Any advice greatly welcomed as im truly at my witts end (have even gone to bed crying in the day because of it)

I have a ten month old border collie, i got him from rescue kennels at 8 weeks old, he was starved and petrified (all the litter where the same) they all cowered and weed when you went near them, he used to scream if i touched him unexpected, he still has phobias but is very dominant at home, he pickes daily fights with my other three dogs wich just creates stress with everyone.

One of my biggest problems is i cant house train him, he gets up in the night and toilets in my sons room but if i lock him in my room he dosnt do it, he may have the odd accident.

He can be let outside , and he comes in to toilet. his fave place is the kitchehn, whenever he gets access to the kitchen he goes to the toilet, the house is now like jail with gates everywhere which isnt practical and my son sometimes forgets to shut them.

if i go out for ten mins and come home he has done soemthing, its almost like a protest i left him, he has to be caged all the time when left even for ten mins which is a problem now as i cant give him water, due to this im hardly leaving the house im cancelling trips and time away from home because of leaving him, its really really getting me don as my others have started to copy him.

he even does it in front of me, and once cocked his leg up me while i was on the couch and recently he did it to my son.

I met his sister at puppy class and she had the same problems (a nervouse wreck and difficult to house train although she isnt agrressive like Bracca) the trainer and vets seem to think its very bad breeding.

im so desperate im even travelling to london next week to be filmed for derek acorahs show where he will attempt to talk to bracca psychically, i really am that desperate and stressed.

Any ideas before i lose the will to live?

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Tiggy, 13 yr old Collie x Alsation, Lucy 11 yr old epileptic cross breed, Kara, collie x whippet

Oh forgot to say, he wont hold himself in the hosue but he very rarely ever has a wee while out and has never done a poop.

I had to take him out with me today as i coudlnt leave him, we set off at 10.30 and got home at 4 and he hadnt gone to the toilet once so he can hold it, he just chooses not to.

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Tiggy, 13 yr old Collie x Alsation, Lucy 11 yr old epileptic cross breed, Kara, collie x whippet

Oh dear I do feel for you is the dog castrated as this sometimes helps?

Hi. I am sorry to hear you are having so many problems. As the owner of 3 rescue dogs, I know how difficult it can be.

Your problem is much bigger than toilet training and goes far deeper. what have you done to help combat his dominance in the home? How much exercise is he getting per day? How did you start off toilet training?

He needs to be taken out very often to the garden and when he does it praised and rewarded with the best food reward. Does he not go on walks? very unusual for male dogs not to urinate on walks. Restrict his access to just the kitchen until you have this under control.

I would imagine that you have probably tried the above. Have you seen a behaviourist?

x

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Lilly, Max, Henry and Sammy. The joys of my life!

www.rescueremedies.co.uk
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I feel so sorry for you, I have just rescued a lurcher and he wasnt toilet trained at all, he was also very traumatised. He did mark in the house as I have another male dog, and because I had to feed him little and often we did have an occasional accident but to be fair he did it on paper. Since I have got him on one main meal a day he is brilliant. They have a good romp in the morning before food and then about two main walks a day and he pees about 10 times a walk. As said it is very unusual for a male dog not to cock his leg outside. He does sound a very unhappy dog and I really hope you gain something from Derek Acorah. Very best of luck and I admire you for sticking with it

Rather than LETTING him outside, you need to TAKE him outside and stay with him until he's been. Take a brolly if it's raining, and a book. When he goes, put a word to it. He sounds very insecure - often dogs are unwilling to toilet outside because leaving their "calling card" draws attention to themselves. It's the opposite of a confident dog weeing up every single lamppost...

Don't leave him with no water, especially in this weather. He is not soiling out of protest - he isn't human.

You must be desperate! I'd seek a good behaviourist if I were you - one which doesn't bang on about "dominance" and who uses positive, kind methods. No doubt Degsy will tell you a load of unprovable gumph about experiences your dog had before you got him but I highly doubt he'll be of any use at all.

Go back to basics.

Clean all the areas he's soiled with a solution of biological washing powder which will get rid of the smell in a way that other cleaners can't. Limit his access to those places when you're not able to supervise him.

TAKE (as opposed to put) him outside every 20 minutes AND:
After food.
After a drink.
After play.
After a training session.
After a sleep.
During the ad breaks when you're watching telly.

While he's going, put a word to it. Praise gently.

Crate him when you can't keep an eye.

It sounds as if he is convinced that the house is the toilet - because that's where he toilets most. That's all housetraining is - making sure that they toilet where you want them to so that they then learn where the toilet is. He's got it the wrong way round

Hi thanks,

yes he is castrated i had him done the second the vet agreed lol

He has improved as not long ago i couldnt nip to the toilet/put rubbish in the bin etc without him toileting and it took me litterally seconds to do those things, not at least i can use the toilet without having to crate him is this seperation anxiety?

Is weeing up a person dominance?

In this weather the door is open all the time so he will go to the toilet outside a bit more but i know i coudlnt leave him in the house unsupervised, he would instantly wee/ poop.

he even used to wee through the bars of the cage by cocking his leg up when crated but hasnt done this for a while.

He never cockes his leg up when we are out, i think he is to busy paying attention to all the things that frighten him or other dogs to lunge at.

I took him to an agricultural show yesterday as i was helping with the ferret show and no one would look after him, he was crated with one of my other dogs outside the tent and behave amazingly well, only barked at passing dogs a few times however out of the crate was a different story, he rears up and twists his body even rolling onto the floor its so embarrassing everyone looks. He has never been attacked by a dog so i cant understand it, did i say he will bite its not just threats?

is all his behaviour linked?

i wanted him for agility but how can i train/compete if he behaves like that?

i wont kennel my dos so i took up camping last year and took them along, this years holiday has been cancelled because i coudlnt cope with his behaviour and certainly couldnt have him peeing and pooping in the tent.

I wonder if he needs a different home, one with no other dogs? i feel like im giving him a bad life and he would be happier with someone else, he seems such a troubled dog he constantly feels he has to defend being top dog and he isnt a human type of dog, he wont sit on the couch, sleep on the bed or have cuddles/strokes he just dosnt seem to want human connection.

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Tiggy, 13 yr old Collie x Alsation, Lucy 11 yr old epileptic cross breed, Kara, collie x whippet