My suggestion would be to keep her in the crate. At this point she feels the crate is her den, she is most comfortable in it and she feels safe, that is why she is not eliminating there. As far as the hardwood goes, it may seem easy to clean, but I have seen hardwood that was ruined by dog urine. (my father is a contractor) The urine seeps into the grooves and works its way through to the underside. It is an ugly mess.
Sorry to get off the subject there! Anyways, I agree with the last poster, the dog definitely needs training. What I did with my "babies" when I first brought them home was, immediately bring them outside when they are let out of their cage...And I would bring them outside every 1/2 hr. gradually working up your time in between as the puppy gets older. You definitely need to praise like you never praised before when she goes outside and does her duty. This will ingrain in to her that it is good to go out, she naturally wants to please you. If you catch her going inside, say "no" in a firm voice and carry her outside. Don't hit her. And don't scold her if you don't catch her in the act. She will only be confused and not know what you are scolding her for. You can click on my link for more training suggestions. Hope I helped! |