HELP I have a Super Jealous 10 Wk old!!!!!

    • Gold Top Dog

    HELP I have a Super Jealous 10 Wk old!!!!!

    Zeus is only 10 weeks and he is already becoming jealous of my boyfriend that visits a couple times a week. I still give him the same amount of attention - so does my bf. But Zeus gets so jealous and to get my attention pees in the house when he doesnt pee inside any other time just when my bf is here. How can I get him to stop? He even does it if I had just let him outside.
    • Gold Top Dog

    "jealous" really isn't a dog thing -- but I can promise you that when your bf is there, your attention is probably fragmented and you may be missing cues that he has to go out, or he's so distracted when he's outside that he's not getting finished.  He bounces back inside focused on play and suddenly realizes "hey, I still gotta go!"

     It's also possible he has a UTI -- is the urine particularly strong, or is he drinking so much that it's totally weak and odorless?  If this continues you may want to have the vet check him for a UTI (and they can have one EARLY because the immune system isn't really online yet.)

    When your bf is there everything is "different".  He's got an extra person to play with, and that "play" may extend to "outside".  Make sure before you return to the house that he HAS gone.  If he's playing non-stop then he'll forget to go because at that age he really can't have learned to be fully housetrained.

    Dogs don't do stuff like that for revenge.  However, if your attention is elsewhere neither do they make extra effort to stay outside to elminate because to them one place is just a different place to run around and have fun in for a while. 

     I'm sure others will have a better 'training' explanation for you ... just remember dogs are extremely situational.  Just because they know "sit" in 10 minutes sitting in front of you in the living room, doesn't mean they will know "sit" an hour later on leash while they are outside, or while you are standing in front of friends.  Having your bf there COMPLETELY changes everything for the dog -- all the 'rules' just went out the window because somebuddy NEW is there.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Like Callie said, dogs don't do jealous. Are you sure that when your BF is around, the dog is getting out as much as when it's just you? Are you making sure he goes when he is outside during these times?  I know it may look like he is doing it to get your attention, but it often looks like something is for attention because you provide attention after it occurs. Either way, try to provide as little attention as possible when this occurs. Don't say anything, just get the puppy out the door. However, since you can predict when the problem will occur, I would also suggest keeping him on leash and attached to one of you at those times. That way, you can interrupt him immediately when it starts and get him outside.

    • Gold Top Dog
    Might I just add that there is no such thing as an absolutely 100% housetrained 10 week old pup?  This might be a case of too much freedom too soon?  And, I'll second Callies suggestion that your attention is a bit more fragmented when the bf is there.  That's totally normal and human nature.  After all, who'd want a guy around that didn't distract us just a little?
    • Gold Top Dog

    I'm wondering if there are other things that Zeus is doing when your bf is there that make you think he's jealous of him.  Dogs do consider their owner's a resource and they often attempt to keep that resource to themelves.  This is sometimes called jealousy by humans. 

     Another thought is that this is submissive urination.  If Zeus isn't used to men or other random people around he may be slightly intimidated or maybe he's overly excited/stimulated when the bf is there. Does he act submissive around your bf?  Either scenario can cause a pup to release urine.  Ignore the accidents, whatever the cause, and limit Zeus' freedom. 

    Thoroughly clean any areas where he's urinated with an enzymatic cleaner so he's not attracted to them. 

    Puppies have accidents when their humans aren't paying close attention and sometimes what we see as cause and effect is nothing more than a ten week old pup having an accident. :)

    • Gold Top Dog

    ^^^

    What she said SO WELL!!!

    Yes

    • Gold Top Dog

    Well i have had him for 2 weeks and have only had 4 accidents in the house and those were when my boyfriend is here and he had just been let out and peed twice before he came back in. He does like to drink alot of water but I limit that cuz he will drink til he gets sick. Any other time he rings the bell to go outside or if he hasnt been out in an hour i take him out or if he up playing he goes out every 30 min. usually when he does pee is right when I take my attention off of him and hug my bf any other time he is being played with. when I had my male boxer he kept a UTI and he always peed everywhere all the time so I know that is not the issue here or it would happen more than it has. He doesnt pee when he is excited or nervous - has been around alot of people to test this. Sheesh he even rings the dang bell when he out of water and wants more. I know he is not 100% housetrained- I am just really good at paying attention and letting him out- but this is completely different than me not paying attention or not going when hes out.

    : (

    • Gold Top Dog

    boxer04athena
    usually when he does pee is right when I take my attention off of him and hug my bf any other time he is being played with

    You say "usually" and that this has only happened four times.  What was happening when he peed the other times? It's good to keep a journal, if you truly believe there is a definite correlation to the boyfriend being over, and you two sharing affection, and the peeing accidents.  I tend to just focus on the way to change the behavior rather than being too focused on the reason, unless it's an adult dog with serious behavior problems.  The idea that a puppy, you've only had two weeks, could be displaying this behavior, in response to you giving attention to your boyfriend, is really beyond my experience.

    I don't know what kind of attention he's getting but if it were my pup, I'd be spending at least fifty percent of my time, when interacting with him, training.  Playing is great and I try and make most playing, training. He's not too young.  I start training pups from the day they arrive.  Teaching them sit and here, using treats.  Teaching them to retrieve is a great game and it also teaches several useful behaviors.  Teaching leave it.  Boundary training. Teaching them to get in their crate. All of these things are completely within his abilities to learn at this age, in fact dogs that don't learn some of these things early often have trouble learning them when they are older.  The sessions need to be very short and positive to keep him attentive and interested.  He's learning every second he's awake so I try and use the puppy stage to really focus the pup on enjoying learning things I want him to do for the rest of his life.

    A crate is also a great tool to prevent accidents,no matter the reason for them, and to give pups a safe place to hang out and to learn to entertain themselves without being dependent on their human for constant attention.  I've never leashed a pup to me.  It's too limiting to my movements and activities.  You may already be using a crate and training multiple times a day but I thought I'd throw these thoughts out, just in case. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    boxer04athena
    he always peed everywhere all the time so I know that is not the issue here or it would happen more than it has

    DON'T expect a puppy to react the same way to a UTI as your other dog.  Every dog is different.  Some will stop drinking totally -- some will drink the house down.  But you're also saying he ASKS for more water -- how much IS he drinking?  Honestly it sounds like it *could* be a UTI to me -- they don't have to have water just running out of them to have a UTI. 

    boxer04athena
    or not going when hes out

    Remember this is a puppy -- a SMALL one.  He's got the attention span of a gnat!  They may pee while "out" but if a scent catches his nose or if he sees a cloud moving or anyting else MORE interesting he may stop after he releases SOME urine (cos you gotta save some to mark with you know!) but then he's not emptying his bladder fully *every time*. 

    In short -- lilsten to what Jackie is saying -- every single dog is different and some are more challenging to train than others.