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View Full Version : Peeing on the Floor – Arghhhh!



Tanya
03-03-2006, 04:22 PM
I need some advice on how to deal with Peaches and her litter box. Peaches is very good about going to her litter box when she needs to potty. However, she does not get in the box at all to pee. She goes on the floor in the general area of the box. This has been going on for months now, and it is driving me insane!

She used to get in her box. Sometimes she would be half hanging out, but at least she tried. Well, then it progressed to she would either be half hanging out or she would pee directly on the floor. Now we are at the stage where she doesn’t even attempt to get in the box…she just pees on the floor next to it. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! :mad:

After a while I got tired of cleaning up he messes, so I started putting pee pads down in front of both her box and Piper’s box. That way if she didn’t get in the box, at least I didn’t have a huge mess to clean up.

Well, I think by putting the pads down, I have enabled her to pee on the floor now. Like I said, she doesn’t even get in the box to pee anymore. She does sometimes to poop, but that isn’t 100%. However, the current issue is that she doesn’t even bother to hit the pads now either. She’ll pee right on the edge of the pad so it gets on the floor too. Then it will seep under the pad creating an even bigger mess. I’ll say it again… ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! :mad:

Now I don’t know what to do. I am SO sick of this. I think the pads need to go. They just give her an option other than the box, and I want her using the box. When I see her heading in the bathroom, I’ll run in and set her in the box to avoid a mess. I place her in the box a lot and she always goes for me. However, what do I do to get her in the box every time…even when I am not around??? :scratch:

BTW…the box is always clean for the Princess, so it’s not that she doesn’t want to get in a dirty box.

Please help! I am open to any suggestions! Together we can conquer Miss Thing!!! (Don’t tell her I said that!)

quavec
03-03-2006, 04:41 PM
Yikes! Never having used a box for dog training, let me ask this: is it like a cat box? With a raised rim type thing? Basically, does Peaches have to kind of jump or step into it? Sounds like a crazy question, but I'm wondering if the rim is maybe too high for her? Cricket would have a horrible time clearing the rim of a traditional open cat box - his belly wouldn't clear it :rotfl: . So maybe she isn't physically comfortable climbing in anymore? But then that doesn't solve the whole peeing near the pee pads does it? :scratch: Hmmmm.....mabye going back to housebreaking 101? Is there any other option you can use for her to go potty? Going outdoors? Only pee pads? I don't remember if you live in a condo/apt type area where going outside isn't always easy.

Michelle
03-03-2006, 04:45 PM
Gosh Tanya, I'm feeling for you here, but i am not sure how to help,,
I am having a few problems the past few days with Heidi and Princess
all of a sudden just deciding to pee on the carpet in the living room right
in front of us and it is irritating me too!!!

I abandoned the litter box all together when they got about 7 months old cause they were doing the same thing Peaches is, just going near the box
and then peeing right outside of it!!!

It's almost like they are reverting back to their puppyhood!!

Tanya
03-03-2006, 04:52 PM
Her box does have raised sides, but she has no problems getting in or out of it. The entry is very low. Like I said, she used to get in there, so I think it is a Miss Thing issue more than a physical issue.

They need the litter boxes during the day because they can’t hold it the whole time we are at work. Therefore, outside is not an option. I like the litter box better than the pee pads, so I don’t want to switch to exclusively pads. Plus, she can’t even hit them!

I thought about housebreaking 101 too, but I believe I taught Peaches to use the box by simply placing her in there and telling her to potty. Well, I still do that all the time, and it ain’t working!

I thought about following her in the bathroom, but NOT picking her up and putting her in the box…Just telling her to get in the box. However, I am 99% certain she would still pee on the floor right in front of me. In that case, I’d at least be there to scold her for not getting in the box. However, then I wonder if I am just setting her up to be scolded and I’ll have a mess to clean up. What do you guys think? I am willing to clean up a few messes if it means in the long run she’d do it right.

Tanya
03-03-2006, 05:15 PM
Ok, another idea…please tell me if this seems completely insane. :scratch:

In agility, we do something called targeting. We have basically a small plastic lid and when I tell Peaches to “Target,” she runs to this lid from wherever we are standing. Well, I have an extra litter box (Thanks to Michelle :) ) Maybe I could have the litter box training with Peaches every night. Have the extra litter box with litter setting out, and when I tell Peaches “Box” she has to run and get in the box and she’ll get a treat.

She won’t be going to the bathroom every time obviously, but at least it will be reinforcing the behavior of getting in the box. Maybe that would carry over into using the box to potty.

I am still open to other suggestions! I am just typing as ideas come to my mind!

Michelle
03-03-2006, 05:45 PM
That Idea sounds pretty good!!!! I would give it a try and see how it works,

Have you also thought about getting one of those super big crates and putting the litter box I gave you at the end of the crate and leaving them in there while you are at work??

I did this for while with HEidi and PRincess when they were pups, the crate is a large one for a big dog and I put a smaller cat litter box in the back of it, and that seemed to work very well for them, they still had room to stretch out and relax in the crate and had the box for potty time.

Now the litter box I gave you I know is too big for a large crate so maybe one of those super extra large ones..

Do Peaches and Piper have the free run of the house or are they blocked off in the kitchen or something when you are at work?

Tanya
03-03-2006, 05:53 PM
They are blocked off in the kitchen with the hope of some day having free run of the house, but I highly doubt that will ever happen!!

