Joni Grace Posted June 21, 2010 Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 Good thing my bc is more trainable than I am! We adopted Ruger from the local animal control a year ago this past April. He will be 4 yo this September. Not having trained him as a pup, we have been wondering just how he asks to be let outside. Hasn’t been a big issue as he gets two walks a day and we take him out before and after work. No accidents, except when we got caught in town because of a snowstorm that closed the highway down for 4 hours while accidents were cleared. And then there was the time while we were at church he ate an entire bag of frozen bread dough we had left in a pan to raise IN an UPPER kitchen cabinet thinking it was safe (but that’s another story). Anyway, yesterday we had company and were playing a game at the kitchen table. After a bit he went under the table and laid his head in my lap. I gave him a good ear scratch and he laid back down in the kitchen. About 10 minutes later he came over and again laid his head in my lap. Now Ruger is definitely not a cuddle bug; he is usually quite dignified and reserved. When I realized he hadn’t been out in several hours, I asked if he needed to go outside. He calmly walked to the door, we went out and he peed for about 2 minutes. Looking back he has done this several times over the past year. Can’t believe it took me that long to make the connection. [head slap here] He was probably beginning to believe he'd need a brick to get my attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted June 21, 2010 Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 That's how Sophie asks to go out, too. Kind of sweet, really. Glad you figured it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pammyd Posted June 21, 2010 Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 Aww it can take a while to learn your dog My friends have a dog who gives ONE sly sideways glance while trotting past - thats all you get - miss it and she pees at the door Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joni Grace Posted June 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 I was not a “dog person” until now. And I think that’s the thing that drew me in. I like that he’s not in your face. He relates to us in a very calm, patient, intelligent way and I find that extremely appealing. My dh kind of misses that goofy, falling all over you kind of affection he got from our Australian Shepherd. I, on the other hand, enjoy the quiet, peaceful companionship he gives us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joni Grace Posted June 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 Aww it can take a while to learn your dogMy friends have a dog who gives ONE sly sideways glance while trotting past - thats all you get - miss it and she pees at the door How many years would it have taken me to pick up on that one?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Moon Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Cerb? Not subtle. He walks up to the Arcadia door, looks back over his shoulder and lets out a single, unmistakable WOOF!....Must be the Lab genes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pammyd Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 How many years would it have taken me to pick up on that one?!? She trained them well tho - all those puddle by the door and they realised My two on the other hand Ben sits by the door and quietly cries, then Mia will go and sit next to him, then she will come and sit infront of me to make sure I notice that Ben needs to go out Mia comes over, head in my lap and stairs at me - and you just know If the need is great she YIPS once very loud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahoops Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 wish i had that! Amber is now 10 months old and was pretty well tt until about a month ago she had a tummy upset and had diarrhoea for a few days. Understandably she had a few accidents and now she just goes whenever the need takes her even tho we have been outside several times grrrr. She doesnt ask to go out I dont think, but maybe she does??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 My dog has an unknown history - probably a street dog for his first 18 months or 2 years, then in shelters (fenced runs) for probably 5 - 6 months. One thing they told me at the shelter was that he NEVER would mess in his run overnight, even though staff might be gone from 12 to 14 hours. So, he does have remarkable control. His early life apparently taught him that you "use the facilities" when humans let you out, and you hold it otherwise. He's been with me five years, and it's only on the rarest flaming-diarrhea occasions that he asks to be let out. (He'll come upstairs and wake me up if need be!) All other times, he just waits to be asked, "Do you wanna go out? Wanna go potty?" Then he indicates by his response (running toward the door or staying where he is) if he has the need. Such politeness - it's kind of heartbreaking. I feel like he just learned to accept whatever he was given by humans, and not to ask for anything. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 They need a forum to discuss the trainability of their humans... