# Please Help! Bad Little Girls



## JudasJAP (Feb 27, 2011)

Hey everyone. I'm new here, and thought I would post because there's a lot of good insight and information!

I have two female dogs, a Maltese (6) and a Morkie (4). Their "habits" are driving me insane, and I am embarrassed to ever move in with someone or get married. Both of my girls are trained to use litterbox and/or puppy pads. 

1. Basically my Maltese is house trained in that she knows exactly what she is SUPPOSED to do and even has become smart enough to fake getting in the litterbox to get a reward. The problem is that she has accidents out of spite, I think. I know people say that is not an emotion exhibited by dogs, but I find that so hard to believe. If we all go upstairs and leave her down, she will go to the bathroom on the floor in the same spots. It's so frustrating because she knows what she's supposed to do and is on-point when you're "around", but the minute you leave her be it's almost as if she becomes bitter. Now I know that's fault with regard to giving her space to have an accident. So, do I restart her from day one on training? WIth only a limited space? Could someone please help explain this.

2. My Morkie is WAY worse. She, too, uses the box and pads and seeks/recognizes the reward for doing so. She doesn't go to the bathroom out of spite because she will walk upstairs and follow me everywhere. Her issue is more that she is just misbehaved. A good example would be at night when we sleep. I let my Maltese in bed because she can't jump down; or she won't. So there's no risk with her. My Morkie, however, can jump and in the night in a small bedroom she'll get down and go to the bathroom in the same spot. I have a crate in my room, so I began making her sleep in it, which she is fine with. After doing this for a couple weeks, I let her have a night out so she can sleep with us....She goes right to urinating near the door. I don't get it. I mean I do the space restriction like you all suggest, but she gets a little freedom and abuses it. I know she can hold it. There's just no reason. Please help! 

I would appreciate any constructive advice or resources you could provide. I'm just mortified at the thought of getting married one day and my dogs acting like this. I would like my Maltese to stop having her little attitude and for my Morkie to be able to sleep with me if I so choose!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

1. Your dog isn't spiteful. She's not housetrained. Just because a dog knows something when you are standing there to reward it does not equate to them doing it left alone. This is like you riding your bike with training wheels just fine. And then being expected to go off on your own and ride a motorbike you've never seen. Your dog may also have an anxiety component since this is consistent every time she is left. Anxious dogs often have housetraining lapses - it is a sign of their anxiety. I would start by limiting the space when you are not there. So gate in a small space, a pen, a crate - whatever works for you. Once you have 3 weeks of ideal behavior, add some space. Remember, a couple of feet is a LOT of space for a little dog. Don't add a whole room. Use a pen to close off an area only slightly larger. 3 weeks ideal behavior, add a little more. IF you also have an anxiety component, this is a whole additional behavior issue that needs to be addressed. 

2. The crate to the bedroom is a HUGE jump in space. Your dog is TINY. One room to her is like a whole house to you. Your description also makes me wonder if your dog has learned to "hold it" any time but when crated at night...that's another discussion if your dog does not have this skill. 3 weeks perfect behavior, then add a LITTLE space. So you would go from the crate to 2x4 pen or something like that. 

The underlying reasons here are lack of training - jumping to college without going through elementary school...and possibly some anxiety with the first dog. Think of it this way...has the assumption of attitude as the problem resolved anything? If not then perhaps addressing it properly as a training issue will.


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## JudasJAP (Feb 27, 2011)

Thank you Jimm. As I suspected, a lack of proper training. I just equate to attitude because it makes for easy reasoning.  

I will follow your tips and I thought this may be what I have to do after reading your other replies to training issues. I do have a couple questions though, so I can be thorough with retraining them....

1. Are the dogs to be confined to these small amount of space even when I'm home say watching tv or what not? Or is this only when left alone?
2. When they start earning more space, do I put their litter box or a puppy pad in the space? Or is it still kept separate elsewhere to train them in holding it? 

Thanks for your help! I can't wait to correct my mistakes.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

1. If you are actively watching the dogs, they can be out. If you are not, they should be confined. Many people find it handy to leash the dogs to them while they are doing things around the house. 
2. That's up to you. Personally, I find it more effective to train my dogs to go potty on a schedule. I take them to the place, they go, they are rewarded. And in between they must hold it. If you want your dogs to potty any time they please, just be aware you are not teaching them to hold it (and hence you may always have issues with overnights). By allowing them constant access you also miss opportunities to reward.


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## JudasJAP (Feb 27, 2011)

Ok great. Thank you for the clarification. I'm ready to get this done!


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