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Pawbly | 8 years ago
I’M DESPERATE! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!! I Have A 3 1/2 Year Old Purebred Coonhound…

I’M DESPERATE! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!! I have a 3 1/2 year old purebred Coonhound who we adopted from our local shelter. He is an awesome dog, however, he won’t stop using the bathroom in my house! Since day 1 he has done this. At first we thought maybe not housebroken, then we realized he only does it when we leave. We’ve tried everything- a trainer, working on the anxiety, crate training (that’s a no go), I’ve read so much stuff, watched so many videos, gave him treats, kept him busy when we leave, asked the vet (who is very old school mind you so not really helpful), benadryl, calming aides, asked for suggestions on here, different washes on the floor, punishing whe caught in the act, blocking off the area he goes too, EVERYTHING. Nothing is working. We’re at our witz end with him and it breaks my heart. However, now he has my other little dog doing it and she has never done it- she even knows she did something bad when we get home. I would hate to see him go back to the shelter where he probably will end up staying because of this but I don’t know what else to do. I NEED A MIRACLE. ANYBODY. PLEASE HELP!!! (Tyia).

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  1. Nora Greenia

    Dogs will soil where the eat, sleep etc if they have been kept in areas where they had no choice from a young age. A dog that is a soiler takes months of work. This is not a problem that is solved in just a few weeks. there are no quick fixes for this. First, you have a coon hound. this is a high energy, hard headed dog, that likes to have a job. A really tired coon hound is usually a good coon hound. Hounds are very hard headed and can be very difficult to train, especially once they develop habits that they see as no problem for them. Keeping your dog in a crate may never be the answer, but keeping him in an outdoor run only when you are gone may be something that works for the dog. They have really nice runs now days that are very comfortable for the dog ie shade etc. also continue to keep him in the house with you whenever you can, and work him. Get him started in something like agility even if he is not good at it. Keep him busy, tired and with a job to do. Keep an eagle eye on him when he is in the house with you and make sure he has regular bathroom breaks. He may never be able to be left in the house alone, but if he is a great dog and you make the changes that you can, he will still be a good companion and pet.

  2. Jana

    I’m so sorry you’re having a hard time. It is impossible to help you over the Internet. You say you had a trainer – what kind of a trainer and what did they do exactly or what they had you do? You tried working on anxiety – again, what did you do and for how long? You tried crate training – what size/type of crate and how did you introduce it, how did you crate-train and why exactly it was a no go? Punishing, of course, never works. You say it’s one particular spot only? Is it when you leave for any period of time? Did you try a nanny cam to learn what goes on exactly when you’re not home? I would recommend finding a better trainer (not all trainers have been created equal). On the very off chance, there is one thing Dr. Stanley Coren was recommending some time back for a dog who soils on particular spot in the house = redefining the area. What he was recommending was to put the food bowl in that spot, or play in that spot … redefining the area to dining or play area. The reasoning being that a dog won’t soil where they eat, play or sleep. Migh as well try that. But likely need a good, reputable, positive trainer.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
My Husband And I Run Our Own Company, So Can Bring Our Puppy Into The…

My husband and I run our own company, so can bring our puppy into the office with us every day. We can’t have the time off work to stay with him at home, while he adapts to his new surroundings, so planned on bringing him to the office with us each day, where we would of course give him lots of exercise and love and can potty train him in the grounds of our office. We thought this would also be good for socialisation. But we wondered whether this would be too stressful for him to spend one weekend with us at home, and then start coming to the office with us on the Monday? I know his paws won’t be able to touch the floor of public places until he’s had all his injections at around 12 weeks, so we thought we could take him in a puppy sling and have a crate at work he can occasionally use, as well as his toys, food, drink, treats etc. Any advice or tips would be gratefully received. I have ordered lots of books on it and we’ll be signing him up to dog school as well. Thank you x

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  1. Anonymous

    Here’s my take on it.

