# Say NO or IGNORE when Puppy poops inside?.... Important



## Sirscarecrow (Oct 26, 2010)

Hello, I just read and I disagree, that when a puppy reliefs itself inside the house, that you are supposed to say absolutely nothing and carry it outside to his reliefing place.

But does that not teach it that whenever it poops or reliefs itself inside it can go outside as a reward ???


I always thought that when the puppy reliefs itself inside and you catch him/her by the act, you should say NO once or twice but let it finnish. However, I just read, if you do just that, then you encourage it to go pee hidden away from you.

I am totally confused. I rather have it pee behind my back during the few rare moments I do not look at him at his age (10 weeks) instead of make him believe that everytime he reliefs itself indoors he can go outside as a reward.

I am totally lost on this, please advice. Thanks in advance.


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## Navah (Aug 10, 2010)

When we used to catch our puppy we would say a firm no and take her outside, because of this, as the OP asked, she would be sneaky and be very quiet and hide her indoor messes. We also tried the silent technique and eventually she just started going to the bathroom indoors in front of us again. Being that both techniques didn’t work for me I have no clue which is better lol. I’m curious to see what other folks say about this.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

A non-housebroken puppy shouldn't be in a position where she's able to sneak away from you. If she's not in your direct line of sight, she should be in her puppy playpen or her crate.


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## crisp (Jun 23, 2010)

You can add a quiet 'no', nothing wrong with that. The point is not to punish the dog or in any way show that you are mad. You have to interrupt and take them directly outside. Remember, you are teaching the dog 'where to go' and not only 'where not to go'. He needs to associate being outside with potty breaks. Thats why he should not be allowed to roam free around the house withour supervision. If he is caught in the act, he should be immediately taken outside.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

Sirscarecrow said:


> But does that not teach it that whenever it poops or reliefs itself inside it can go outside as a reward ???


Not sure how going outside is a reward. If you catch your dog going to the bathroom in the house, stop them and take them outside to finish and then bring them right back in. No reward. 

If you are taking them outside and then playing a game with them then _maybe_ they see it as a reward but honestly too much time has passed for them to associate being outside and playing with going in the house.


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

You have to be carefuf with the no in the act. YOu don't want the puppy to think it's bad to potty. Catching in then taking outside is correct. A 10 wk old puppy is going to go frequently. If you take it out everytime it wakes up or after it eats it will clue into going outside, just be cognizant that you are dealing with a puppy that has a small bladder and needs frequent potty breaks.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

The idea is not to get excited or in a punishment mode. I don't usually say too much. Those accidents are not much good for learning anyway. The learning happens with each successful trip you make with them outside. It takes time. If the pup messed in the house, I knew I was the one who screwed up, not the the puppy. This just happened this morning here. I didn't say anything but put the pup out while I cleaned up. 

I know a fellow who successfully taught his dog to use the bathroom in the house and out of his eyesight. He obviously was not good at owner lead housetraining. He scolded the dog when it messed. The dog only understood this to mean he didn't like to see her do it. Pretty soon she was quite competent at going into another room to defecate. 

I praise the pup when it is successful outside. I take it out regularly and do not wait for a "message" from the pup. Housetraining is built on your actions more than the pup's.


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

I had Sigurd potty trained within a week of him coming into my home. Not once did he poop inside. I had him tethered to me the whole time while we were in potty training, I was a hawk, any time he would so much LOOK like he was going to squat, I'd rush him out side the door within a few seconds. I think he pee'd in the house like 5 times total. When he *did* pee inside, I'd just say "uh uh" in my normal voice, pick him up and dash him out the door to finish. After he finished, I gave him a hand full of treats, made him excited, petted, scratched behind his ears, etc! 

Within the week, he knew when he had to go, he had to go to the door. It was marvelous  It was adorable seeing a wee puppy ASK to go potty at the front door.


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## crisp (Jun 23, 2010)

I heard a joke once...

An owner caught his puppy going on the carpet...he smeared the dogs face in the feces and threw him out the window.
The second time he caught the puppy...he smeared the dogs face in it and threw him out the window.
The third time it happened...he stuck the dogs face in it and threw him out the window.
The fourth time...the dog went on the carpet, put his own face in it, and jumped out the window.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Poop or pee, it doesn't matter which. If I see my puppy get into position, I don't say "NO", I make a loud noise. Then the puppy stops to see what that was about. That's when you pick him up and put his butt outside. Then he'll remember what he was doing, and do it outside. Once he does it outside do the happy dance and praise lavishly. 

