i need a few suggestions here
i've had my dog for 2 1/2 years now and shes always been afraid of outside. its never been a problem though because she'd go outside, do her business, then come back in.

i just moved and now we live on the 3rd story. whenever we go downstairs to go outside, she just won't hold it long enough and starts peeing on the stairs. it's got to have something to do with the anxiety of moving to a new place, but does anyone have any idea of how to get her over it?

10/3/2006 3:36:20 PM

what if you carried her down the stairs, put her down to do her business, then gave her a treat for positive reinforcement? after a while of that, put her down to walk and see if she pees once you get to the bottom in hopes of a treat. that hinges on the hope that she won't pee on you, though...

10/3/2006 3:39:27 PM

pully system.

10/3/2006 4:07:22 PM

yea, shed probably pee on me

and shes a decent sized dog for 40lbs or so

10/3/2006 4:16:10 PM

I mean the pee will evaporate, wont it?

10/3/2006 4:29:51 PM

you do the same thing you did while house training.

10/3/2006 4:49:29 PM

Peeing on the stairs hmmmm. I would suggest you place some kind of newspapers on the ground/stairs and let her get use to urinating on them.

Or, you could just distract her attention with a ball or food until you reach ground level. But the newspaper method would be better b/c clean up will be easier.

[Edited on October 3, 2006 at 5:07 PM. Reason : .]

10/3/2006 5:07:03 PM

You could get those piss pads or whatever, and train her to use those

10/3/2006 5:17:47 PM

i was lucky, i didnt have to train her. she was good to go at 3 months old.

how would i go about doing the pads since the stairs are a common area? i dont want to come home and make the dog wait for me to carry a pad down the stairs....

10/3/2006 10:52:18 PM

the newspapers/pads on the stairs will only reinforce her going on the stairs. If you do decide to go that route, the smell needs to transfer to where you want her to go so be ready to drip it or wring it out where you want her to go. You'll also need to gradually move them toward where you want her going to keep her from getting used to that one spot. Try some positive reinforcement. Get some small treats and take them with you. Talk lovingly or excitedly to her while walking downstairs and once she goes give her a treat. If that doesn't work, let her see the treat before going downstairs and keep her focused on it until you get in the grass, then give her the command ("go potty" or whatever you use"), then give her the treat. Just remember to not give her the treat whenever there's an accident.

Most likely the problem is not with her but with her brain/bladder training. Many dogs will feel the need to pee when they hear the door open or when the step across the threshold. She's used to being x feet away from her spot and now it's gotten farther away. She has to retrain her bladder. We're the same way as well. A lot of people have to pee when they hear the shower running, smoke a cigarette, get out of the car, or whatever was a routine to them. It just takes time to retrain your body's reaction to certain stimuli

*edit* you may also want to use the treat simply to get her to go to the grass in the beginning. keep her attention on it going down the stairs and then let her see you toss it in the area where you want her urinating. She'll begin to equate that area with something good and want to go there. if that works, after a week or so delay the treat until she gets to the area and does her business.

[Edited on October 3, 2006 at 11:10 PM. Reason : oops]

10/3/2006 11:06:33 PM

How bout you roll up a tight newpaper (dosn't matter the date, sundays are better b/c they are bulkier and contain alot more paper) and beat the living dung out of her every time she pisses out there? That works!!

10/3/2006 11:23:09 PM

Quote :

"padowack All American 875 Posts user info edit post How bout you roll up a tight newpaper (dosn't matter the date, sundays are better b/c they are bulkier and contain alot more paper) and beat the living dung out of her every time she pisses out there? That works!! "

I really can't stand people like you. Good way to turn a good dog aggressive. Can we beat you with a paper everytime you make a mistake?

10/3/2006 11:35:01 PM

Im not sure if he was serious but I actually support him on that. As long as you make sure not to injure the pet with the device, I see nothing wrong with it. It's just discipline and teaching the animal right from wrong. That reinforcement method is actually quite effective!

10/3/2006 11:40:16 PM

Dude...I was joking...lighten up okay. Im against animal abuse, totally.

^now this idiot on the other hand

[Edited on October 3, 2006 at 11:41 PM. Reason : .]

10/3/2006 11:41:14 PM

What we think hurts animals actually dosn't. They have a very high pain tolerance, one that far exceeds human levels. A couple of wacks from a stick, paddle, newspaper will not hurt it, trust me on this. If your animal does not suffer injury from discipline actions by owner, it is NOT abuse.

10/3/2006 11:51:02 PM

padowack, sorry if it was a joke, had some issues with my roommate and my dog not too long ago.

Earl, it's actually quite an ineffective way to train a dog. If you just want the dog to be afraid of you and therefore not do anything wrong, then yeah, it works. If you want a well behaved, happy, and non-aggressive companion, it's quite wrong. Reinforcement is the BEST way to train a dog (or anything else for that matter). Think about it, when you were a kid and got a spanking for something, what happened? You made sure you didn't get CAUGHT doing it again. It sure as hell didn't make most people stop doing it altogether. Most people acted out more in response due to anger. Dogs are the same way. Perhaps you should email some top dog trainers and ask how many of them use the paper to discipline their dogs.

10/3/2006 11:51:27 PM

^While I agree with your sentiments, I must add that dogs are not people. Comparing the two, even in an effort to explain why we shouldn't beat our pets, is foolish.

10/4/2006 2:56:08 AM

Quote :

"I must add that dogs are not people. Comparing the two, even in an effort to explain why we shouldn't beat our pets, is foolish."

psychologically they we are similar.

10/4/2006 3:27:07 AM