    Puppies need to walk, to be able to explore their environment.  The best way to do this is tethered to you, rather than in a sling of some sort. Does your company frequently see dogs on the floors?  If not, I don’t see why he can’t be on the floor.  

    Use the crate more than occasionally.  If you cannot have him tethered to you, he should be crated.  I would also consider picking up an xpen so he has a safe space to play outside of the crate from time to time.

    Frankly, I like the idea of taking him in to work right away, especially if you’ll continue doing that when he’s an adult.  If you don’t intend to continue taking him in when he’s an adult, I don’t think I’d do what you’re planning, simply because he’ll wonder why you’re suddenly leaving him home when he’s older.

  2. Charli Glass

    Thanks so much, Laura.

    The sling would just be to carry him to the office, as he could get tired walking there and I thought he might not be allowed to touch pavements etc, until he’s had all injections.

    It’s a short walk and then a short train to our office, so we thought he might be happiest in a puppy sling for the journey there.

    Once we’re inside the building and in our office yard, we would definitely have him on the floor.

    So you think we should have him, perhaps on a leash attached to the arm of my office chair, with occasional time in his crate?

    We plan on always having him with us in the office and taking him back home with us, into his adulthood.

    Thanks again x

  3. Anonymous

    Oh, definitely NO walking on pavement frequented by dogs during the commute, at least until he’s 4 months old. Good luck. 😉

    I think this could work! I also think you’ll have growing pains for a bit. Will you be able to hop up and take him out immediately after waking up, immediately before and after all meals (and he should be eating a lunch until he’s 6 months old), before/during/after all play, and every 30 minutes otherwise? I know that for the first week we had our bitch puppy home, that was life…I wasn’t productive at all. This is why utilizing the crate is so important. You can pop him in there for a 2 hour nap and get some work done while he’s sleeping.

  4. Charli Glass

    Ah brilliant. Thank you. Sounds like we’ll have our work cut out. Is it best to exercise him indoors then, until he’s 4 months? We have a big garden at home he could run around in, on a leash, but we often get foxes, so I guess they’d be more diseased than other dogs. So much to learn! x

  5. Anonymous

    Well, when he’s out in the yard, so are you…and I’m not a fan of long walks for long-legged breeds like boxers. I think your garden should be fine. Get him vaccinated against rabies when the vet says it’s time.

    Is this your first dog? You picked a particularly high energy breed!

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
Sorry If This Seems To Ramble. I Just Have A Lot On My Mind.

He…

Sorry if this seems to ramble. I just have a lot on my mind.

He has already broken and melted my heart. I am a teacher and will actually be off work for the next 6 weeks to train, play, and “mother” the little guy. I think I have convinced my mother to watch him for the first couple of months when school starts to help him settle in because he is so young. Our best guess is that he is a lab mix. He will probably be medium to large in size.

I know that socialization is so important for a pup of this age. What can I do to help him?

I keep crying and my anxiety about the next 6 months is very high. My worries make it hard to sleep even when the little guy is sleeping. I’m so sad for him and I just want to make sure that he is a happy, healthy puppy. The shelters around here are overwhelmed and I refuse to leave the little guy. Euthanasia rates are pretty high.

He will eventually be an indoor/outdoor dog. I won’t be comfortable with this, though, until he is older. That is why I’m going to pay my mom to watch him. I will be gone from 7-3:30 and my man works from 7:30-5. On days with inclement weather, my fella would be able to come home and let him in or out. We have a large fenced in back yard with plenty of shady areas. I live in a rural area with very kind neighbors so I am not worried about anyone messing with him. I live in East Tennessee where there is rarely an extreme temperature; however, I’m also looking into adding a doggie door, too.

Here is what I have done so far:

(1) He has a lifestyle crate (with the partition to make it smaller for now) that is attached to a large playpen in our kitchen. He sleeps in this crate at night. I’ve been sleeping on a couch next to it at night to take him out when he wakes. This is generally every 2 hrs.

(2) I’ve taken him to the vet. They dewormed him and gave him a flea treatment that is appropriate for a little guy under 5Lbs.

