How to Train Your Abused Dog to Trust

Hello Christie, First, I would have your vet make sure the peeing isn't related to any form of incontinence if it continues despite training, supervision, and confinement when not supervising. Second, make sure that the crate doesn't have anything absorbent in it - including a soft bed or towel. Check out www.primopads.com if you need a non-absorbent bed for her. Make sure the crate is only big enough for her to turn around, lie down and stand up, and not so big that she can potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it. Dogs have a natural desire to keep a confined space clean so it needs to be the right size to encourage that natural desire. Use a cleaner that contains enzymes to clean any previous or current accidents - only enzymes will remove the small and remaining smells encourage the dog to potty in the same location again later. Check out the Crate Training article linked below for tips on how to get pup to go potty while outside - which makes accidents in the crate less likely. Also, be aware that a 4 month old puppy cannot hold her bladder for longer than about 4 hours during the day even in a crate. Any longer and she will be forced to have an accident - enough accidents and she will loose her desire to keep even the right size crate without something absorbent in it clean. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If you are still struggling after applying the above suggestions, then unfortunately pup may have already lost her desire to hold it while in a confined space. I already suspect this is the case, but I would still make sure it's not a case of pup needing the crate to be set up differently. This commonly happens when someone accidentally teaches pup to do so by placing something like a puppy pad on one end of a larger crate or confining a puppy in cage where they are forced to pee through wired flooring - like at a pet store and some shelters, or pup isn't taken potty often enough and are forced to pee in the crate over and over again until they associate it with that. There are rare puppies who simply do it anyway, even though nothing happened to teach that. In those cases you can try feeding pup her meals in there to discourage it but most of the time you simply have to switch potty training methods until she is fully potty trained - at which point you might be able to use a crate for travel again later in life. Check out the Tethering method from the article linked below. Whenever you are home use the Tethering method. Also, set up an exercise pen in a room that you can close off access to later on (pup will learn it's okay to potty in this room so choose accordingly). A guest bathroom, laundry room, or enclosed balcony - once weather is a safe temperature are a few options. Don't set the exercise up in a main area of the house like the den or kitchen. Tethering method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Use the Exercise Pen method from the article linked below, and instead of a litter box like the article mentions, use a real grass pad to stay consistent with teaching pup to potty on grass outside - which is far less confusing than pee pads (Don't use pee pads if the end goal is pottying outside!). Since your goal is pottying outside only use the Exercise Pen at night and when you are not home. When pup will hold her bladder while in the rest of the house consistently and can hold it for as long as you are gone for during the day and overnight, then remove the exercise pen and grass pad completely, close off access to the room that the pen was in so she won't go into there looking to pee, and take her potty outside only. Since she may still chew longer even after potty training, when you leave her alone, be sure to leave her in a safe area that's been puppy proofed, like a cordoned off area of the kitchen with chew toys - until she is out of the destructive chewing phases too - which typically happens between 1-2 years for most dogs with the right training. Exercise Pen method: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Real grass pad brands - Also found on Amazon www.freshpatch.com www.doggielawn.com You can also make your own out of a piece of grass sod cut up and a large, shallow plastic storage container. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

June 20, 2022

Hello Ashley, The training will involve a combination of things. If she tends to guard you, she may be possessive of you, which is similar to resource guarding. I would work on increasing her respect for you calmly, through things like teaching obedience commands such as Heel, Down-Stay, Place, crate training, Leave It, and Quiet. I would her work for what she gets from you by obeying a command first, like sitting before feeding, Down before petting, Wait before opening a door, ect...I would generally work on adding some more boundaries and structure throughout her day and calmly enforcing anything you tell her to do, like by leading her with a drag leash over to where you called her to when she ignored you. Building respect can also help pup feel more secure while with you around other men and take instructions from you even while unsure. You want any respect building you do to be calm and not physically harsh - so building respect through following through with commands, practicing obedience, and giving more structure - like having pup earn things by waiting until they have obeyed. Second, you will want to increase trust around men through counter conditioning. This process should first of all involve safety measures like a back tie leash, and in some cases a basket muzzle that's been introduced gently ahead of time using food rewards with you if pup is fear aggressive toward men. With safety measures in place if needed, men you trust to be gentle can be recruited to practice things like tossing her a treat while she is being calm whenever he enters the room where she is or changes his position (sitting to standing, lying down, standing to sitting, walking out of the room, ect...). Once she anticipates his arrive as something good, he can practice talking to her and gentle eye contact and tossing her a treat each time she responds calmly or behaves friendly toward him. Be sure to have him give her her space while doing this though and have pup on a back tie leash in case she suddenly lunges when he looks at her or talks to her. Then you can practice things like tossing pup treats you shake the man's hand or hug hello and pup stays calm and relaxed. Starting with gentle touches like a hand shake and progressing to a hug or if your dating, a kiss. Next, he can toss treats whenever pup obeys his command (which you have taught pup already for him), such as Sit, starting to get pup to work for him. When pup can handle obeying commands, is willing to be next to him without acting suspicious of him, and isn't worried by his movement much anymore, then have him practice things like structured heeling walks to build pup's working relationship with him, to pup doesn't just tolerate him but actually wants to work with him. As pup gets used to one man, move onto another man to practice around, to help build pup's trust for men in general, instead of only one person. Pup will need to practice around lots of different men overtime. Again, all of this needs to be done carefully, gradually, and with the proper safety measures in place to avoid the possibility of a bite along the way. A calm, confident and consistent attitude is also the best way to earn a dog's respect and trust. The man should be calm and cheerful while practicing, but not pushy. If you don't have others to assist, working with a training group with lots of different male trainers, who specializes in behavior issues like fear, can provide the resources needed to practice. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

June 13, 2022