Housetraining woes...please help!

[Guest Anonymous]

I need some advice please for two of my dogs.

The first dog is a Great Dane that we adopted when she was 5 mos. old. She is now 9 mos. I don't know what happened to her in her previous residence, but she has SEVERE seperation anxiety. She is terrified of everything (balls, chew toys, loud noises, people, other dogs) She follows me everywhere. If I leave to go to the grocery store for even ten minutes she urinates and messes on the floor. If I'm at home she's perfectly house trained. Any advice on how to increase her confidence?

The second dog is a mix that I adopted from the shelter. She is only 3 mos old. I want to crate train her like I did with my other dogs but she will only use the bathroom in the crate! I guess this is because at the shelter they keep the dogs in the crate all the time. If I take her out of the crate, she will actually hold it as long as she can, and then run to the crate and mess by it (if she can't get in it). She's crate trained the wrong way! Any advice?

Thanks,
Fredericka

[Guest Anonymous]

With the great dane- seperation anxiety is a hard issue to deal with. Since he messes on the floor when you leave you need to crate him up (expensive crate!) or put him outside until you get back. Do a lot of leaving the room and not allowing him to go then pop your head around the corner every so often.
With the mix you have to reverse what the animal shelter showed her was correct. Since she is so young you shouldnt have much of a problem. Pups dont retain much until 5 months old. Put her crate outside. When she messes outside reward her.
Good luck with two very tough situations!!

[Guest Anonymous]

With the dane I suggest finding a veterinary behaviorist to help you with the problem.
With the puppy that uses the crate for a potty area - how about doggy litterbox training it - sounds like that would be a snap for this pup! then confine her to a pup safe room with a doggy litterbox instead of crating her.


[quote]
On 2002-05-13 06:33, Anonymous wrote:
I need some advice please for two of my dogs.

The first dog is a Great Dane that we adopted when she was 5 mos. old. She is now 9 mos. I don't know what happened to her in her previous residence, but she has SEVERE seperation anxiety. She is terrified of everything (balls, chew toys, loud noises, people, other dogs) She follows me everywhere. If I leave to go to the grocery store for even ten minutes she urinates and messes on the floor. If I'm at home she's perfectly house trained. Any advice on how to increase her confidence?

The second dog is a mix that I adopted from the shelter. She is only 3 mos old. I want to crate train her like I did with my other dogs but she will only use the bathroom in the crate! I guess this is because at the shelter they keep the dogs in the crate all the time. If I take her out of the crate, she will actually hold it as long as she can, and then run to the crate and mess by it (if she can't get in it). She's crate trained the wrong way! Any advice?

Thanks,
Fredericka
[/quote]

[Guest Anonymous]

with the Dane problem I do not know as my kids and dogs keep each other best company (they probably don't even notice I am gone!!)

with your puppy 3 months is still very young and it should not be a problem to change the habbits if you have some time and are patient as a saint!!...have you considered moving the crate to outside during the day(weather permitting of course) and leave the door shut and it will mess beside it you say and then you can praise it for going out side
or maybe fold the crate up during the day and put it away in a cupboard or so with no access to the crate it will have to find somewhere else to "go".....hope all goes well for you.....K.

[Guest Anonymous]

try obediance training in your dane, as well as any other cutesy or helpful tricks you can think of. the training helps because it gives the dog confidence. as for the pup, put a leash on it, put the crate and pup in the same room with you, and keep an eye on it. when the pup goes toward the crate, pick up the leash and take her outside (fast, but not hurrying, shouting, or carrying her) and lead her around outside. you'll probably have to repeat this many times. when she goes outside, praise her calmly and use a cue word as she goes--eventually you can lead her outside and say the cue word and she will go. this will not happen immediately, and it is work! do not lose your patience, spank or scold your pup for going inside. If you do, you will make her afraid of "going" in front of you and the training will take even longer!