# Help! 9-month-old rescue dog - not toilet trained!



## annamac (Nov 9, 2009)

Hi,

Having lost our darling Reggie back in June, we have finally got to the point where we want another dog. We rescued Reg at the age of 5 so we're not used to training a young dog, but have been offered a 9-month-old staffy-cross (looks suspiciously pit-like). 

The only problem is that she was beaten in her first home, then rescued by some friends of that family who took her away but had no idea about dogs. Consequently she had never been walked until two weeks ago and had not even had any jabs! Despite this, she seems surprisingly well socialised. Anyway, she has now been extracted from that situation by my friend who unfortunately cannot keep her. 

Long story short, she is still sleeping in a cage, which I hate. I'd like to get rid of it as soon as possible but have been told she will poo on the carpet. So where do I start with training such an old dog (well, not a puppy!)?

She is also quite timid, which I think will pass soon enough as she's good once she gets to know you.

She is not at all good on the lead - she weaves from side to side and you end up almost stepping on her. She's strong too and pulls when in sight of the car or house. Oh yeah, and she leaps straight out of the car boot!! (I know - a challenge! )

Primarily I'm looking for help with the toilet thing, but any general advice from people who have experience with this type of case would be gratefully received. I'm willing to give her lots of exercise and be strong with her, but I want to tackle this the right way from the beginning.

Anna


----------



## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

hey, anna! :--) 

if she is not fussed by the crate, why are U? 
i am presuming (and may be wrong!!) that she goes into it readily, as otherwise i am pretty sure that U would have mentioned stuffing a resistant dog into a crate like a sausage with legs into a box, LOL... 

keeping her from toileting in the house is important - if the crate works, and she is not unhappy or unwilling, work on the more critical things. time for that later! :smilewinkgrin: 

i would put her in a well-fitted H-Harness with a chest-ring - be SURE it has a chest-ring, not all do, and the ring on the front is where the leash will be clipped. this gives U leverage, and takes mechanical advantage of the dogs own momentum. that way she cannot drag U all over creation. 

use a 6-ft lead, NOT a Flexi or any other extendable leashes - 
they actually teach dogs + pups to pull, which we then get irritated over, and that is hardly fair.  

if U have ever housetrained a puppy, this is precisely and exactly the same process - start with scheduling, ALL potty-trips must be on-leash so that U can see if and when she has voided, and what, etc. 

once she is under control with the front-clipped H-harness, life will get easier - i would tie her in the car, or even *better*, i would crate her, so that she is safe in an impact. only SHIPPING crates should be used in cars, tho - if her current model is a wire or show-crate, they are VERY UN-safe in cars, as they can collapse, trap the dog, or even perforate them.  
if U have a wire-crate, i would try to trade it for a shipping-crate. 
they need only be big enuf to enter, U-turn and exit - any crate that the dog can enter fully and exit from, is just fine! :thumbup1: 

for most medium to Lg dogs up to 90#, a 2-ft x 3-ft shipping crate is about right. that should fit in most car-boots, but try it to be sure. this will keep her safe if U are ever in an accident, as she cannot be flung about (maybe hitting a person, the roof, window, etc), nor will she be escaping from the car if someone opens the door to help U. 

if U do not want to use the crate in the car, use the harness, but clip to the REAR ring to restrain her; use a bicycle cable with a clip, the cable can be 18 to 24 inches long; No Longer. wrap it around a solid object welded or bolted to the car frame, clip it to itself, and clip the other end to her rear harness ring. there may be a cargo-ring, a seat-lock, or some other solid point to safely restrain her. now she cannot pop out of the boot without being released! :001_cool:

see the *Getting started with positive-reinforcement* post for sources for starting clicker-training and Levels Training - both are very fun, simple + clear, for U and the dog. :thumbup1: 
cheers, and congratulations on the new dog! 
--- terry


----------



## annamac (Nov 9, 2009)

thanks terry - that all makes a lot of sense. i hadn't heard of the h harnesses but i can see how that would work! also, tying her in the car would be good - the crate is a wire one and quite big so i'm keen to leave it in the house. having thought about that a bit more (and just watched john fisher video) i can see that it's not such a big deal. i guess i just don't like the idea of her being cramped up in it all night long. she is a sizeable dog!

i think i will also get a clicker - she is highly motivated by food (i have seen her take food from the table whenever she thinks she's not being watched - another challenge) so hopefully i can get her full attention. 

can i ask if you rate my chances of snapping her out of these aforementioned bad habits? only i have not yet committed and would rather not take her at all than take her to her fourth home and then find we cannot cope. i have always been good with dogs but am aware that mine so far have been very different to her (a collie and a mongrel/lab-type guy). we work so she will have to be on her own during the afternoons (maximum six hours, which she can last easily bladder-wise) and i would like to get some of these more severe things ironed out first. our house is open-plan so there's no locking her out of the kitchen, for example!


----------

