# Need some help with house training Olive



## VizslaCity (Sep 5, 2013)

Olive is almost 15 weeks and she is amazing. We love her to pieces and consider her very much a part of the family. She really is a pretty well behaved pup for the most part. Sure she loves to take off running whenever she finds a roll of toilet paper within her reach and shred it to pieces but otherwise she really is fairly easy. She doesn't bite and she's great with the kids. She loves the car and enjoys her daily car rides. 

The ONLY issue/struggle we are having is house training. We take her outside a lot (every 30-60 min it seems and often she'll stay outside with the kids and play for hours). However when she comes inside, she will pee or poop on the floor. We pick her up immediately and place her outside and say "potty outside" but of course she continues to do it. She is great about going outside to poop and pee in the morning but the rest of the day is a struggle. 

I've mentioned before that Olive is our first dog. My sister in law is an experienced dog owner (she has a healer and a bulldog) and she just came to stay with us last weekend. She said Olive seems to be peeing in a territorial "I own this place" kind of manner. 

We did make the mistake of letting her roam the house. We tried baby gates but she quickly learned to jump over them. She has been peeing on the children's beds but not me and my husband's. She also likes to pee and poop in the boys room. There is no way to keep her out of their room without crating her. It's hard to explain but the boys' room is on the end of the house and it's a huge, open room without a door so there is no way to block it off. 

My sister in law said we need to get serious with crate training had she'll stop. However Olive despises her crate. She said with their bulldog they kept him in his crate for a few days, only letting the dog out to eat, pee and poop and exercise for a little bit and then he went right back in the crate until he eventually learned to settle down and like his crate. 

Will this method of crate training work with a V? I've tried leaving the crate door open and giving her a treat when she goes inside and things like that but she still becomes hysterical as soon as the crate door gets shut. We have the sides and top covered with a blanket and that also hasn't worked. 

How do I stop Olive from using our house as a toilet? HELP!!!


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## flxstr (Nov 19, 2012)

re: Crating

She won't naturally 'love' her crate. The minute that door closes, she's "separated from her pack", and absolutely she's going to complain. The most important rule is once you've put them in there, don't ever open the door again, until she's completely quiet. Not relax & quiet? Not coming out. Ever. And that's a difficult rule for most people to follow, but it is so incredibly important.

Secondly, make feeding time in the crate. If it's big enough, get in there with her and play. Make the crate 'fun', not just 'separated from her pack time'. Also, you didn't mention her peeing/pooping in her crate, so I see that as proof that she can hold it just fine.

re: Peeing on beds

This is bad. Because once they smell it there, it's pretty much game over. Get Nature's Miracle, and clean clean clean. You can't smell it, but they sure can. Anywhere she's peed/pooped must be recleaned and sprayed.

Do the kids rooms have doors? Keep them closed. All doors must be closed.

re: Outdoor business

Clearly this isn't often enough. I know it sucks, but stay out until she does her business, then immediately 'treat' with something they like. Keep doing that over and over until they get the idea that doing business outside means treats! Then she'll want to do it all the time outside, and you gradually reduce the treat frequency. And just like humans, some dogs are faster than others.

re: Final Thoughts

The most important advice I can give is consistency. Figure our what you're going to do, and stick with it. Don't keep changing what you're doing every other day, that just confuses the puppy. The first 3 months are HARD, very hard. But it's SO WORTH IT in the end when you have a happy and loveable dog.


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## VizslaCity (Sep 5, 2013)

flxstr said:


> re: Crating
> 
> She won't naturally 'love' her crate. The minute that door closes, she's "separated from her pack", and absolutely she's going to complain. The most important rule is once you've put them in there, don't ever open the door again, until she's completely quiet. Not relax & quiet? Not coming out. Ever. And that's a difficult rule for most people to follow, but it is so incredibly important.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your advice and help  We have five kids, and the only bedroom in the house that doesn't have a door is the room that my two youngest boys share (they are 6 & 3). Unfortunately this is the room that she loves to pee/poop in the most. I have been keeping all of the other bedroom doors closed and that has cut down on the number of accidents. 

She actually does poop and pee in her crate when she's left in there for more than 20-30 min. I forgot to mention that in my original post. Luckily i'm home with her during the day so I will be able to take her outside to go potty, but how will I know when she has to go when she's in her crate? Do I just take her out once an hour for bathroom trips or is that too often? 

Also she has a designated potty spot in the backyard, but instead of going potty shortly after I take her out, she runs off to explore the backyard. I've tried standing still and not interacting with her until after she goes to the bathroom, but she just goes and lies down in the sun or she chews on sticks, and avoids going to the bathroom. I could stay out there with her for an hour, but she wont go potty (unless it's first thing in the morning) but as soon as I bring her in, she runs off and goes to the bathroom. It's almost like a game to her. 

