Tess in the Litter Box

[purrley]

Well this is a dilemma - Tess likes to get in the litter box - grab a piece of cat poo and run through the house - I can't get it away from her before she eats the thing. Of course after this puppy kisses are out of the question. I can't shut the door to the cat room - Spence had an awful accident because I shut the door and forgot to open it up again. Tess won't come when I call her. She takes that puppy play stance and runs from me - she thinks its a game. Makes me really angry at her I'm trying to get a sense of humor here, but this puppy is really trying my patience and wearing me out to say the least!

[Former User]

oh no, sorry to hear about that. I really don't kow what you could do, I've never had a dog and a cat at the same time... Sounds really gross though when Tess picks the cat poop... Have you tried to say no immediately when Tess goes near the litterbox and is planning to go inside?

I'm sure other dog people can help you out more. Good luck with Tess, and don't lose your patience! Easier said than done I know, but things have funny way of turning right always.

[Rottie442]

Okay I know many people are going to think this is a really bad training method. Please don't critize me. Im just trying to help. I belive in positive reinforcement, but I got a shock collar after my dog almost got hit by a car (because she wasn't listening to me). I beileve the use of a shock collar has helped my dogs training and safty. I have shocked myself with it it doesn't hurt just startles you. Anyway the only thing I use it for is little stuff like that. Some things like that positive reinforcement just is not effective. It only took two times of catching her in the litter box, and she never went in there again. I would say that in 6 months I have only shocked my dog maybe 20 times and it has really helped her obediance.

Please don't critize me for this training method. Im just trying to give you possible ideas that may help.

[KYS]

LOL! First I have to say, I loved your story. You certainly put a smile on my face.
As for Tess, She does think this is a fun game you are playing, and she is winning.
I am not sure how old she is, but
is it possible for you to watch her when she is in the house. If she is un-supervised this will make training her so much more
difficult.
That way you can catch her in the act, or before she even gets a chance to go into the kitty box.
If you can not watch her, you can even attach a leash to her/you so she has to be in what-ever room you are so you can watch her. I do not have a kitty, but when my dogs are pups they can be destructive, so
I had to make sure they were never in the house un-supervised as part of their training until they could be trusted.
Hope you had a video camera with you for
those special cute memories.

[purrley]

Rottie - I would never use the shock collar, she's only 14 weeks old. And I know I need to watch her every second, I think I'm going to have to put a leash on her to keep her from running upstairs to where the litter is cause if I don't she's going to run me ragged!!

[Dixieland Dancer]

I had this same problem with Dusty. They naturally outgrow it but if you need to take immediate action then here is what I did. After the kitty pottied and it was smelling real ripe and interesting to Dusty, I put a dab of hot sauce on it and then let him "GO FOR IT". He learned real quick after the second taste of the hot sauce that this was not something that tasted as good as it smelled.

Make sure you have water available though. He headed straight for the water bowl!

I know this is agressive and not positive training either but I just couldn't stand him eating cat poop and didn't know how to reward him for eating it or not eating it.

[Rottie442]

Purrley,
I didn't realize Tess was so young. I wouldn't use a shock collar at that age either. I took 5 obedience classes with my dog when she was younger, and used the shock collar as a last resort for times when she would just not listen. Harley was about 10 months before I got the shock collar.

Dixyland's idea is great. However if your dog is like mine was its not only when the poop is fresh. You may have to coat every thing in the litter box.

[purrley]

Rottie - you got it!!! It's actually the old poo that entices her not the fresh stuff. Another thing that worries me about this - can she develop worms by devouring this crap???

[Barbiro]

Purrley, I'm sorry to hear you're having a hard time with Tess. The puppy stage can be exhausting, but thank God it doesn't last too long.

Buffy used to do the exact same thing. We would call her and she would go in the opposite direction or in circles until she got worn out, or until we got exhausted from chasing her throughout the house. Here's how we broke her off that habit. For approx. 2 weeks, whenever we called her, we had a tiny piece of treat she could not pass up. First we tried regular dog cookies and biscuits, and yeah, she would come for the first 2 or 3, but after that she lost interest.

We figured this little chi is not stronger than us and tried another approach. I boiled 1/2 pound of ground beef, or at other times used cut-up TINY pieces of chicken or ham: IT WORKED! Buffy would not come all the time for biscuits and dog treats, but for a tiny piece of meat or cold-cuts, she would come EACH AND EVERY single time she was called. As a matter of fact, we noticed it was extremely amusing that we had her full, uninterrupted attention whenever she first tasted a tiny piece of meat in her mouth. I would kneel and let her taste the first one. I would then stand up and walk to another part of the room and call her -- she would either automatically follow me or come to me when she heard her name.

Every time she responded she would get a verbal reward "good girl" plus a pat on the head. Consistency is a must.

