Please help.

[bubbadecter]

Hello I am new to the site... My husband and I bought a Boxer and Dexter is now almost 5 months. My problem with Dexter is instead of getting better he's getting worse. He is urinating about 2 times a day in the house and also eating his own feces. I have had dogs before but have never had one this stubborn . Does anyone have any tricks or tips I have tried everything, yelling crating, taking him out right after he has an accident. I feel completely helpless as we do not no what to do with him. When he does have an accident he immediately runs under the bed as if he knows he has done wrong!

 

[Cami]

He does not know he has done wrong.
What he does know is that when he has done this in the past he has gotten yelled at or punished (put in his crate).
He is going potty in the house because he does not know that he isn't supposed to be going there.
I am not trying to be harsh however unless he has a medical problem, potty accidents are due to human error.
Revisit Potty Training 101.
Start at the beginning and treat him as if you just brought him home only THIS TIME set him up to succeed.
Don't give him opportunity to made a mistake.
The more often he goes potty in the correct place the sooner it will set in.
Take him outside to potty EVERY SINGLE TIME. Don't just open the door and let him out and assume he is going. If you know he is going you can praise and treat (since you are going to be with him).
When he has an accident don't fault him for it. Just clean it up and realize that accidents happen and what might YOU have done to prevent it.
As far as eating his own poo. This is normal but never wanted. If the poo is not there he can't eat it. Since you are now going to be going outside with him ALL THE TIME you can clean it up as soon as he goes. Problem solved.

There are many threads here on BW about successful potty training. Do a search and read up on multiple ways to help with this issue! If the humans are persistent in this endeavor HE will learn what is expected sooner rather than later.

At his age it is not out of the realm of possibility that he isn't potty trained 100%. He is still quite young. He will learn if you help him to do so.

 

[LILYLARUE]

Great Advice Cami!!!

One thing to add......some dogs who get scolded from pooping in the house, will in fact eat it to hide the evidence. Scolding only teaches the dog not to go in "that exact place" cause they get upset with me. A lot of times, they learn then to hide it, like under beds, in corners....

Also, if you find a pile and didn't see the dog eliminate, it's too late to do any type of training at that point. Dogs have a very short term memory and wouldn't know who's pile of poop that is that you are so upset about. They don't know their poop from the next one. So training only works when YOU ARE PRESENT.

Like Cami said, re-read potty training and go back to the basics.

 

[bubbadecter]

Thank you for the advice... See I always go outside for walks, we live in an apartment and take him out about 5 times as day for about 20 min to 45 min walks. I give him his treats every time he he goes out side. I have not changed the routine since we first got him, but instead of 2 accidents a week it has gone to almost 2 accidents a day.For the eatting of the poop yes, i diffently think he is eating it because of being punished. I have only got mad when I catch him in the act. But this is why im confused Dexter 90% of the time pees and poos in the house after a walk (which he always goes pee and poo or we keep walking till he does).

 

[Cami]

Males are notorious for going potty NUMEROUS times at his age (and older as well as intact males--more marking but still pee).
As far as going poo.....same thing might apply especially depending on what you are feeding.
Sometimes over stimulating (being excited outside on a walk) can make them have to go AGAIN!
Perhaps take him out to potty with only that in mind THEN start the walk. If he doesn't go potty right away then back inside for a few minutes. This routine won't last forever just until he realizes where and when he is supposed to be doing something.
He isn't mature enough just yet to have potty training down 100%.