Hello..!

I have a 7 y.o. Lhasa that I rescued about a year ago. She was found on the street and her collar was partially embedded in her neck, and had to be surgically removed. The point in sharing that story is to say she obviously has been through a lot, but has turned out to be a fantastic dog. The problem I'm having is that she urinates in my apartment. I take her on scheduled walks everyday, same time. I need some advice on how to train her to let me know that she has to go, so I can react to it, if possible. I have had a lot of behavioral issues with housetraining from the beginning, and it was readily apparent when I first got her that she had never been housebroken. I have had a lot of success in training her on different issues, but I'm stumped on this one. Any idea's??

Thank you in advance for your help..!
Jim

start from the basics. Treat her as a puppy. Try to catch her in the act, if you can that is when you let the dog no how mad you are. After about 30 seconds a dog loses any memory of peeing in the house, so if you hit the dog like a hour later, it will think you are randomly hitting it. Also clean your carpet and floors to remove the odors. Dogs are attracted to smells. Be sure to praise the dog when it goes to the bathroom outside. My dog use to be the same, and I followed the things I told you. It eventually developed a whining noise when it had to go outside. My dog rubs against my legs and starts whining when it has to go outside.

It is possible this is more of a leadership issue than housebreaking. 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 For more on being top dog, see Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position, Letting your dog know you are the boss

Housebreaking or leadership, there is material in the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251809 that will help. Either case calls for keeping a close eye on the dog, closing doors or using gates to keep it in the same room as you. If you do catch it in the act, don't hit it, but interrupt is with a sharp ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and take it out.

When nobody can watch it, put it in a crate. Other dogs may
Not be as bad as the young Labs I am plagued with. Still your house and dog
Will be much safer with the dog in a crate when you are away. The dog may be
Happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its
Den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving
Its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them
Will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic
Ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. They are harder for
Dogs to open too. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with
Something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys. Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter. Don't leave
Anything in the crate the dog might chew up. It will do fine without even any
Bedding. You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

Accidents and damaged possessions are the fault of whoever was watching the puppy. When you are watching it, immediately correct it as soon as it goes for anything except its own toys. In a quiet, but firm voice ''Bad dog, its name drop!''. Gently remove what ever and replace it with one of her toys, or if older, hold eye contact until the puppy drops it.


A dog that has not been crated since it was little, make take some work.
Start just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going
in. If you have been able to trust it with any bedding, put that in the crate.
Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding
Time for more than one dog.

Use the crate only when you must I have a short length of chain fastened to
My computer desk. With more mats around the chair mat, this gives a place
Where the puppy is with me, but about as controlled as in the crate, while
Still allowing me to get some work done, or at least answer AskMe questions.