My bf's new dog is under a year old (not sure of her age- she is a rescue). She is a border collie and seems very smart. She is crate trained, but when he gets home to let her out she gets excited and pees on the floor before he can take her outside. He then scolds her and she pees more and is terrified of him the rest of the night. He isn't abusing her (that's not to say her last owner didn't). Any suggestions for a) to get her to stop peeing when she is excited and b) not be terrified of him when he scolds her?
Oh, his method of scolding is just a swat on the rear. He just barely taps her. She knows she has done wrong though and is terrified.
__________________
"Despite all your best intentions, sometimes, fate wins anyway."
I might use positive reinforcement instead since she gets so scared. Leave her in her crate when the boyfriend gets home, then take her out put her leash on and take her outside. When she goes outside reward her.
My Dog took ALOT of work to train (well okay training is still in progress) but this method worked for her for peeing in the house.
excitable/submissive peeing is a really difficult habit to break. Do not smack her because it only makes it worse.
Some dogs will grow out of it but in the mean time do not scold her, try giving her alot of praise and build her confidence and don't leave her in the crate for more than 6 hours at a time.
Scolding a dog for peeing in the house rarely works. Especially not a Border Collie, they are extremely sensitive dogs with very low tolerance for being scolded. I would avoid scolding a BC and focus entirely on positive reinforcement. Plus, exited peeing is a reaction she probably can't completely control at that age.
As Alliegurl said, BF should remain really calm when he lets her out of the crate, leash her and immediately take her outside. Reward like crazy when she pees outside.
FYI, she's still really young, as she gets older she'll likely grow out of the exited peeing.
I agree with the others. The dog is peeing because it is her way of signifying that he is the boss. She pees more when he scolds her because she is confused; she thinks she's doing what she is supposed to do. ("See! You're the boss! Look!") He needs to be very calm and quiet with her when he lets her out (no high-pitched "hi-eeee, puppy!!!!" etc.), and just be patient.
__________________
"We live in an age where unnecessary things are our only necessities." --Oscar Wilde
My german shephard still does that too. she just turned one, we are hoping she outgrows it soon. but what's worked for us is that we take her to the grass area before we even say one word to her. all we do is open her crate, walk to the area, and tell her "go potty" in a serious voice. cause if they detect any sweetness in your voice, she gets all happy and still keeps peeing coming towards us! so we dont love her, pet her, or talk sweetness to her till shes gone to use the bathroom.
I agree with the others. The dog is peeing because it is her way of signifying that he is the boss. She pees more when he scolds her because she is confused; she thinks she's doing what she is supposed to do. ("See! You're the boss! Look!") He needs to be very calm and quiet with her when he lets her out (no high-pitched "hi-eeee, puppy!!!!" etc.), and just be patient.
I agree -this is a submissive gesture to Boyfriend in her eliminating. So, I would also say that any scolding will just further perpetuate the problem because it will cause more fear- which is the opposite result you are looking for. I would do as Alliegirl also suggested:
Leave her in her crate when the boyfriend gets home, then take her out put her leash on and take her outside. When she goes outside reward her.
I am also training a female puppy (she is 8 mo. old, crate trained, and I picked her up at a foster home about 4 mo. ago). She no longer pees all the time, like she did, when I returned home from work- although she will still do it occasionally when my husband gets home. It is a problem that is due to nature, so I think that it will never go away entirely.
I had a chihuahua that would pee when I got home because I'd always walk in the door and say, "Hiiiiiiiiiiiii!" I was excited, she was excited ... then she'd pee on the floor in her excitement.
I found that if I came home and completely ignored her and just immediately let her out to pee, she didn't have accidents. Then, after she peed outside, then I would say, "Good girl!" and "Hiiiiiiii! I missed you!"
Your boyfriend should try coming inside the home, COMPLETELY ignoring her. Tell him not to say a word ... and do not make eye contact or even look at the dog. Just grab the dog and take her outside. Then praise, praise, praise.
I dont have any advice...but my boder collie used to do this when he was a puppy too. Maybe its some weird trait. He would pee when we would start to pet him because he would get soo excited.
I agree with the positive reinforcement training though. Reward the dog when it pess in the right spot...and just a firm no when he pees in the wrong spot.
my yorkie poo, gizmo, used to do this too. hes 2 1/2 now and he doesnt pee anymore from excitement when he sees my bf, or i, or anyone in my family. nowadays i just let him outside first and let him pee it all out before i let him see someone he hasnt seen in a long time, ex: my friends. yelling at the dog definitely doesnt help, i know you might be really tempted to since it happens time after time, but its not going to be easy getting rid of this problem, i think it took my dog 2 yrs...definitely give positive reinforcement a try...
Thanks girls! Emery did great last night. Bf said it was really hard not to greet her, but he immediately took her outside and she did great! Hopefully this will break her of her bad little habit.
__________________
"Despite all your best intentions, sometimes, fate wins anyway."