Can anyone help please?? I have rehomed a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, she had an awful start to her life and I hoped to be able to offer her a loving home.
She's a lovely dog but her behaviour is driving me mad...I have tried to house train her but to no avail, this is the worst problem...My house smells. Her behaviour on the lead is improving but needs attention too.
I would be so grateful for any tips before I pull all my hair out!!

Many thanks

Sally

Email: Sharp_Sally61@yahoo.co.uk

How are you cleaning up after her?  If you, as a human can smell it, then the chances are she can as well, and this will encourage marking behaviour as well as simple weeing caused by lack of training.  To clean up you need to soak up the excess, then wash down with biological washing powder solution.  Then spray over with white wine vinegar or white spirit as these will both break down the fatty acid chains that hold onto the 'smell' molecules.  Most importantly - do NO use any sort of cleaner which goes milky when dilluted with water, as these contain ammonia, which is related to urine, and this confuses the dog and encourages them to mark.

Don't get stressed, and try and avoid rewarding any behaviour you don't want - for instance, if she jumps on the settee and you don't want her to, then encourage her to get off by patting the floor - don't get into pushing matches with her.

Re the house training, it's simply a matter of teaching her what you DO want, and making it far more rewarding to do that than something you don't want.  If she's an adult dog, then she may have a lot of bad habits that will need unlearning before she can learn new stuff.  But stick with it, Staffies are great family dogs if treated right ;)

The method i have always used with house training is to.

Go outside in the garden with your dog, just stand and watch her while she is sniffing about. I know it is cold at the moment, but do not come in until she has done her buisness. Straight after she has done
somthing , say good girl and encourage her to come to you, give her a little treat and make a fuss. This method has always worked for me, some dogs learn quicker than others, but the reward method always works better that ranting and shouting, i have never known that to work.

Best of luck

Funnily enough my mate saw something on TV that advised using bicarbonate of soda on doggy stains. The TV person advised you left it to soak/sink in for an hour. My mate was thrilled when it not only worked on her puppy pee trails but on her toddlers milky vomit stains too. Might be worth a try :)

Hi Spook

Do you soak the crystals first or the object that has been pee'd/vomited on - just thinking that carpets may be a bit big to go in the sink :)

I would think either a solution of the powder or sprinkle it on to the stain, wait a bit then hoover up would work.
:)

How old is your SBT Sally ? Be persistant with her training it will be worth it in the end. I have a 8 month old SBT Maisie and shes a darling !

Apparently you sprinkle :D