Seminar tackles pooch potty problems

February 4, 2010 5:51:08 pm | by Diane McCartney/The Wichita Eagle | Wichita Paws |

Diane McCartney/Wichita Eagle

Training a dog to eliminate on newspapers is not a good idea, says dog trainer Nadine Conner, because it teaches that it’s OK to go inside. And, she said, “It appears the smaller the dog, the more problems people have,” although “the tiniest of dogs can be housebroken.”

Pat Miville loves Snoofy, her 1-year-old Yorkie-poo. But his habit of having “accidents” in the house had finally pushed her over the edge.

He had left a mess in the hallway, and before she noticed it, Miville had stepped in it and tracked it through the house.

“Today was the day I decided the dog had to go,” Miville told dog trainer Nadine Conner at a recent seminar on dogs with house-training issues. “I don’t want to live this way.”

Miville was one of about 30 dog owners who attended the January seminar at Skaer Veterinary Clinic. Fifty people signed up for a second full session Feb. 6 at All Paws Pet Center at 21st and Maize. More sessions will be held if there is continued interest, Conner said.

Conner, who teaches obedience at All Paws, teamed with veterinarians Christen Skaer and Sarah Dugan to offer solutions for people whose pets suffer from “canine elimination disorders.”

“It’s the No. 1 thing clients complain about” and one of the top reasons people give up their dogs, Skaer said.

Skaer and Dugan started the session by talking about medical problems that could cause a dog to defecate or urinate in the house. These problems could range from food allergies or a urinary tract infection, to more serious issues such as bladder stones or tumors or liver disease.

After a veterinarian has ruled out any medical problems, behavioral issues can be considered, they said.

Conner recited a list of dos and don’ts for people trying to housebreak a dog:

Do feed a proper meat-based diet, keep a consistent feed-water-walk schedule, use odor neutralizers and train the dog to like his crate.

Don’t rub her nose in it, strike the dog or train her to eliminate inside on a newspaper.

Conner recommends crate training for puppies and adult dogs with elimination issues.

Puppies that are crated will learn to “hold it because they don’t want to be near their own excrement,” Conner said.

“Won’t my dog be sad if she’s locked up?” one woman asked.

Place the crate in an area that allows contact with the family and make it “a great place” by putting safe toys and high-quality treats inside, Conner said.

Exercise and interact with the dog before and after crating, and never use a crate as punishment, she said.

Conner talked about the importance of positive reinforcement and consistency when house-breaking a dog.

Watch for the “potty sniff,” a sign that your dog is ready to go, she said, and go outside with him. When he’s finished, praise him and “throw a party,” she said: “Love him, pet him and tell him how good he is.”

If you catch him going inside, “go bonkers,” Conner said. Growl, stomp your feet, clap your hands — anything to teach the dog that “when I think about messing in the house, scary things happen,” she said. But “when I go outside, everybody loves me.”

An adult dog can figure that out in three or four days, Conner said, and a puppy that is at least 10 weeks old within two weeks.

If you don’t catch your dog in the act but find the mess later, “your only recourse is to clean it up,” Conner said.

“It does no good to take the dog over there and holler at him or rub his nose in it. Dogs don’t have that kind of logic.”

One key to successful housebreaking, Conner said, is to use an odor neutralizer in any place where the dog has eliminated inside.

Instead of bleach or vinegar, Conner recommends saturating the area with products like Nature’s Miracle or Unique, which convert the chemical makeup in urine and feces so dogs can’t smell it.

Otherwise, “they think, if it smells like pee, it must be OK to pee here,” she said.

Conner and Skaer agreed that the solution to many issues with dogs, including house-training, is plenty of exercise.

“A lot of behavior problems can be solved by walking your dog,” Skaer said. Instead of just putting them out in the yard, “walk them. Walk them until they are tongue-hanging-out tired,” she said.

Pat Miville left the meeting feeling optimistic about her dog Snoofy.

“We’re going to go back to the beginning,” she said, to “what we should have done when we first brought him home,” trying more crating and walking, being consistent with training and letting him know who’s boss.

“We’re going to do it right this time,” she said. “My husband agreed to give me a week to do everything my way.”

Reach Diane McCartney at
316-268-6593 or dmccartney@wichitaeagle.com.