cvdpoel Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Hey guys! First time post here so I hope this post is in the right place!2 years ago I adopted my wonderful Border Collie/Springer Spaniel mix from a family who was moving and wasn't able to keep her. She was 6 months old at the time. Her first owner said she was fully housebroken, but I quickly learned that was not the case! I went through the basics of potty training, and she was okay being alone in my house as long as I blocked off the upstairs. (She seemed to think that going on the hardwood wasn't okay, but it was okay on the carpet)I had a fenced in yard, so I could let her out whenever I wanted. Now, I just moved into a brand new loft complex. I don't have a private backyard, but there is a fenced in dog park on the property. I take her out four times a day, but if I leave her alone for even just an hour, I'd still come back to various pee and poop spots. My day is usually: wake up, take her out, feed her, wait an hour or two, take her out, then take her out before I feed her dinner, and then an hour after dinner. Thankfully, I work from home most days so I can keep an eye on her. I tried crate training her, but as soon as I leave the house and she's in the crate, my neighbors say she'll bark consistently until I get home. I love her so much, but I need your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borasaurus Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Welcome! I'm puzzled about a few things. Have medical issues been ruled out (it sounds like she's fine when you're with her)? How did you go about crate training her? When you go out, do you just let her have free run of the house, since you don't crate her? Twenty-one questions, I know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvdpoel Posted May 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 She's been tested for everything and she's perfectly healthy! I would crate train her by making her go in the crate about thirty minutes before I left so she'd be comfortable, and then I'd leave. She's fine in the crate when I'm there, but as soon as I close the apartment door she starts barking. I usually let her be free when I'm gone, I'm in a studio apartment (1200 sq ft so it's still pretty big), but there aren't any bedroom doors or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chene Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Honestly, in both cases I would say, it takes time. My pup barked the whole time I was out the first few times I left him. After a few days he only barked on and off the whole time. After that, for half an hour, then less, and less, until he didn't bark at all. And when we went back to my parents house for December, it took three out of four weeks to re-potty train him. It involved taking him out pretty much every hour and limiting when he had water (as well as food of course). How long have you been at the new place? I would highly recommend the crate, I'm not sure how you're going to do it without one. Play some crate games, make sure the crate is big enough, don't make a big (or any) fuss when you leave or come back, and leave her with a treat or toy or bone that she only gets when you're gone. Be patient. Practice going out for short periods of time when your neighbors aren't home. Give them a some earplugs and a bar of chocolate. It'll work itself out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borasaurus Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 That's good that she's healthy. I wouldn't let her have free run of the place if she's not reliably potty-trained. When you clean it up, do you make sure to completely get rid of all traces of it? Dogs can still smell whatever is left behind, even if we can't, so when it's cleaned up it has to be very thorough (enzymatic cleaner?). As far as crate training, it takes time. Start with just a few minutes in the crate while you're with her. Then, move on to a few minutes without you in the same room, etc. Eventually you can build it up to however long you need to, within reason. It won't happen overnight though. Putting her in for a half hour before you leave won't train her to like the crate. Or you could try maybe getting an x-pen? Also, you can attach a command to when she goes potty. That way you can ask her if she needs to go potty and she'll respond. I ask Kieran if he has to go potty when he's sitting by the back door and he'll either get super excited to go outside or just look at me like, "Uh, no, I'm just watching the birds." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted May 8, 2015 Report Share Posted May 8, 2015 What about an x-pen, if a crate is too confining? On Amazon they sell x-pens and also tops that clip on so a dog can't jump out or knock it over. Good luck!~ Gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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