Housetraining a foster dog

[red dog]

Hi everyone,

I'm fostering a little dog from Daejeon, and once I got her home I realized she still needed housetraining. Unfortunately I work full-time and can't really spend as much time with her as I'd like, and she gets agitated and barks if I confine her to my bathroom. I have a crate for her, but I'd only ever use it when I'm there … she's really tiny and I'm afraid she'd get her head caught or something if I left her alone in it.

She peed on her diaper pad once yesterday and I was really happy, but I'm not sure if she understood why because I was in another room when it happened and only saw it later. (She was in the bathroom at the time.) When she was crated yesterday, she started to poo on the diaper pad and I said "good girl" and petted her ... but then she turned around and got a bit of poo on her cushion. She also went poo outside last night and I thought she was getting the hang of it, but there was another mess on the floor this morning. Also, I took her up to the roof before I left for work, and she didn't go to the bathroom until after we came back to the apartment. My back was turned when it happened, so I just missed it.

She's a very sweet baby, and the vets think she's anywhere from six to 10 years old or more. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

http://img205.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bangsiricloseupmk2.jpg

[Ryan]

hey. First of all, that's great that you are fostering her (it is a her, right?).

Being an older dog, she may take a little more time to train than a younger pup, but that is normal. She is set in her ways, and older pooches are sometimes reluctant to change. Positive reinforcement is always best. Encourage her and congratulate her when she does things right. Don't ever scold her for making a mistake, unless you actually are witnessing her doing it. If you scold her after she makes a mistake, she will just associate "the spot" that she made the mistake as the wrong place, rather than realizing that going to the bathroom in the house is what is unacceptable. I have always used the repeated, very firm "no" along with pointing at her, in a low voice, to show I am in charge.

Since you work full-time, I would recommend kennel training her. Instead of a crate, go to your local vet and buy a cage (they are cheap, around 30,000 usually), and they have enough space in there for the dog, food, water, and a little space to move around. You will have to test her on the barking. Try keeping it dark where she is. That may help lessen barking. If the barking is excessive, you could use a "no-bark" collar, however, I don't condone using it for obvious reasons, and only use it in exceptional cases where there is no alternative. Also, if barking is a problem when you are away, never allow her to bark. You can do this with again, firm "no" commands every time she barks. Also, if you keep her leash on in the house, you can just grab the leash and give her a moderate "tug" on the leash as a correction technique. It works wonders for everything. :)

Anyway, these are my 2 cents worth. I hope it helps!

Ryan

[alibuch]

I had a HORRIBLE time training Louise after I adopted her from the Daejeon shelter. Crate training really seems to be the best way to go. I don't have enough time to try to train her to use the pee pad so I've trained her on going outside. Stay outside until the dog goes to the bathroom. You can buy training treats at the vet or EMart or just a small supermarket. Each time she pees or poos outside, give her a training treat and tell her 'good girl', pat her on the head... whatever. After a while, she'll develop the habit of going in the same spot outside. For the first month or so, I took Louise out as soon as I woke up and when I got home from work and then every 3 hours until I went to bed. Now I take her out 3 times a day with no accidents. It takes a LOT of patience... Louise was peeing on my bed when I first got her...

It's always MUCH harder with shelter dogs...

[pukka]

I fostered shelter dogs before and I had no problems really.I think it
depends on each dogs nature.
When you arrive at home,give the dog a bath and do the drying and
brushing on the floor.Never introduce your dog to your bed/bedroom
until the dog is potty trained.

Cage the dog at night and when you wake up in the morning,don't let
the dog on the floor.
You take the dog right away outside from the cage.Make sure you have
a roomy enough cage and make a ''roof'' for the dog with a blanket on top.
This makes it more cosy for the dog and the cage won't look like prison
but a ''cosy own room'' and put a small pillow in a corner to sleep and a
bowl to drink.

Repeat this during the day,if you are not at home during the day I suggest
to take longer morning walks.You can cage your dog for about 7hours.
If you stay out longer then you can't cage the dog during the day and the
potty training will take longer time.
Though shelter dogs are staying in a cage most of the time so if the dog is
small you might be able to cage the dog longer and after a nice walk at night
you could still give the dog plenty quality time to play in the house before
bedtime.

This is only during the potty training Of Course.Good luck with the training.

[red dog]

I had a HORRIBLE time training Louise after I adopted her from the Daejeon shelter. Crate training really seems to be the best way to go. I don't have enough time to try to train her to use the pee pad so I've trained her on going outside. Stay outside until the dog goes to the bathroom. You can buy training treats at the vet or EMart or just a small supermarket. Each time she pees or poos outside, give her a training treat and tell her 'good girl', pat her on the head... whatever. After a while, she'll develop the habit of going in the same spot outside. For the first month or so, I took Louise out as soon as I woke up and when I got home from work and then every 3 hours until I went to bed. Now I take her out 3 times a day with no accidents. It takes a LOT of patience... Louise was peeing on my bed when I first got her...

It's always MUCH harder with shelter dogs...