(3) I take him out to potty every time he wakes up from sleeping. He has only had 3 accidents in 3.5 days. I clean up his mess well so as not to leave a smell and take him out anyway. I DO NOT scold such a young pup but rather just take him out and set him in the grass each time.

What can I do to ensure this little guy has a great adolescence? Especially considering he is off to a rough start?

3 Responses

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  1. Katlyn Rose

    It will probably take a little while to potty train him because he is so young. To socialize him you can take him on walks and play with him and get him toys to play with. Puppies are resiliant so even though he has had a rough start just give him a loving home and play with him and make sure he is happy and he will be fine into adolescence. I hope you and your new puppy the best!

  2. Sarah

    Don’t worry about what happened to him. Think about how lucky he is to have a caring human now who is taking great care of him. Socialization is important. Make sure to introduce him to lots of people when he is old enough to go on nice walks. Also dog parks or other dogs that you know, should be a great way to introduce him to other dogs. Your vet should have a ton of info to share with you.  Best of luck!!

  3. Sarah Simpson

    Thanks for the encouragement! I had a torturous few day where I didn’t know if I should keep him or take him to the shelter. Many people on the internet acted like it was inhumane to have a dog if you couldn’t keep him indoors 24/7 and be with him most of the time; however, the lady at the shelter showed me all the cute pups there and told me that many don’t make it out. I refuse to give up on him! I’m not rich and I don’t have the resources to put him in a daycare every day but I do have a very comfortable and large home with a privacy fence. I have lots of love in my heart and no children, as well.

    I plan to use the next 6 weeks to get him into the routine of our household. My mother won’t be able to help out because she takes care of my grandmother but my man is gonna arrange to drive 40 minutes here and 40 minutes back on his lunch to check on little man.

    We are looking at collar activated doggie doors currently but he will be too young for that at first. I found a really cool solar paneled fan that can attach to a doghouse and “heated flooring” options for winter. I can’t believe this stuff exists! Who knew a dog could have a climate controlled doghouse?!?

    Again, I really appreciate the supportive comments while I was panicking about what to do. 🙂

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I’ve Been Crate Training My New Dog, She’s A Year Old, And She’s Been Doing…

I’ve been crate training my new dog, she’s a year old, and she’s been doing well. I took the crate apart to clean it and as soon as her blanket was put in it she got in and went to sleep. I had to put it together around her. My question is a matter of consistency. My schedule is pretty consistent as a student, but I have a lab once a week right in the middle of the day. Should I only crate her when I’m gone for those two hours or should I do it every day at that time?

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  1. Anonymous

    agreed – consistency is important during the training process.  once she’s used to it and goes in willingly, i’d say feel free to scale back, but for now keep things to a daily practice.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Started Out Having Her Sleeping In Bed With Me And We’d Go To Bed…

I started out having her sleeping in bed with me and we’d go to bed at 12 and shed wake me up anywhere from 8-10 the next morning to go potty. As soon as I put her outside she goes, so she knows she’s supposed to go outside. But she refuses to hold it during the day. She pees probably 10 times and poops 2 times. I will bring her inside and look away for two seconds and she’ll have peed everywhere. So I decided to try crate training her. She doesn’t wake me up to take her out until 9-10 in the morning. So she can obviously hold her pee, she just refuses to during the day? I don’t know how to fix this. It’s getting very frustrating.

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  1. Anonymous

    12 weeks is too young to expect reliability with housebreaking.  remember, she’s a tiny baby puppy right now.  you need to teach her a cue (we uses a bell hanging off the doorknob), praise her every time she uses the cue, and you need to make sure she goes out every half hour when she’s awake, immediately before and after all naps, playtime, and food.  at this age, any accident is the human’s fault. 😉

    good luck.  puppies are trying at the best of times.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
He Is A 9 Month Old Shih Tzu. I Tried Crate Training When He Was…

He is a 9 month old shih tzu. I tried crate training when he was a puppy however I wasnt consistant. Half of the house is blocked off. He hates being in his crate and will whine and bark the whole time. Please help

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
How Hard Is To Crate Train A 2 Year Pit Bull She Is A Rescue…

How hard is to crate train a 2 year pit bull she is a rescue not sure if she ever been crate trained before I had for 3 weeks now

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Girlfriend And I Are Getting 2 French Bulldog Puppies. How Long Do Use A…

My girlfriend and I are getting 2 french bulldog puppies. How long do use a crate after they are done housing training? I feel once they are house broken they should be free to roam. She feels they should always have it.

