Zelda is about 10 and 1/2 months old now, and she has been completely crate trained til now! The thing is, we stopped making her sleep in her crate, and Phased her off of it while she is sleeping, and I have been using it instead as almost a potty training tool for during the day when I am @ work. Basically, we live in a 2 bedroom apt with a VERY large balcony that wraps around the corner of the building. We are on the 2nd floor of a 3 story apt, and the balcony is completely covered, with a cement floor. (we even set up a wall along the railing so her toys wouldn't fall down in the bushes).
I have been trying to train her to stay outside 4 hrs at a time, twice a day (thank god I live 2 blocks from my house).
I have been training her in this method for about 4 months now, and she has NEVER refused to get in her crate when I tell her.
The way I do it is, I will leave her out there in the morning, and when I get home, if there is no accident, I take her to the park, and she gets to stay out there for the remainder of the day. If she is bad, and there was an accident, then she goes back in her crate for the remainder of the day. I have the crate set up out there now (since she doesn't sleep in it anymore).
She is good, and holds it about 80% of the time, but once or twice a week, I will have to crate her.
My question is, is this a lost cause? Is there a way to potty train a dog on a balcony to hold it for long periods of time even though she is outdoors? And if so, then am I doing the right thing or going about this the right way? I kinda came up with this routine on my own, and I am no trainer. I left her inside gated in a hallway a few times, and she tore up her bed, and chewed up the door frame.
The reason I posted this is, today, I come home at lunch and there was poop out there. I had to go to the bank @ lunch, so I took her with me. Usually, I would get back show her the potty, and say "NO POTTY"and put her in her crate. Today, she just looked at me like I was crazy, and would not go in her crate(for the first time ever)! I had to force her in there as to not go back on my word, and then I let her out because her bed was all messed up and she looked sooooo sad. I don't want her to hate her crate, as it is a wonderful training tool, but at the same time, did I do the right thing by going back on my word letting her out after only 5 minutes? Or am I being way too hard on her expecting that she can hold it outside?
Thank you if you made it to the end, and any suggestions would be great.
I have been trying to train her to stay outside 4 hrs at a time, twice a day (thank god I live 2 blocks from my house).
I have been training her in this method for about 4 months now, and she has NEVER refused to get in her crate when I tell her.
The way I do it is, I will leave her out there in the morning, and when I get home, if there is no accident, I take her to the park, and she gets to stay out there for the remainder of the day. If she is bad, and there was an accident, then she goes back in her crate for the remainder of the day. I have the crate set up out there now (since she doesn't sleep in it anymore).
She is good, and holds it about 80% of the time, but once or twice a week, I will have to crate her.
My question is, is this a lost cause? Is there a way to potty train a dog on a balcony to hold it for long periods of time even though she is outdoors? And if so, then am I doing the right thing or going about this the right way? I kinda came up with this routine on my own, and I am no trainer. I left her inside gated in a hallway a few times, and she tore up her bed, and chewed up the door frame.
The reason I posted this is, today, I come home at lunch and there was poop out there. I had to go to the bank @ lunch, so I took her with me. Usually, I would get back show her the potty, and say "NO POTTY"and put her in her crate. Today, she just looked at me like I was crazy, and would not go in her crate(for the first time ever)! I had to force her in there as to not go back on my word, and then I let her out because her bed was all messed up and she looked sooooo sad. I don't want her to hate her crate, as it is a wonderful training tool, but at the same time, did I do the right thing by going back on my word letting her out after only 5 minutes? Or am I being way too hard on her expecting that she can hold it outside?
Thank you if you made it to the end, and any suggestions would be great.