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Home > Training Tips > Going To The Bathroom In The H
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QUESTION:
I have a six-month-old lab that insists on messing in the house everyday when we return from our morning walk. Before I leave for work, we go for a one-to-two-mile walk, so he has plenty of opportunity to relieve himself. But as soon as we are back in the house, he urinates and/or defecates, usually on my new oriental rug in the dining room. I have tried rewarding him with treats when he does his business outside and I have tried scolding him when he doesn’t. But he persists. I am at my wit’s end. What can I do?
RESPONSE:
This is a very common problem. First of all, while on your walk, your pup is probably too busy to make a pit stop; his senses are being bombarded. Yummy, the neighbor is having bacon for breakfast! Wow, a squirrel! Hey, is that a new dog in the neighborhood I hear? Like a young child that is too busy playing, your dog doesn’t take time out to relieve himself or to relieve himself completely until he is back in familiar territory. At that point he thinks, “Ho-hum. Nothing new here. Hmmm, I think I feel something pressing. Gotta go.” And the dining room, probably a low-trafficked area not perceived by your pet as part of his “nest,” becomes an appropriate and (with that oriental rug) a very comfortable place to go.
To avoid this problem, I would suggest not waiting for your dog to search out a comfortable spot to relieve himself while on the walk. Rather, after walking for five or ten minutes, you should determine an appropriate place for him to go. Then the waiting game begins. You must be patient and outwait him. Let him just circle around on the lead. After he has gotten totally bored with the spot, he is more likely to become aware of the sensations and relieve himself. Do this a couple of times while out on your walk, one of those times being a bit before the walk ends.
In the meantime, you should clean your carpet with a product, available only at pet supply stores, that breaks down enzymes. This will completely eliminate the smell for your pet’s nose, which has at least forty more scent receptors than yours does. This will ensure that your beautiful oriental carpet doesn’t begin to smell like the right place to go.
Training tip provided by:
PetDog Training
Glenn Goldman, CPDT and Judy Goldman
Behavioral Consultants & Trainers
978-281-3141
Website: www.petdogtraining.com
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