Hi Jackie,
Just wondering if you had any suggestions for me? Cleo has now not gone to the loo (either) in over 32 hours and is looking desperately uncomfortable - any hints, and i know she hasn't even gone into the garden as i work right by the back door all day.

2 tablespoons of liquid parafin and stand clear. If you are realy worried call her out and shut the door, I'm sure if she is that uncomfortable she will make the effort after 30 mims or so. Jackie H

Thanks jackie, will try both of those things... have called her into garden and she just stands there looking miserable with one foot in the air! Must point out that garden is really damp for some reason - and she is somewhat precious :D ! Will try with the parafin stuff tomorrow if needs be - where can i get it from?

Any chemist will have it - don't worry for a few day she will be OK. The vet can give you something if she has not gone for 5 days but I bet she will. If the first does of liquid parafin does not product results you can repeat the next day. Jackie H

My bitches are used to going in the garden. When I only had one, I took her away for the weekend and she didn't even pee from Friday afternoon until we came back home on Sunday night! And we were staying in the New Forest, full of lovely doggy smells.:D
That was when I learned to teach my girls to go "on command" so wherever we are, whatever the time, whatever the situation, they'll go when I tell them to.
I recently took a 4 month old pup away to a home with no fenced garden. She also went when told, and on her lead too.
It really is a useful thing to include when training a puppy.

Hi Val,
Cleo was taught to go on command, and will go anywhere when the command is uttered - but will not go in the garden - she wont even set foot in the garden if its been raining - i dont know why - maybe it smells wrong to her or something (is naturelly enourmously damp, and is almost impossible to get any grass to grow in there - even the weeds dont do very well!)
Really cant wait to move...!

Val

Am interested to know how you taught yours to "go on command". Before we moved we had no problems with our boy doing his business in the garden and also used a command "go whizz" when he was performing. Now the house had a courtyard garden and he will not do anything there but waits for his walks! Have sought advice on this before, and most seem to think it a good thing - but I just worry that sometimes the time between walks and therefore 'opportunities to perform' might be too long!

I'd be grateful for your and anyone else's comments.
Goink

Hi Goink. I do exactly that. From little pups I take them in the garden and as they are actually performing I say "Hurry up" ot "Be quick" which ever they are doing at the time. It doesn't take long for them to learn. At home they go at their leisure, but occassionally I'll reinforce it with all of them whenever I'm passing. It's especially useful if I'm in a hurry to go out or if it's pouring with rain and I don't want them to get wet!
I often hear people say at shows that their dogs won't go on the lead and must be uncomfortable. I couldn't wait until I got home so I don't expect my dogs to, but in our increasingly anti dog society, it's important that they relieve themselves in an appropriate place.
With your boy I would probably go back to the beginning and start again. Get your word in when he's going out on his walk, just to remind him what you're talking about. Then at the end of the week when he wants to go, keep him on his lead, take him to where you want him to go and say your word. Plenty of praise when he does. Hopefully you can gradually retrain him to go when and where you want him to go.
Good luck.

Hi Val, I agree about teaching to 'go' on command, as I did this with second puppy, and have found it immensely more convenient than hanging around waiting for them to go before long journeys, or going to people's houses where we will be for some time etc... Unfortunately, other dog won't learn now!
Emily

Emily, you can teach an old dog new tricks!! Keep trying :D

Fiona,
I can sympathize with you on this completely. Chienne gets phases where she won't eat unless I have already eaten or unless I'm in the kitchen with her. (not that I hover, just cleaning up or moving around ignoring her as usual). "Eat" is actually a command in our household. It comes in handy. Still, Michael gets absolutely baffled when she starts pulling this when he feeds her and she's not interested because I'm not around. :rolleyes:

Sometimes because of the heat, I think she's not really that hungry, and that when she really starts pushing this. I say this because in the wintertime, she doesn't play this game and starts on her food immediately when I give it to her. Having Samma around also helps. When Samma gets done with her dinner, she waits for Chienne to leave her bowl. That's when Chienne stops playing and gets serious just to protect her "interests".

I've also taken the bowl away from her and she's content until morning or when I put it down. I learned though, not to do the "NILIF" program with her. She turns it into an obsessive compulsive thing that if I don't "tell" her to lie or sit for a specific amount of time, she won't touch her food or water. Yep...OCD personality in the making. The neurosis of Cocker and Chihuahua put together into one. :D

You'll have to figure out what to do to get over this. I think it's more of a "beta" show of respect than being spoiled. We eat dinner and afterwards is when the girls get fed. If we have returned from an outing, they don't see us eat and Chienne thinks she's over stepping or something.
good luck
toodles

And it appears she's back from her hols
Welcome back Sara

Hope you had a fantastic time :D :D
Bethx