5 years old and refusing to be toilet-trained!

[Fizzpops]

Hi, I'm wondering if any of you guys can help us with an extremely annoying and frustrating problem! We haven't had Fizz since a puppy, we think she is around 5 years old now. She will ask to be let out to do her business when we are home, but if we are out - even for half an hour - the chances are we will come back to find she's used the kitchen floor as her very own potty!

We don't think her previous owners (she's had at least two that we know of) have been that bothered about training her in that way. She tries to be very dominant and I think this might be a reason why she's doing this. She knows that outside is the place to do her business, it's like a little bit of rebellion! If anyone has any tips on how to stop this habit whenever we are out, we would really appreciate it. She gets plenty walks and time to do what she's gotta do before we go anywhere, so it's not as if she really is desperate and can't help it.
Thanks everyone

 

[bullmama]

I think she is trying to tell you that she is mad at you for leaving her

I can only suggest crate training her, it will likely be more difficult at this age.

 

[cali~jenn]

Not much help here but the crate training does sound like the best idea. I am sure you will get much more good advise here tho.

 

[froggz]

How do you react when you find a mess on the floor? What I would do is react severely to the mess, but, direct none of it at the dog. Keep your complaints, foot stomps and yells focused on that mess. She knows she did it and will understand what your upset over. If you focus the upset on her, your still giving attention, which reinforces the bad behavior. Its the same as the garbage can. The first time Sadie tipped it over I went off on the garbage can, stomped on the shredded bits and slapped the can while "chewing it out" the whole time. It hasn't been touched since.

I do agree that crate training will help, as long as she refuses to soil her area. Is she peeing on a vertical surface or an object or just a puddle on the floor?

Since she is a dominant dog make sure your working just as hard to maintain your pack leader status! Make sure on walks she's right next to you, not leading. Control all assets, food, water and toys. Make her work for what she wants, such as she doesn't go out the door before you, and she must sit before the doors opened. Make sure she's eating after you at meal times, and not before. Even if its faking a few bites of kibble pack leader always eats first. If she is posessive of a toy, that toy is taken away and playtime ended. Work to win the tug games, the "catch me while I guard the ball games," and try to incorporate basic obedience into the game, such as sit before the balls tossed or toy offered.

Best of luck. I had the problem for a short while with my adopted bully Sadie, but she's doing well at behaving now days.

 

[TessaAndSamson]

Great advice from Froggz! The only thing I would have come with was crate training LOL

 

[sheshistory]

Great post Froggz.

I had something like this go on with my bulldog Bentley - he was trained but decided to poop in the house when I would leave for work...a silent protest, I guess. Since it sounds like there's not a medical issue (which I guess you always want to rule out) and it's more behavioral and you know the dog can hold it, I do think that getting upset about the mess is a good idea to help Fizz know that it is not the right thing to do.

Crate training is another excellent idea and it's just so worth the pain of doing it to know that, if needed, you bulldog will be calm and comfortable in a crate. And, as mentioned above, will not go to the bathroom in there unless they HAVE to. If that sounds too dramatic, we've used an exercise pen that allows the dog a little more room with good results.

Good luck, it's a tough problem.

 

[Fizzpops]

Thanks everyone for your advice!
Whenever I find her latest accident, I try not to show her that I'm mad, but I don't give her any attention, I just put her straight outside. Usually it's just on the kitchen floor, but she has been known in the past to have actually managed to get upstairs and do it on our bed!! (And once even tried to do it on ME...) So yeah... I would say it's definitely a dominance thing.
I'm all for the crate myself, I had two boxers in the past and after much grief with toilet-training, the crate turned out to be the best thing I could ever have done. Whether Fizz's dad will trust me on this will be another matter! The whole thing has gone on far too long now, it's driving me crazy!
Froggz, I've really been working hard on the dominance thing, such as with her food and toys, and me getting to be "pack leader" , she is NOT impressed but I think we're going to get there slowly! Thanks for all your tips, I'll keep you all updated with our progress

 

[sowdie]

I don't mean to make light of a frustrating situation, but when I read the headline for this topic I actually thought you were trying to get your EB to use a toilet. Wouldn't that be something....

 

[Fizzpops]

:D If only! If I manage to train her THAT well, I'll definitely share my secrets!