Is this normal??

553 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by kitty1905, Oct 1, 2009

kitty1905

Discussion Starter · Sep 27, 2009

I have a 4 1/2 month old golden who has a wonderful disposition. Very few things to work on. The biggest issue is that she will not (nor has she ever) indicate/d that she needs to go to the bathroom. We crate train her and she hasn't had an accident in over a month in her crate. She sleeps fine thru the night. Once out in the morning, we take her directly out and she does both. We bring her in to eat and 15 minutes later take her back out. Throughout the day, if we are home, she goes out about every 20 -30 minutes. When we are gone and return we take her out right away. She has never barked to go out nor whimpered. She will just squat when she needs to. She is confined to our kitchen & dining room area. I never catch her in the act so I don't scold her (I can be at the sink and walk around the bar and see it on the floor). I don't see it as a behavioral issue as she has never asked to go out. What can we do??

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buckeyegoldenmom

· #2 · Sep 27, 2009

I would go back to square one. Watching her like a hawk! Tether her to you in the kitchen on her leash.(Attach the leash to your waist.) You need to see her every move and catch her in the act if she starts to squat so you can say a sharp NO! and scoop her up to go outside. Then of course praise her outside like there is no tomorrow. Be sure you are using the same phrase outside for going potty.

Make sure you are using the same door. Some people like attaching a bell to this door.

Make sure you are cleaning up any previous accidents with Nature's Miracle or other such enzyme cleaner.

Use the crate if you can't see and watch her every move.

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Willow52

· #3 · Sep 27, 2009

First of all, I think it's normal. Hank is getting better about letting me know he wants to go out, but I too have to watch him like a hawk. I tried tethering him while in the parts of the house that have carpet but it was a nightmare, he was either jumping on me or chewing/pulling at the leash. If he's tries doing this while on a walk it becomes a teaching moment but while I'm trying to do thing's around the house, it's a nuisance.

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kitty1905

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 27, 2009

Thank you for responding! I imagined that I may need to start back over. I tethered her for the longest time and, of course, she never used the bathroom while attached to me. After a long time of having her tethered, I gave her some freedom and that is when the accidents begin again. We use the same door, same bathroom location, same phrase. She is great about using the bathroom outside on command. She is so much calmer when she isn't tethered to me but perhaps I should ramp up the exercise.

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BeauShel

· #5 · Sep 27, 2009

You can train her to use the bells to let you know she needs to go out. Here is a thread about it. And I agree about starting over on the potty training.
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?t=53540&highlight=bell+training

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GoldenGal

· #6 · Sep 27, 2009

Hi!

I am having the same problem with my puppy, Annie. She is such a fast learner, I don't know why she can't "get" housetraining. She is 14 1/2 weeks old.

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kitty1905

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 1, 2009

The bell trick is great. She hasn't caught on yet but we are being consistent. I've had to give up on the leash - she hates it and bites us when we use it for tethering and taking her out to the bathroom. We are back to watching her like a hawk and taking her out (with the bell) every 15/20 minutes. No accidents in a couple of days.

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