Dog Peeing in House, But Won't on a Walk

[Mellkat86]

We have recently acquired a female Husky from a Dog Home and are trying our hardest to help her as much as we can. She's jumpy at most things and is starting to be more trusting of me and my partner. She follows us around and watches my partner all the time, and takes her queues from him.

When we were visiting her at the kennel she always seemed to be desperate to go to the toilet and would immediately do it once exiting the building. From this, my partner assumed she was house trained. The kennel weren't fore-coming with any information about her, as they were more busy going on about her being 'scared' and wanted her out. But we know that she doesn't have a problem of going outside as she did it at the kennel grounds.

After bringing her home, we walked her for a good hour to an hour and a half. She hadn't done anything, but we put it down to not eating much that day and having peed in the house when we had gotten back, which we assumed was because of being in a new place and marking.

It's been a couple of days now and it's gotten to the extreme where she'd done it in every room. This also includes pooing. We've spent most of the day cleaning the carpets with an odour remover, thinking that maybe she smells the previous dog we had. Today hasn't been so bad, as we have kept her outside all day.

We've been trying to get her out of doing it by bringing her back to her mess, sticking her nose in it and telling her off before putting her outside in the garden. We know this breed is not easy to train, but it just seems weird that she just wants to do her mess in the house and isn't interested in doing it when we are out on a walk. We give her plenty of time to smell things and even stand around and let her do what she wants to do, but still doesn't do anything.

It is getting to the point of frustration now, as we have recently moved into a new home and with the amount of mess she is making, my partner is coming to the decision to take her back to the kennel. It is either we work out a way to cut it down or can stop it completely. We have even cut down the amount of water she has and only give her something to eat in the morning, so she doesn't do anything at night, and that she shouldn't be peeing during the night.

We don't want to see her go back, as we both love her so and know that she could be a really good dog. If we can get this sorted, everything else would just fall into place.

[Karen]

It is likely behavioral right now. And no wonder, given all she has likely been through, but it IS solvable!

When you take her out, be prepared to stay outside until she does something, then praise, praise, praise!

You can skip the "rubbing nose in it," as that is not gonna penetrate.

What you do need to do first off is get a good cleaner that will eliminate the enzymes that tell a dog "good spot to pee here!" - there's one in stores here called "Nature's Miracle" that does the job well.

Is she being crate-trained at all? That's something to consider as well, as a healthy dog will NOT mess where it sleeps.

Sorry so many questions, and I am sorry that the shelter was not more forthcoming with information on the poor girl. How old is she?

[Mellkat86]

But that has been the problem. We leave her for ages out, we've walked her nearly every hour. But still she won't go. I've even sat outside with her for an hour after she tried to go in the house, and she still won't do anything.

We got a cleaner stuff from the local shop that does what you suggested.

[Karen]

The trick here is to out-stubborn her, which, for a husky, takes some doing! An hour is nothing to a determined dog! How much exercise is she getting? Can you take her for a run, or even ride a bike and have her beside you?

[Karen]

And do consider crate-training her, if you don't have a crate, this can still be accomplished by designating and blocking off an area to be her "crate. If all else fails, the bathroom can work, though my brother's dog's "crate" was the space under the kitchen table, blocked off with a child' playpen/baby gate. Put a nice dog bed in there (a pile of old blankets will do nicely), a couple of toys, and make it her place to be when you aren't there to supervise ...

She is still new to your home and family, and this is a big adjustment, it may take more time, so please don't give up on her, okay?

[carrie]

Sorry, Karen, but please do not try to crate train this dog. This animal is confused and scared and one of the outcomes is a lot more pee and poo!! If the dog does not understand where to put this then this creates more stress which create more pee and poo with nowhere to put it! You need to take a very deep breath (outside) and be very careful with your next step. This dog needs understanding and you need to forget behaviour you saw at the kennel - start again, this is a puppy who has no house training. It is also a very frightened soul and does not know what to do so naturally goes to the loo where it is less likely to be seen. This is not a marking issue. This is an everybody has always got really upset when I can't hold it in any more issue. Assume this dog has no idea what you want, start from scratch.

