[LuBear]

Alright, so I'm 20 years old I own 3 dogs and we all live in a nice 4 room apartment. Now, I have a 3 year old Australian Cattle Dog/ Border Collie and he is a very well trained, well mannered dog. So he was my success. I than went and got myself 2 female American pittbull terriers. These girls are beautiful, gentle dogs but they will NOT poo outside.
When I purchased these dogs their former owner was not well versed in the treatment of dogs. I found them in a room, a room they'd never left in their lives, filled with poo. Apparently for the first 3 months of their lives they lived in filth. Now I've had them for 8 months , so they're almost a year old. They occasionally poo outside but if I leave or if I'm sleeping they will poo all over their room. Their beds, the floor, clothes, it doesn't really matter to them. I managed to train them to know that doing number 1&2 outside is good, but they can't understand that pooing inside is bad.What do I do?

[lange]

This is a hard transition for neglected dogs. Would you settle for paper training them? It may be easier to work with. Then once they master that, over time you can work on eliminating the papers for outside potty. You will need a lot of patience on your part but it sounds like you already have that. I would find the smelliest, moistest, irresistible little piece of food for the treat. I think clicker training might be the ideal training method for this as well.

[LuBear]

Thanks alot, do you know the best method to clicker train your dog? I understand the concept is click when there's good behavior, then praise and then go on to give the treat. So I do this when they go on the paper, then eventually I would bring the paper outside and the eventually take the paper away? All the while clicking, praising and delivering treats?

[lange]

That is close to the idea. I would start by putting a good amount of papers down so that they have less room to error. You always want to set it up to where they have a better chance to succeed until they grasp what you want. Once you feel they're getting better you'll start putting less & less papers down until your only left with a small section over time. Then you'll work them towards going outside more often until you completely eliminate the papers. You can do what you mentioned (taking a paper out with you) or cold turkey by only giving them the "potty word". You'll have to gauge what will work best for them then.

Clicker training targets the exact second a goal is accomplished so that there's no room for error on what you're encouraging the dog to do. I BELIEVE you'll also be integrating a command word with their pottying as well. I'm only just beginning to scratch the surface of clicker training myself but another member, Sara, should be able to point you in the right direction. I'll p.m. her to see if she can come recommend a book for you. (Hope you don't mind Sara! )

The only other thing I want to mention again, is not to rush or get discouraged if your girls have some set backs through the process. This can be a very long behavioral process. I've also been through it too, I know it can feel hopeless. But I really think clicker training will put your best foot forward.

[Deafdogsrule]

Here I am!

I must admit, I've never used Clicker Training to housetrain a dog before, but I've read stuff about it. My dogs have been easy, but I also crate them.

Dealing with neglected dogs, who've been allowed to potty wherever they want, takes time, patience and LOTS of rewards!

Rule #1. Set up for success, try to never let them fail.

If you chose to go the paper training route, Clicker training will work beautifully, but you must be there for that.

So here's the idea. First, you must "load the clicker" So the dogs know what it means. Work with one dog at a time. toss a treat towards them, and just as they pick up the treat (small treats, no bigger than 1/4 of an inch) click. do this 10 or so times, then ask for something they know (like sit) the second their butt hits the floor click then treat immediately. your voice is unnecessary. at the same time you can be training a stand. Click/treat for a sit, then lure them foreward then click/treat as soon as they're standing (dont add in a command at this point, just click/treat.)

Once you've loaded the clicker, keep treats on you at all times, and keep the clicker on a lanyard around your neck, or on a wrist strap. Also, keep a little poo and put it on the paper at first, As soon as the dogs eat, put their leashes on and take them to the paper and say go potty (once only) and wait. if in 5 minutes they do nothing, then keeping the leash on take them out of their potty spot, and give it a half hour then take them back, say "go potty" again. eventually they will go. when one does, click (while pooping/peeing) and treat that dog profusely (big jackpot) let her off her leash, and then wait for the other one. if nothing happens, she must stay on the leash. try again later. You'll want to give them the chance to go regularly, always rewarding heavily for using the paper.

You should start to see them going into the room on their own to use the paper, follow and treat heavily for any use of the paper. Once the dogs know what go potty means, and that they'll be rewarded for proper use of the paper, start shrinking the paper. As Lange suggested.

I would recommend crate training them, however. it's much easier to gage when the dog has to go. When you take one of them out of her crate, put her leash on and go directly outside to the spot you want her to go. say go potty, and click/treat for anything she does in that spot. hopefully she'll do both. then take her back inside and get the other one. take that one to the same spot as the other (It's best to always use the same place) say go potty, then wait it out.

If by chance they dont do their buisness in say 5 or 10 minutes, take them directly back into their crate, wait 1/2 hour, then try again.

Ignore any accidents. although, I've heard from some people that putting their food bowl, or water bowl on top of where they had an accident (after you've cleaned it up) may discourage them form using that spot again.

With constant praise and reward for them going wherever you want them to, and ignoring when they have an accident) they'll soon learn that it's much more beneficial for them to wait 'till you're home and with them to go...

Only dog people, and people potty training children know what it's like to make a huge fuss over poop! LOL

If you want to get into Clicker Training, the best book for learning and understanding the method is "Reaching the Animal Mind" by Karen Pryor. Karen Pryor Clickertraining is her website.

Hope that helps you some!

[LuBear]

Thank you very much, the both of you have been a great help! I'll defiantly be able to wait for these girls to catch on. Unfortunately though I don't know all too much about crate training.
My girls poo in their own bed, and I'm sure if I didn't clean it, they would sleep in it. Do you think crate training would still be efficient?

[Deafdogsrule]

Originally Posted by LuBear

Thank you very much, the both of you have been a great help! I'll defiantly be able to wait for these girls to catch on. Unfortunately though I don't know all too much about crate training.
My girls poo in their own bed, and I'm sure if I didn't clean it, they would sleep in it. Do you think crate training would still be efficient?

If you feed them in their crate, they're less likely to soil it. Have they beed checked by a vet to rule out parasites or any other health concerns? sounds like they poop alot. consider putting them on a higher quality food as well. my dogs eat 2x per day, they poop 2x per day. do you free feed? if you do, consider going to a twice a day feeding. that will all go towards helping you out.

[LuBear]

I've thought about it but I don't think it's a health issue. My 3 year old dog poos every time I take him out (5 times a day) and I feed him the same amount as the girls. So I figure i could possibly be the food.
I feed each dog 3 cups of food once a day and maybe I'll throw them a treat through out the day but I wouldn't say I'm excessive.

[lange]

They poop 5 times a day? That sounds like a lot. I agree about buying a better quality food.

Originally Posted by LuBear

Do you think crate training would still be efficient?

You won't know until you try. Each dog is different on how fast they will re-gravitate towards keeping themselves & their crate (or area) clean after being neglected. My dog improved little by little over months. Was 100% crate-accident free by 2 years; sounds long, i know, but each dog is individual & my guy had other issues besides that.

I also personally prefer crate training but look into all your options & pick what you feel works best for you & your dogs.

You can do a search on crate training dogs on google. There is tons of info online.