Shelter dog housebreaking issues

ROTFL, farmerman.

A passed and revered canine companion of mine, when but a wee pup, suffered a fairly severe injury to a front paw. Sympathy and solicitous attention aplenty fell his way during the protracted, but eventual complete, recovery. For damned near fifteen years thereafter, whenever chastized, or even just ignored, the pup would lift a front paw, sometimes the left (which had been the injured appendage), sometimes the right, hold it bent before him, and whine piteously from behind what he intended to resemble tortured eyes.

Timber,
Dogs are not alone in this "acting" category. James, a rotund neutered male feline, had a simular routine. He injured his left front paw. During the short recovery he was pampered and fussed over as is due any injured pet.
There after, any time he was caught misbehaving or felt neglected, he would develope a limp. He would repeatedly parade through any occupied room looking like the fife player from the Spirit of 76, until someone picked him up for a cuddle and an amazing recovery.

Sam

Hammock? Oh no! No way! The last hammock i was required to use as a bed was in a Navy LST, back in early '68. Our unit went down the Mekong River to the South China Sea, to go to DaNang from Saigon. This was right towards the end of Tet.

This little cruise wasn't anything for the crew, but trying to get into that #$&%!* thing as uit swung all over the place during the tropical storm we faced for three nights and two days of the trip was tricky. I had to stay drunk the while, to avoid getting seasick and then the hammock seemed level for me to use!

I haven't been drinking for over four years and don't plan to restart, just to get into a swinging hammock! I'll opt for the reinforced screen door, if the folidng door fails. That and putting up dog houses outside.

Just a thought about the subject.... have you taken the dog to any training classes? (( I didnt read the thread so if you have...ooops.. I should pay attention ))
If not , try taking him to Petsmart. They have small training classes that teach YOU to train the dog, and not the trainer to train your dog as most do. They are relatively cheap ( under 60 bucks ) have a money back guarantee and offer everything from basic puppy training to advanced protection. I absolutly love that store and its training policies. I would recommend them for alot of your animal needs!

shewolfnm,

Yes, both Petsmart and Petco offer excellent puppy/dog training opportunities. One small problem, I live just outside of Hayward, Wisconsin; to attend classes at either store would require driving either a little under 90 mi or a little over 110 miles. What with gas prices and time restraints, not an option.
In case you did not know, I live fairly close to timberlandko, our resident dog expert. I, also, have a fair amount of experience training dogs.
We seem to have "fixed" the problem at least for now. We keep the dogs out of the bed room during the day, crate Yamni at night and make sure we handle the dogs in strict pack order. Things are looking up!

Sam

Are these accidents an attempt at dominance?
My adopted shelter dog is an absolute sweetie, but she has been having some real problems with housetraining. She knows that going in the house is wrong and generally sneaks away to have an accident and then looks guilty about it, but this evening she just squatted down and peed on the carpet right in front of me without hesitation. I don't know if she "forgot" the rule all of a sudden (unlikely), if she didn't care, or if she was making a statement of some kind by doing this right in front of me.

My significant other pointed out that she did this right after I was hand feeding her some food. He thinks that she tends to have accidents right after one of us has been pampering her a bit. Right before she peed in front of us tonight, I had been hand feeding her. My signif thinks she did it as a display of dominance. He also thinks that I'm too lenient with her, as I don't like to yell at her after accidents.

Do dogs sometimes have accidents as a display of dominance or as a sign of confusion about who's top dog? Does it sound like that is happening here??? Please share your thoughts!

Re: Are these accidents an attempt at dominance?


Yup, youbetchya they do, and that's what it sounds like. I'd recomend as an immediate course of action, you make it a point to escort the pup to the desired output place just as soom as you've been playing/pampering, and of course rught after feedings. Take the pup, don't send it. If output occurs at the desired place and time, make a deal of it. If the pup just stands there looking at you for ten minutes, don't be upset, just go back to the dwelling, but keep a real close eye on the pup. If you note signs of imminent output, take the pup, kindly, gently, and cheerfully as circumstances permit, to the output place, and follow the routine.

In any dog pack, somebody's gotta be in charge ... unquestionably in charge. Given leave to consider it, just about any dog will seek to improve its pack position. Exhibiting inappropriate behavior ny a subordinate critter in front of and with the attention of the alpha, or other more highly-ranked animal, is a challenge intended to gauge the response of the more dominant critter. If the ranking critter does not reprimand, that is a tacit abdication of at least a portion of position and authority, and likely that perceived weakness will be pressed and exploited by the challenging critter. In a mixed human - dog pack, the charge critter oughtta be the human. If you want to be the real alpha, not just one of the nurse or guardian animals, take charge.

Reprimand doesn't equal yelling, though. Freaking out just creates anxiety for the pup -- and I get the sense from certain dogs that it only reinforces their opinion that you might not be totally in control of the situation. Stern, even, and efficient. If you watch video of wolf packs in action (a great documentary is "Wolves at the Door," or something like that, for wild dog behavior), the alpha does need elaborate displays to get his point across; a look, a growl, and maybe a nip usually does the trick.



(correct me if I'm out of line timber...)

Not outta line at all, p'dog. In fact, I heartily endorse and frequently employ the display approach; I'll grab a pup in need of discipline, roll it onto its back then, with a firm but not damaging two-handed grip on its throat, kneel astride the usually already-acquiescing beast, and growl loudly and angrily right in its face, with a little firm-but-gentle shaking thrown in for good measure. Works pretty damned well, even though there's often a bit of pee to clean up as a result of the admonishment.

Mine just think that's play-time (which works, in a way). If I nip them gently on the jowls while I'm down there it usually gets attention. Us two-leggers don't generally get mouthy, so it must be something serious.

By the way, I got about halfway up to your neck of the woods a couple of weeks ago and couldn't believe the skeeters. This 'sconsin thing is going to take same getting used to.

Overheard a couple skeeters talkin' the other evenin' ... they was eyein' me hungry like, an' one of 'em said "Ya wanna eat him here, or take him down by the creek?", to which the other replied "Take him to the creek? What - are you crazy? We do that, and the big 'uns 'll steal him fer sure"

I think I'll be stealing that, if'n you don't mind.

Help yer se'f ... Weren't mine ta start with; I found it layin' around someplace anyhow.