Loki knows his cue to go outside. He's used it, tested it, and double tested it. For two days, he's had a signal to let us know that he needs to go out.

When does he pee inside? When he wants something that he can't have.

Yesterday I was eating some pizza on the couch. He was being great, just sitting there and staring but not jumping or sniffing. Instead, what does he do? Go to the other room, and PEE, LOUDLY to get my attention. He knows that when he pees on the carpet I get up and grab him to go outside. He lunged to avoid getting caught, and went straight to the pizza and took a huge bite!! The little bugger!

And just now, I told him to leave the garbage can alone. He didn't listen, so I grabbed his muzzle and repeated "No. Leave it." So he walked to the middle of the living room, squatted, and peed. He just stared at me like "Then ^@% you too!!"

What do I do about this?? Does your dog do this?

How old is your dog? How long has he been potty trained without a legitimate accident that you wouldnt consider retaliation peeing?

He's 18 months old. We just adopted him on Tuesday, but he's been "accident free" for 3 days (so last true accident Friday). The "retaliation" was Sunday and today.

So I guess, was I assuming he was housebroken when maybe he wasn't entirely, and making false connections? Because that did seem awful fast to get housebroken.

Yeah. Hes probably just not fully housebroken, and if hes got his balls, he may just be testing the pack order and trying to establish whats his, etc etc. I can tell you that during this very stressful time for your new dog, you should focus on only positive reinforcement methods, and redirection, not correction. It can do wonders to give a dog a cookie. Especially when everything you do is establishing the relationship this dog is going to have with you.

He was fixed Monday so yeah, I'm sure he has a little bit of hormones left over still. Good point on the +reinforcement/redirection stuff.

My worst fear is not making a solid, positive relationship with him. My grandpa used "traditional" training methods- rolled newspapers, rubbing noses into soiled carpet, etc, and he always had a sort of distance with his pets which I don't wanna have with Loki.

I don't rub Karli's nose in her pee, it really doesn't do anything but make her upset. She peed on my couch last night (she's potty trained but we are hitting the teenage stage and I think she's testing to see what mommy will put up with) and I just put her to bed early after taking her outside to pee out there (after an acccident, I always reward her for peeing outside, to reinforce that she should pee outside, not in the house.) Be consistent in your training, it will help a lot.

I wouldnt call your grandpas methods "traditional". Just old. Theyre ineffective, which is why professionals dont use them. While i do use positive punishment and negative assosciation, it is certaintly more structured than hitting the dog.

cinnamonbits - yep, mine is definitely in the teenage stage too. We always reward for outside pottying!

K9_Eric - well yeah, by "traditional" I mean, "things old people who don't know how to train animals would do". I dislike using positive punishment (and woo! you know the correct term!) as much as possible when I can help it. I need to learn when it is appropriate. I feel bad enough giving Loki the "nose boop", soft pat on the nose, let alone full on hitting him would probably break my heart. I can't imagine ever doing that to him.