Her crate is pretty large so I could definitely hang out with her inside. My sister in law thinks her crate is too big and that's part of the problem. She suggested I put a divider in it so she will feel more secure. 

I totally agree with everything you said, and I do need to just figure out what i'm going to do and stick with it. My husband wants to crate train her, so we are going to commit to getting her crate trained, even if it kills us, lol! I'm the one home with her all day, so i'll be the one doing most of the work. 

I hate listening to her cry in her crate, but I know I have to suck it up and deal with it, or it's never going to happen.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

If it makes you feel any better......... I have ongoing similar issues with Dharma who is not much further ahead of Olive. I am the author of Anxiety over being left in the crate with the cats in the house. I guess so have other owners too. We just tough it out and try to religiously make the changes...........


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## VizslaCity (Sep 5, 2013)

MCD said:


> If it makes you feel any better......... I have ongoing similar issues with Dharma who is not much further ahead of Olive. I am the author of Anxiety over being left in the crate with the cats in the house. I guess so have other owners too. We just tough it out and try to religiously make the changes...........


I just posted over on your thread a minute ago! How funny ;D It does make me feel better to know we're not the only ones going through this. I will update on how things go and I can't wait to read your updates as well


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## Watson (Sep 17, 2012)

Is Olive peeing/pooping in the corners of her crate or does she go anywhere she wants to?

Dogs normally don't soil where they eat/sleep. Do you feed her in the crate? Where does she sleep at night?


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## VizslaCity (Sep 5, 2013)

Watson said:


> Is Olive peeing/pooping in the corners of her crate or does she go anywhere she wants to?
> 
> Dogs normally don't soil where they eat/sleep. Do you feed her in the crate? Where does she sleep at night?


It's usually anywhere because she will poop and then smear it all over the crate. We don't feed her while she's in the crate but that's because she is hardly ever in her crate. On Wednesdays she is in her crate for about 30 min and she will poop all over. Plus we've also gone out to dinner with my dad twice since we got her and crated her both times and came home to a huge mess. We were gone for about 90 min each time when we went out to dinner. I know she is capable of holding her poop and pee for decent stretches of time because I have taken her on 2 hour car rides and she didn't go to the bathroom at all and had no issues. She loves the car and goes on daily car rides and has never had an accident. 

She sleeps in bed with me which I'm a little ashamed to admit because I know this is all my fault. I should've crate trained her when I first brought her home and not allowed her to just sleep wherever she wants. She has never had an accident on my bed, which I suppose would make sense since that's where she sleeps. She sometimes sleeps with the younger boys but she will pee on their bed (this is a fairly new thing of her peeing on their bed which is why my sister in law thinks it's a behavioral/territorial thing).


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## Watson (Sep 17, 2012)

VizslaCity said:


> Watson said:
> 
> 
> > Is Olive peeing/pooping in the corners of her crate or does she go anywhere she wants to?
> ...



If you really want to crate train her, you're going to have to go back to square one with her. Sleeps in crate at night, all feedings in crate, water in crate, she spends time in there even when you are home. I would remove all her bedding and just leave an old towel in at first. As organicthoughts mentioned, her crate may be too big for her. I think you posted in an earlier thread that it was too big and a partition had to be built? 

As for peeing in your sons' beds... she shouldn't be allowed in their room. She is way too young to have that much freedom, and choice of where she sleeps too!  Even though there is no door, you can teach a dog boundaries. However, if you let them decide for themselves, they'll always do what is best for them. If she can jump the gate, then go in and take her out of the room when she does. Every single time.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

I know this story all to well. Dharma does sleep soundly through the night in our bed. We know she can hold it. If no one gets her in time because she doesn't really ask to go out except she scratches at the cat door in the rec room or she gets really squirmy so it's hard to read her. This is getting better though. I have had to clean up some really messy smeared crates too. she mashes her mess into blankets or towels. I often just want to puke! I got very sick of doing a lot of laundry and it is worse when you don't put any bedding in I think. I now have an old Kong crate pad that she has wrecked and give her that. Trying to put her in the crate when we are at home and ignore the digging and scratching for a little bit. Then come and let her out with treats and big hugs when she has been quiet. We are hopefully starting to make gains.


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## Tika V (Jan 30, 2013)

While crate training do not treat when letting them out. Make no fuss at all just open the door and walk away. Treat only for going in and while they are in and quiet you can stroll past and drop in a treat. Reward wanted behavour.


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## VizslaCity (Sep 5, 2013)

Never mind. I was trying to post an update on how things were going. I was very proud of Olive's progress but apparently it's not good enough for some. 

