Author Topic: A Problem  (Read 822 times)

Offline shotgunneeley

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A Problem
« on: May 23, 2010, 09:29:33 AM »
My family owns a 2 year old Yorkie named Olive (I say "my family" because I want nothing to do with her. "My" dogs are a black lab named Sky and rat terrier/beagle named TJ). I'm away at college most of the time, so I only have to deal with her on the weekends. Since this is summer and I'm back home, she is driving me crazy.

My sister went through a phase where she was just lapdog crazy and had to have one. So when my dad and I went on a hunting trip, my mom and sister covertly picked the little demon up from a breeder. Since then, my mom and I fully regret ever getting her and my sister is lukewarm about having her as well, but the real trouble is that my dad has fallen head-over-heels for her. He loves her so much that he calls her "Daddy's girl" and other disgusting, vomit-inducing nicknames. He even feeds her at the table even though we tell him not to because now she starts to beg and whine driving us nuts.

Basically, I want her gone. In the 2 years she's been here she has not undergone one bit of obedience training or housebreaking. I cant do it because I'm away at school plus i never wanted her in the first place. Mom is way to busy with running a household to train her and, like me, never wanted her to begin with. My sister is just too irresponsible to train or care for her, but does seem to regret getting her now that she has had a taste of what a house dog is like. Dad comes in from work and just likes to hold, play and pet her. He has rarely cleaned up after her defaulting that duty over to someone else. Luckily, (if you can call it that) she has found one corner of the house to do her business in, but man does she do it a lot! We're constantly cleaning up after her, she barks loudly and bites my mom and sister (in a playful way, not aggressively) on the legs as they walk in. We've had to keep barriers up to keep her on the tiled area of the house since she is not potty trained, but we're about sick of this.

We've tried talking to him about giving her up to another home or at the least getting her trained by someone else. I argue that this is no way to live and it is completely disgusting but he just ignores us and lives in a blissfully unaware, pigheaded state that she is a great dog and not causing in trouble for the rest of us. In my opinion, its the ones who have to look after her who should determine her fate in this household. I've delivered an ultimatum that either she gets trained or finds a new home. Wether or not he takes me seriously is his decision, but if he doesn't he is going to wake up one morning and find her gone.

Has anybody here gone through this?
« Last Edit: May 23, 2010, 09:42:33 AM by shotgunneeley »
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Offline gyrene81

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2010, 09:49:35 AM »
Those little rats have no use except as, dog food or fertilizer. If I were you or your mother, every time that dog messes in the house, I'd put it in your sisters room and on your dads favorite chair.

Make it disappear.  :noid
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Offline uptown

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2010, 09:54:17 AM »
It's not your dog, you're away at school most of the time. Don't worry about it. It's not your problem. I would ask your folks why they don't mind a dog chitting in the corner. Maybe you should try that and see what they say about that.

If no one has the time to teach the dog manners, give it away. And for pete sakes don't get any more dogs until you have the time to take care of them.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2010, 10:05:31 AM by uptown »
Lighten up Francis

Offline Jappa52

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2010, 10:05:26 AM »
You sister is the one who wanted to be paris hilton so it should be her worry and responsibility. Tell her to quit ducking it and do something about it, dogs aren't fashion accessories or status symbols.

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Offline uptown

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2010, 10:13:28 AM »
I just ran an experiment on my dog. I have a well mannered German Shepherd that keeps his house in good order. I climbed into his house a took a dump in the corner, and sure enough he is extremely pissed at me right now. He has threatened to bite my face off if I attempt this again.
Lighten up Francis

Offline gyrene81

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2010, 10:19:21 AM »
I just ran an experiment on my dog. I have a well mannered German Shepherd that keeps his house in good order. I climbed into his house a took a dump in the corner, and sure enough he is extremely pissed at me right now. He has threatened to bite my face off if I attempt this again.


Almost ruined my monitor and keyboard...
« Last Edit: May 23, 2010, 10:24:25 AM by gyrene81 »
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Offline shotgunneeley

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2010, 10:50:58 AM »
She wanted it for the cute and cudly factor. She is not vain to walk around and show off the little thing like a fashion accessory.

