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Wedding Etiquette Forum
Doggy ladies
I read a post on here a few days ago about a girl who's getting rid of her dog because she chewed her shoes, and from the responses she got, it seems a lot of you ladies have dogs that you've trained. So, I have a training question.
What's the best way to housetrain a dog that's already housetrained? I know, weird, but my dog, who is extremely obedient, has recently started going to the bathroom in the house again. It's always when we're either not here or sleeping, and even if we take him out and make sure he goes before he's left alone, he still does it, almost like he's marking or something. He did this a little bit when we first brought him home from the shelter 2 years ago, but I think that was more him marking his territory because it stopped pretty quickly.
Any ideas? If there's a better place for this, feel free to let me know, I just know this board gets a lot of traffic which is why I'm posting here.
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Re: Doggy ladies
Take him out frequently and give tons of praise for going outside. If you need to consider crating him or confining him to a non-enticing pee area while you are away or asleep.
Have you ruled out health issues? If he has an infection it could cause him to need to go while you are asleep or not be able to hold his bladder as well as before.
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It sounds to me like it's maybe a seperation thing, seeing as how he won't do it when you're at home.
Have you guys moved recently? Is there any changes that would be causing him stress right now?
I KNOW how inhumane this is but maybe crating him while you are gone or sleeping.
OP, I'd probably check with the vet first and then try crating.
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[QUOTE]<strong>How is crating inhumane?</strong> We don't do it, but I've heard great things about it from friends and professional dog trainers, and considering how much Lola loves being cozied in small places, I think she'd be very happy to have a "house." They don't know it's a cage and that cages have some negative connotations, they think it's a den. OP, I'd probably check with the vet first and then try crating.
Posted by emilyinchile[/QUOTE]
Sarcasm font. :)
From when wiwicat or whatever burst into the threat about staciepoop getting rid of her dog with "ZOMG, CRATING IS SO INHUMANE! How would you like to be put in a cage" and other bs like that.
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[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Doggy ladies : Sarcasm font. :) From when wiwicat or whatever burst into the threat about staciepoop getting rid of her dog with "ZOMG, CRATING IS SO INHUMANE! How would you like to be put in a cage" and other bs like that.
Posted by crash2729[/QUOTE]
Oh thank god. I didn't get the sarcasm and thought that you really were saying that it's so awful but sometimes necessary. Nevermind me...
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[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Doggy ladies : Oh thank god. I didn't get the sarcasm and thought that you really were saying that it's so awful but sometimes necessary. Nevermind me...
Posted by emilyinchile[/QUOTE]
It's okay. Some times I miss the sarcasm fonts too.
I don't mind. lol
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I agree with the PP, if there haven't been any changes in you house, contact the vet.
It seems bizarre that a dog with start going the bathroom in the house without a physical or emotional stressor.
However, if that is the case... Def crate him/her. I never used to use it as punishment, just as a training tool. And also as a reassurance that my little guy was safe when I wasn't around. I'm a huge fan. I would also give him a treat when he went in to try to associate the crate with a prize, instead of any negative feelings.
Good Luck!!
[QUOTE]Dafodil, I didn't mean it offensively, and I completely agree with you. That was just the general attitude she had, as though her dog were some accessory she didn't find appealing anymore.
Posted by mejane123[/QUOTE]
Just a general statement. It makes me cringe every time.
Ruf loved his crate. We had to take it away because we couldn't get him to come out and spend time with us.
Whatever you hatters be hattin. -Tay Prince
[QUOTE]Brandywine, what do you use to clean your floors? All of the wood floor cleaner I can find is for finished hardwood, but ours is almost unfinished pine, which is soft. I'm sure if we could get it completely clean, that would help.
Posted by mejane123[/QUOTE]
I haven't read the label on the stuff to know if it's ok for unfinished floors, but I have old hardwood (finished) in my house and I use Murphey's Oil Soap.
Whatever you hatters be hattin. -Tay Prince
[QUOTE]Re: crating. We only crate trained one of our dogs but HE LOVES IT. We did it initially as a way to keep him from destroying the house or hurting himself while we were gone when he was a puppy. He just randomly hangs out in there now, whenever he feels like it. We hardly latch it anymore. He won't sleep anywhere but the crate.
Posted by laurenclaire1386[/QUOTE]
<div>
</div><div>We crated him at first because we wanted him to get used to the house when we were around at first. That lasted about a week, though, because he didn't show any destructive behavior and it didn't really seem necessary. Every so often we'll find a stray shoe, glove, tape measure, whatever, in his bed with him, but I think that's more of a separation thing. He just picks up whatever has our smell on it and brings it to bed with him. It's pretty adorable, to be honest.</div>
[QUOTE]Brandywine, what do you use to clean your floors? All of the wood floor cleaner I can find is for finished hardwood, but ours is almost unfinished pine, which is soft. I'm sure if we could get it completely clean, that would help.
Posted by mejane123[/QUOTE]
<div>I have a couple of different items, as I have cats and the dog, but, Natures Miracle works, or this:</div><div>
</div><div><a href="http://www.petco.com/product/102476/CLEAN--green-Wood-And-Tile-Cleaner-Odor-Eliminator-And-Stain-Remover.aspx?CoreCat=MM_DogSupplies_StainOdorControl">http://www.petco.com/product/102476/CLEAN--green-Wood-And-Tile-Cleaner-Odor-Eliminator-And-Stain-Remover.aspx?CoreCat=MM_DogSupplies_StainOdorControl</a></div><div>
</div><div>I've never had an issue with either staining the floor. I let them sit for a while to penetrate the floor before cleaning up. Obviously try it on a small area first, but hopefully it works for you!</div>
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Also, have you changed your dog's diet recently? I had a similar issue with my dog. I had been feeding him mostly dry dog food with some wet occasionally mixed in, and they were pretty cheap foods (store-brand food). That's what I fed him because he was originally the family dog and he was almost always fed off-brand food since he was a puppy. He would prefer people food to his own food, but I thought that was natural for a dog (he's the first dog I've ever taken care of solo).
When he moved in with me, he would occasionally have an accident, and I thought it was either separation anxiety or marking a new space, but it got worse last year. It was to where he had to sleep in the room with me with the door closed because he would go out and have an accident in my living room or foyer in the middle of the night. He didn't seem like he was in distress. I assumed it was because I hadn't cleaned marked spaces thoroughly enough (my apartment is carpeted). And the vet said he was healthy.
Anyway, I decided to change his dog food to Pet Pride natural dry dog food. I had briefly had him on a different natural dog brand and he liked it (but it got discontinued), so I saw it at the store and thought I'd try it out on him. It's a little more expensive than the store brand, though still very reasonable compared to most name brands, and it's so worth it. He gets excited at mealtimes and he always cleans his bowl, so I don't have to supplement his meals with people food.
But most relevant to your situation, my dog no longer has accidents. He hasn't had one since I changed his food, and that was a few months ago. So if in your case there was a food change, maybe your dog is having issues tolerating it and it might be worth upgrading to something else.
I really have nothing to add, other than to say you've been given great advice. Absolutely rule out a medical reason before all else (we have a rescue who regularly was peeing in the house because she had recuring urinary tract infections, which are now under control)...
And when in doubt: "supervision or confinement". If you can't be there to observe (and you said the dog is not doing it while you are around), confine him. That means reverting to crating again or confining in a small area, such as a kitchen or bathroom (where cleanup would be easy should he have an accident).
Good luck!