If you are going to use "NO", inside the house, there are two possible problems. One is, you might be training the puppy to never potty when you are around. That can be inconvenient. I think a lot of rescues come with the "potty complex" as I call it. They are so afraid to poop because they've always been yelled at for doing it. 

Then there's the timing issue. If the poop is out of the butt, so to say, it's too late to say "no". The deed is done and you should just ignore it. In that case, I'll take the puppy outside to play and sneak back to clean up inside.

The only time any of my puppies peed in the house was because I wasn't paying attention. And there have been times when I've picked up a puppy mid-pee to carry him outside. It's the message that counts. Hands can be washed.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

If you catch them in the act, Eh! and pick them up, usually that will stop them, carry them outside, and let them complete the act, and then praise them for doing so. Then go in and clean it up. 

If a puppy has an accident in the house, the mistake is yours because you were not paying enough attention. 

Going outside is not a reward, it is the place they can relieve themselves. And it teaches the dog that they must go there to do this. Do not play with them out there unless they ask to go out and then relieve themselves, are properly praised, and then you can play. Ignore any play attempts prior to business. Also, a good practice is to go out and wait for them to relieve themselves and then go for a walk. Teaches them to do that at home, and doing their business in a timely fashion means that fun things happen afterwards.

The big thing is that even if the dog starts to potty in the house, if they finish pottying outside, you praise in your happy voice. 

think of it this way, if you write a newsletter for your shepherd club and it is never mentioned, and you write a newsletter for your church and everyone has great comments about it, which are you likely to spend your time and energy on?

If the puppy gets ignored for going in the house, and gets praise and treats for performing the same duty outside, he will get it that it is worth his while to get you to take him out.

What you want to do is associate good things happening when the dog potties where he is supposed to, until it is a habit for the dog to potty there. When you punish a puppy for relieving itself, most likely it will become afraid to do so in your presence outside or inside. This is no fun when you are running late for work.


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## Montana Scout (Sep 27, 2010)

i usually take my puppers outside in my arms (he hasn't peed on me yet) but during the day when he has his accidents i usually try to inturrupt him by clapping my hand or just a loud non threatening noise that will stop him midstream, then i walk him outside and when he finishes i give him a treat... 

if he's pooping, then im not sure... scout only pooped in the house 3 or 4 times and its been over a week since... just gotta get the pee part down


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Navah said:


> When we used to catch our puppy we would say a firm no and take her outside, because of this, as the OP asked, she would be sneaky and be very quiet and hide her indoor messes. We also tried the silent technique and eventually she just started going to the bathroom indoors in front of us again. Being that both techniques didn’t work for me I have no clue which is better lol. I’m curious to see what other folks say about this.


My puppy did not have many accidents in the house but I tried the ignore and the no thing and that did not work for me either. I started using BAD puppy and a clap to get her attention and that worked for Jamie. It also works when she does something she isn't suppose to like chewing on carpet. I will tell her BAD puppy and give her something appropriate to chew on. She has not had an accident in over a month :fingerscrossed: so far with this method. She goes outside and immediately does her business. This is just what worked for me as I had the same results as you stated with the other methods.


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## Sirscarecrow (Oct 26, 2010)

thanks a lot for the many replies. i will try this out then, well, it rarely happens now, very rarely, in fact, has not happened whole day today and I am happy to say, that day is soon over


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## Larien (Sep 26, 2010)

Remington has only had 2 accidents in the house to date since I brought him home on the 13th. The key is to nip it in the bud, and don't let it happen in the first place. I'm at home all day because I'm caring for my mom who just had surgery, so I'm fortunate in that I don't work away from home and I can maintain constant vigilance. I know this isn't the case with most people, but still try and either watch him or crate him and maintain a schedule.

Basically Remi goes out every hour on the hour, PLUS after every meal, every drink of water, every playtime/exercise, and every nap. I stick to this routine completely. Within 3 days of owning him, Remi was already scratching and whining at the door to go outside, he got the hang of it that quickly. I then tell him "outside," and I praise him heavily EVERY single time he goes outside by excitedly saying, "good outside!"