Yes, having an inside dog when you have the option of an outside dog is ridiculous. I still live in this house so it is still very much my problem because i don't want the side hall to be
a toilet.
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Offline Yeager

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2010, 12:07:13 PM »
Both my sisters and mom used to have Yorkies.  In my experience they were the sweetest most harmless little creatures.  As they aged they did develope some potty on the rug problems, but thats what you get when you bring any animal inside.  Eventually.
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Offline WMLute

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2010, 01:34:28 PM »
simple fix.

get your own house and quit telling y'er dad what to do in his.
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Offline AWwrgwy

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2010, 01:40:56 PM »
simple fix.

get your own house and quit telling y'er dad what to do in his.

+1

What do you pay for rent?  How many scholarships do you have to pay for school?

Move out.

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Offline maddafinga

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2010, 01:42:57 PM »
There are a few easy steps to solving the bathroom in the house problem.  First I'd like to point out that she really is your father's issue to deal with, since she is daddy's girl after all.  

First thing first, DO NOT just leave food and water out for the dog all day to take at her leisure.  This is for a number of reasons.  Dogs have a fast system, they'll need to poop anywhere from immediately to a half an hour after eating, and if they have a good diet, that should be the only time they go.  Pretty much the same thing applies to drinking, they'll pee shortly after, but females especially since they don't compulsively mark will usually only go to the bathroom very shortly after drinking.  Also, the member of the pack who controls the food and water is the alpha, the leader.  Since it sounds like the dog already has leadership problems, this should go a good way towards getting her in line.  Feed the dog either once or twice a day, at your discretion, give water at that same time.  Leave it for a while 10 or 20 minutes, and then put it away.  You as the humans control the eating, and consequently the bathroom, and this will help the dog to understand its place in the pack, relieving a lot of anxiety and behavior problems.  Also, when you feed the dog, hold the food quietly and with an attitude of calm control, do not allow the dog to jump or bark at you and make her give you a couple of feet of space.  Physically push her back a few times if you need to.  You don't have to talk to her to communicate that really, just use your attitude and presence.  She'll get the idea sooner than you expect her to.  A few days of that and when it comes feeding time she'll calm herself right down and behave, because she knows that's what is required of her if she wants to eat.  There is a pack hierarchy, and it sounds an awful lot like you all are allowing her to be the leader and not the follower.  

Second, get a kennel, large enough for her to stand up and turn around in with no problem.  Put a bed in there, some blankets or a purchased dog bed, something comfortable.  It should be small enough that the dog can't use the bathroom in there and still have room to be away from the mess.  This kennel becomes the dog's den, and she will grow to really love it.  If she's reluctant at first, look up some articles or books on crate training, follow their instruction and she'll adapt.  Soon that kennel will become her refuge and she'll very willingly go there all the time.  Dogs will not use the bathroom in their den, it's against their every instinct.  

When the dog is outside of the kennel, she needs to be on a leash, and a member of the household needs to have the leash, even if it's tied to the beltloop that's fine.  This also reinforces to the dog that the humans are the leaders who are in charge, not the dog.  It also allows you a quick and easy method of making behavioral corrections, make sure you have a training collar, I like the nylon ones, they're very cheap and last a long time.  You put them in in a certain way so that they will slack back after tightening, and leave it on the dog.  Then  you just clip the leash to the training collar.  This is not cruel or mean in any way at all.  It does not choke the dog in the slightest.  A quick pop of the leash and a sound simply tightens the leash for a second, like an alpha dog giving a short quick discipline nip at the dog's neck.  It doesn't hurt the dog, and it very effectively communicates to her that whatever behavior she's doing is not acceptable to you, the leader.  When the dog is not on leash, she is to be in the kennel.  Period.    After a while, once she starts to get the drift, you can start taking her offleash for short periods of time.  Eventually she will get proper habits and can always be offleash in the house, though she'll still want to spend plenty of time in her kennel.

Third, get a pack of training treats, keep them by the door.  Ideally they should be small and chewy, something she can eat quickly and that won't make crumbs.  The crumbs will distract the dog and take away from the lesson.  Immediately after feeding and watering the dog, immediately carry her outside to where you want her to use the bathroom.  The second she goes, tell her in a happy voice, Good Girl!!  or something similar and give her a treat.  You have to give the treat immediately.  That tells her that what she just did is good and pleasing behavior to you, and she'll want to repeat it.  A couple of weeks of that and you start giving the treat not every single time, but just some of the time.  Then after that begin to taper it off.  


