Ugh, a lot of this is my/our fault. I let him out frequently however, I don't follow him or watch him when we are inside the house. I haven't been treating him when he goes outside, either, except to praise him calmly and very sweetly when he goes appropriately. My husband on the other hand is the challenge. He is not going to discipline or set any kind of boundaries with Jelly whatsoever. He just isn't. He thinks it is mean. He lets Jelly out in the morning because I do the 1AM let-out. He takes him outside and stays with him out there for about ten minutes. He will lay on the deck the entire time, and Jelly lays right next to him without going. Jelly hates the grass now with it being soaked with dew this time of year. John doesn't demand that he go. Petey goes and does his thing - he is completely house broken - and then they go inside to have their breakfast. While John is making breakfast, Jelly will poop and pee in the house. Makes me crazy. This morning, I let them out (because I was up and couldn't sleep), and I kept him out until he did both and then we came inside. I've talked to John, but it doesn't make any difference. I don't mean to wear this phrase out, but it is so appropriate here. I told John that Jelly has absolutely no rules, boundaries or limitations, and we don't ask him to do anything. I think this is a lot of the problem. We have the tail wagging the dog here. I should be the one to let him out in the morning, however, I resent that I have to do everything.
That’s definitely frustrating if John doesn’t want to help much for house training at least.
Both of you need to be consistent and say the same things, making sure to get Jelly in the grass outside to pee, not just lay on the deck.
I don’t have rules or boundaries or many limitations for Rusty, but he was taught the basics, however I haven’t spent too much time working on commands like ‘come’.
However, the only things Rusty knows we want him to listen to is:
-Go to the back door to be let outside. NO peeing in the house no matter how cold or wet it is outside.
-no begging for food when we eat
-no jumping on or off furniture like the couch, wait for me to pick him up and put him on the floor when he wants-and only when I’m on the couch is he allowed(or my parents, but not by himself)
- sleeps in his crate right beside my bed at night, and if he gets to cuddle on my bed in the morning, wait for me to put him on and off-NO jumping.
-NO stairs, when he wants to go upstairs, wait for me to pick him up and carry him(the odd time my mom takes him up, he thinks he can do the stairs but that’s only happened a couple of times).
So simply 5 things I have limitations for Rusty, not many but simple, and it’s not mean.
I’m only using Rusty as example of what I have trained him to not do, and although not always easy, we need to have them know as early as possible that the main thing is to potty outside, NOT in the house.
I’m not sure how John thinks that’s mean, but unfortunately it just makes training harder for you, and the more he does it the harder it will be.
Are you able to start rewarding with treats when he pees outside? Are you able to start watching him more and be ready to spray him when he pees inside the house?
Or if you and John can’t train Jelly to not pee in the house, I recommend then looking into a grass tray for him to pee on which would be a last resort for me, but at least it saves your floors and bed from him peeing on.
And yes, I agree you shouldn’t be the one doing everything, John should be able to help out too while being consistent making Jelly go on the grass outside.
I had my parents on the same page as far as commands when I was house training Rusty when he was a pup, as if I had to work, they use the same commands and spray him if he peed In the house, that way everyone was doing the same thing and being consistent, he knew he can’t get away with going pee in the house if I’m not home, that definitely makes a difference when everyone that is home to let him out, we all say the same thing.
No one is being mean by setting a couple commands/expectations for house training.
Must be very frustrating for you with John not being consistent and not doing the same
As mentioned before, treats and praise when he goes outside and being consistent and spray him if you catch him peeing in the house, at least if he is food motivated he will know he should pee outside to get the rewards, even if your the only one that does this, Jelly might figure this out
