Dog flap and messing

[Italian greyhound]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have a very specific problem I am having with my Italian Greyhound.
I have a dog flap installed in the kitchen door, which allows my dog the freedom to come and go as she pleases and also can access the garden when she needs to relieve herself.

She is 5 in April and the dog flap was installed last spring, at first she was not taken with it and I had to keep the flap open to encourage her to use in and she soon picked it up. The problem started as the days grew colder, she didn’t want to go out and would foul in the kitchen. This use to be one off occasions and she always knew she shouldn’t have. The problem is it is now becoming a daily event, mainly through the night, she will not go out and I will come down to find 2 presents waiting for me on the kitchen floor.

I have tried several techniques.
1. telling her off, but she knows she shouldn’t do it and the nature of these dogs are so timid that she would hear me coming down in the morning and she would run out into the garden (ironically through the dog flap) so that I couldn’t tell her off.

2. I tried to praise her every time she used the dog flap and every time I came back from being out/first thing in the morning and make a big fuss of her when she hadn't made a mess.

3. Take her out for a long walk in the evenings to encourage her to sleep soundly through the night in the hope that it would break the urge to go during the night.

The problem is, none of these techniques are working and I am at a loss what to do. She is still young and I don't want this to be what I have to expect now from her.

Can anyone please help me?

[kc101164]

i don't think you should praise her for not fouling - is she likely to know what she's being praised for?

i think it's unusual for any dog to need to poo in the night-

check her food, don't feed her too late after 6, especially if it's a dry dog food type. they can lie very heavy on the stomach.

good idea to give her a late night walk - sometimes chucking into the back garden isn't enough - a lot of dogs just wait to be let back in - they need the jiggling up an down to activate!

i doubt it's a medical problem, but it might be an idea to have a word with the vet, just to check her tummy and bowels. i would have thought that 5 is too young for the incontinence some older dogs get. it's more likely to be a bad habit.

personally i would not let her use the flap at night, because of the cold (i have a cat - they get cold!) and would just make a concerted effort to train her, just as you would a puppy. after all, you want to be able to visit friends and take to other places and feel confident. try only letting her in that part of the house for a few days - she might be less likely to dirty her own area if she can't get into the clean rooms later.

good luck - i adore those grayhoundswith their love me eyes!

[Si_1001]

This problem sounds very similar to the problem I am having.
Im wondering if you have tried changing the time of feeding or if any of the suggestions made have worked for you yet??
Rgds
Si