Housebreaking a 5 year old dog???

How many times a day does she go potty? It sounds like it's back to Housetraining 101 for your pup. If bringing her with you is too much of a hassle, maybe you can crate her or confine her in an exercise pen when nobody's around to supervise. Also, clean the rug very, very well to remove the urine odors.

She goes pee about 4-5 times a day - usually whenever I let her out. This happens inside whenever I leave the house for only a minute - like I had to get something out of the car and when I came back inside she went on the rug.  Normally when we are  home she has the run of the house and is absolutely fine...only when I step outside.  I can bring her with me each time, but will that reinforce it that I can never go out alone again?  Or I could crate her for those 2 min I am gone, but will that make her even madder?  What a dilema!!  Thanks for your help.

Or I could crate her for those 2 min I am gone, but will that make her even madder?

I would definitely recommend crating her while you're out. Her peeing on the rug doesn't mean that she's "mad." You might have a dog with separation anxiety - be careful, and build up the crating and leaving very slowly. Put her in the crate while you're in the house, then while you go to the bathroom, etc. Always with lots of treats and toys and fun things inside with her.

You may want to try keeping her on leash with the leash attached to you. When you go out, so does she. For me this has been very effective in stopping housetraining problems as they happen so that the dog will learn it's not OK.

I agree that this is separation anxiety - not a housetraining issue.  Sadie is not yet convinced that you will always come back!  A good guess at her life is puppy mill, pet store, owner #1 (then #2? #3?), maybe the streets, rescue, and finally you, i-type.  I bet a video camera would show that she frantically runs around while you are gone.
 
McConnell, Patricia
I#%92ll be Home Soon: How to Prevent & Treat Separation Anxiety, 6/2000, booklet
[linkhttp://tinyurl.com/6k6ej]http://tinyurl.com/6k6ej[/link]
 
Separation anxiety links:
[linkhttp://www.wonderpuppy.net/canwehelp/dbfear.htm]http://www.wonderpuppy.net/canwehelp/dbfear.htm[/link]
[linkhttp://canines.com/library/sepanxiety.shtml]http://canines.com/library/sepanxiety.shtml[/link]
[link>http://www.wagntrain.com/SeparationAnx.htm]http://www.wagntrain.com/SeparationAnx.htm[/link][/size]
[linkhttp://www.cochranehumane.ca/html/resources/sepanx.htm]http://www.cochranehumane.ca/html/resources/sepanx.htm[/link]
[linkhttp://www.foxterrier.com/info/sepanxiety.php]http://www.foxterrier.com/info/sepanxiety.php[/link]
[linkhttp://www.greytdogs.com/problem.html]http://www.greytdogs.com/problem.html[/link]
[linkhttp://www.pawschicago.org/PetCare/dogs_sa.htm]http://www.pawschicago.org/PetCare/dogs_sa.htm[/link]
[linkhttp://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/SeparationAnxiety.php]http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/SeparationAnxiety.php[/link]
[linkhttp://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2002/sa.htm]http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2002/sa.htm[/link]
 [size=2]
[color=#000000]Mild anti-anxiety aids:

• [size=2]Rescue Remedy (very gentle relaxer) [link>http://www.bachflower.com/Rescue_Remedy.htm]www.bachflower.com/Rescue_Remedy.htm[/link]
  
• Comfort Zone DAP spray or plug-in - mimics a new mother's pheromones   [/size][linkhttp://www.dog.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=270184+001]http://www.dog.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=270184+001[/link]     [linkhttp://www.dog.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=110001]www.dog.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=110001[/link]
  
• a towel that has your scent
  
• Gentle Leader Calming Cap  [linkhttp://www.sitstay.com/store/health/anxiety.shtml]www.sitstay.com/store/health/anxiety.shtml[/link]
  
• Anxiety Wrap (or a t-shirt snugged with a large safety pin may also work)    [link>http://www.sitstay.com/store/clothing/anxwrap.shtml]www.sitstay.com/store/clothing/anxwrap.shtml[/link][/size]

[size=2]
Don't ask why a snug shirt helps. No one really knows. It may be like swaddling clothes for infants. The DAP is even used in shelters to keep the dogs calmed. (Some people have really regretted running out of the DAP refills for the plug-in.) [/size][/size][/color]

