A toilet problem - help please!

[hersheme]

Hi all,

We have had Kitty for two weeks today & adore her. But, she has a problem (well, she probably doesn't think she does, but we certainly do!) I won't go into details but suffice to say she has gone from being 'Pretty Kitty' to something else that rhymes with Kitty ;D

We kept blaming ourselves, even though she is regularly taken into the garden, but it seems to be escalating. This morning she did a poo in the hall in front of hubby. He shouted 'no' and she scooted upstairs and finished it in the bedroom! It's as if she knows she is doing something wrong but isn't quite sure what is right. We look her in the eye and firmly say no, she looks shamefaced for a short while but it doesn't last. We also keep finding wet patches around the house.

It is a pity as she is perfect in every way and we would like to take her to visit friends when we do but can't if we can't trust her. Advice please on the kindest but most efficient way of convincing her that the house is not a Kitty litter box.

[prince]

The advise i can give you is when you catch her in the act, is to tell her no and take her straight out into the garden and wait for her to go again, then praise her so she understands inside is bad and outside is good. Also when you clean up the mess use a neutriliser spray, so she doesn`t go there again and do it when she is not looking.
It took 4 days for one of my foster girls to work it out, but she got there in the end. I hope this helps.

[andic]

Hi Val,

Diane has given you fab advice, and you're doing the right thing. It's frustrating, but stick with it and keep being firm with her. A lot of them go through this phase, but will definitely work itself out. Are your gates up yet, as I would definitely shut her in the garden after each episode of a little while as a way of punishment.

Sorry you're just having to follow her around with a mop and bucket.

I am sure she will get over this very soon.

[rachael]

My advice would be limit her access to rooms in the house until she is clean as she may be finding all the space overwhelming and confusing. Then I would have a routine for going outside, start with every hour and don't go back in until she has been and praise and give a treat when she goes. If you catch her inside then say no quietly and take her outside by her collar. It is important that she is not scared as then she will not want to go in front of you.
When she does go say "good wee wee" or something similar so that she learns a command word. In future you will be able to say this when you want her to go.
Hope you sort out the problem soon.
Rachael

[Deleted]

I couldn't agree more with the advice given. Although Ted was clean from the very start he still has a routine. I say 'wee wee!' and he gets up, tail wagging and straight to the door. When he gets back in he gets a treat. Reinforcement is essential.

There have been times when he has 'sussed' the routine and gone to the door, gone out but no 'wee's'! - thinking he would still get a treat - NO WAY!!!

It is a question of patience and remembering how confusing the change of lifestyle and environment must be.

Good luck and well done for being so tolerant.

[hersheme]

Hello, thank you for all the good advice. Some of it we were already doing, which is reassuring. Took her for a very long walk this morning - boy, did she learn quickly that going to the toilet gains a reward! We met a lovely lady with a cross greyhound lurcher and it was the first time Kitty has shown any interest in another dog, which was lovely.

Loved the story about sussing the routine, I can imagine Kitty trying that :-)

Andrea - no gates yet, just waiting for the second quote so we can decide and get them ordered. Can't wait! It will be lovely when the weather is like today to leave the back door open.

I am sure we will soon have this little problem cracked, she really is perfect in every other way. Thanks again for all the advice. I will report on progress.

[sallyannh]

Roma has only had a few indoor incidents and they have all been in our hallway. We worked out that she considers that her 'paddock', as it's also where she will take her toys to play with and also where she will lay down while I'm dishing up their dinner. I wonder if Kitty is perhaps thinking along the same lines.

We had two incidents when we first got her, then one on fireworks night. We only found out after the events and frankly, if that's the worse that happens on fireworks night I can live with it.

On the fourth time it was while we were getting ready to go for a walk and she was caught in the act. I gave her a good telling off and made a point of praising when she went outside. So far so good!

[hersheme]

Survived a whole day without any 'accidents', yahoo! Won't get 2 excited just in case...... Fingers crossed x

[andic]

Fabulous, well done kitty :0)

[prince]

Sometimes they have a blip, its a case of going back to basics again. I remember prince stubbled up the stairs and refused to go up them. so i had to take him out with sarah and baby and get her to walk up steps first and show him it was ok, it took a few goes but he got there and has never looked back.
Wonderful news your doing everything right. Even if your ever unsure, thats what is so great about the forum we are all here to advise. we have all been though situations one way or another.

[hersheme]

Mmmmm I celebrated too soon! There seems to be different reasons for her doing it. The other eve I was home alone with her, went for a shower & could hear all this banging about, rushed out 2 find a big pile! She sometimes seems 2 panic if she can't find us & starts running round the house then leaves a parcel. Then today, she squatted down in front of hubby & appeared all nonchalant - when he said 'no Kitty' she looked at him as if 2 say 'what's your problem? Chill' & promptly moved a few feet & continued to go!
She has got the hang of the treats & looks for one when outside once she has been but we can't fathom out if she doesn't understand indoors is banned or not!
Funny today though, son has been away all week just came home & noticed a wet patch on his bedroom floor. 'Did she pee in my bedroom?' Immediately I got all defensive & said 'no, I spilt something', even though ten minutes before I had been on the floor cleaning up wee. :-)

[suethejam]

Battersea Dogs' Home do a really useful range of leaflets about dog behaviour - including house-training - they're free to download from:

www.battersea.org.uk/help_advice/publications/dog_behaviour_advice/index.html

We've found their leaflets to be really helpful, though you can't beat patience and perseverance :-)

[gazza56]

hows it going with your problem? Just a thought but our first greyhound had a toilet problem which after a lot of trys we found out she was glutton intolrent we change her food and the different was noteable

[hersheme]

Hello all. Quick update on Kitty's toilet habits :-) I am delighted to say that following all of the good advice given to me on this forum, she is doing really well. The only 'accidents' have been when she has panicked if she couldn't find us and a couple of times when she has been on her own, however, thankfully they are now few and far between and she is behaving impeccably most of the time. So, thank you everyone xx