Changes in a dog's life that create anxiety, such as moving to a new house or the loss of another family pet, can cause them to start urinating or defecating inappropriately even if they've been trained not to. Retraining your pet is similar to first-time training, but you'll need to be understanding. Comfort your pet through his anxiety.
Step 1
Take your pet outside to an area that smells and feels familiar to him. Don't just open the door to let your miniature pinscher out in the yard like you normally would. Walk outside with him so he knows he's safe, and take him to an area that smells and feels familiar. Take him to this same spot in the yard each day. He will smell his own scent and know that this is his potty spot.
Step 2
Reward your miniature pinscher with a treat or his favorite toy when he relieves himself outside. Calmly give him affection for a job well done. Don't give your dog commands to encourage him to relieve himself. You want to ease his anxiety, and you being in a hurry will only make him feel rushed or stressed and can actually make your training less effective.
Step 3
Take your pup out often and on a consistent schedule. Miniature pinschers can be a difficult breed to train as puppies and, accordingly, when retraining. You need to be consistent with your training sessions. Take your pet out first thing in the morning and before you both go to bed at night, as well as after each meal and whenever he wakes up from a nap. Create a training schedule and stick to it. Your miniature pinscher will respond. Be patient; retraining your pup to relieve himself outside can take a few weeks.
Step 4
Remain calm but firm when your pet relieves himself inside the house. If you catch him relieving himself indoors, remove him immediately outside to the spot you have designated for potty training. Miniature pinschers require firm training, but don't yell at your pup or create a big fuss when he eliminates in the house. It's likely your pet is relieving himself inside again because of anxiety he is experiencing, so you want to make this process as stress-free as possible. Stay consistent and take your pup outside immediately.
References
Tips
- Supervise your pet when he's in the house to catch him if he's preparing to relieve himself inside. If you see him squatting, scratching at the door or sniffing the ground, take him outside immediately.
Writer Bio
Courtney McCaffrey graduated from the College of Charleston in 2008 with a B.A. in media studies. She has served as an editor for Blooming Twig Books and the MADA Writing Services publishing company. She is now a writer on various outdoor sports such as snowboarding, skiing, surfing and bodysurfing.