Thank you so much to everyone who has offered support and encouragement instead of making me feel like a bad or lazy Vizlsa owner. Everything we do is for Olive. We have been working so hard to get her house trained and crate trained so to insinuate that we aren't is offensive to me. I literally haven't slept a wink in TWO days because of crate training and have I mentioned that I'm sick as a dog with a fever, cough & cold on top of dealing with a chronic, serious disease? 

I'm not sure I'll be posting anymore on this forum.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Gotta Go - Gotta go - house breaking a pup is simple - put them on your time frame = first week every hour 24/7 put the pup at the door they go outside - outside when they go - praise - back inside - 2 bed - then extent the time period - lot of work - most of the replys address your needs - sorry - it is about the pup - 1 week later the pup is house broken - the rest of their lives they trust U to take care of them - some members miss the POINT - VVant 2 have a great V - you have 2 work - just a thought - PIKE is the worst V I have had 1 misstake in the house - 2 in the crate - MY FAULT !!!!


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## CatK (May 29, 2013)

I agree with all the advice above, and just to add, if they won't go for a pee/poo then they go back in the crate for 10 minutes then try again outside. Don't reward them for holding it by letting them play outside


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## VizslaCity (Sep 5, 2013)

R said:


> Gotta Go - Gotta go - house breaking a pup is simple - put them on your time frame = first week every hour 24/7 put the pup at the door they go outside - outside when they go - praise - back inside - 2 bed - then extent the time period - lot of work - most of the replys address your needs - sorry - it is about the pup - 1 week later the pup is house broken - the rest of their lives they trust U to take care of them - some members miss the POINT - VVant 2 have a great V - you have 2 work - just a thought - PIKE is the worst V I have had 1 misstake in the house - 2 in the crate - MY FAULT !!!!


Sorry but I disagree. We did exactly this and it did not work for us. I'm glad it worked for you. We have been working our tails off for this dog so I find your reply a bit rude.


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## VizslaCity (Sep 5, 2013)

CatK said:


> I agree with all the advice above, and just to add, if they won't go for a pee/poo then they go back in the crate for 10 minutes then try again outside. Don't reward them for holding it by letting them play outside


She has been going outside every time. She exercises after she goes to the bathroom.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

VC - what is rude is having a pup lay in it's own sh-t - yes it works for me and the last 4 V's - if needed I would take the pup out every 30 min - and let me add - when getting a new pup I take my 2 week vacation - that way we bond & the training can start - if you are putting all this time into your pup - take them 2 the vet - there may V another issue - also look at the food your feeding the pup - when giving advice is RUDE - thats ME


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## VizslaCity (Sep 5, 2013)

R said:


> VC - what is rude is having a pup lay in it's own sh-t - yes it works for me and the last 4 V's - if needed I would take the pup out every 30 min - and let me add - when getting a new pup I take my 2 week vacation - that way we bond & the training can start - if you are putting all this time into your pup - take them 2 the vet - there may V another issue - also look at the food your feeding the pup - when giving advice is RUDE - thats ME


WHEN did I say I let her lay in ****?!!! Did you even bother to READ my posts or just jump on the bandwagon? She was literally being crated for a few min and pooping. I stay HOME with her so she is never left in poop!!!! Seriously?!!! 

And if you had bothered to read my other posts which you obviously haven't at all you would see that we were taking her out every 30 min. She wasn't going to the bathroom no matter how long we kept her outside and then would go when she came inside. 

So I suppose I should never crate train my dog? Okay then. 

Again, thanks to those who have been nice but I'm done here.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

VC never said you let the pup lay in it's own sh-t - the basics of my post was Very simple - it takes a lot of work to have a great V - never said you were lazy - never said anything about crating a pup - will add this - if the pup only goes in the house - he has marked his territory - get a commercial grade cleaner to remove this scent - just some more rude advice - I just answered a ? about Olive - not yours


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

All you can do is your best. I have a crazy life of appointments and work and my vizsla as well as a daughter with a learning disability and a house to run. It is not easy to always fit in the time to do everything that this puppy requires...... I know. I just wish mine would click too. I have resorted to putting her in her crate every day when we are home and putting a Thunder Shirt on her. I have the dog walker come and get her too when we can't be with her. It can't totally be my behaviour or the fact that I am a horrible owner. please don't be so hard on yourself.


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## CatK (May 29, 2013)

My boy wet the crate for ages, took him to the vet to check for a UTI following advice from the forum (the other half is a doctor and said he was certain the pup didnt have a UTI and I was wasting money) and the vet said he had a mild one (obv this made the other half start wittering to me about them just wanting our money) but gave the antibiotics for 2 weeks and hey presto the pup has been completely dry for over two weeks! Totally unrelated to the antibiotics I'm sure... 

We, and our pups, are all different. But there's some really good advice on here and some really well meaning folk, even if sometimes people have misunderstandings. Try not to let it get to you or mean that you miss out on all the great info on here.


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