Expert: Alan J Turner, SATS LL1 - 6/1/2007

Question
I have 2 english bull terriers a male who is 8 months and we have had
him since 7 weeks he was house trained really quick and responded to
the methods of cage training and treating when going outside. We have
also got a 7 month old bitch who we got at 5 months old she previously
lived outside in kennelswith her previous owner . She is kept in a cage
overnight and keeps
pooing in her cage (and often eating it) we have been trying to train her
the same as our male with not a great responce, she has also for the last
two weeks started to pee in her bed every night, we go to bed late and
take her out then get up early, we have cut down her food, feed her last
meal at 3.30 in the afternoon, but nothing is working, she seems to be
oblivious that it is wrong to do, we do not punish her if she does it. Any
advice please as we are thinking about having to rehome her to
someone with outside kennels if we cant find a solution, but we really
dont want to have to.  Kind regards Michelle Dyer

Answer
Dear Michelle,
Thanks for the question. House training can be very frustrating!

Here's an excerpt from my house training guide. I hope it helps.

Sometimes a puppy or dog will have already formed poor elimination habits. These guys will eliminate inside their crates and are not offended by the presence of their own excretions. Here’s how I address these situations.

First, rule out medical and behavioral issues that might contribute to inside elimination. Purchase a different style of crate. Get an exercise pen. Move the crate to another location and place it inside the exercise pen. Cover the floor of the entire area with newspaper or pee pads.

Here’s a suggestion I read in one of Ian Dunbar’s books. Place plastic on the entire floor of the confinement area and cover the plastic with grass sod. Buy extra sod so that you can rotate the soiled sod outside for cleaning and replace it with clean sod from the outside. Place a crate inside the confinement area with the door removed. Follow the same instructions as newspaper training and slowly remove the grass sod from the area.

For even tougher cases, set up the confinement area with sod and discard the crate. I suggest a raised, cot-like bed. Follow the same instructions as newspaper training.

Good Luck!
AT
http://howsbentley.com