Indoor Potty...

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Has anyone run into a potty training issue with their doodle picking a place inside the house to poo?

Skye has a doggy door which he uses all the time now. He is six months old. We crate trained from the moment he came home. He is a quick learner and will pee on command when we take him outside.

About a month ago he had an accident in the dining room. We made the mistake of giving him a bully stick. It messed up his digestion and he had a true accident.

We cleaned the area with an enzyme that destroys smell but not enough for Skye. Even though he goes outside all the time to poo, pee and play he now also will make small poo's in this area.

I tried taking the poo outside and showing him potty is outside; I tried feeding him in the area that he chose as a latrine and I have been taking him out every hour or so just to make sure he has gone. He eats twice a day but will often wait an hour before finishing. He poos several times a day usually during walks and in the morning when he wakes up.

Skye gets walked twice a day for a total of about four miles. He loves walks and the exercise helps keep him out of trouble. He is smart, sweet and curious. I believe he may be confused about this one area in the house.

However, I can't figure out how to get the behavior to shift. It is as if he wants an indoor latrine. He has only had two pee accidents since we brought him home. Each in front of the sliding glass door when he didn't make it out in time. It's been months since that happened.

He loves the rain, so winter weather is not a problem. He can get spooked at night so we keep lights on until we all go to bed. Skye sleeps in our room in a crate and can easily make it till morning.

Any suggestions please.....

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Are his stools loose? I'm wondering if he is having accidents due to stomach issues? To clarify, do you take him out, or does he go by himself with the doggie door, or do you do both? If he is outside by himself, maybe he is eating something he shouldn't? I like the idea of going outside with my dog, for that reason, so I can monitor what he is doing, and his poop (woody has a history of stomach issues!)
Cleaning the area is very important, but it seems you did that already. We had a similar problem, where Woody would go in the same spot in the house, but his issue was GI related, and he just couldn't "hold it". Good luck, I am interested to hear how it goes!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Clean the area again and put a piece of furniture over the spot, thus preventing Skye from using that area.  My son's Dobbie hated to go outside to poo if the grass was wet.  He chose a place in the dining room. I cleaned well every time, but.....  Finally I put a chair on the spot and broke Boxster's habit.

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Before Haley was completely potty trained he would poo in the front hall.  When I finally caught him in the act I gave him a very firm "NO!" and immediately took him outside.  He hasn't gone in the house since and he is now 4.