Bosco is spooked and he is forgetting his house training - help!
Submitted by cohenmh on August 21, 2015 - 9:38amHi everyone - I hope someone here can help me. My husband and I just moved and we are staying in a high rise condo for a month until our house is ready. We have 10 more days to go. Bosco has been fine up until about four days ago when something must have spooked him. Since then, he has not let me take him to the elevator. He sits down. He rears back and pulls. Yesterday I used his favorite treat to get him out the door and into the hallway. When he stepped into the hall I gave him lots of praise and offered him a treat. He refused it. He's a bulldog, he never turns down food, let alone treats. He started to pull again, rear back, sit down, and only calmed back down when I let him back into the condo. Then he ate his treats. As part of this, he has started peeing on the carpet. Three accidents in three days. He is housetrained and has not had an accident in a very long time. Obviously something is bothering him and I want to help him. We only have 10 more days in the condo, and I really think he will be fine when we are in our house becuase he will have all his stuff back (his couch, his carpets, his tables that he loves to sleep under, etc). But until then, I really could use some advice. Thanks in advance, everyone!
That's a tough one...
I know how stubborn they can be, my husband literally has to pick Newman up (all 68 pounds of him) and carry him into the vet's office because he's scared of the place. Since it's only for 10 more days, maybe you could do some of those pee pads that they sell at Petsmart, etc. We always put one down for our girl in case she has to go when we are not home. Using treats to lure him to the elevator is good, maybe something even more yummy like small pieces of real meat or hamburger? We housetrained Jessa with raw turkey burger, she knew if she went outside, she would get some and she loved it. I'm sure your guy will feel better when he's back with his familiar belongings.
Good time to get his crate out
crate him when you can't watch him.
Also, you said that he ate his treats when he got back into the condo. I wouldn't give him a reward for going back in, especially after he refused to move in the hallway. Wrong time to reward his behavior.
Thankfully, he only has 10 days to deal with whatever is bugging him.
Good luck
Lynn King CPDT-KA
We have his crate out
We have been crating him when we are not home. He goes in there fine, he has his big nylabone and that makes him happy. It's only 10 more days and I really think moving will help him. I just need to figure out a way to get him to the elevator in the meantime. I can't drag him. Also, I really hope he remembers what his housetraining is and does not think it's OK to pee inside. Poor guy, my husband and I cannot figure out what spooked him. He has never been outside the condo without us and nothing is coming to mind.
Baby steps
Lynn's right. Don't give him treats for going in the condo. Do baby steps. Go out to the hall and sit. Pet him. Praise him. Play with him. Give him a treat. Go back inside. Repeat until he doesn't seem wo be associating going into the hall with the elevator. Then take walks in the hall; pass the elevator. Give a treat. Back and forth. Treat by the elevator. Back to condo. Then walk down hall. Get into elevator. Get out. Don't ride down. Treat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Hopefully you are seeing an improvement. When you finally go down don't just potty but do something fun. A walk. Play. Big reward for getting out of condo,
Miriam
omegabulldogs@aol.com