Training Advice Needed

[Guest Anonymous]

We pick up our new lab puppy, MacKenzie (female) tomorrow. We're adopting her and she is around 10 weeks old. This is the letter that I got this morning about MacKenzie:

"Just wanted to let you know, Mackenzie had her surgery yesterday(spayed) and she is doing fine, I thought it would slow her down a bit, but, Sorry to say, it did not slow her down at all, She still loves to play and run, but for the next week or so, she needs not to do this, but you tell her that.

Also, she still poops in the house, but does not pee,,,,I can have her out for several minutes and when I bring her in, she poops,,,not sure why, but she will get it soon. She also bits your pant leg when you walk, which I have been correcting her, but she does not listen, and also, she loves to eat tanbark."

I have a couple of questions - what can I do to help with the training to poop outside? Could it just be that she is not keeping her out long enough? We will be using the crate training method at our house.

What can I do about the attacking your legs while walking?
And - what is tanbark??
Thank you in advance!
- Alyson

[imported_Foster]

First: Congrats....

Second: The person is probably not letting her out long enough. If the dog does not go outside, I would put the dog in the crate and try a little later. Do not get give the dog freedom in the house. If you cannot watch it, it goes in the crate. If the pup happens to put in the house, take the poop outside to the area that you plan for her to use. You can also tether the dog to you so you can correct it immediately.

Third: Pants biting--I think this is a problem. It may sound mean, but anytime the dog goes for your pants leg, sort of kick out with your leg and lightly push the dog while yelling NO...I am not saying kick the dog. If this is not working, you can try grabbing the muzzle shut and yelling NO...

[mouseatthebusstop]

SHE THINKS SHE IS NOT SUPPOST TO POOP OUTSIDE
WHEN SHE DOES IT INSIDE TAKE IT TO YOUR YARD PUT IT THERE LET HER SEE IT. SHE WILL KNOW IT'S ALRIGHT TO DO IT THERE :)
CONGRATULATIONS

[spiritsmom]

My Mystic is 11 weeks so I know what you'll be going through! She poops outside just fine though, luckily. Here's what I've been doing:

If Mystic does not potty outside I bring her back in and either put her in her crate or I tie her to me (I have a leash tied around my waist and tied another leash to that to put on her, the end of which was dipped in Bitter Apple to keep her from chewing on it). She doesn't have any alone time anymore, she is either in the crate or hooked up to me with several toys in reach if her mouth.

She also bites at my pants leg and I keep a penny can handy (I have a few so I keep one in every room - soda can filled with some pennies and taped shut, makes a startling noise) and then I just shake it. She'll drop my pant leg and then I stuff a toy (always have one handy too!) in her mouth and say good girl when she starts to chew on the toy.

I have no idea what they mean by tanbark other than maybe they are talking about mulch? I'm sure most puppies would love to eat mulch so that might be it.

I have many toys of all different types from nylabones to stuffed toys (she gets those only supervised so she doesn't tear them apart). I keep a Kong and a nylabone in her crate and then I have a toy box upstairs and downstairs. I keep a few chew toys, sterilized bones and rope toys laying around so that they are accessible to her. I have some tug toys for the two of us to play with.

Always want to keep that mouth occupied so she doesn't find other things to chew on.