My dog wont go where ive shown him

lotre · 01-13-2012, 11:39 AM

Hi

Ive got a 6 month old boy called Hendrix. Ever since he was a puppy i ve trained him to go outside just in 1 spot. I clicked and rewarded him every time he went in that spot for many many weeks but now if i dont go with him he will just wee anywhere. He poops in ok places almost all the time but as for wee's, he just wont go there almost never. He does it in the correct place sometimes but 95% of the time its where he can be bothered to go!

Even now i reward his good behaviour and ignore the bad

Do you have any advice?

NewbieShepherdGirl · 01-13-2012, 11:43 AM

I would say he's just a baby and it's really important to you that he go in one spot you'll have to go out there with him every time to insure he doesn't make any mistakes. I would say do this consistently until he's older and then see if he gets it. Right now I wouldn't let him make mistakes.

BlackGSD · 01-13-2012, 11:53 AM

Many pups/dogs don't want to go in the same place all of the time because it gets stinky! Personally I would not expect any dog, but ESPECIALLY a male to go in the same spot all the time. It just isn't in their nature. If you want him to go in one spot only, IMO, you are going to have to be there with him EVERY TIME, maybe forever.

Mary&Stella · 01-13-2012, 12:16 PM

I cant imagine only peeing in one spot !! My lawn would look way better but I think they like to smell for the perfect location!

**Cassidy's Mom** · 01-13-2012, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lotre

Even now i reward his good behaviour and ignore the bad

I'm not surprised that this has been ineffective, I wouldn't expect it to work for this kind of situation.

How big is his "spot"? My dogs have a run down the side of the house for potties. It's large enough that they don't have to be standing in previous pee every time they go out to pee again, but they're still going in their designated "spot".

If the pee area you want him to use is large enough that going there shouldn't be a problem, management is your friend. Take him out on leash to his pee area and encourage him to go. That way he won't be able to pee in the wrong place. Eventually he'll learn the new habit and you'll be able to just let him out and he'll go there on his own. But if you just let him loose and wait for him to figure it out it's not going to happen.

lotre · 01-13-2012, 01:14 PM

Hi everyone

The spot is a good few metres square. My last male gsd never had a problem with using just that one area. I think in some way he is trying to be defiant, or he is just plain lazy.

He often literally just walks onto the lawn as he cant be bothered to go any further!

martemchik · 01-13-2012, 01:27 PM

When my dog was younger he would tend to go in the same spot. As soon as we started going for longer walks there was no stopping him marking in other areas. I don't suggest scolding your dog for marking in another area as he might start to think he's not allowed to pee at all, but you can try. At that age, depending on how often you take him out, if he really has to go he might not be able to wait to walk to the "spot." I know this was true for my pup when he was forced to hold it for a little longer than usual. I've even seen him pee on the sidewalk right outside our apartment building because he just needed to go that bad.

I don't really get why this is an issue for you, but ignoring won't work because I'm guessing he is house broken by this point so you really don't have to treat/praise for him going outside at this point. I understand the "side of the house" part because dogs do generally mark where others have gone before, but having a random box for him to go in is quite hard for a dog to grasp. He just smells grass and dirt. There is nothing there that really makes it "the spot."

**Cassidy's Mom** · 01-13-2012, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lotre

I think in some way he is trying to be defiant, or he is just plain lazy.

No. He is not lazy or defiant, he doesn't understand what you expect of him.

Msmart · 01-13-2012, 06:02 PM

Could be a new smell the pup doesn't like there. I had the same issue with my gsd. Not with a certain spot but the entire area in general. Some days she will avoid it all together.

Emoore · 01-13-2012, 06:10 PM

Out of curiosity is it the same area as your old male GSD used? That could have something to do with it.

01-13-2012, 11:39 AM	#1 (permalink)
lotre New Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 8	My dog wont go where ive shown him Hi Ive got a 6 month old boy called Hendrix. Ever since he was a puppy i ve trained him to go outside just in 1 spot. I clicked and rewarded him every time he went in that spot for many many weeks but now if i dont go with him he will just wee anywhere. He poops in ok places almost all the time but as for wee's, he just wont go there almost never. He does it in the correct place sometimes but 95% of the time its where he can be bothered to go! Even now i reward his good behaviour and ignore the bad Do you have any advice?

01-13-2012, 11:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
NewbieShepherdGirl Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ames, Iowa Posts: 1,495	I would say he's just a baby and it's really important to you that he go in one spot you'll have to go out there with him every time to insure he doesn't make any mistakes. I would say do this consistently until he's older and then see if he gets it. Right now I wouldn't let him make mistakes. __________________ ~Sasha~{GSD}~ 3ish~Gotcha day January, 29, 2011 ~Monte~{Golden Retriever}~ (RIP)~ 1997-2009

01-13-2012, 11:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
BlackGSD Crowned Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 7,795	Many pups/dogs don't want to go in the same place all of the time because it gets stinky! Personally I would not expect any dog, but ESPECIALLY a male to go in the same spot all the time. It just isn't in their nature. If you want him to go in one spot only, IMO, you are going to have to be there with him EVERY TIME, maybe forever. __________________ Tracy Siren vom Banach { Sable female GSD 3-20-08} R.I.P. Wrangler male ACD/Aussie mix. 9-29-99 to8-29-11.

01-13-2012, 06:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
Emoore Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North DFW, TX Posts: 9,215	Out of curiosity is it the same area as your old male GSD used? That could have something to do with it. __________________ Rocky vom Backyard- 10 years young Kopper vom Felssclucht Bach - 17 months At the Bridge: Cash van der Animal Shelter 2006-2010

01-13-2012, 12:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
Mary&Stella Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Germany Posts: 336	I cant imagine only peeing in one spot !! My lawn would look way better but I think they like to smell for the perfect location!

01-13-2012, 01:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
lotre New Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 8	Hi everyone The spot is a good few metres square. My last male gsd never had a problem with using just that one area. I think in some way he is trying to be defiant, or he is just plain lazy. He often literally just walks onto the lawn as he cant be bothered to go any further!

01-13-2012, 01:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
martemchik Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,049	When my dog was younger he would tend to go in the same spot. As soon as we started going for longer walks there was no stopping him marking in other areas. I don't suggest scolding your dog for marking in another area as he might start to think he's not allowed to pee at all, but you can try. At that age, depending on how often you take him out, if he really has to go he might not be able to wait to walk to the "spot." I know this was true for my pup when he was forced to hold it for a little longer than usual. I've even seen him pee on the sidewalk right outside our apartment building because he just needed to go that bad. I don't really get why this is an issue for you, but ignoring won't work because I'm guessing he is house broken by this point so you really don't have to treat/praise for him going outside at this point. I understand the "side of the house" part because dogs do generally mark where others have gone before, but having a random box for him to go in is quite hard for a dog to grasp. He just smells grass and dirt. There is nothing there that really makes it "the spot."

01-13-2012, 06:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
Msmart Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Cape cod Mass Posts: 108	Could be a new smell the pup doesn't like there. I had the same issue with my gsd. Not with a certain spot but the entire area in general. Some days she will avoid it all together.

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