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  1. julie brader

    Hi Brian……..its your decision of course but I would never advise anyone to get two puppies at the same time. Wait until the first one is 18 months or so then get another one.

    Anyhow…..back to crates. Its really up to the individual whether you crate your dogs or not. They are very useful though. Never use them as a punishment, crates should be a happy place for dogs to go. If you cover them, leaving the door section uncovered they make a great “den” and dogs love dens.

    If you decide to carry on with the crates after housetraining you can leave the door open for the dog to go in and out as they wish. If you need to go out and make sure the dog is safe pop them in the crates. Its really not fair to leave a dog locked up for hours though. You can buy water bowls which clip on the crate so the dog has water too. 

    Unless you are absolutely certain your dogs will be safe to roam around the house, plants are gone so they can’t chew on them ect then I would definately keep the crates. 

    Good luck and have fun with your puppies! 

  2. Brian Adrian

    Why do you suggest waiting to get the second puppy? Our biggest fear is the puppy having seperation anxiety and feel with two puppies (siblings) they would comfort eachother.

    I leave work at 6 and am home by 4, my girlfriend leaves work at 8:30 and is home at 5:30 but plans to come home at noon to let them out. How long is too long to have them in the crate?

  3. julie brader

    Hi again Brian, I understand your logic of having two puppies if you both work. Make sure you get a nice big cage so they have room to move-and think of them as adults when you buy it.
    This is my personal opinion and I probably shouldn’t be airing it here lol
    Having a puppy is, believe me, like having a baby in the house. To care for one puppy, housetrain, basic training, socialising and financial costs (believe me there will be) is very hard work and time consuming. To do all this for two is twice all of the above.
    However, if you and your girlfriend are both prepared to dedicate a lot of time and effort to a puppy each it would work.
    As for how long to leave them in crates….I know people leave puppies and dogs in them day in day out. Yours would have to be in crates for quite a while as you both work.
    I guess its up to the owner but you may have problems with housetraining them….puppies ideally need to be put outside every hour or so for them to get the message.
    I’m probably the wrong person to ask about this as I wouldn’t let a puppy go to someone who works all day…..again my personal opinion.
    You seem to have given this a lot of thought and I’m sure it will all work out….it will be hard work for you both to start with though.
    So good luck and enjoy your dogs.. I hope you have many happy years together. ?

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Pawbly | 10 years ago
Our 12 Week Pup Recently Got A Crate. She’s Been Doing Great For Toilet Training…

Our 12 week pup recently got a crate. She’s been doing great for toilet training but urinated in it today. It wasn’t much but the crate door was open and she was playing with her toys and chose to use the crate. Any advice?

5 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    assuming she’s clear of a UTI, at this point in time, you need to make sure she goes out every half hour.

    yes, half hour.  without fail.  until she starts holding her urine for an hour, then you can back it up to every hour.

  2. Amy Morley

    She’s urinating as usual but she is going to the vet’s in a few hours so I can ask about a UTI.

    Could it be excitement from play time?

  3. Amy Morley

    She’s urinating as usual but she is going to the vet’s in a few hours so I can ask about a UTI.

    Could it be excitement from play time?

  4. Anonymous

    it’s very possible she’s overly excited, but i think it’s always best to rule out a UTI in cases of incontinence in bitch puppies. they seem to be prone to them when young. in fact, the only time mine urinated in her crate, she had a UTI.

    good luck. 🙂

  5. Amy Morley

    Thanks Laura, I will make sure she get’s checked 🙂