I have a dog that is over a year old. I got her about 2 months ago, she used the bathroom in the house except for her room. (laundry room with her crate in it ) If I cannot break her I will have to get rid of her and I do not want to do that. Anyone have any suggestions on what to try. We take her out often. She is a mixed breed small.

First read the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/information-articles-our-dogs-expert-labman-53153.html#post251809

It could also be a leadership problem. The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete (http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/) For more on being top dog, see Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position, Letting your dog know you are the boss (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm)

The first thing you need is a large pack of paper towel and a spary bottle of pure white vinegar! This will give you more time to train this dog properly... no stains and smells will give you more patience.

You say you take her out often. Often to a person in an apartment is 4 times a day. Often for me is every 2 hours. And that is how often I have to let my 1 year old Jack Russel out. I feel like we are still house breaking and I know she understands "go potty outside" but if I leave her too long she will squat when I'm not looking. She's getting smarter about it which tells me that she's not found a way to communicate that she needs to go out. I have found messes, wet ands dry in the dining room behind the table, in the laundry room on the tile floor, or in the bathroom tile floor. Why not the carpet? Either she gets not to go on the carpet, or she's smarter than she lets on. Some breeds are more stubborn, some dogs take more time to get it.

I will say this and I'm sure I will have people dissagree, but I have NEVER gotten a puppy and could honestly say that the dog was completely house broken within the first year or 15 months. I have a dog that whines to go out, I have one that will bark at the back door, once I get a downstairs exit, I think the Jack Russel will show me by going to the door. Part of my problem has been that we are downstairs, if the dog goes to the door I wouldn't know. Therefore, every time she leaves my sight I let her out or I monitor what's she's doing. A new dog needs more patience from you, 2 months is not much time for her to adjust to her new environment. IF she is doing it out of territrial issues, you must control the oder so she won't go back and you must let her know that you are top dog and this is how we do it. Therefore you need to go outside with her and make sure she does her business. Oprah was standing on her back porch in her PJs at 3am letting her dogs out... no makeup.

Praise her when she goes, take her back inside right away and give her a little reward... even if it's a little cheese cracker or a cheerio.

Good luck!

.....
I will say this and I'm sure I will have people dissagree, but I have NEVER gotten a puppy and could honestly say that the dog was completely house broken within the first year or 15 months. ....

With the technique you are using, no wonder you are having so much trouble.
It only confuses the puppy to be taken out when it doesn't have to go. You need to read the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/information-articles-our-dogs-expert-labman-53153.html#post251809
And learn to recognize when the puppy needs to go out. You also need to keep the puppy where you can see it and pay attention to when it does need to go out. As it becomes longer and longer between accidents, it is hard to say just when a puppy is housebroken. Certainly by 4-5 months, accidents should be few and far between. They certainly have been for the 17 puppies I have refined my methods with.

Perhaps I left out a few important details with the Jack Russel. My comment about completely housebroken could be translated to having accidents, but not having them in areas where I would find them. They are off on tile or hard surfaces away from where any of the dogs would go... as to not soil her own living space.

Yes, I need to keep her where I can see her. If I'm downstairs and she goes up, I have to go up. This dog wants outside every two hours. She stares out the door as though she left something outside. She probably did. This particular dog has taught me that DOGS DO NOT FORGET ANYTHING. I don't know anyone with a Jack Russel, but I would venture to guess those people could relate to what I have said in regards to that comment. This particular dog urinates more than any dog I have ever had, just a spot here or there. And I don't think she drinks enough water most of the time, but she eats a lot of snow and ice when it's available. She has no bladder trouble, I think it has to do with her attention span.

My blue heeler can hold his bladder for 10 or 12 hours. He proved that this summer when he refused to go outside after having to leave him out on a hot day, all day. He had a pool and fresh water that was probably hot my noon and he didn't forget. He'll go out and stand in one place for minutes until he relieves himself. He sits next to the bed and whines in the night until I wake up if he has to go or if his tummy is calling him.

The Jack Russel hops from one place to the next, a little here, some running and wrestling with the pack and another spot of urine a few minutes later. Seldom does she act as though she has completely relieved herself outside. How would I know with such an active dog?

By the time most dogs are about 3 months old, they have figured out that if
they go to the door and stand, you will let them out.

Again, this dog is an exception. At 3 months she was crowded in a rabbit cage with 4 adult Jack Russels and another litter mate. Little did I know the day I went to look at this dog that I was going to pull up to a classic Missouri puppy mill! Puppy Mill dogs that are not adopted out at a young age take longer to adapt to their new homes. This is a whole different topic, most of these dogs wind up have special needs in one way or another. My Jack seems fine now, but she is different than my others. Her paws are not split like other dogs, she has one pad. She doesn't want wet food because it's foreign to her. Open a bag of chips and she gets excited thinking you are opening a bag of dry dog food... which she didn't get much of as a pup, the adults were eating... the rest was on the ground below. Much harder to house break older dogs that did everything in a cage where they stood.

My Lhasa used to relieve himself at the front door until around a year old. That was telling and I was at work. He didn't stop until I pulled out that carpet. Those years didn't offer the stain and odor removers of today.

My little Eskie pottied late in the night behind a table when we moved to a new location. She did this age 12-15 months. I finally pulled that carpet up and she stopped completely. They do go back to where they went before. No accidents in almost 3 years, she's 4 now... barks at the back door until you let her out.

If it quits playing, and starts running around
sniffing, it is looking for a place to go. Take it out quickly. You will just
have to be what I call puppy broke until it is a little older. How successful you are depends on how attentive you are.

The Jack Russel ALWAYS has her nose to the floor. They are hunters, which she is quite good at. I had my share of mice and frogs this summer after living in a house for 3 years and not knowing they were out in a fenced yard! This dog can find anything! So, your comment about "quits" playing fits right in to why I let mine out so often.


I left the house yesterday at 1pm and my son came home at 3 from school. He said she was sleeping and there were no "accidents" in the house. She just turned a year so I think she's doing quite well. My other 2 dogs are not crate dogs, the Jack started in a crate, but I gave her freedom quickly. This dog became an exception to the rule for me - over 5 months in a cage was enough for me to want to give her more freedom. Look up Missouri Puppy Mills and you might guess why.


Thank you for your advice, Merry Christmas!

I have a dog that used to do that. We trained him by using "p-p pads". We put them under a sheet of newspaper outside and so he just went there. I suggest that you put a bell on your door so that he is able to hit it with his paw when he has to go out. When he hits it, take him quickly out and reward him with a treat. Don't give up on your dog and give it away, it will all be worth it in the end

I would never give up on my dog. I'm going to try the bell, I think it's a great idea. Great advice for anyone.

The idea of the bell is in the sticky along with other things that work.