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I have adopted 2 pom-terrier cross dogs. They are brother and sister and are 3.5 years old. They pee all over the house! I am having difficulty training them because since there are 2 of them I cannot punish one or the other because I am not sure who did the peeing! and since they have started peeing in the house - my other dog (a 10 year old chihuahua mix) has begun peeing as well (marking their territories). It is a whole big pee-fest! I tried putting paper down by the front door and while they will pee there (and I can put them outside) - they still pee in the hallway. They have a heated dog house outside as well as a large fenced in dog-run (the size of a small yard). They will be outside all day and then come in the house and poop in the hallway. Thank god we have hardwood but they are peeing on the carpet runners. What can I do?!!!! They will also pee on my shoes in the closet if I forget to close it.

Any suggestions? I am willing to try anything. I love em like kids so I understand this will take some time!

>>I have adopted 2 pom-terrier cross dogs. They are brother and sister and are 3.5 years old. They pee all over the house! I am having difficulty training them because since there are 2 of them I cannot punish one or the other because I am not sure who did the peeing! and since they have started peeing in the house - my other dog (a 10 year old chihuahua mix) has begun peeing as well (marking their territories). It is a whole big pee-fest! I tried putting paper down by the front door and while they will pee there (and I can put them outside) - they still pee in the hallway. They have a heated dog house outside as well as a large fenced in dog-run (the size of a small yard). They will be outside all day and then come in the house and poop in the hallway. Thank god we have hardwood but they are peeing on the carpet runners. What can I do?!!!! They will also pee on my shoes in the closet if I forget to close it.
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>>Any suggestions? I am willing to try anything. I love em like kids so I understand this will take some time!

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It takes time, but not a mess all over the house in the meantime, and not punishment. I have an article on Defensive Dog Behavior that explains what can happen from trying to housetrain a dog with punishment (note the word "trying"--it does not succeed)and articles filed under "Housetraining" in the Table of Contents that give all the how-to of housetraining. They are located at the link below, with my signature.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

Thank you! It is getting better with a few accidents. Everybody asks me "well, didn't you push their nose to the ground in their pee and rub their nose in it?" I am always horrified by that question and action. If your child had an accident would you grab them by the head and put it in the ground and rub their nose in it? NO! So why would I do that to my dog which is, in so many ways, my child. So thank you we will keep working on it. My usual form of punishment is looking at them and asking which one did it - I can't even yell at them! and I know they have never gotten a swat on the butt from me either which people always expect you to do. Have a good day.

>>Thank you! It is getting better with a few accidents. Everybody asks me "well, didn't you push their nose to the ground in their pee and rub their nose in it?" I am always horrified by that question and action. If your child had an accident would you grab them by the head and put it in the ground and rub their nose in it? NO! So why would I do that to my dog which is, in so many ways, my child. So thank you we will keep working on it. My usual form of punishment is looking at them and asking which one did it - I can't even yell at them! and I know they have never gotten a swat on the butt from me either which people always expect you to do. Have a good day.

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I have a couple of articles that really address the punishment stuff with housetraining. One is "Housetraining for Good Bonding with Your New Dog" (or the one you've had a long time, for that matter!) and the other is Defensive Dog Behaviors. It's a shame that people still believe the rub the dog's nose in it mess. They may very well be teaching their dogs to eat it! Plus, why teach your dog to distrust you? Housetraining is your chance to get off to a wonderful start with your dog.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47