Baxter the Maltese arrived this afternoon for 7 days of obedience training. He is also here to work on his house breaking. Baxter is an interesting case because he is an adult dog who reportedly had never pooped outside of the house. This indicates to me that the dog is not just a case of lax potty training but has managed to become completely backwards in his understanding of appropriate toilet behavior. Switching this back is not a push-button thing. It will require complete re-training. It helps that Baxter is such a sweet little guy who probably won't mind me being a bit overbearing for the next few days.
My plan for Baxter is to basically make it impossible for him to go to the bathroom inside. If he is not in his crate he will be in my hands or on a short leash and under my direct supervision. The only time he will be allowed freedom will be when he is on leash in my yard. We did this very strictly for 5 hours this afternoon and we finally succeeded in his first ever outside poop.
This will not be easy for Baxter, especially because we are starting his normal obedience training tomorrow so he will have even more on his plate. But I am confident we will get him on the right track with his potty training. It is his owner's job to take this week to deep clean his favorite accident spots so that he can have an easier time transitioning back home. You can do it Baxter!
My plan for Baxter is to basically make it impossible for him to go to the bathroom inside. If he is not in his crate he will be in my hands or on a short leash and under my direct supervision. The only time he will be allowed freedom will be when he is on leash in my yard. We did this very strictly for 5 hours this afternoon and we finally succeeded in his first ever outside poop.
This will not be easy for Baxter, especially because we are starting his normal obedience training tomorrow so he will have even more on his plate. But I am confident we will get him on the right track with his potty training. It is his owner's job to take this week to deep clean his favorite accident spots so that he can have an easier time transitioning back home. You can do it Baxter!
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