I don’t really want them in a crate all day. Peaches is so hyper that I don’t like the idea of confining her like that. You’ve seen her in person! Imagine how spring loaded she’d be coming out of a crate when I got home from work. :rotfl:

Rafi
03-03-2006, 05:54 PM
Believe it or not we did have Pogo doing it in a litter box and finally graduated to going outside. Now we had the same problem he didn’t climb inside completely so the front paws would be inside the box and back paws and the pee pee on the outside. So I figured since he couldn’t climb inside he didn’t want to jump in for whatever reason so I cut out an opening on the front of the Litter box so that the Doggy Litter Pellets stayed inside the litter box and yet allowed Pogo to walk in. Now we also had Pogo trained on pee pads as well so we combined the two.

In the litter box first went a pee pad and got covered with the Puppy Litter pellets.

So that is what worked for us and Pogo would happily do everything inside the litter box, up to the point he became to big for it.

Pixel was sort of much easier since he eventually followed he’s brother outside, but we still had to follow him around the house 24/7 so that he wouldn’t do anything inside the house.

Helen
03-03-2006, 06:46 PM
We had exactly the same problem with Charlie. I'm sorry to say that I have no advice, as we just gave up. He was just much better with the pee pads - he would willingly and accurately use those as opposed to us monitoring him every time he peed "in" the litter box like you have to do with Peaches.

I think the target idea is a good one, though. Let us know how it works out. Out of curiosity, does Piper use the litter box or is he trained with something elses?

oceangirls
03-03-2006, 07:50 PM
Tanya, I don't have many helpful suggestions... the girls use pads and they like to go on the edge too half the time :rolleyes:. I have a big area in the laundry room so I can leave 3 pads out at once (but they still aim for the edge). I am just happy that Angel has stopped piddling in random non-pad locations, so I just keep spray cleaner and paper towels handy. Your target idea sounds worth trying, or the only other thing I can think of is a few trips in there with her with an added treat/praise reinforcement when she goes IN the box and no treat/praise when she goes on the floor... as a refresher course?:scratch:

JanUet
03-03-2006, 08:10 PM
In agility, we do something called targeting. We have basically a small plastic lid and when I tell Peaches to “Target,” she runs to this lid from wherever we are standing.
mind!

Can you not place a plastic lid inside the littler box (on top of the litter) and say potty or box. This way you will be teaching her to potty in that box instead of another one.
Would it confuse her to have her use one box for training and another for draining? :rotfl:

Just my :twocents:

Tanya
03-03-2006, 08:39 PM
Out of curiosity, does Piper use the litter box or is he trained with something elses?
Piper does use the litter box. He gets all the way in to poop, and to pee he puts his front two paws in the box and hangs the "hose" over the side and shoots it in the box! :rotfl: It's hilarious to see! He is such a good boy! :appl: :appl: :appl:

Bella's Mom
03-03-2006, 08:54 PM
I'm no help either - Sorry. Bella goes outside and has a wee pad in her room for emergencies. I haven't had many problems with her. We've been VERY lucky. I hope you get some great advice that will help you.

Patt
03-03-2006, 09:20 PM
This is a difficult situation b/c you waited instead of correcting her when it started a couple of months ago. So now she thinks this is the norm. Other then house training 101, I believe your idea of targeting is the way to go, since she knows all about that. :) I wish you the best, I do know how hard it is to be patient with 'peeing' dogs so I am unable to offer any other suggestions. Please keep us updated on how you & Peaches are doing.

HotDogMama
03-04-2006, 02:04 PM
Man, I hope something works, then I can steal your idea!! :rotfl: I have the same exact problem, she goes outside when we get home from anywhere, but while we are at home, even if we just got back in she will leave a couple of squirts, so I always have to leave a pad down in my bathroom!! Drives me nuts, and if she can't make it outside and has to really go on the pad she will hit the edge everytime. I try to tell her to "piddle in the middle" but she doesn't get it! :lol6: Our litterbox is holding summer clothes in my closet, nice huh! :mad: Don't worry, its nice and clean since she NEVER used it lol! It belonged to my sister, and her dog wouldn't use it, he just ate the pellets, but she did use it one time over there, so she gave it to me, then never again at home, just beside it!! I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions, but I can sympathize! Lets us know what happens! I'm glad this post came up because I've been wanting to try it again, but am too lazy I guess. I'm tired of sliding into the "River Molly"!! :rotfl:

isobelsmom
03-04-2006, 06:00 PM
BUT, it can be fixed. First of all, Patt was right on target...ALWAYS get them at the very first time of deviation from ANY and ALL commands. By adding pee pads, her behavior was just reinfornced that it was ok to miss...then it blossomed full blown to the pads.

I like the target idea, but remember: one training at a time. You have to decide which one would have the most "now" benefit: the "target" or the dreaded Housetraining 101. To be honest, can't you combine the two and use the box as a target---"inside the box!" If you can't then I would choose Housetraining 101 as my first step, and start all over again by plopping her hiney inside the box and watch her just like you did with the initial training. After that is showing stability and concistency, you can cement it more by using the "target."

I know you want to strangle, Miss Thing, but it is back to 101 at this time. She has regressed too far to use the "target" and will not connect the two in her mind. If you had to click her in the beginning, fine...but, I'm of a mind that clicking for potty inside is setting you and Peaches up for a breakdown in communication unless you used it the first time. Just do everything the same as round 1.
And praise, praise and praise! Doncha hate the thought of that? But it beats slipping in Miss Thing pee all the time, eh?

Keep us posted! And here are some peeing in the box rayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: