First of all let me recommend a book entitled Why does your dog do that? (sorry, cannot remember the author). Secondly, let me state categorically that dogs (or other animals) do not do things for the same reasons that humans would. Spite is not in their nature. Putting human trait explanations onto animal behavior is common, but faulty. Their motivation is different and far more pure.
The dog is going in the kitchen because it HAS gone there before and that is now THE place to go. All the time spent outside with it must be a long hardship for the dog, since it will hold it until it gets back in and can relieve itself at last. I had a dear friend, now deceased, who would say things as though it were the dog saying it, and never ceased to crack me up. Once when I mentioned that this was happening to me - that I had put the dogs out, left them for a loooong time and would find them at the door ready to come back in when I checked on them - she said, "Of course! LET ME IN, I have to GO!"
Understand that the dog has to go under certain circumstances: Right after eating, perhaps immediately, perhaps 10 minutes. Right after waking up from sleep, whether they slept 5 hours or 5 minutes. Right after prolonged grooming, as in a bath and clip with nails cut. Right after vigorous play or exercise. In the morning, the dog should be taken out immediately, even before the human has relieved themselves.
Also understand that dogs, by nature, are clean and will not soil where they sleep if given the opportunity to get away from those quarters. Many dogs want a quiet, unbusy place to go, as while they are in the act they are vulnerable. Perhaps it is a throwback to nature again. A puppy would not go while out into an open yard devoid of trees perhaps or other cover and hunker down if it were living in the wild state.
For whatever reason, this puppy is not being watched at critical times for when the urge to go will be most likely. AS SOON AS the puppy gets up and runs hurriedly off and out of the room or goes nose to ground or circles or otherwise looks agitated, a bright voice should say "Outside?" while walking and calling and repeating the question all the way to the door that is desired to be used. When outside, take (or walk) the puppy to the desired area of the yard and wait while it smells around and finally goes. Do not snatch it up immediately or call to go back in. Do not play or talk to the pup except to say a cue word or phrase over and over. I use, "Hurry up!" Many times a dog will go several times before being completely finished. And usually will do both jobs.
If the friend is cleaning the offending site in the kitchen with ammonia, she may actually be reinforcing that this is the right spot to do that particular job. Clorox would be better, and there are even better products than that sold by pet stores and in catalogs for taking the odor out - to the dog's nose as well as to the human's.
The dog should not be allowed to run free in the house unless someone is doing nothing else but paying attention to the dog until it is reliably trained. Each time it does its "no-no" in the house, it reinforces that this is what should be done. If the person is busy doing tasks, many people put the dog on a leash and run a belt through the end of the leash so that the dog is right at their heels no matter what they are doing. That way they can feel any different movement and be able to detect immediate needs for a trip outside. It makes no difference how long or how often a dog is taken out if it isn't the right time. It merely sets up a "play" time whenever they are out in the yard, instead of getting down to business. There are many ways to break this habit, this is one. But in all methods, consistency is the key. First they have to go outside, and be praised for it. Then they have to be watched and taken out when there is possibly a need. They have to be walked to the same part of the yard (dogs will usually go in the same spot or close to it), and then the human has to patiently just wait until it does go. Lots of praise. A change in tone is the best clue to your dog that its behavior is acceptable. No amount of scolding for doing something unacceptable is of any use if there is no comprehension of what IS acceptable. "I had to go, my human is angry with me."
From Judy & her FMcMBs
MINPINSB@aol.com
The Plank Road JackFack
This is a Jack Russell Terrier page but has a great crate training
section.
