So I just got a three year old GSD female from a Kennel. She is really attached to me and very sweet, I would say her transition to house living has gone much better than I expected, aside from her not knowing bathroom rules... which I expected, and was unpleasantly correct on. I'll first explain what has been going on and then my theories for the best way to train her (I've only house trained puppies....) and would love any advice or opinions on this.
So she's been in a 4-6ft kennel or something like that her whole life, divided up in an outdoor building style with no run attached, though she was let out in a run every few days (I was told).
She isn't allowed out of the pet kennel in my kitchen unless someone is watching her, the same as when my boy was a puppy. She has had two accidents that weren't seen when my roommate had let her out and was "watching her"-- but she didn't witness her have the accident so I said she wasn't watching her close enough.
I have stopped her 3 times when she started peeing/pooping in my house, and once at a friends. When I catch her in the act I say a sharp "No" (which she reacts VERY strongly too...) or go "Ah aha haha" and both of those halt her immediately, then I bring her outside and say "go potty" and then wait for her to finish outside and praise her for it, also saying "potty" more while she is in the act outside.
This last week I was on a trip and my boyfriend watched her, she didn't have any accidents in the house but she did poop twice in her crate at night...
It's also notable that for the first week in my house she never had any accidents... the all started the second week. It has now been 4 weeks since I brought her home.
So I think she needs to be brought outside and watched, with ample time to relieve herself, routinely, especially if she is out of her crate (obviously a given).
I think she has two problems... 1. Not knowing the rules of going inside and outside. 2. Not knowing how to ask to go inside or outside (I haven't heard her bark or whine a single time, and she never paws at the door).
I think catching her in the act, saying no/interrupting her and then bringing her outside and praising her for doing her business, while cleaning up the inside carpet very well will help her learn and really understand not to go in the house. Of course this means she cannot be out of sight at all... or she could have an accident that is not interrupted and corrected.
And then for teaching her a cue to go outside I'm not sure what would be most effective. She loves toys, I could hang a bell or a really squeaky toy on the door, something she will naturally be "attracted to" and then as soon as she makes a noise with it tell her good girl and let her out... and then she will eventually associate the action/noise with going outside.
Any other advice or feedback? Has anyone ever done this before?
My biggest concern is that she doesn't seem to mind pooping in her crate... but I'm hoping she will learn with time and perhaps if I feed her in there, that she has better options for defecating.
Thanks for any feedback.
So she's been in a 4-6ft kennel or something like that her whole life, divided up in an outdoor building style with no run attached, though she was let out in a run every few days (I was told).
She isn't allowed out of the pet kennel in my kitchen unless someone is watching her, the same as when my boy was a puppy. She has had two accidents that weren't seen when my roommate had let her out and was "watching her"-- but she didn't witness her have the accident so I said she wasn't watching her close enough.
I have stopped her 3 times when she started peeing/pooping in my house, and once at a friends. When I catch her in the act I say a sharp "No" (which she reacts VERY strongly too...) or go "Ah aha haha" and both of those halt her immediately, then I bring her outside and say "go potty" and then wait for her to finish outside and praise her for it, also saying "potty" more while she is in the act outside.
This last week I was on a trip and my boyfriend watched her, she didn't have any accidents in the house but she did poop twice in her crate at night...
It's also notable that for the first week in my house she never had any accidents... the all started the second week. It has now been 4 weeks since I brought her home.
So I think she needs to be brought outside and watched, with ample time to relieve herself, routinely, especially if she is out of her crate (obviously a given).
I think she has two problems... 1. Not knowing the rules of going inside and outside. 2. Not knowing how to ask to go inside or outside (I haven't heard her bark or whine a single time, and she never paws at the door).
I think catching her in the act, saying no/interrupting her and then bringing her outside and praising her for doing her business, while cleaning up the inside carpet very well will help her learn and really understand not to go in the house. Of course this means she cannot be out of sight at all... or she could have an accident that is not interrupted and corrected.
And then for teaching her a cue to go outside I'm not sure what would be most effective. She loves toys, I could hang a bell or a really squeaky toy on the door, something she will naturally be "attracted to" and then as soon as she makes a noise with it tell her good girl and let her out... and then she will eventually associate the action/noise with going outside.
Any other advice or feedback? Has anyone ever done this before?
My biggest concern is that she doesn't seem to mind pooping in her crate... but I'm hoping she will learn with time and perhaps if I feed her in there, that she has better options for defecating.
Thanks for any feedback.