[Freedom]

Please do not restrict her water intake; this will only lead to health issues down the road.

I agree with Carrie, the poor pup is so scared and confused she can hardly think. Goodness knows what her background is, but she definitely needs to build a trust in people, and to live in a calm setting. Start potty training from scratch.

Keep a baggie of high value treats in the fridge. Cut up a hot dog ( a hot dog will make 78 training treats, but I've only ever managed to get 62. Point is, SMALL pieces) Or use cheese, or boiled boneless skinless chicken breast.

Work with the dog regularly on other skills like sit, down, shake hands. A few minutes multiple times a day. Yes, this is important to potty training! This dog needs to learn to bond with you, and to want to please you.

Outside, don't just leave her there; and don't sit there watching her. Take her for a walk. Give her a treat every 10 steps. After a bit, stop and try a sit, which ever commands she has learned. Then walk more.

When she does go outside, it is PARTY time. Jump up and down, clap and laugh, praise her lots, give her lots of treats, pet her. If your neighbors and your dog are looking at you like you are crazy, you are doing it right; anything less, you are not celebrating enough.

When she goes inside, just clean it up. Do not make eye contact with her, and do not scold her. It is OK to make noises of disgust (yuck, icky) while looking at the mess, but do not direct any of this to her. You can use baby gates, and keep her in one room -- the kitchen is usually good, as that floor is easy clean up. Have her bed in there, and her water bowl. Feed her in there if you don't already. (This is instead of crating her.) She will have to earn the right to be in other parts of the house.

She can be out with you when you can keep watch on her, and get her right out when she starts to go. Learn her "signs" - circling, sniffing to find a good place. You may find it easier to keep her collar on and a leash attached during this time, so you can get her out quickly and easily. Make sure to use a happy cheerful tone with her as you rush her out, so this is fun, not punishment. You should have the baggie in your pocket any time she is out of her restricted area, so you have it with you outdoors.

Good luck! Please don't give up on her, or leave her abandoned outdoors, she needs time to relax and be OK with you, her humans.

[Asiel]

If your dog does go inside again try picking some up on a paper towel, same as pee, soak it up with a paper towel or better yet try to spoon some in a container. Bring the all outside to the spot you want her to use and put her mess in that spot, dogs are very smart at recognizing their own scent. Then take her out (on leash) and bring her to that spot, keep her on leash until she goes. Prepare for a long time outside as huskies are pretty hard to train. No scolding, harsh words or punishments for accident but the minute she does anything outside be ready with the treat immediately so she gets the message. If you don't want to crate her I would keep her in the kitchen as mentioned until she is completely safe to wander around, this could take a few months so I think a crate might be handy if she has to be left. Don't think I would bring her back to that shelter, this dog needs love and understanding. Good luck..

[Cataholic]

I hope you have ruled out a UTI, too....that was what it seemed to me, initially. Poor girl.

[wolf_Q]

I have three huskies, my one female husky, Keva, rarely goes potty on walks. She will hold it until we get home. She's really hard to get to go potty on trips and stuff too she doesn't like to do her business anywhere but in the backyard. Do you have a fenced backyard or is she just out on a leash/tie-out when outside? It's possible she doesn't feel comfortable going when she's on a leash. I'd check for the UTI too Keva has had a UTI a couple of times and she peed in the house when she had them...only by the back door but she was peeing so frequently I didn't always get to let her out in time. This is a silly question I'm sure, but when you take her on walks do you take her to the grass? Most dogs won't go on concrete/rocks/etc. at least mine won't unless they really have to go.

