dog go to the bathroom. No playing or anything, that comes later. Once the dog goes pee...praise the dog, not just a pat on the head, but really make a big deal about it (good boy, petting type stuff and really mean it). But NO PLAYING. Once the dog goes poop, repeat the affection. I used commands when the dog is going...so as the dog is peeing I say "<dog name> go pee" this way if I need the dog to use the bathroom later in life (before car rides) he knows what I am saying.

If the dog does not go poop...then come inside. Now here is where the hard part comes in. You need to follow the dog 100% and within arms reach. Nothing else can take you attention for a minute. When the dog starts to squat to crap, with you alpha voice say NO (or your "shhh" sound) and immediately pick the dog up (or use leash) and take the dog outside. Again, you have the advantage since is it common for the dog to go once inside. So stay near the door the dog will use to go outside. And I don't care about how much of a mess it is. You need to stop the dog the instant they try to poop.

Get the dog outside and let them poop (or finish)...again with the praise/affection.

That is it. You need to tell them NO when they start the act of crapping in the house and immediately show them what they should be doing. If you shadow the dog the entire weekend, the dog will know to go to the door when it needs to. One slip up on your part and you need to start all over.

Key things to remember...
If you are not the alpha...forget it. I am talking about "knowing" you are the alpha not so much showing it. An alpha will only show he is the alpha when it needs to.

Dog craps in cage...cage too big. (or sick)

Dog craps in house...you are not paying attention or close enough to the dog to change the behavior.

All those pads and other gimics are a waste of money. And rubbing noses in it...that is just some one being a "bully" towards the dog...and I will leave it at that. But has anyone ever seen a mother dog rub her pups noses in crap?

Dogs are dogs. I love my dogs like a member of my family, because they are (read spoiled rotten). But I treat them like a dog, by correcting them as a true alpha dog would.

[AirMalone]

Maybe a little mean...but the mutt figured out right quick what would happen if she pissed on my floor. And for the record I have the nicest friendliest dog in the world.

She's two now and hasn't pissed in the house since she was 8 weeks old

[Lasher]

My viewpoint...the act of rubbing the nose was not what taught the dog...but during the act you probably were a pretty good alpha. Again, just my view from my experience with dogs.

It is amazing how many people "think" they are the alpha when they really are not. (not implying this towards anyone in particular)

Being the alpha dog is a fully time job, and easy once you learn how.

Heck, my 150lbs newfie is lower than my 6 year old in my pack.

[mitchamus]

Use a keyword for the bathroom.
And there only one reason to be outside and that is to go to the bathroom. Take the dog on a leash outside and keep focused to the goal if she starts to wander give the leash a little tug and use the keyword but you have to consistent. took my golden about a week to housetrained.