From Chaos to Clean: One Couple's Journey to a Potty-Trained Home

I often receive calls from potential clients who are having trouble potty training their puppies.  But in March of this year, I was contacted by a woman whose two 4-year-old Dachshunds were peeing and pooping in their new house.

As I asked her questions, I discovered the dogs had the same nasty habits in their previous home.  At 4 years old, they had never been successfully potty trained.

I agreed to help and what follows are the steps we took to have their new house completely free of urine and feces.

Lesson One

The couple and I talked most of the first lesson at their home.  We discussed management-how to make sure Fred and Barney weren’t sneaking off and peeing and pooping.  The main areas of concern were downstairs where it was carpeted and the rug under the dining room table.  The rug had been a frequent potty spot in their old home.  They decided to close the door to the downstairs and have the dogs only access the area when the client or her husband were with them.

In addition, we discussed having the dogs on a schedule, being taken outside on leash with predictable intervals such as an hour, right after eating, etc.  Being on leash ensures they do their business before having free run of the yard where they might otherwise get distracted and forget.

I advised they pick up the water at night so the dogs don’t drink a lot and then have no place to go except in their room.

Since the weather was getting warmer, frequent walks will help them pee outside and get some energy-physical and mental-out to have them be calmer at home.

I found that Barney had a tendency to run out the front door and not come back so we worked with both dogs being rewarded for engaging with one of the owners while the other opened and closed the front door.  And we talked about putting up a baby gate on the front porch to manage the behavior in case something failed.

Lesson Two

The client and I took a short walk with the dogs to get some energy out and to make sure their tank was empty before we started training.  During the walk, the client mentioned her husband had been frustrated with the dogs but remarked the day before the lesson that the dogs were good dogs.  Before our first lesson, they had been going up to 4 times a day in the house but in the week since I was last there, they had zero accidents!

We spent the remainder of the lesson practicing having the dogs stay at the doors until they were released to go outside on their walk.

I introduced puzzle toys and other enrichment activities on days where the weather is bad of if the couple doesn’t want to go for a walk because they don’t feel well, etc.

Lesson Three

Once again we worked at staying away from the front door and engaging with an owner while the door is being opened and closed. 

Since coming when called is always important with every client, I showed them ways they can have fun with recall in the backyard.

The client mentioned the dogs like to pick up balls but won’t bring them to her or her husband.  So we played the “2 toy” game where you use identical items to reward them for bringing the toy back.  I also introduced inside agility with weave poles and a jump.  Since Dachshunds are prone to spinal injuries, we didn’t put the jumps up very high.  I was pleased the husband was very engaged with the dogs and enjoying their training.

Again, I was told the home was urine and feces free.

Lesson Four

I like clients to take a field trip for one of their lessons because most people want to take their dogs places where dogs are allowed.  But I find many clients are afraid if their dog potties in the store.  That’s why we go somewhere like Lowe’s or The Home Depot where, if they have an accident, it’s easily cleaned up.

For our final lesson, we went to Lowe’s.  The boys were treated to a lot of attention by staff and customers.  We worked together with the dogs.  The client and her husband each took one dog and worked separately in the store.  They met, traded dogs, and trained separately with the other dog.

The client told me the dogs hadn’t been there in a long time the last time they had ridden in the cart.  We walked the dogs beside a shopping cart to make sure they weren’t worried about their feet being run over.

The client had gone away for a few days and had someone staying over.  She said they told the person the procedures they implemented and were pleased to find out when they came home, there were no accidents.

Summation

It’s unusual to have this dramatic a change in behavior in such a short period of time, but it shows what is possible with clients dedicated to doing what is best for their dogs.

Are you frustrated because your dog is peeing and pooping in your house? We can help! Check out our programs at www.thewell-traineddog.com and then contact us!

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Beverly Amsler is the owner of The Well-Trained Dog & Pet Care. She has been a professional dog trainer, dog walker, and pet sitter since 2014.  Beverly is a Certified Dog Trainer through the Victoria Stilwell Academy and a Certified Professional Pet Sitter through Pet Sitters International.  She is a member of the Texas Pet Sitters Association and the Association For Professional Dog Training.  Before starting her business, Beverly spent more than 30 years as a journalist for newspapers, magazines, and radio and television stations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Indiana, and Utah. Learn more about Beverly.