Potty training Maggie - again/still

[Stacy]

I can't really complain. We haven't had any accidents inside when I have been home for over a month. I'm starting to feel like I can trust her when I'm here and I don't have to watch her every single second. That's the good thing and I'm thrilled about it! 

Here's where I could use any new thoughts. She's still not comfortable in the crate, so when I work I'm leaving her in the garage. She has a recliner and a bed out there. And she seems reasonably happy. It's well dog proofed (after she pulled a brand new half gallon of liquid laundry detergent off the table and it broke and caused a laundry detergent flood - what a mess!) But she's still having some accidents in the garage. And... it's interesting.

I worked Monday, Wednesday, Friday this week. Our routine is that we get up around 7:30 or 8 and eat breakfast and then I take them outside. Then I take them outside several times while I'm getting ready for work. We spend a good amount of time in the yard. I leave around 10:10. I'm still keeping an eye on her with the camera, so I know what she's doing. 

Monday I got to work about 10:45 and looked to see what she was doing and she had already pooped. She did not have any pee accidents that day and just the one poop immediately after I left. 

Wednesday she didn't poop, but peed at some point during the day. I'm not exactly sure what time that was. 

Friday she pooped again before I even got to work. Again she didn't have a pee accident. 

I'm not sure what is happening. I'm calling this the anxiety poop. She had ample time to go potty before I left, but she doesn't potty on command. She also doesn't potty on leash. We went for a 4.5 mile walk the other day and not even a tinkle. Is the poop about being afraid because she's left home? Is there a trick to get her to empty before I leave? I'm not sure about the random pee either. I know she can hold it. Some days she chooses to and other days she doesn't. It doesn't seem like getting a dog walker will help if she potties immediately after I leave. It's already too late by the time the dog walker would come. 

Overall she's doing so much better. I just can't figure out what to do to help her with this. It's such an odd issue. 

Thanks! Stacy

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm sure you'll pass with flying colors!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I think some dogs panic to forced confinemen and, even though they like the ‘den feeling,’ being forced to be in it when you aren’t there, just sets off their panic. They feel the need to find you. Perhaps this is an over-time issue that will resolve eventually as she gains confidence. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I was looking up territorial marking just now in an article by the Humane Society. It was talking about pee but maybe this tip will help you whether pee or poop.  It says to deter marking inside, among other things like neutering:

Make those areas inaccessible if possible

Restrict the dog from observing dogs outside

Crate the dog or tether it to you so you can observe the signs that they are about to go

Have your dog obey at least one command before feeding or taking for a walk

If they are marking out of anxiety, talk with the vet about a short course of anxiety meds. which helps calm them while you are working on other modifications

Consult a behaviorist who is skilled in marking issues

In areas where they have been marking, feed, play, etc so that area becomes a known positive area.....

Most of these you have already done or are doing, but I wanted to give you the list in case any of it seems like something appropriate to try for Maggie's situation.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This doesn't seem like territorial marking to me. I had a female Poodle who marked territorially. She was solidly housebroken, and the marking only ever happened when a strange dog came into our home. Then she would blatantly urinate right in front of the dog, unmistakably saying "this is MY turf".  She never ever urinated or defecated indoors under any other sircumstance. Outdoors on walks, she was also a marker. 

[Stacy]

Maggie doesn't seem to mark anywhere. She just pees in inappropriate places sometimes. Funny about the poodle. Katie still excitement tinkles when people come over on occasion. 

Exciting news: I finally got brave enough to take her leash off at the dog park today. I've let her drag the 15 foot leash the last several times we were there and she always stayed right with me. Today she stayed right with me without the leash! It's so amazing to watch her grow. Now figure out the potty thing and the only thing left to complain about will be that she still sleeps on the floor. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

She is in very good company. JD slept on his own bed or on the floor his whole life, and he was perfect. :)

[Stacy]

I'm sort of at the point where I'm making peace with her sleeping choices.  I still have the tiniest hope that she'll change her mind and sleep with me, but it's not looking good. So far I've refused to get a bed for the bedroom, because she's supposed to sleep in the big bed. At some point though I have to accept that she gets to have her own opinion, and her opinion seems to be that the floor is the place to sleep.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I  put the info only to add to Stacy's inspirational ideas for things that might work for Maggie that she might not have thought to try yet.  I did think that the suggestion of introducing the dog to each area - it was also Maryann's advice, was interesting.

[Stacy]

Maybe I need to feed her in the garage? It's about the only thing on the list I haven't tried. I really think it's a knowledge thing. She knows now that she's not supposed to potty in the house, or at least when I'm here. But the garage seems to be fair game. I really think he solution is crate training. We're working on it. I haven't been working on it as much as I should because I hate that it makes her sad. But I think it's just growing pains. She thought I was killing her when I taught her to sit too, but now she's doing it very well. 

Right now she's lying quietly in her crate. Maybe we getting somewhere!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Another thing I do to make a dog comfortable in their crate is to give them a very high value chew that they never ever get any other time except when they are in the crate. It could be a pig or cow ear, a beef trachea, a marrow bone, a bully stick...whatever you are comfortable giving. I've been doing this with the puppy and it really helps.

[Stacy]

I think it's as great idea, but she's not very cooperative. So far she has refused to touch anything when she's in there. Beef trachea, treats, a kong with yogurt. I never realized how much food motivation makes things easier.

[Stacy]

I did a little experiment today. I took the girls to the park for a couple hours and we played hard. Then we came home and I let them out into the back. I thought they should be good and worn out, so I put Maggie in her kennel while I went to Costco. I was gone less than 2 hours and when I came home she was out of the crate. I'm not sure how she managed it. She hadn't peed on the carpet, but she soaked the inside of the crate. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm never going to get this dog house broken. Even if I magically get her to accept the crate it's not okay for her to soil it and then lay in it until I get home. It just feels so hopeless. I feel like I've been trying so hard and nothing works. I'm going to have to start taking Maggie's prozac. Is this something she's still going to learn in time? Or is this our forever problem?