Ok to use a nappy on my dog every day?

[SillyWrong]

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We've had our dogs since December, they came to us as adults. Completely untrained. One of them (aged 5.5yrs) toilets in the house. When we're there, she'll always ask to go out to the garden, but when we're not there, she urinates on things, such as our sofa, or in her own bed. We're at our wits end, we've tried everything. The rigmorale we go through of trying to cover everything before leaving the house, and then cleaning up when we come in is annoying! We've reduced her anxiety tenfold when we go out with high reward kongs. We've considered crate training but really don't think she'll get on well with being locked up, plus, she urinates in her own bed anyway so surely she'd just urinate in a crate?

Would you consider it cruel to have her in a nappy all the time we're not with her (which is only a couple of hours in the day and when we're in bed)? We're moving house soon and it's heart breaking when thinking of buying new furniture etc, that she might just go ahead and ruin it all!

 

[goldenbear2013]

Hi there,

My honest answer is no to nappies!

You say she wont like crate training but how do you know if you dont try?

Crate training can be done very slowly and can become a positive thing for them if its done right.

For example:

Make the crate nice and cosey and pop a blanket over it to make it den like. When its time for her kong or something to chew on like a bone or whatever you give her, out it in the crate. Let her go in and leave the door open.

Repeat, and go into the other room

Shut the crate door (dont lock it) and repeat the same process. Then lock the crate door, but stay in the room. Then same again but leave the room

When leaving the room only go out for 30 seconds and build up slowly. Each time returning to her and giving her lots of praise.

You should be able to eventually leave her for at least 10 minutes and over the course of a month 30 minutes, maybe not even a month depending on how well she takes to it.

Now i must stress that this will take a while to build up. The crate will eventually be her bed but you dont have to lock the crate door when you are around and if she goes through the night without messing anywhere then the crate door can be left open.

You must not use the crate as a negative and not for the purposes of correcting her in any way as this has to all be about the positives.

I really do suggest giving it a try. If it doesnt work then you cant say you havent tried. and if it does work, you will be safe in the knowledge you can happily go out and buy new furniture for your new home

Let us know how you get on.

Sophie x

 

[eingana]

^^^ What she says!

Most dogs love their crates, as long as they are introduced properly, and the more nervous or anxious the dog the more likely they are to understand the purpose of the crate as a den where they can hide from the world.

Some dogs may wet their beds, but they aren't that likely to stay lying in them afterwards. Very few wet in their crates, but if they do then the contents of a crate are usually small enough to be put through a washing machine easily anyway.

 

[excuseme]

I totally agree with Goldenbear2013.

A crate is fantastic if used correctly, covered to make a private place/den and security for your dogs own peace of mind.

A crate should NEVER be a place of punishment!

If used correctly and with patience it can help both yourself and your dog with"potty training". ( a puppy does a tiny wee but the adults create floods ) very frustrating!!

I hope it works for you