That's amazing! I hope I'll do as good a job as you.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who wrote and offered suggestions/advice. Bangsiri is settling in well, and I’m still trying to figure out what will work for us. When I mentioned putting her in a crate, I meant a wire cage that I bought at E-mart. It’s quite small and is open on top, but I really couldn’t find anything better in the neighbourhood. I have to leave for work around 8:30 in the morning and don’t get back until around 7, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving her in her cage for that length of time. I did crate her overnight last night and she settled down, didn’t bark, and used the diaper pad—unfortunately I didn’t take her out first thing in the morning, and she had an accident on my couch when I turned my back for just a second. I'll take her out first thing from now on.

You will have to test her on the barking. Try keeping it dark where she is. That may help lessen barking. If the barking is excessive, you could use a "no-bark" collar, however, I don't condone using it for obvious reasons, and only use it in exceptional cases where there is no alternative. Also, if barking is a problem when you are away, never allow her to bark. You can do this with again, firm "no" commands every time she barks.

Actually, she’s not a barker. She’s been really quiet most of the time I’ve had her—the only time she barked excessively was when I put her in the bathroom Sunday evening. She does sometimes cry and whine a bit if I leave the room while she’s in the cage, or if I leave her in the kitchen and go sit in the living room with the cats, but if she has to be left alone I think she’s calmer in the kitchen. Of course I’m not sure what happens when I’m not there …

Never introduce your dog to your bed/bedroom until the dog is potty trained.

Well, I have a small apartment, so my bedroom/living room seems like the best place for me to spend time with her. I don’t let her run around loose because of the cats, though, and I’m working on getting her used to being in a crate next to my bed.

[pukka]

This is the kind of cage your dog needs and not a crate to travel.
I have 2crates in my own bedroom,1 for my own dog and one
for a foster. But it doesn't mean that my fosterdog can go on my bed.
Once your dog is potty trained, you can leave the cage open and
the cage is still a comfortable,cosy place to be and to do naughty
things and even a small apartement will do ;)
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m46/Pukpics/Wibibra.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p300/yoniwibi_album/Pukkacage1.jpg

You can ask any vet/petshop to order 1 for you if you are not able to order from
the Korean online petshops. (They sell them without the curtains)

[red dog]

The cage I have is similar, but it's open on top. Here, you can see a bit of it:

http://img205.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bangsiriinpink2rw5.jpg (http://img205.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bangsiriinpink2rw5.jpg)

I can't see the image, and I'm not sure why. Can you see it?

[pukka]

Oops no I can't see the image , you have to load the picture on a website
photoalbum first I think.
Or email it to me at louka1 at gmail dot com and I will do it for you.
I do think I know which one you mean, it won't be so handy for long terms
since the dog won't be able to come out by itself
but for now it should be OK.

I just saw one on the net with the top open but it has a normal front door
as well, if that is the one you mean then it is a good one.

[red dog]

It's on Imageshack. Sorry, I don't know why it's not showing up. I think you can see the URL if you right-click and scroll down to "properties."

[pukka]

I edited my previous post.

[red dog]

Thanks, I think it will do, but I don't like the idea of leaving her in it all day. Where did you get the fancy curtains for yours?

[pukka]

I bought those cages 2years ago at the Emart vet in Andong where we
lived before. They ordered the curtains for me as well.
That vet is now in Yongsan Emart in Seoul.But at night I do cover it with
a blanket still as my dogs love it so much better.

[Karen]

http://img205.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bangsiriinpink2rw5.jpg

I can't see the image, and I'm not sure why. Can you see it?

http://i44.tinypic.com/50nrsn.jpg

I fixed the link :)

[pukka]

Thank you so much Karen! :D

Red Dog,you also have these kind of doghouses

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z227/La_doo/S5032440.jpg

[red dog]

Thanks, Karen and Pukka! The crate I have seems to be serving its purpose ... but so far I've only used it when I've been home. I don't think I could confine her to such a tiny space for 10 hours or more. (Except maybe overnight, if I ever get to sleep that late.)

[alibuch]

I want to get one of these fancy cages with curtains for Louise. She's such a spoiled brat... gotta make it worse! ;)

Would they have these cages in the pet area in Chungmuro? I've never seen any at the vets around my apartment...

[cyrax]

alibunch try the pet street near Chungmuro. IMO you can get almost anything there.
Just don't get angry when you see all those kittens and puppies being sold as commodity items. The first time I went there I was disheartened when I looked @ those little ones because I could imagine their history.

[Ryan]

i would rather you ask a vet or somebody to look for it online, or order from the states, before going to Chungmuro. I really hate giving money to all those puppy mill supporters. :(

[pukka]

Hi Alibuch,

I don't know where Chungmuro is and as I said before my vet ordered it
for me because I cannot find them online.
If you get the chance to be near the Youngsan Emart then the vet has
a catalogus where you can choose from.

One curtain cost 20.000won and comes with a pillow and a bed in the same
colours so not so bad ;)
But a bigger size might cost more.

[alibuch]

hahaha How am I supposed to ask my vet when I speak pretty limited Korean and he speaks VERY limited English?

[red dog]

It's too soon to declare victory, but we may be making progress. Bangsiri peed on the diaper today, and she waited outside to go poo. Maybe she's catching on? :p