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The other thing I didn't mention, the past 2 times she's pooed in her crate, the smell is there but the evidence is gone. I know this is foul to bring up, but I'm fairly certain she's eaten it. Which I take as an indication she's realizes she shouldn't have done it there and is trying to hide it. I feel so awful for her, I just wish I could show her its totally fine to poop and pee all over my yard.
Coprophagia - I've mostly seen it associated with dietary deficiencies and behavioral issues, namely separation anxiety. But here's an article that mentions some other reasons I really hadn't thought of...you might glance through it.
I've successfully used a female belly-band for rescue dogs with housebreaking problems. The ones you buy in the stores are expensive. I make my own from very lightweight fleece and use a sanitary napkin as a liner. If you can sew one short seam you can make one for a couple of dollars.
You can't use a belly band as a crutch, but it will help in those situations where she might pee and get stinky or damage something. If you send me a private email I'll send you a pattern to make one.
Some thoughts. Terriers are stubborn. And like pugs, they don't like to work for free. So when she pees or poops outside, praise her and give her a treat. I had a female pug that knew that her walk was over once she peed, so it seemed like when she was walked, she would hold off peeing in order to make the walk longer. So when my sister would walk her, she would run with her in the hopes that in running, the pug would have trouble holding her bladder. And another thought, since your dog is a female, there isn't as great a need to mark territory with her pee. Perhaps you can find another neighborhood dog to walk with and be the pee leader. Once the other dog pees, she will likely pee on top of the first puddle. I have three dogs and I watch how they interact in the yard. lol
And also I've heard that it's good to be very regular with your water, feeding and walking schedules until the dog behaves the way you want. Good luck with your JRT!!
Coprophagia - I've mostly seen it associated with dietary deficiencies and behavioral issues, namely separation anxiety. But here's an article that mentions some other reasons I really hadn't thought of...you might glance through it.
Now Sam, you know dogs eat poop because it's delicious, there's no other reason .
I have a poop-eater, and I can tell you she has no deficiencies or any other reasonable explanation, she does it because 1) she likes the taste of cat poop and 2) she knows she's not allowed to eat the poop, and that just makes them that much more delicious!
She also eats snakes, crickets, and flies when she catch them....she's disgusting .
As long as everyone thinks I'll look back in 6 months and say, wow, I can't believe how good she's doing now, I'll be ok. Maybe I just need to be told, "It will get better."
I would say yes, you'll look back and see how far you've both come .
This works for puppies AND adult dogs. Follow it TO THE LETTER and you'll have a trained dog. Not overnight, but eventually and relatively quickly and painlessly:
The first thing you need to do is to remember that you’re trying to reinforce a new behavior. That means that the rewards for this behavior must be WONDERFUL. NOT crap from the store. Wonderful treats are poached chicken breast/turkey breast, cheese and steak. And you don’t have to use big pieces. Tiny pieces (about 3mm cubes) are just fine! I poach a whole turkey breast every few weeks, cut it into hunks when it’s cool enough to handle, wrap them well and store them in the freezer. When I need some, I’ll thaw a hunk overnight and cut off pieces and dice finely, storing them in a plastic bag in the fridge. One hunk will last about five days. Cheese is also popular, so variety is fine.
I carry these plastic bags in my jacket pockets in the winter and in a fanny pack in warmer weather. You HAVE to have these with you, or this method won’t work, because you need to reward as soon as the dog finishes pooping or peeing. It’s not going to work if the rewards are in the house.
Remember that you’re trying to change a very ingrained behavior. Some dogs like to feel certain things under their feet when they eliminate, like fabric, or newspaper. This is called a ‘substrate preference.’ What you’re trying to do is change this substrate preference, and to do that you have to make the treats SO wonderful that the dog will change this very well-entrenched behavior. Thus the chicken, cheese, steak.
I love clicker training, but this can be done without clickers. You just need a way to ‘mark’ the behavior you want to reinforce. Use the word ‘YESSSSS!!!!’ very enthusiastically – that works for some.
You’re going to need to GO OUTSIDE WITH your dog and the dog needs to be on a leash. Yes, even in winter. If you don’t reward IMMEDIATELY after the event (when dog immediately finishes pooping or peeing) and wait inside, the dog is going to be reinforced for coming inside, not for doing its business. So, leash up your dog. STAND IN ONE PLACE. Be boring. Bring a book or magazine for yourself.
Eventually, the dog will do what you’re waiting for. The NANOSECOND that the dog is finished, HAVE A PARTY – lots of loud, high-pitched praise, treats and running around. You want to make this memorable for your dog! You’ll find that once the first event is achieved, the others will come more quickly. Keep on treating (you don’t have to throw a party except for milestones – a milestone = if he only pooped outside but now peed, too, or something equivalent to that) until he’s good and used to peeing/pooping outside. Before you know it, you have a trained dog.
Regarding accidents in the house: NO SCOLDING. Just clean them up. If you scold you’ll get the dog to think it’s bad to pee or poop and he’ll do it in places you won’t see. Until you step in it. Invest in a big bottle of Nature’s Miracle or Simple Solution and use it liberally on accidents.
With young puppies, remember they have little control of the muscle that holds the bladder closed. This is something they grow into. Just as it’s not expected that a human baby is toilet trained at six months, don’t expect much from a puppy. Patience, patience, patience!!!! The nervous system in a puppy has to mature, and it won’t have much control over the sphincter (closing muscle) at the neck of the bladder until six or seven months. The same goes for the anal sphincter. Until control is achieved, both of these muscles operate on reflex: there are stretch receptors in the bladder wall. When the bladder is full, it sends impulses to the spinal cord and these, in turn, send signals to the sphincter to open and the dog pees.
In the stomach wall, there are also stretch receptors. So when the dog eats and the stomach is stretched, the impulses again go to the spinal cord, but this time the reflex, outgoing, nerve signals are sent to the anal sphincter, so the dog defecates. This operates in people, too – which is why some people rush to the ‘reading room’ after a meal – especially breakfast.
My track greyhound, Mr. Hogan, may he rest in joy, was very difficult to house train.
When he finally figured out what we wanted, he was as good as gold.
During the iffy period, I taught him to shake hands-I think that's important, because if the dog is lost, he'll offer his paw to strangers, hoping for help, and it's hard to ignore or be afraid of a dog who wants to shake.
One day my late wife caught him making a mess on the rug, went to swat his rump, and he offered her his paw.
He was a very smart greyhound, indeed!
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