Also I don't see that crate training would necessarily be a bad thing. My dogs do great in their crates, they see it as their own "rooms" kind of...their dens. Unless the dog really freaks out being a crate I don't see how it would make the problem worse. The dog needs to be confined somehow when they aren't home, and she needs constant supervision when they are home. Definitely do not rub her nose in it, that will not teach the dog not to pee in the house it will teach her when she pees she gets punished and then she's more likely to go hide from you in different rooms to pee. She needs to learn that going potty is fine, she just needs to go outside. Keep her on a leash with you at all times in the house don't let her wander around, if she sniffs, take her outside immediately. Confine her somehow when you aren't there to watch her. If you catch her in the act immediately take her outside.

Huskies LOVE food they are very motivated by it so make sure you have lots of yummy treats handy to give her when she does go potty outside. They are also extremely intelligent, I didn't find mine terribly hard to train, all I had to do was involve food. Using a clicker worked well for them to you might look into clicker training as well. Best of luck to you hope it works out give her another chance huskies can be wonderful dogs.

[DriftyAlison0]

Being new, and scared can do it to any new pet dog or cat. Also she could be kennel trained, but that doesn't mean that he/she isn't going to be house trained. Alot of times in shelters, kennels etc. most of the dogs are going to be strays so they don't know fully that they are house trained or not. Keep working with her. If possible, put a doggy door that leads outdoor and give her a small kennel/playpin to be in while your away. Take her out right away in the morning,after she sleeps,eats,play and praise her deeply when she does it right. A dog should be taken out 4-6 times a day.If the neighbors don't give you the look of is this lady nuts? then your doing it wrong. And you have to out stubborn her. Rubbing their noses in it, does nothing so stop doing it, and consider crate training the dog. Perhaps a visit to the vet to make sure she is healthy is needed (ether way it wouldn't hurt) but most likely its just a transition problem that with time and work will sort out. Deodorize the places that she has peed and pooped to. It helps to be patient as well.

[Mellkat86]

I do have to say after last night, she's acting like a slightly changed dog. We caught her lovely in the act, if you can catch a dog peeing lovely, and took her immediately outside. We told her off and left her outside till we were going to bed, as she had already had her night walk. We brought her in and put her straight into the kitchen with her bed, some toys and some paper on the floor and some water. After about half an hour, I went in to check something (as the other half had forgotten to move some mugs off the side, as she stands on her back legs and took a tin of her meat off the side). Found she'd already peed and pood and cleaned it up without talking to her, and just left her for the night. In the morning my other half says that there was some peed but cleaned it up and took her for a walk.

There's a local park around the corner from our house, which is brilliant for us, as there is a closed in tennis court. We brought some bike locks from the pound shop and use them to lock the gates, so the local kids or anyone interested in petting her can't come in or let her out. She loves running round there and keeps coming back, which I'm thinking is more reassurance but that did her the world of good yesterday and today. Especially as today she did her business in the tennis court and did the rest when she came home.

We've found that she can be trusted in the garden off her chain, which she isn't bothered about being on apart from when she catches something with it, but are still a little wary as we've heard she could probably clear the 6ft fence. Our garden is enclosed as well.

But so far today, no more mess in the house. And she's been for the second time outside after I walked her.

Thank you all so much for your advice and it will definitely be taken under consideration. Hopefully things will get better. Neither of us want to give her up as we have both fallen for her badly. Our main concern is her and we just want the best for her.

[Mellkat86]

[Karen]

Awww, pretty girl! Just keep being persistent, and it's great that fenced area is nearby so you can let her use up some of that Husky energy!

[Cataholic]

I may be way off base, and it might be the language/terminology that you are using, but, it seems you are very angry/upset by all this. If that is the case, you really need to adjust somehow. Realize that a dog (or cat) isn't peeing or pooping inappropriately to make you angry. It is doing so because of some issue inside the animal, an issue you haven't yet stumbled upon. Telling a dog off? Leaving her outside until she went to bed? Is that as punishment? That just seems so wrong.

Try positive reinforcement only, and leave the negative stuff where it belongs, somewhere around 1960.