It's important when you're watching your dog to pay attention to his signals. In addition to taking him out after all the stuff I mentioned above, take him out right away if he walks around sniffing the floor or whines for no apparent reason and seems fussy.

When he had the accidents, it was my fault for either not noticing his signals or not being attentive: remember that puppies have baby brains and do not yet have full control over their bladders and bowels yet, it's not their fault. So what I did was, as soon as I noticed he was having the accidents, I immediately picked him up in mid-pee without a word, whisked him outside where I said "outside" calmly as I placed him on the grass, and praised him a lot when he finished. I then took him straight back inside. It is then super important that you thoroughly clean the spot he had the accident in, so the smell is completely gone, or he may be inclined to go there again.

If you say "no" in a harsh or angry way, or get angry after the fact, the dog will only be confused and afraid to ever urinate/defecate at all again, especially in front of you. Think about potty training children - it's a delicate procedure and if done the wrong way, it can negatively impact a person for the rest of their life. It's the same for our puppies, we need to remain calm so as not to intimidate or worry the puppy, and get audibly happy when he does it right.


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

I don't think you should shout no, but seriously I can't imagine a dog being dumb enough to actually become afraid to pee over a normal no no or uh uh. With my dogs we did an uh uh and rushed them outside, no playing, just potty, and then praise or treats. The important thing is to be calm about the accident and really animated and excited when they go outside- they definitely get that


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I always punctuate some of the words I use for it. 

Do you have to go _pee pee poo poo_???
Do you want to go _outside?_

What a good girl. You went _pee pee OUTSIDE. _Good girl. Do you have to _poo poo _too???

Oh good, you went Poopie OUTSIDE what a good girl you are!


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## CaliBoy (Jun 22, 2010)

Sirscarecrow: I agree with Sigurd's mom. A puppy should always be in your line of sight, even tethered to you if need be. It should also be frequently taken outside, even when it does not make an obvious sign of wanting to go to the bathroom. But especially after meals and naps, it should be taken outside and whenever it is giving the slightest hint that it wants to go to the bathroom. I used to take my puppy out at least every two hours and profusely praise him when he did poo or pee.

When he learned to use his doggie door, followed me outside, and relieved himself once on the back lawn, he not only received praise, he received a treat. When he had two accidents, I picked him up right away and took him outside. No yelling or punishing. Like everyone said, I consider the accidents my fault in a moment of being inattentive to him. Like Sigurd's mom, my puppy was housebroken in one week, regularly using his doggy door without being coaxed or invited and going to the yard to relieve himself.


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## Sirscarecrow (Oct 26, 2010)

Guys, thanks, the problem is not him being out of my sight because he never is out of my sight. The few accidents that happened was, playing with dog, phone rang, jogged to pick phone up and when I lookd back to dog, dog pooping. I do not, and don t think I made it sound in my initial post that I am leaving my dog at will. If I would do that, he already would have electrocuted, choked himself to death and so on.
I watch my dog, it is just, that I am just a humble peasant that pays taxes and one day dies and a phone call or a bird strike into my window when i stand up to go look at it for 15 seconds, that is when my eyes are quickly off the dog.
Trust me, the problem is not me not overseeing him. I oversee him more than I look after myself the last few days. :crazy:


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## Larien (Sep 26, 2010)

Then you'll need to get him on a stricter outside schedule. Every hour on the hour and then after every meal/drink, nap and playtime.

Above you said "playing with dog" before the phone rang and you went to get it - playing makes a puppy have to pee/poop. If you're not prepared to take him outside the second you finish playing - and in this case answering the phone constituted playtime ending - then he'll continue to pee inside. This may mean ignoring the phone once or twice until he's housetrained, unless obviously it's an emergency or something. I'm not trying to be harsh or anything, I'm just trying to help ya. No one thinks you don't oversee your puppy, and we all have times when we can't be 100% on top of them. But some things will have to wait while he's being trained. For example, I took Remi outside in nothing but a bathtowel and soaking wet hair in the freezing cold because he was sniffing around just as I got out of the shower!


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## Sirscarecrow (Oct 26, 2010)

yeah you're right actually, have not seen it from that perspective. It does make sense. We re in the middle of playing, phone rings, my attention elsewhere, puppy is like "ok, play is over, I need to pee, need to pee now, now now now, where... too late".

Thanks for the help ! I am on him, but he is doing a fantastic job..


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