Thank you so much for all of your help...do you really think that me just emptying the trash and her peeing is from anxiety?  I thought she was mad she was alone. She had a horrible life before coming here so maybe that is true - As long as I am home with her she is fine, but even to go out to get the mail makes her pee!  I will try to read all you linked me up with and not scold her or show her the mess.  Maybe in time she will feel more secure and stop this.  Thank you
Sherry

I thought she was mad she was alone

Dogs don't think this way - they aren't spiteful or revengeful.  Humans think this way, but not dogs []

As long as I am home with her she is fine, but even to go out to get the mail makes her pee! I will try to read all you linked me up with and not scold her or show her the mess

"IF" ( not saying you have), but If you or anyone for that matter, have scolded her and showed her the mess; that could be precisely why she waits for you to go outside or out of site before she proceeds to pee in the house.  When you scold a dog for accidents inside, they usually just learn that it's bad to pee when the human is watching because it upsets my human - not because it's bad to go inside.  Sometimes this leads to dogs doing their business behind the furniture or even not willing to "go" outside if you can see them.

OR it could simply be a housebreaking issue.  I have some experience with housebreaking the Shih Tzu; it is not an easy task [sm=banghead002.gif]   Just when you think "they've got it!" - you'll be pulling your hair out wondering what you missed.

Given her history (puppymill), it is likely that she has never been fully housetrained; just because they potty outside when you take them out doesn't mean they won't still potty inside too!

I thought my 2 Tzus were fully potty trained at 5 months (silly me, I thought they were geniuses I guess! [sm=lol.gif]), when actually, we were just overlooking the accidents because they were so small!  They were still peeing on all of the throw rugs in addition to "going" when I took them outside.  They are so low to the ground, that you really can't tell if they are peeing or just standing - and the spots are tiny too!  It's really tough to tell if they have long hair.  I ended up taking ALL throw rugs up for the first year of their life (we have hardwood and ceramic tile) and went back to housebreaking 101 - with them being in their crate or leashed to my beltloop whenever I wasn't interacting with them and also if we took them ouside and they did not "go", it was back in the crate for 10 minutes and try again until they did.

Lucky you to experience the Shih Tzu!  That poor baby; I cannot imagine how anyone could be mean or neglectful to a face like that []

Don't worry - with consistency, she'll be just fine.  God Bless you for giving her a chance a better life.[sm=wink2.gif]

Oh my gosh...you are RIGHT!  Sadie is NOT housebroken...I just realized that while the little darlin is sleeping with me at night...she is getting up and going on the throw rugs!  I let her out before bed and she "seems" to sleep thru the night at my side, but this morning I picked up a rug to move it and it was full of circles of pee!
 
The rescue group said she was housebroken, but they had 6 other dogs so I wonder if they really knew.  NOW WHAT...back to square one?  Do I crate her at night - she will howl bloody murder after being on the bed with me for 4 weeks.
I do crate her during the day and don't let her out of my sight from 2pm to 9pm, but what to do at night?    Tell her to be quiet and ignore her in her crate?  Do I keep her there all night and let her out at 4:30 am when I get up?
I have not housetrained a dog in 7 years...any help would be greatly appreciated!
Also...when do I start letting her back  in my bed at night?  How do you know they are fully trained?
 
Thank you...thank you...thank you!  Sherry

"Way to Go - How to Housetrain a Dog of Any Age" by  Patricia McConnell.
www.dogwise.com

I do crate her during the day and don't let her out of my sight from 2pm to 9pm, but what to do at night? Tell her to be quiet and ignore her in her crate? Do I keep her there all night and let her out at 4:30 am when I get up?

Her crate should be in the bedroom at eye level so she can see you - that is, if you want to get any sleep.  []    Since she is not housebroken, she should have just enough room in her crate to turn around.  When she whimpers at night, take her outside to pee on leash and then immediately put her back in the crate - no playing!
 
There is a post on housetraining.
[linkhttp://forum.dog.com/discus/messages/48/117345.html#POST400222]http://forum.dog.com/discus/messages/48/117345.html#POST400222[/link]