Today has at least started out well. It’s my day at the cat rescue, though, which means I’m gone about 3 hours; we’ll see how that goes. I don’t have high hopes to no accidents, but maybe he’ll eat his treat and go in the bathroom without a problem. That would be a start.
He was very calm again when my husband went to leave for the day. Normally he’s excited and jumping all over. I don’t know if he’s still just tired from his daycare playmates, or the 5 minute rule is beginning to help. The 5 minute rule is to not acknowledge him in any way any time you’ve been separated for 5 minutes — the whole purpose being that he learns comings and goings are no big deal.
We are inadvertently getting lots of off leash heeling training done. I call him to heel, and then he just keeps heeling — even though I didn’t ask him to.
Our first session this morning went well. He was standing when I came back in the first time, but the second time he was laying down. We are at a minute outside. And the last time he stayed laying down — and he was untied.
He willingly went into the bathroom and hopped up onto his bed. But then he clearly became anxious. He makes a low whining noise when he’s anxious, and this is a dog that never whines. Although I wait for him to lay down before I go out of sight, he’s usually popped up again when I come back in. We’re only at 30 seconds in the bathroom.
I did do the last one with him off leash, and he stayed on the bed. He’s sooo happy when I remove the baby gate and it’s all over, though.
We did our second session after our walk this morning. In the living room was pretty much a repeat. He’s doing well at staying on the bed when I go outside, even if he isn’t tied to it. I do need to work with him staying while I go around in the house out of sight, too, but I figure that this is a two-for-one: not only is he learning a pattern, learning that when I go I come back, he’s also learning to stay in his bed when the door is opened.
He walked willingly into the bedroom, with a slight hesitation at the door, but I didn’t need to use a treat (just the sight of the treat bag got him excited). He balked again at the bathroom door, but came in with minimal persuasion, and then refused to go to his place (bed) the first couple of times, but I was able to finally lure him up.
I did a couple of 30 second stays with me out of sight, then untied him but had him stay while I washed up and put on some moisturizer. He stayed laying down the entire time.
Once again, he was just sooooo happy to be released. All excited, although once I came into the office he was happy to pass out on his bed.
I took Chester out 20 minutes before I had to leave. He didn’t do anything! I ran him around a bit, although he wasn’t much into it — not too surprising at noon in Texas. I knew he’d have an accident, but I’m not staying home because he won’t go.
We did one more quick session. I had no trouble getting him into the bedroom or bathroom, although he became very reluctant as we drew near, but I did have some trouble getting him on his bed. He finally did get on it. He clearly knew, somehow, that this time was for “real”. In fact, he refused to get back on the bed at the very end.
When I got home, sure enough he’d pooped. But he didn’t pee! It had been 6 hours. I don’t understand why he won’t pee in the house (although I’m very, very thankful), but he will poop.
Since I got home he’s shown no qualms about going into the bathroom, even jumping onto the bed without being asked to.
I should have done one more session, but I just didn’t have it in me. He got a kong in his crate, and a rawhide on his bed afterward. Maybe the rawhides aren’t agreeing with him, though, because the next morning his poop was a little soft and there was a little mucuous.
It’s very frustrating, because it seems that everything that occupies him for a good, long time doesn’t agree with his stomach.
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