# shyness while going potty?



## sheisaeval (Dec 14, 2008)

So I've been pottytraining with the "sitting with him in the potty spot until he poops/pees and then reward" method, but it takes a LONG time, up to an hour (with cycling bathroom and crate times), before he finally poops and pees.

I realize now that maybe he is potty shy? Yesterday I tried a method of just baracading the bathroom door (but leaving the door open) with some boxes and just turned and walked away for literally a minute or two, he already pooped and peed in the peepads (not directly on them, he needs to work on his aim, but at least he did pee and didn't take an hour to get to that point).


So, does anyone else have this situation, where their dog doesn't like to be watched? When I wait in the bathroom with him, he just either wants to play with me, or he just lies down, and doesn't want to pee. Of course I try to reward him as soon as I see that he has peed and pooed, but I am not sure if since I'm not rewarding at the time of happening, he might not learn to do it there naturally, without me forcing him in the bathroom? Any opinions?


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## thinkpink (Sep 25, 2004)

When Bella was potty training she would absolutely not go if anyone was watching. If we were outside I'd have to turn my back and if she was using the pad I had to not be in sight. To this day she won't go if she thinks she's being watched. She'll actually stop and hold it until I'm no longer around.


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## bellasmummy (Apr 8, 2009)

Bellas still quite shy and shes 6 now! If we go to visit anyone she will NOT do the toilet in their garden at all, same if we're out in the car and stop for her to get a drink and go to the loo She will not do anything, even though sometimes she really must need! She also circles for ages until she finds the right spot to go and then you need to look away or the whole things starts all over again! lol even in the rain she can spend 10=15 mins looking for the right spot!


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## CeeCee's Mom (Sep 14, 2006)

CeeCee was the same way.....shy, made sure everyone was out of the room. She has gotten over that but yes, they do have shy little ones that wait to be alone before using the bathroom.


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## ckim111 (Dec 17, 2008)

My Bella is the same way. She only goes indoors but if you look at her while she tries to poo, she will stop and stare at you until you turn away! Don't have an explanation for it though


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## LUCY N PETS (Apr 21, 2009)

My little Sparkle is the same, she will not go if I watch, she continually watches me while circling and soon as I turn my back a second she will go. Did anyone notice it seems to be all the shy little
girls doing this. I guess they like their privacy. Does anyone have a boy do this as well.

Lucy


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Actually, Ollie is the opposite...to this day if I'm outside and he happens to "go" he'll look over at me like he wants some approval, lol. And I'll tell him "Good boy!" When I trained him I would make a big deal out of it while he was in the act and reward him the second he was done, etc. It's like he still looks for that.

As far as training goes...how old is your pup? Is he on a schedule? Even when I wasn't working I didn't have time to sit around and wait for him to go...you have to be the one to set the schedule...take him out after he's eaten, had a drink etc. or at certain times of the day, etc. And when you have success, make a huge deal out of it right then and there. If you catch him in the act in the house, grab him mid-stream/poo and rush him outside to finish. He'll get the hint. Be consistant. I didn't use a crate or watch him 24/7 or use any special methods and my guy was trained by approx 5 mos and never has accidents...good luck!!!


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## gq12o (May 10, 2009)

how many bella's do we have on this board? LOL

my girl (Hyo-ri) is kind of like this. not as bad as some.

last night she tried to go poop in the wrong place, i just caught her in time. moved her to the right place (about 2 yards away) and she didnt go. about 5 minutes later, i happened again. i moved her and she didnt go. 

so i knew she had to go, and i waited and watched and waited. 40 minutes later, she finally goes. maybe it was because i was watching her the whole time.

this morning, while she was eating she stopped, walked to the pad, and did her business. I discreetly followed her so she wouldnt catch me.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (sheisaeval @ Jun 9 2009, 07:47 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=787759


> but I am not sure if since I'm not rewarding at the time of happening, he might not learn to do it there naturally, without me forcing him in the bathroom? Any opinions?[/B]


one last thing...you're right on the above...your dog will have no idea why you are rewarding him or what for unless you do it the second after he has poo'd pee'd where he was supposed to....


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## littlemissy (May 19, 2009)

QUOTE (camfan @ Jun 9 2009, 10:37 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=787921


> I didn't use a crate or watch him 24/7 or use any special methods and my guy was trained by approx 5 mos and never has accidents...good luck!!![/B]


You were really lucky with Ollie many dogs need crate training and it does work very well in my opinion. I guess it depends on the dog. As with many boys, they just seem to get it on the potty thing so much sooner than the little girls...opposite to the human species :HistericalSmiley:


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (littlemissy @ Jun 9 2009, 12:11 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=787943


> QUOTE (camfan @ Jun 9 2009, 10:37 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=787921





> I didn't use a crate or watch him 24/7 or use any special methods and my guy was trained by approx 5 mos and never has accidents...good luck!!![/B]


You were really lucky with Ollie many dogs need crate training and it does work very well in my opinion. I guess it depends on the dog. As with many boys, they just seem to get it on the potty thing so much sooner than the little girls...opposite to the human species :HistericalSmiley:
[/B][/QUOTE]

Crate training is great too...of course it works great for many dogs. I think Ollie learned well, but I don't think he was any different from any other puppy--the key is whatever method you use is to be super consistant (just like the human species  ) I think using the crate is a fairly new method in potty training dogs...growing up I always had dogs and we never used a crate to potty train them and I never knew anyone else that did. Sure, there's also lots of dumb things they did back then that we have learned better for today


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## Holly (Apr 20, 2009)

Interesting about the shyness! I wonder if that is part of our problem. Jimmy urinates on his puppy pads with no problem, but for some reason he only uses them half the time for pooping. I'm trying to work with him by watching him closely and when I see him get in position, I grab him and move him to the puppy pad. The problem is, he won't go once he's moved. He tries to sneak off a few minutes later in private. I don't know what to do at this point.


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## Deborah (Jan 8, 2006)

Rylee will NOT go if someone is watching her. Can you imagine road trips.

There is one exception if she wants a treat she fake going potty and make sure I am watching her. She thinks she has pulled one over on me but I always know because she does not clean herself.


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## drclee (Jul 16, 2008)

Jack does not like being watched either. If I walk in on him going, he gives me this look, like, "do you mind?" :HistericalSmiley:


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## sheisaeval (Dec 14, 2008)

So all of you guys with shy dogs, how did you train them to go to the pad naturally if it might be hard to reward them when they are going since they don't want you to be there? I feel like I have a dilemma because I can't watch him go so I can't instanteously reward him, but if I am there he doesnt a long time to go


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