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 edit: double post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eclare Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 My dog has an unknown history - probably a street dog for his first 18 months or 2 years, then in shelters (fenced runs) for probably 5 - 6 months. One thing they told me at the shelter was that he NEVER would mess in his run overnight, even though staff might be gone from 12 to 14 hours. So, he does have remarkable control. His early life apparently taught him that you "use the facilities" when humans let you out, and you hold it otherwise. He's been with me five years, and it's only on the rarest flaming-diarrhea occasions that he asks to be let out. (He'll come upstairs and wake me up if need be!) All other times, he just waits to be asked, "Do you wanna go out? Wanna go potty?" Then he indicates by his response (running toward the door or staying where he is) if he has the need. Such politeness - it's kind of heartbreaking. I feel like he just learned to accept whatever he was given by humans, and not to ask for anything. Mary Most of the dogs that I've fostered have been the same way. Lucky for them Daisy is not shy about telling me she wants to go out at regular intervals, so they've always gotten plenty of breaks, but I've been so amazed by the bladder capacity and control of these poor dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arf2184 Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Meg is a bit difficult to read sometimes but she's only been here two months. She licks me when she needs to go out, but she also does this at other times or after she's just came in. Rarely does Meg have to ask to go out though because she can hold it longer than my Lab and she usually just goes out when he does. He is not subtle at all. He'll walk up to the door, touch the door knob so it makes noise and look at me. If I'm not paying attention he'll whine and run back and forth between me and the door. If it's an emergency, he does a sort of potty dance at the door (resembles tap dancing with all four paws). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
border_collie_crazy Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 my dogs are not subtle at all! 5 of the 7 scratch the door to go out, Rusty digs frantically beside the door. Misty is my only dog who never asks..she's an opportunist..she just holds it till someone else to ask then flys out the door at the same time lol lucky for her with 6 other dogs she doesnt have to wait for long! whenever I dogsit my friends shepherd X, I noticed that when she has to go out, she runs to me and jumps in circles in front of me lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Scooter waits to be invited outside. He's never had a clear signal. Sometimes he behaves like he wants something and if we toss a toy at him and he just stands there without trying to catch it, that's usually a pretty good sign he wants to go out but that doesn't happen very often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joni Grace Posted June 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 All these different stories are fascinating. I never dreamed there were so many ways a dog could get this particular point across. I do have to say this is my favorite: "My friends have a dog who gives ONE sly sideways glance while trotting past - thats all you get - miss it and she pees at the door." The bell by the door intrigues me. Anyone have any luck with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleS. Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Such politeness - it's kind of heartbreaking. I feel like he just learned to accept whatever he was given by humans, and not to ask for anything. Mary This touched me when I read it. Makes me think of my shy Chase. He would hang back and watch Gyp ask for things she wanted, her initiating play, her standing near the cookie jar, her asking for a tummy scratch. Chase would just sit back and observe, and of course be invited over by me for a scratch or a game and never was denied a cookie when Gypsy asked and got one. I have truly made a huge effort to watch his behavior and any indication for being bold and subtly asking for something, I made sure I noticed and he got big rewards for that. He's now asking for cookies in a very obvious way (feet on the counter, barking looking up at the cookie jar). He's not shy anymore about asking to play and now sometimes comes over and nudges my hand for a scratch. He's really not rude and doesn't make a pest of himself ever, although I do see he is capable of taking it to the next level. It's just nice to see him that way after being so reserved for a long time Neither of my dogs asked to be let out too much. I guess I'm outside so much that they have plenty of opportunity to do their business. They will ask, if it's urgent, by standing by the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burdock Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 This touched me when I read it. Makes me think of my shy Chase. He would hang back and watch Gyp ask for things she wanted, her initiating play, her standing near the cookie jar, her asking for a tummy scratch. Chase would just sit back and observe, and of course be invited over by me for a scratch or a game and never was denied a cookie when Gypsy asked and got one. I have truly made a huge effort to watch his behavior and any indication for being bold and subtly asking for something, I made sure I noticed and he got big rewards for that.He's now asking for cookies in a very obvious way (feet on the counter, barking looking up at the cookie jar). He's not shy anymore about asking to play and now sometimes comes over and nudges my hand for a scratch. He's really not rude and doesn't make a pest of himself ever, although I do see he is capable of taking it to the next level. It's just nice to see him that way after being so reserved for a long time Neither of my dogs asked to be let out too much. I guess I'm outside so much that they have plenty of opportunity to do their business. They will ask, if it's urgent, by standing by the door. Emma always grabs by the finger ever so lightly with her mouth and takes you to the door to go out or sometimes goes to the door and may bark or jingle the bells hanging by the door our Lab used to ask to go out but she defiantly gets her message across one way or anther, take me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njnovice Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Mick flings his body against the door repeatedly while doing his bratty bark. Mick is never one for subtlety in anything. Sinead doesn't ask to go out. She just waits quietly until I decide to take them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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