I have a cat

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

It's a pretty common problem. A lot of people see people with dogs and think "ooh that
Also a lot of dog training is counter intuitive, as a result of how dogs minds work. First time dog owners make a lot of mistakes this way and, as a result, a lot of the training can actually work backwards 

Would you mind elaborating on this point? I feel this may have been my problem with dogs on the past.

Best example I can think of is potty training.

First off, dogs do not associate cause and effect, only immediate behavior. So you come into the room and you notice the dog has peed on the rug. Immediately you fly off the handle and roar and bawl at the dog who, by this time has zero recollection of peeing, ever. Straight away the dog is freaked out.

"I'm getting a bollocking. What was I doing, oh yeah, chewing my chew toy. Fine! Never again, it's just not worth it, I'll try the sofa next time. Gotta chew something, right? WTF? He's still yelling. He's pointing at that puddle of pee over there. Why you yelling at me, it's obviously the pee's fault? Fine so he really hates pee. Note to self - don't let him see pee, or I'm gonna cop some flak over it"

So you clean up the pee and feel satisfied that the dog has got the message. He did, loud and clear. Just not the message you were trying to put across. Next thing you know the dog will totally not pee in front of you. Ever. You can walk that little bastard til his legs are hanging off. No dice. He's got the message all right - you hate pee. So he'll wait til you come back home, hours later, walking all funny cos all he wants to do is pee but he can't cos you'll see. Soon as you get back home what happens? Straight behind the sofa. Relief.

Good luck fixing that one

YEP. Spot-on! It's like yelling at and punishing a dog for not coming to you when you call. Dog ain't EVER coming to you, you freak out whenever you get hold of him after calling him, you crazy motherfucker! No. Instead, reward the dog with pets and treats every time he comes to you.

I've finally (mostly) resolved Little Dog's peeing in the house by putting her food bowl right over every pee spot she makes. SHE HATES IT. She probably thinks I'm insane. She circles her food bowl, just fucking HORRIFIED, every time I do it (I do clean up the pee first, but she knows). However, she is also finally figuring out that the only way to make the madness stop is to pee OUTSIDE.

[P3nT4gR4m]

What I did with mine was, when he was a pup, he'd pee every time he woke up (most of them do) so I'd pick him up as soon as his eyes opened, dump him outside and, as soon as he started, I'd yell "pee pees!" in a comdey high pitched voice then stuff a treat down his throat. if I fucked up and missed it. I'd just ignore the whole thing then clean it up when he was done.

Pretty much as soon as he gained a bit of bladder control he'd be clawing at the back door, whining, cos he knew he only got the happy noise and the scooby snack if it happened outside. So I'd let him out and sure enough "trickle"... "PEE PEES" ... "Chomp!" but it doesn't end there.

Thanks to the work of Mr Pavlov we know that the act of peeing and the happy noise have become inextricably linked in the dog and it's a two way street. So now when we're out all I have to tell him is "Pee Pees" and liquid comes out. That's kinda dog training in a nutshell.

When compared to Nigel's experience this is why I like to get them young. I wish I had the patience to take on a rescue but I don't and have nothing but admiration and appreciation for folks who do.

[Doktor Howl]

What I did with mine was, when he was a pup, he'd pee every time he woke up (most of them do) so I'd pick him up as soon as his eyes opened, dump him outside and, as soon as he started, I'd yell "pee pees!" in a comdey high pitched voice then stuff a treat down his throat. if I fucked up and missed it. I'd just ignore the whole thing then clean it up when he was done.

Pretty much as soon as he gained a bit of bladder control he'd be clawing at the back door, whining, cos he knew he only got the happy noise and the scooby snack if it happened outside. So I'd let him out and sure enough "trickle"... "PEE PEES" ... "Chomp!" but it doesn't end there.

Thanks to the work of Mr Pavlov we know that the act of peeing and the happy noise have become inextricably linked in the dog and it's a two way street. So now when we're out all I have to tell him is "Pee Pees" and liquid comes out. That's kinda dog training in a nutshell.

When compared to Nigel's experience this is why I like to get them young. I wish I had the patience to take on a rescue but I don't and have nothing but admiration and appreciation for folks who do.

I have a rescue, but whomever his prior owners were, he was completely house trained.  He has sicked up in the house once, but never pissed or shat in it, no matter how desperate he is.

Pretty sure they also beat him pretty badly.  It's been 7 months, and he's just now able to pass people in the house without cringing.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

It's a pretty common problem. A lot of people see people with dogs and think "ooh that
Also a lot of dog training is counter intuitive, as a result of how dogs minds work. First time dog owners make a lot of mistakes this way and, as a result, a lot of the training can actually work backwards 

Would you mind elaborating on this point? I feel this may have been my problem with dogs on the past.