After that first week, I used the same approach but would alternate with and without the food. At first Buffy looked puzzled that she wasn't given anything when she came, but still she got the verbal reward.

After that 2nd week, a food reward was not necessary. Buffy now comes when called. It's hard work and it is exhausting, but the consistency pays off in the long run.

I would block Tess from going upstairs with one of those baby gates that are used to keep toddlers from leaving a room. If that's not possible, try this. Get an empty soda can, put 10 pennies in it, tape the top with scotch tape. Every time you catch Tess in the little box, rattle the soda can really loud and say "No". I can assure you she will be scared stiff. The key here, again, is consistency. After a while she will associate that horrible tincan noise with the litter-box and will leave it alone.

[Logan]

Purrley,
This might sound simplistic, but why don't you get a baby gate and block the doorway? Little Tess couldn't get through, but the cats can easily jump over it. It is no more than 30" high. You can get one at WalMart, KMart, etc. Mine has been a lifesaver, and although my big Golden Retrievers could just jump it is they tried, they have never tried, so the litter box and the cat food are safe.

Good luck.
Logan

[carrie]

Cat tray + dog = dog eats cat poo.

Nothing you can do.

Except put the tray where cat has access and dog never has. That is the only way.

When dog has something in mouth and refuses to give it and runs away, no matter how disgusting, you give it one chance to exchange for a treat and then you leave it.
If your dog runs into the garden - even better, shut the door and leave it there for ten minutes. Think of an excuse to go into the garden, hang out a towel, go to the shed for a look...anything except the dog. Don't look at dog, don't talk to dog. If the dog does not take the opportunity to get inside it is because it thinks you will play in the end. Close the door again and wait fifteen minutes before you HAVE to do something in the garden. Check if the towel is dry yet, see if the shed has been hiding what you were looking for before. Carry this on until the dog comes in on it's own. Do not look through the window inbetween times.

The other thing that might be useful is playing with a ball or rag toy, not tug of war. The trick is....you actually have two of the toy!! You throw one - the dog runs to get it - the dog tries to get you to chase it - but you are busy playing with your own and are ignoring pup!!! You only throw the toy you play with after you pick up the pup's toy.

Sorry but training the cat to look for the tray in a different place or behind a barrier that it can jump is going to be the most successful option. My dogs' have always left it on command....even left it alone for several weeks.....but it is a natural urge and it is better avoided than challenged.

Finally, cats and dogs in the same household should be wormed at the same time if at all possible. (Ask your vet to sychronise things.) Dogs, and especially puppies are likely to pick up worms from cat faeces, cat fleas and it works the other way round too.

[KYS]

Dixieland Dancer,
Great idea with the hot sauce.
Did not even think of that.
That would certainly work on me if I
tried to eat it. lol
Moving the litter box out of the pups
reach also is a good suggestion.

[ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: KYS ]

[lizbud]

Purrley,
Just want to say that, "it's a dog thing".
The dog will not likely ever change his
opinion on the "crunchies", no matter how
gross (I'm cringing as I think about it),
we think it is.And there's the health aspect
to think off also...
The idea of barring Tess's access to the
cat box by some barrier is probably your best bet. I heard of someone who bought one
of those "covered boxes" and the dog stuck
his head in to get the "prize" and got the
cover stuck on his head.He was eventually
rescued by his owner. Wonder how the dog
explained that predicament? LOL.

[Pam]

Oh poor Purrley! When Trevor came to live with me 8 years ago there were two dogs in the house. At my first vet appointment with Trev the vet said "where are you keeping his litterbox because you know the dogs will very much enjoy the contents! GAG!" Although he had been kept in my son's room at the time with the door closed, we immediately went out and bought a pet door. It is a little flap that fits over a cut-out in the door that the cats can go through and it is on our basement door. Bella can only get her head in! HA! Since Tess is so small you might be able to use a puppy gate. That would have not worked for me because my dogs could scale puppy gates at an early age. If all else fails you might try the "secret cat flap" as it is known around here. Then again, at the size that Tess is, she could probably fit right through! If so, I guess the puppy gate is the better way to go. Cats can sail right over it and Tess won't be able to do anything but watch them!

[purrley]

Last night we did the leash thing. I got her tied to a leash in the living room - the leash is long enough for her to play but she can't go upstairs to the cat room. I was much more relaxed and I could keep a closer eye on her - easier to catch the potty thing before it happens too - what a lot of work. I wish I could just let her run through the house, but now that's impossible until she gets older. As far as the baby gate thing - I'm afraid if I make it a little difficult for the cats to get to their box - they'll quit using it Cats are funny - I feel lucky they haven't exhibited their displeasure with the new puppy by doing do's where they shouldn't anyway. Barbiro - the meat thing is a really good idea - I need to get Tess to come all the time when called - just for her protection if nothing else.