Hi all

I have an adorable 5 month staffy called Lucy who up until recently was fully house trained. We are very lucky that she has learned everything really quickly she is even able to be left in the living room without any problems until last week. She gets taken out throughout the day and evening to enable her to do her business and get exercise. If i leave her and nip briefly to the shops when i return she has pooed on the carpet (I always take her out before i leave her). She has never suffered from seperation anxiety (half the time when i get back she is asleep on the settee). I could put her in a cage but i want her to have the freedom of the living room when i am out (she can get to her room to get into her bed if she wants). Does anyone know how to deal with the situation I cannot take her out more than she goes, i always make sure she has been before i nip out. I have tried ignoring her when i get back or showing her and saying no but nothing seems to work. Any help would be gratefully recieved. Thanks

its seperstion anxiety. what you need to do is keep her IN HER CRATE when you are out with a stuffed kong and some chew toys and she will be fine also leave on the radio or tv for her quietly. go out for 5 mins at a time and build it up and up. xxx

hey i have the same problem as you do i bought a miss treated 1year old staffy nw he is 2 he wasn't trained at 1st but traning went well and was fine in the last 4months he has started to poo in the house but only wen i have gone out i do same as u always let out every 3 to 4 hours never lefted longer than 4 aways walked morning ,afternoon and b4 bed but has the garden during those times he wont go if i am in the house it is only wen i am out today he was in the garden for about half a hour with my other dog which is staff and he is brill, then i had to pop out was gone 20mins and came bk to a poo in the house i say no an point to it but nothing changes, if anyone can help or if u have been told anything to help plz let me no.
i have try a crate and it was same he did it in there.

at 5 months the dog is going through another stage in its developement and some can revert back to habits they had seemed to have grown out of - such as a lapse in toilet training, nipping, jumping up, recall disappearing etc! it is just a phase you have to try and work through...
she has realised that when you leave she is alone and doesnt like that - the first time was probably stress or anxiety that made her poo. then you came home and told her off, she has quickly learnt that pooing gets her your attention!
for a dog any attention is positive - even if it isnt meant to be!!

i would try crating her. dogs, in general, will not eliminate where they have to stay so she may be more likely to not poo when in a crate.

also go back to the beginning with her house training - only allow her access to places where you can easily clean up any accidents. keep her off the carpets as if she does have an accident on there it is very hard to completely remove the scent, and she will associate that smell with pooing and keep going back there.

Hope this is of some help!

Kim

hi i have had the same with sadie but crated her and now is fine, doesnt go in at bed time she slleps the side of our bed, we moved house last week and the first night came down to a mess but not since, but suppose she was marking her terrortory or little frightened