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Post by sophie on Jan 1, 2015 16:34:03 GMT
Hi I'm a first time dog owner of a 10 month old male jack russell. It seems I have made all of the classic mistakes with my puppy and he is now urinating/marking in my home. Any tips and advice would be more than helpful At the moment.
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Post by Roo on Jan 1, 2015 16:47:01 GMT
Go back to step one!
The biggest thing I always tell new owners is that thy must not praise the dog as they come back inside after going to the toilet - they normally get the two actions confused and start toileting inside; so it is vital that you follow him everywhere outside and praise when he toilets.
I'm sure others will put forward invaluable advice soon enough!
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Post by sophie on Jan 1, 2015 17:29:30 GMT
Thank you very much - it's really appreciated. That is something I do - I'll change that instantly. I'm feeling guilty as I know I've made work life harder for myself - letting him on sofas, letting him sleep with me at night, allowing him upstairs... Now I'm having to change it and I feel I'm been unfair as I shouldn't have been so soft with him in the first place.
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Post by cazypops on Jan 1, 2015 17:52:30 GMT
Hi welcome to the forum sophie, My Parsons Russell was over a year old before he got the hang properly of going outside to toilet. I agree with Roo when he goes to the loo outside massive, massive lots of praise, but also if you see go inside then ignore and just clean up, and definitely no praise. What are you using to clean the mess up with. I'd recommend something like white vinegar or simple solutions that you can get from your local pet shop. You may think that your getting rid of the smell but believe me your puppy will still be able to smell it, and will probably keep going back there. Let us know how you get on. You just need patience, he'll learn in time, terriers are very intelligent dogs.
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Post by sophie on Jan 1, 2015 18:34:09 GMT
Thank you cazypops (I don't know how to tag you sorry) that's really helpful advice. At the moment I'm cleaning the kitchen floor, table legs and fridge (main areas) with kitchen products that have bleach in but if seems to make no difference. I shall try the white vinegar - thank you. What would you advised if I don't see him go inside but find it after - for instance today I walked him for around 30minutes, left the house with him in the kitchen while I nipped out for 10 minutes and when I came back he had urinated again the fridge. How would you deal with that behaviour? Some people have recommended getting him neutered - do you think this help? Sorry for all the questions I just want as much inforMation as possible so I can do the right thing for him. He must be quite confused with the changes I am making at the minute. He is very intelligent though, as of this morning I've stopped him from being allowed on the sofas and he's not go on since.
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Post by caz2golden on Jan 1, 2015 18:50:19 GMT
To tag just use @ and directly follow with the forum members name
I agree with Cazypops. Dogs can smell urine even when we think we have cleaned up. You need to use something that breaks the urine down.
As others have said, I agree its back to basics time! I would start clock watching. I would take out every few hours, when your dog wakes up after a period of sleep and also shortly after food or a long drink.
I own girls so can not really offer much help about stopping males do what they do best!
My dogs even from young age were allowed on sofa, in bedroom etc so IMO thats not being soft! However as you are having issues those areas should only be available when you are present to supervise.
Also if its a sudden regression could a urine infection be behind issue? Maybe at 10 months he has just come of age and is wanting to scent mark everything?
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Post by sophie on Jan 1, 2015 19:08:47 GMT
Thank you caz2golden it's all great advice an really helpful. I thought things could be down to having him on furniture ect because when I've read around it suggests that rules and boundaries are not established enough with him and he thinks he's the pack leader of the house. I've had him checked for a urine infection and he's not got one. I think that scent marking is what he's doing so as sometimes it's not a large amount of urine that he's left behind
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Post by cazypops on Jan 1, 2015 19:33:25 GMT
I forgot to mention that when using white vinegar to dilute in warm water. As for getting him neutered I personally think that 10 months is still a little young, but that's just me. I also like caz2golden let Jasper on the sofa and he also sleeps with us in our bed, but if I had our time over again then I'd just have him sleeping in our room but in his own bed. Unfortunately my OH had other ideas, and he is now regretting it as Jasper will start off in bed, then as soon as he gets warm get out, then in, then out. He can be a right pain. Also have you considered using puppy pads when your out of the house? Does he do it while you are at home with him or is it just while your out and he's alone? If it's just when he's home alone then he maybe suffering from separation anxiety.
