Author Topic: Teaching a puppy to 'ask to go outside'  (Read 5976 times)

Offline Lacey

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Teaching a puppy to 'ask to go outside'
« on: May 06, 2008, 01:42:33 pm »
Our baby, Ozzy is having a bit of a housebreaking issue ... in his foster home he was paper trained and has chosen 'two spots' in the house as his 'papers' ... when we take him outside (after crate time, after play time, after eating time, and more) he goes outside and gets praised big time ... but there are still a few accidents in the house where we don't catch him in time ... it seems as if he just doesn't know to go to the door and ask to go out, any advice on teaching a dog to go to the door???  Thanks for your help ... Lacey
Lacey ... caregiver to:

Fable ~ 8 yeard old husky mix female
Minerva ~ 2 year old rat terrier female
Ozzy ~ baby Australian mixed with 'something big' male

Offline Apreston

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Re: Teaching a puppy to 'ask to go outside'
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2008, 02:34:33 pm »
Great tips!  ;D
With Titan we still had a few accidents! I was almost like I wanted him to have an accident then i could catch him in the act and say no and outside and tons of praise when he finished up! It really made it click with him. If you can watch him as soon as he starts to "mind his own time" like ijnore you; take him out....I remember Titan would go sit at the door we would let him out and we would go out with him and watch; it was a drop of pee and he would look at you "ok i did something now where is my treat!!"   
Good luck! Just remeber consistancy is the key they get it after a while!
PS WELCOME My name is Adrienne and by fur baby is Titan!

Offline People Whisperer

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Re: Teaching a puppy to 'ask to go outside'
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2008, 02:49:03 pm »
Christmas bell on the door worked GREAT for us! Every time we took Lily out, we rang it and three days later Lily was all about going out...three week later we got tired of the non stop sound, LOL! ::) :P
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Offline Guardian Angel's White lightning

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Re: Teaching a puppy to 'ask to go outside'
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2008, 03:07:03 pm »
we ended up taking both jaz and titan out every hour at first, then as we opened the door we asked want to go out? Now itis to the point where we can ask them, if the ears go on alert they want out, if they remain down and stay where they are, they are all set.  it is hard to have them go inside and then out...(IMO) You are at first teaching it is ok to go inside, then suddenly it isn't ok any more...they don't have a gray area, they are all black and white, yes or no. So i personally think that inside vs out is confusing.  So far Titan has had only 1 mistake inside from when he was 11 weeks old.  So i must of done something right!

Offline Rosalba

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Re: Teaching a puppy to 'ask to go outside'
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2008, 04:10:43 pm »
Both Frida and Lucca stand by the door when they want out. Frida will whine and come get me when I'm not paying attention and Lucca will whine and paw the door to get me to hurry. And all I did was use the same door every time we went out. Also, maybe it helps that I keep their leashes by that door...
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Olive (the handsome devil of a cat)
Lucca (the Saint Bernard puppy)

Offline navarre1316

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Re: Teaching a puppy to 'ask to go outside'
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2008, 11:50:57 am »
When I first brought Issy home she would have a few accidents too but there would be no warning; no circling, sniffing, nothing.  I just tried to be very consistent, use the same door to go outside (in my house there are two), and I let her out a bit more frequently.  She would also use the bathroom in her crate, so I got a smaller one for her and that worked like a charm!!  One day it just clicked, she kept walking from me to the back door and ever since then she has been fine.  She's now starting to talk to me if I'm asleep so I wake up to let her out (Daphne taught her that), before it was a full body slam!! 
He'll get it, it will just take a little while.  Good luck!
God placed me on this earth to accomplish certain tasks...I'm so far behind I'll never die!!

Navarre: GSD 9/13/99-5/14/06 patiently waiting
Issabeaux: GSD 1/27/07
Daphne: Boxer
Stone: Siamese mix