I picked up my 10-week old Cairn puppy, Abby, on Saturday. Worked at home on Monday. In all that time, she wee'd twice in the house. Once was completely my fault, got a bit lazy.

Tuesday I went to the office to work. In the care of my husband, by the time he called me at 11 she had wee'd three times. I have explained to him countless times that she needs to be taken out immediately after waking, after any intense play session which last more than 15 minutes, within 10 minutes after eating .. and so on. Explained to him that he has to watch her every second. If he sees her squatting, stop her by distracting her and take her out immediately. If she's awake, taking her outside every half hour is not too often. She does not mind - by day 2 she already knew if she wees or poos outside she gets a treat and will run up to one of us immediately afterwards for her reward. This morning, Wednesday, again husband calls me again to say she has already wee'd on the carpet. And then he says he doesn't know where she is -- found her climbing up the stairs to the first floor. I moan at him, again. He seems incapable of consistently shutting a door behind him to keep the puppy in eye sight. I have an open plan ground floor and I've put up puppy panels up all over to keep the puppy within a limited area. I have a crate in the living room and a crate in our bedroom.

Anyone have any advice on training a husband? He's had dogs all his life, (I'm wife no.2) but now I see that the housebreaking duties must have been delegated to someone else. Or perhaps the breeds he's had were quicker to housebreak. (My GSDs were 90% housebroken within 2 weeks and at 10 weeks of age. My late Yorkie took nearly 9 months to be completely trustworthy. I only lost my cool with her when she would control herself all night, sleeping on the bed, but would literally pee on me as I was holding her to take her outside.)

Somehow I need to reinforce with my husband that his behaviour will only prolong the housebreaking, but not sure whether to use negative reinforcement or positive reinforcement to help him see the light.

Any tips would be gratefully appreciated. :-)

Stacey

Hi Stacey,

I've got a husband just like yours and I'm afraid it's a case of 'it you want something doing properly - do it yourself'.

I even have to leave written instructions on how to deal with the children if I ever go out anywhere as if i don't nothing gets done in my absence.

Sorry I can't offer any more constructive advice but if you keep on with the housetraining as you're doing she'll soon understand what she's expected to do and will be clean/dry in no time.

Fiona
x x x

Have you tried clicker training him :D
( sorry couldn't help it :) )
Liz
Can't help mines useless !!-thinks the kids have slept through since birth :D and the dog trained himself !( could be right about the dog though :D )

You all know men are only capable of doing one thing at a time so don`t be too hard on him.Multi task jobs are beyond most men,where as women are quite used to looking after the children,preparing a meal and watching the new puppy all at the same time.Need I say more!
Carole

Rub his nose in it Stacey ;)

This is aman thing, my Dad was exactly the same, if the dog peed, vomited etc he always looked sooo surprised. Mum is a fab pup housetrainer, or was until her walking problems started, but everytime she asked Dad to let the pup out he would say "Oh it doesn't need yet" and guess who didn't clean up
Anne

Have to say I too have a hubby who thinks the kids come toilet trained and sleeping all night ! Our OES was house trained in 2 weeks but only by me!! 3 kids & hubby never caught him when he needed to go out but were always there to find the "accident" !! & no matter how many times I asked them to take the puppy out when needed only the 4 year old took this task on!! the older ones and hubby always found they were too busy !

Now if I could crack the puppy nipping !!!

jude

ROFL Mel :) Ian specialises in getting the hounds to riot and the shouting for me to come and sort them out. :rolleyes:

My friend's husband used to do that with the kids.
Anne

My ex hubby used to do that with the kids :(

Seems to be another Man thang ;)

Mel - still think rubbing his nose in it would work tho :D

Hi Stacey
Like you, I am at work and hubby is at home with the dogs. Granted our two are now housetrained but this was despite hubby's efforts rather than because of them :D
What I find now is that if I'm off work for any reason - even if I'm dying with the flu - he automatically hands everything over to me, letting them out, feeding, watching them. Strangely, they're only his responsibility when I'm not around ! :)

Good luck - I think you need it !!

Joyce

its men ;) where would they be without us :D I wonder if my vets could offer any advise on behavourist's for husbands hhheeeeee :D (spelling all up the wall today!) Julieann xxxx

So basically, what everyone is saying is that I should give up all hope on the hubby. I expect that would be easier on my nerves.

Came home yesterday and noticed a pungent odour when I walked in the door. Stepped into the living room and immediately saw a "deposit" on the dining room carpet. Mind you, the dining room area is fenced off with so many puppy panels that a herd of elephants couldn't get into the area. Husband claims he did not know how it happened. Never saw it happen (as if that was a surprise to me.) I began with logic - "you had to have let her in the area with you, just as I asked you not to do" -- and then started yelling. He didn't yell back, so I guess he knew I did not believe poop spontaneously formed out of dust molecules in the air.

I must be a man thing. Best to give up.

Hi Stacey
I'm sorry to say that my husband is like this too.
He works from home and keeps Amber in the office with him. She lays there asleep next to his feet most of the time (she's 14 weeks now). He takes her downstairs and lets her out in the garden often. The trouble is sometimes, when he doesn't take her back up with him and leaves her in the kitchen she tends to do a wee or poo then. He then comes back down and gets annoyed that she's done it and tells her off!! We leave paper down so not sure if we're doing right by leaving it down, or if there wasn't any, perhaps she wouldn't do it?? Dunno.
Also, he says that she shouldn't be taken out for walks yet cos she's too young, but I think she should be taken out for about 15 mins a day. Could anyone confirm who's right for me pls?
Apart from all this they get on really well. She lays next to him all the time. It's lovely to see.

I don't have anything constructive to add, as my hubby is the same; though not over houstraining - with us it's jumping up which he constantly encourages. The only thing you could try is maybe pinning a nudie poster up in the garden? (only kidding!) :)