Best example I can think of is potty training.

First off, dogs do not associate cause and effect, only immediate behavior. So you come into the room and you notice the dog has peed on the rug. Immediately you fly off the handle and roar and bawl at the dog who, by this time has zero recollection of peeing, ever. Straight away the dog is freaked out.

"I'm getting a bollocking. What was I doing, oh yeah, chewing my chew toy. Fine! Never again, it's just not worth it, I'll try the sofa next time. Gotta chew something, right? WTF? He's still yelling. He's pointing at that puddle of pee over there. Why you yelling at me, it's obviously the pee's fault? Fine so he really hates pee. Note to self - don't let him see pee, or I'm gonna cop some flak over it"

So you clean up the pee and feel satisfied that the dog has got the message. He did, loud and clear. Just not the message you were trying to put across. Next thing you know the dog will totally not pee in front of you. Ever. You can walk that little bastard til his legs are hanging off. No dice. He's got the message all right - you hate pee. So he'll wait til you come back home, hours later, walking all funny cos all he wants to do is pee but he can't cos you'll see. Soon as you get back home what happens? Straight behind the sofa. Relief.

Good luck fixing that one

SO. MUCH. THIS.

I've known people who thought "crate training" meant putting newspapers in the crate to pee and shit on, and expected the puppy to sleep in there, too. SHIT AND PISS WHERE THEY SLEEP.

I don't go off on people often, but that's pretty much a guarantee.

[P3nT4gR4m]

I have a rescue, but whomever his prior owners were, he was completely house trained.  He has sicked up in the house once, but never pissed or shat in it, no matter how desperate he is.

Pretty sure they also beat him pretty badly.  It's been 7 months, and he's just now able to pass people in the house without cringing.

Mine hates getting his head patted. Like fucking hates it. He's never been beaten or anything I'm pretty sure it's just a personal preference but he cringes like hell if you go to pat him on the head, turning round so you can scratch the little magical bit no dog can reach, at the base of the tail.

Pretty sure I know what folks who try to pat him on the head are thinking, tho. 

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

It's a pretty common problem. A lot of people see people with dogs and think "ooh that
Also a lot of dog training is counter intuitive, as a result of how dogs minds work. First time dog owners make a lot of mistakes this way and, as a result, a lot of the training can actually work backwards 

Would you mind elaborating on this point? I feel this may have been my problem with dogs on the past.

Best example I can think of is potty training.

First off, dogs do not associate cause and effect, only immediate behavior. So you come into the room and you notice the dog has peed on the rug. Immediately you fly off the handle and roar and bawl at the dog who, by this time has zero recollection of peeing, ever. Straight away the dog is freaked out.

"I'm getting a bollocking. What was I doing, oh yeah, chewing my chew toy. Fine! Never again, it's just not worth it, I'll try the sofa next time. Gotta chew something, right? WTF? He's still yelling. He's pointing at that puddle of pee over there. Why you yelling at me, it's obviously the pee's fault? Fine so he really hates pee. Note to self - don't let him see pee, or I'm gonna cop some flak over it"

So you clean up the pee and feel satisfied that the dog has got the message. He did, loud and clear. Just not the message you were trying to put across. Next thing you know the dog will totally not pee in front of you. Ever. You can walk that little bastard til his legs are hanging off. No dice. He's got the message all right - you hate pee. So he'll wait til you come back home, hours later, walking all funny cos all he wants to do is pee but he can't cos you'll see. Soon as you get back home what happens? Straight behind the sofa. Relief.

Good luck fixing that one

YEP. Spot-on! It's like yelling at and punishing a dog for not coming to you when you call. Dog ain't EVER coming to you, you freak out whenever you get hold of him after calling him, you crazy motherfucker! No. Instead, reward the dog with pets and treats every time he comes to you.

I've finally (mostly) resolved Little Dog's peeing in the house by putting her food bowl right over every pee spot she makes. SHE HATES IT. She probably thinks I'm insane. She circles her food bowl, just fucking HORRIFIED, every time I do it (I do clean up the pee first, but she knows). However, she is also finally figuring out that the only way to make the madness stop is to pee OUTSIDE.

This is GENIUS.

And in spite of sniffing pee when you take them out, they don't want to LIVE in it any more than people do. I've housetrained most of my dogs by simply TAKING THEM OUTSIDE OFTEN ENOUGH. But I'm going to remember the food bowl thing if I get a problem pee-er. Thanks!