Also, do not scold the dog for using the bathroom in the house, don't rub her nose in it or like that.  Dogs don't think in the same way that we do.  They see things as being either safe or unsafe.  If you catch her using the bathroom in the house, she'll associate being seen using the bathroom in the house as an unsafe thing to do.  What you will have created then is not a dog that won't go in the house, you've created a dog that will hide to go in the house.  She won't then go when you take her outside, because you have told her that if you see her using the bathroom you get angry and it's not safe, so she will actually hold it until you get back inside, then hide and go.  You will have defeated your own purpose.  

Use enzyme cleaners to soak down and clean up the spots where she's been going.  Those areas have scent markers now that must be destroyed, otherwise the scent tells the dog that is a proper place to go.  

That's about all I can think of right of the top of  my head.  I'm sure there's more, ask if you don't understand something or if I've left something out.  

It really is not all that hard, you just have to be consistent with it.  Reward good behavior, correct bad behavior, it's that simple. You just have to get a better handle on how dogs think and communicate so that you can send messages that they can understand.
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Offline texasmom

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2010, 01:52:04 PM »
simple fix.

get your own house and quit telling y'er dad what to do in his.

+2
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Offline Maverick

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2010, 02:17:07 PM »
simple fix.

get your own house and quit telling y'er dad what to do in his.

+100

When you have your own place you can set the rules. In the mean time it's your Dad's house and he's paying the bills and maybe even your bills too. If you find the dog too repellent you can stay at school on the weekends. All too soon your Dad will be gone forever and you will be missing having him there including the dog that makes him happy.
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Offline bj229r

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2010, 02:29:23 PM »
If ya 'accidentally' left the door open and nudged (read: cocked your arm and THREW) the dog outside...would the rat find its way back to the house? :D
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Offline Masherbrum

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Re: A Problem
« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2010, 02:39:09 PM »
My family owns a 2 year old Yorkie named Olive (I say "my family" because I want nothing to do with her. "My" dogs are a black lab named Sky and rat terrier/beagle named TJ). I'm away at college most of the time, so I only have to deal with her on the weekends. Since this is summer and I'm back home, she is driving me crazy.

My sister went through a phase where she was just lapdog crazy and had to have one. So when my dad and I went on a hunting trip, my mom and sister covertly picked the little demon up from a breeder. Since then, my mom and I fully regret ever getting her and my sister is lukewarm about having her as well, but the real trouble is that my dad has fallen head-over-heels for her. He loves her so much that he calls her "Daddy's girl" and other disgusting, vomit-inducing nicknames. He even feeds her at the table even though we tell him not to because now she starts to beg and whine driving us nuts.

Basically, I want her gone. In the 2 years she's been here she has not undergone one bit of obedience training or housebreaking. I cant do it because I'm away at school plus i never wanted her in the first place. Mom is way to busy with running a household to train her and, like me, never wanted her to begin with. My sister is just too irresponsible to train or care for her, but does seem to regret getting her now that she has had a taste of what a house dog is like. Dad comes in from work and just likes to hold, play and pet her. He has rarely cleaned up after her defaulting that duty over to someone else. Luckily, (if you can call it that) she has found one corner of the house to do her business in, but man does she do it a lot! We're constantly cleaning up after her, she barks loudly and bites my mom and sister (in a playful way, not aggressively) on the legs as they walk in. We've had to keep barriers up to keep her on the tiled area of the house since she is not potty trained, but we're about sick of this.

We've tried talking to him about giving her up to another home or at the least getting her trained by someone else. I argue that this is no way to live and it is completely disgusting but he just ignores us and lives in a blissfully unaware, pigheaded state that she is a great dog and not causing in trouble for the rest of us. In my opinion, its the ones who have to look after her who should determine her fate in this household. I've delivered an ultimatum that either she gets trained or finds a new home. Wether or not he takes me seriously is his decision, but if he doesn't he is going to wake up one morning and find her gone.

Has anybody here gone through this?

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