Skip to content

Getting Attention

YetiWell, well well, what’s this? A puddle? Yeti has figured out one sure way to get our attention. Pee on the floor! We’ve kinda decided that she is to stay in the kitchen unless we are explicitly watching her. This works great, however, there is about a 15 minute span in the morning (about 7:20 to 7:35) where I am in the shower, getting dressed, and generally not paying attention to the Yeti-monster. Well she doesn’t like that one bit, so I guess peeing on the floor seems like a good plan to her. Today’s puddle broke the 3-day no-accident streak we were on, but nonetheless, things are looking up.

On a side note, what am I supposed to do when this happens? I believe I’m supposed to put her outside, no scolding (cause I didn’t catch her in the act) just clean up the mess and let her back in as if nothing has happened. But is she going to learn anything from this? Everytime she goes out she expects a treat now. (Bad A.J.! Bad A.J.!) I think we’re going to have to rework the whole going outside/pottie/treat experience. Maybe we’ll ask at puppy class tonight.

This all kind of reminds me of a book I used to read when I was younger. It was in the Soup series, but I forget which one it was. Soup on Fire maybe? Anyways, Soup and Rob are talking about owning a ranch, and Soup says that he’d fly down in his biplane (it’s set in the 30’s) to Rob’s ranch to visit.

“And you know how I’d get your attention? I’d pee out the window!”

Which I always used to think was so hilarious! Anytime you needed some attention, just pee on something! Flying by in a plane, just pee out the window!

I’m no longer thinking it’s quite so hilarious…

{ 4 } Comments

  1. Codi | 11/26/2002 at 10:57 am | Permalink

    To train a dog when she pees on the floor…

    I think you’re supposed to rub her nose in the pee, and then spank her. The rubbing her nose in it is to remind her what was bad, and then the spanking is to deter her from doing it again. And then throw her outside and clean up the mess. And then when you let her back in, give her some lovin’ so she remembers why she likes you.

  2. A.J. | 11/26/2002 at 11:37 am | Permalink

    I’ve only read that you shouldn’t do this… the main article I’ve been going off of is here http://petcare.umn.edu/Dogs/Housebreaking.htm

    From that page:

    Also, never rub a puppy’s nose in her accidents — that will only frighten her and may encourage her to eat her droppings. It does not train her to stop going in that spot. She is not capable of making the reasoning leap that this is an area she previously soiled, and that’s why you’re punishing her. Dogs are oriented to the present. Unpleasant experiences (like having her nose rubbed in urine or feces) will be associated with what she just did – which in this case was likely coming to you. How eager will she be to come to you if she keeps having these unpleasant experiences associated with coming to you?

  3. Alison | 11/26/2002 at 11:47 am | Permalink

    Are you crate training Yeti? I would highly recommend it for decreasing the amount of “accidents” that she is having in the house. You see, dogs do not like to wet where they have to lay, so if you place her in a crate when you can’t watch her she will be less likely to make a mess. Just remember to keep the crate as a happy place for Yeti. Do not put her in there as punishment after she has been bad. The crate serves more as a preventative measure, not a corrective one.

  4. Eric | 12/2/2002 at 8:53 pm | Permalink

    Did you ever play that game Black & White? I used to play using the monkey. I couldn’t get that stupid thing to stop eating it’s own feces. I would beat it and beat it, to no avail. I don’t think I should get a dog.