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Post by sophie on Jan 1, 2015 19:46:00 GMT
No - he does it when we are in and out of the house. I've tried puppy training pads but unfortunately he's always chewed them since I first got him as a young pup. I thought he was a little too young just was worth asking. I'm going to buy white vinegar tomorrow and do the kitchen from top to bottom. The whole situation is really getting to me if I'm honest as I don't know what's best at the moment. I do know I don't want him unhappy or a house smelling because he is tinkling here, there and everywhere! I don't know if I should be scolding him when I get home as it's after he's done it.
Alvin is a pain in bed with the in and out business it's gets very silly in a morning too!
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Post by cazypops on Jan 1, 2015 19:59:37 GMT
Ok don't get upset coz as I said earlier Jasper was over 12 months old before he became fully house trained. I also remember when I took Jasper to the vets for his second injection at 10 weeks old, a woman sat next to me in the waiting area told me her Jack Russell was 2 years old before he was fully house trained so your not on your own. I think he is scenting. But I wouldn't scold him when you get home if he's done something as he won't know what he's done wrong. Keep us informed how you get on, and if you have any questions then there's always someone here who will try and help. Plus if you start getting frustrated then we're always here if you just want to have a rant about it too. By the way, I love your new avatar. He's gorgeous.
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Post by sophie on Jan 1, 2015 20:07:12 GMT
Aw thank you that's half of the problem he's too cute haha and Thank you so much cazypops you've been great help with all of your advice - I shall certainly keep you informed! X
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Post by orpheous87 on Jan 1, 2015 21:24:40 GMT
In March last year, my brother adopted a 9 month old JRT and he wasn't fully housetrained at that point either. He was also neutered as is the Dogs Trust policy, so I don't think neutering will necessarily help. We began letting/putting him out at regular intervals as has been suggested above. He's now 18 months old and is pretty much housetrained, however, every dog is different as I'm sure you know. The only recent accident we've had was last night when he pooped in his crate and that was our fault as he hadn't been put outside as usual due to it being new year and routine being out of the window - it was a timely reminder as the result was a very stinky mess to clean up when some people were a tad worse for wear (not me)! As cazypops said, I wouldn't scold him when you get home as he won't associate it with what he's done, he'll associate it with you coming home and being angry with him for no apparent reason. I'll also add, we let all of our dogs on the sofa (as I'm typing, our ESS is laid beside me). When we got the ESS as a pup, we had thought that we wouldn't let her on the sofa, or upstairs as we'd done with our previous dog. However, she had other ideas and just did her own thing. We didn't have the heart to enforce our previous rules, so consequently she gets on the sofa, armchairs and will go upstairs as she likes. But I don't think that's being soft either. As long as you can get the dog to get off the sofa when you want him off, I don't see a problem.
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Post by beaglel1fe on Jan 2, 2015 13:24:25 GMT
Don't negative reinforce when your pup's done something wrong, but positive reinforce when he's done something right. Don't worry too much about your mistakes - you're not the only one and they can be put right again in time.
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Post by charlottte on Jan 2, 2015 14:34:53 GMT
If he's peeing up furniture he could be scent marking. I haven't read the whole thread but could be hormone related (even if he's been recently neutered it takes a few months for everything to settle down). Don't make a big deal if he goes inside, clear it up and move on. No scolding etc. Clean with cleaning stuff without ammonia as it attracts dogs back If he goes outside, make it like a party. Lots of praise, petting, some treats or a game if he enjoys toys. Take him out every hour or so Good luck
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Post by sophie on Jan 5, 2015 18:31:27 GMT
Thank you, I really appreciate all the advice that has been given. Unfortunately things seem to have gone from bad to worse since I last posted. His is urinating a little less but... With moving his sleeping arrangements from our bed to the kitchen he has spent the last 5 nights howling - should I open his crate door at night and let him have run of kitchen is what I've been thinking. ...and then today - my first day back at work after 2 weeks off he has chewed part of the kitchen floor.
I'm feeling like what ever I do is hopeless
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