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

I have a rescue, but whomever his prior owners were, he was completely house trained.  He has sicked up in the house once, but never pissed or shat in it, no matter how desperate he is.

Pretty sure they also beat him pretty badly.  It's been 7 months, and he's just now able to pass people in the house without cringing.

Mine hates getting his head patted. Like fucking hates it. He's never been beaten or anything I'm pretty sure it's just a personal preference but he cringes like hell if you go to pat him on the head, turning round so you can scratch the little magical bit no dog can reach, at the base of the tail.

Pretty sure I know what folks who try to pat him on the head are thinking, tho. 

You've probably done this, but check his ears if you haven't already. Might be something sore in there.

What I did with mine was, when he was a pup, he'd pee every time he woke up (most of them do) so I'd pick him up as soon as his eyes opened, dump him outside and, as soon as he started, I'd yell "pee pees!" in a comdey high pitched voice then stuff a treat down his throat. if I fucked up and missed it. I'd just ignore the whole thing then clean it up when he was done.

Pretty much as soon as he gained a bit of bladder control he'd be clawing at the back door, whining, cos he knew he only got the happy noise and the scooby snack if it happened outside. So I'd let him out and sure enough "trickle"... "PEE PEES" ... "Chomp!" but it doesn't end there.

Thanks to the work of Mr Pavlov we know that the act of peeing and the happy noise have become inextricably linked in the dog and it's a two way street. So now when we're out all I have to tell him is "Pee Pees" and liquid comes out. That's kinda dog training in a nutshell.

When compared to Nigel's experience this is why I like to get them young. I wish I had the patience to take on a rescue but I don't and have nothing but admiration and appreciation for folks who do.

I have a rescue, but whomever his prior owners were, he was completely house trained.  He has sicked up in the house once, but never pissed or shat in it, no matter how desperate he is.

Pretty sure they also beat him pretty badly.  It's been 7 months, and he's just now able to pass people in the house without cringing.

Ouch. Completely house trained, and he's a Chow, isn't he? Politest dogs on earth.
Glad he's at your place now. Fuck.

[Salty]

It's a pretty common problem. A lot of people see people with dogs and think "ooh that
Also a lot of dog training is counter intuitive, as a result of how dogs minds work. First time dog owners make a lot of mistakes this way and, as a result, a lot of the training can actually work backwards 

Would you mind elaborating on this point? I feel this may have been my problem with dogs on the past.

Best example I can think of is potty training.

First off, dogs do not associate cause and effect, only immediate behavior. So you come into the room and you notice the dog has peed on the rug. Immediately you fly off the handle and roar and bawl at the dog who, by this time has zero recollection of peeing, ever. Straight away the dog is freaked out.

"I'm getting a bollocking. What was I doing, oh yeah, chewing my chew toy. Fine! Never again, it's just not worth it, I'll try the sofa next time. Gotta chew something, right? WTF? He's still yelling. He's pointing at that puddle of pee over there. Why you yelling at me, it's obviously the pee's fault? Fine so he really hates pee. Note to self - don't let him see pee, or I'm gonna cop some flak over it"

So you clean up the pee and feel satisfied that the dog has got the message. He did, loud and clear. Just not the message you were trying to put across. Next thing you know the dog will totally not pee in front of you. Ever. You can walk that little bastard til his legs are hanging off. No dice. He's got the message all right - you hate pee. So he'll wait til you come back home, hours later, walking all funny cos all he wants to do is pee but he can't cos you'll see. Soon as you get back home what happens? Straight behind the sofa. Relief.

Good luck fixing that one

That's a great distinctuon I never knew dogs had. That makes total sense.
Thanks!

[Cain]

I have nothing of substance to add

[P3nT4gR4m]

Cat thread now exclusively about dogs. Situation averted. Stand down

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

I like my cats part dog, and my dogs part cat.

(Why yes, I did own a spaniel and a tabby kitten, why do you ask?)

[Sita]

Our two cats are a russian blue and an american bombay

[Salty]

My cats breath smells like cat food.

[Salty]

And crickets.

[Pergamos]

A lot of people get dogs, not realizing that even very small dogs need a great deal of exercise to not go crazy. My dog ran and swam probably eighteen miles today, and she'll be antsy again by dog-thirty Friday. Small dog ran about six and she's good for a few days too. Then we do the short beach trip where we all get a few miles in Friday, and next week we do another long trip, and so on.

I kinda knew the dog would be too much when we got him, but he had been purchased by retarded criminal cousin, who was now moving somewhere dogs were not allowed and better the dog be at my house than sent to the pound.