joanr

Congrats on your new boy! One thing that really helped me in potty training was just remembering when the dog went in the house it was my fault. When he pooped in front of the frig, I thought HEY I keep my food there how dare you. I just had to remind myself that it was my fault, he didn't know better, and I had to keep an eye on him at all times. And I had a treat keep near the door, and always took it out with him. He only got that treat when he went outside.

I think it's great your not wasting any time seeing a trainer. I think you'll get this all worked out.
Joan

Anonymous

Bubba was seven months old when we got him. He had been in a home with four other Bassets, they all went out as a herd, and we were told he was house broken. Lots of accidents. I guess being on his own confused him, and we had to start all over, with crating, rewards for going outside, kept him leased to us when we had him out in the house, etc. It took us about three months and he finally got so he would do a silent sit at the door. You would turn around, and no Bubba, and there he would be by the door patiently waiting to be let out. We tired to teach him to woof to go out, he will woof on command, but he won't do it to go out. How ever, when it is below zero he will woof to get back in.
There was one spot he kept going back to if he got a chance, in spite of our efforts to clean and dedorize it. I read somewhere to put their food bowl in that spot and feed them there. It worked. They won't go where they are fed. Nothing like food and water bowls sitting in the middle of the living room floor, but it did work for us.

Josey

Thanks again, everyone.
Bubba, I read the same thing about the food bowl, so I've started feeding him in the living room, which of the several spots he tends to go in, is the one I want to curtail the most.
I'm trying to be much more enthusiastic about when he does go outside. Until now, given that I was told he was housebroken and my other dog is such an old pro about it, I didn't really make a big deal of him going to the bathroom outside; I just took it for granted. Now I'm trying to bring that positive reinforcement back into the picture.
I'm also trying to keep a much closer eye on him, as Besty suggested, calling him back to me if he starts to wander out of whatever room I'm in, and take him out whenever he starts getting ancy.
I look at the big dog and can just see him pratcially rolling his eyes over all the fuss being made, but if this gets us past this hurdle, it's worth it.
I'll keep y'all posted.

Betsy Iole

If he's not otherwise hand-shy, snapping at the renter when she tried to move him off the couch sounds like resource guarding. Here's a good discussion of this topic.

MINE! The Resource Guarding Dog

__________________
Betsy, Mom to
CH Bugle Bay's Sin City Caper UD RE TD BHCA-VC
CH Bugle Bay's Sin City Cuppa Joe TD
CH Bugle Bay's AllUCanEat Buffet CDX RN TDX NA CGC BHCA-VCX, 1996-2008
"Bugsie" UDX NA NAJ CGC, 1991-2006

Mikey T

FWIW Jean Donaldson believes hand shyness is also relate to resource guarding. and outlines a detailed plan for desensitizing the dog in her book Mine! A GUIDE TO RESOURCE GUARDING IN DOGS
A dog with poor bite inhibition and/or does not go through the normal stages of aggression ramp up, (i.e. bites first growls second), may not be a safe dog to attempt densensitation with especially without protective equipment.

Josey

Again, thanks everybody for all the great suggestions. I'm happy to report that we haven't had a single accident since I last posted, but every day is a new opportunity! ) and Josey just loves it, turning this way and that so little Copper can get the other side.
I'm so happy to have him and he's the perfect addition to the family, I just want to get this issue cleared up.