Edit: I almost forgot a serious issue I've been having with him so far. The dog will not shit outside. Ive had his since Friday and he's shit in the house twice already. once in my sunroom and another time in my bedroom. And I dont quite understand it. This morning for instance, I woke up at 6:30 to him whimpering. I assumed he needed to go outside so I took him outside. While I waited I sat down and smoked a cigarette. He sniffed a bit of the grass, turned around, and came back to me and layed down. When I finished smoking we went back inside. I layed back down and heard him eating, within minutes of that I smelled shit and found he took a crap in my sunroom. I don't understand this, nor do I know how to even handle this situation. Please help! cuz he's a big boy and his dumps are bigger than an average human. Also, I've only seen him mark territory outside, and he's pissed in the house as well. What do I do?
This is normal behavior for a recently adjusted dog, but it's hard to break. how's it going 2 weeks later?
It's difficult, but you have to catch him in the act and forcefully say "NO," and then quickly hurry him outside... he may trail shit around the house in the process of getting outside, but if you get him outside while he's doing it or just before he goes to do it, and then praise the ever loving shit out of him (literally
) when he goes outside, he'll slowly break of the bad habit. It's very similar with puppies.
But, the tricky part is a lot of dogs just don't go when being watched, especially in the house. So you have to look for those tell tale signs... sniffing around the exterior of a room, sniffing along certain spots, walking around in circles while sniffing the exterior of it... looking coy or peevish (like a bashful look not making eye contact). And then bounce up and say, "LET'S GO OUT" or "DO YOU WANT TO GO OUT" excitedly. Run t othe door, take him out for 5 minutes, to the boundaries of your property. If he goes, obviously, congratulate him and be overjoyed. If he doesn't, go back inside, and repeat. Wait for him t ostart walking around and looking like he's going to do it... and repeat.
It's exhausting. But this process works well for puppies and similarly for newly adjusted dogs. Also, walking them within 30 mins of a meal is good habit. Little duncan eats his dinner and then within ~10 minutes, is dropping a massive load in the yard. He's got a great schedule of regularity, haha.
-- Also, to the guy asking last page whether he should get a dog, and he's in college but has a good schedule.
Don't do it. Wait until you are settled. Getting a dog is A LOT of stress and they really lock you down to your schedule. I changed jobs about 6 months after getting my dog and that was very stressful for me. He's adapted well and we have a good schedule now, but it's tough. With college, you never know what your schedule will be next semester, and if you have to move or get a new job after, it's just too much. You should graduate and get a regular working schedule before the dog, it'll be a tough adjustment otherwise.
