Dog Community

Rescue dog still peeing in the house

Posted : 5/12/2006 11:26:53 AM

I got a chihuahua mix from a rescue center on Valentine's day this year for my husband. She is the sweetest little thing. She was rescued from a dog hoarder and they really have no idea what this one has been through. She was very scared, shaking all the time, when we first brought her home, but afterall has really loosened up and is getting along great with our other dog, a 6 year old pug. My problem is that 99% of the time she is great. We have a doggie door and an enclosed backyard and Bean, the rescue dog, learned how to use it quickly and does use it most of the time, however, about 3 or 4 times a week we will wake up and there will be pee on the floor usually in the same two rooms over and over again. She never goes in the bedroom (she sleeps with us)- only my office and our front room. I have scolded her and brought her outside. The thing is- she knows that she is supposed to go outside because she goes out there all night long. I have never seen her go- I believe she does this early in the morning. If I shut the bedroom door at night she gets up around 3 or 4 in the morning scratching at the door so we leave it open- thinking she might need to go outside. I have spanked her and tried to get her nose in the mess, but she is a little fighter and squirms so much when I get near the mess that I get all scratched up and can't get her near it- so she knows she was bad. I don't know what to do with her- I feel so bad spanking or yelling at her because she was a rescue dog and it took her so long to warm up to us I don't want her to be scared again- but I can't just ignore the messes. Whew- sorry for the rant.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I do not crate because she usually doesn't pee and also- I can't get her into the crate- it's almost impossible. I do not want to crate her at night because she will cry all night long.

Thanks in advance-
Heidi

forpaws

Posted : 5/12/2006 11:37:56 AM

Welcome to the forum Heidi and Bean.

"I have spanked her and tried to get her nose in the mess, but she is a little fighter and squirms so much when I get near the mess that I get all scratched up and can't get her near it- so she knows she was bad. I don't know what to do with her- I feel so bad spanking or yelling at her because she was a rescue dog and it took her so long to warm up to us I don't want her to be scared again- but I can't just ignore the messes. "
Please do NOT rub her nose in it or hit her. She doesn't understand why you are treating her that way. Especially if you have never seen her do it in front of you and you suspect it is her. Yelling only makes her frightened and will pee behind your back.

My suggestion would to take her out befor you retire for the night as late as you can to let her out to pee and praise her when she does.
If you see her starting a stream, A firm Eh, not there.. to make her stop and pick her up to finish outside. When she is done. Praise her with happy good potty outside and give her a treat.

She has probably gotten into the habit of soiling the home from her previous owners who were hoarders and she does not know any better.

I would basicly go back to square one with puppy potty training with her if I were you.
I know someone else who has more advise and experience than I will come along and give you more sound advise.

Good luck with her. Just be patient and love her a lot.

glenmar

Posted : 5/12/2006 12:02:38 PM

Oye! You are definately going about this all wrong and making things tougher for yourself. For now I would put her in a CRATE at nite. Too much freedom for this girl.

When you yell for a mistake, first off that's not FAIR cuz it was YOUR mistake, not hers. YOU are the one who made it possible for her to pee on the floor. You don't say how old she is but either one of two things is happening here...she's too young (or old) for her bladder to hold so much OR she could have a UTI. I'd restrict her fluids after 9 or 10 pm, make SURE that she pees before bed, and then put her IN A CRATE in your bedroom. No yelling, no hitting, no rubbing her nose in it...this type of "training" is out of the dark ages.

heidi chamberlin

Posted : 5/12/2006 4:17:42 PM

I take her out every night before we go to bed and she always pees and I praise her and give her a treat. She doesn't drink very much in the evening. The rescue people seem to think she is around a year and a half. They couldn't tell for sure. I know it is not my other dog because she is a much bigger dog and hasn't messed in the house for 5 years- plus these puddles are definitely chihuahua sized.

So when I see the pee I'm just supposed to clean it up without pointing it out to her?

glenmar

Posted : 5/12/2006 4:20:11 PM

Yes, exactly, and DON'T clean it up with her in the room. That can become a game.

Truely, until this little one GETS that it is never ok to pee in the house, I'd simply put her nite nite in her crate.

heidi chamberlin

Posted : 5/12/2006 4:25:26 PM

I guess I'm confused about the logic here. If she never gets told that it's wrong and I just keep cleaning up the mess- how is she going to know not to do that?

glenmar

Posted : 5/12/2006 4:30:22 PM

You can say, Fifi, you pottied in the house....did you forget we GO POTTY OUTSIDE, I suppose, but I suspect that the reason she is going inside now is that she was scolded in her last home and learned to hide it. If you aren't catching her in the act she has NO IDEA what you are scolding her for...they have a nanosecond memory...she hasn't a clue why you are ticked off. You need to MANAGE the behavior not giving her the opportunity to EVER pee in the house. Each and everytime she makes a mistake, the habit becomes more and more firmly ingrained. Since she is ONLY peeing in the house while you sleep, she NEEDS to be in a crate.

heidi chamberlin

Posted : 5/12/2006 4:32:34 PM

Thanks for the suggestion. I will try to crate her at night. I feel so bad listening to her cry at night- but I will do my best.

Thanks again.

glenmar

Posted : 5/12/2006 4:34:00 PM

Put her crate beside your bed. If she fusses put your fingers through the gate and sooth her. If she settles, she was just upset, if she continues to fuss, she HAS to potty.

spiritdogs

Posted : 5/12/2006 7:37:47 PM

The secret to successful housetraining is...
1. Don't scold your dog for "mistakes". Mistakes just indicate lack of supervision on the part of the human (Ian Dunbar quips that the person should roll a newspaper up and hit themselves over the head for not watching their dog LOL)
2. When you can't watch her, crate her. In the house, she should not be allowed to just wander around. Too easy for her to slip away for a moment and have an "accident". If she has been scolded, she needs to re-learn that it is ok to pee in front of humans - just that it has to be done outdoors.
3. Take her to her "spot" outside and wait (say "outside?" as you go out the door). If she pees, she gets "good pee" or "yes" and a cookie. If she doesn't, just take her in, put her in her crate, and wait ten minutes -then try again. Repeat until she's successful, then be sure to reward her.
4. If you simply ignore her while she is in her crate (providing she has already been taken out to try to go), then she will probably get used to it very quickly. It's fine to be in the same room, and it's ok to let her see you, it's just that you should not really pay her any attention for barking or crying.

Brian Banks

Posted : 5/14/2006 4:31:41 PM

I'd restrict her fluids after 9 or 10 pm,

Glenmar, your climbing a slippery-slope here.

A lot of things can be going on with this dog, personality-wise. You can't give veterinary advice without a license. I mean no offense, but I had to state that.

I'd recommend, rather than restricting fluids without knowledge of the animals idiosycroncies, keeping an eye on her behavior, getting a UTI regardless, on the strength of it's oddity (she knows to hold it when he door is closed, but if given the option will go outside the room), crate training early in the day when it won't warrant a "Noise Violation" (and if you have to hire a sitter/walker for this purpose DO IT, it will pay off in the long run as long as you follow the protocol as well, which is to ignore, as hard as it will be, any whining or barking without saying a word (especially something within their vocabulary - spell it out if you have too to another) or looking towards "The Whiner/ Barker".

Some dogs it may take 2 days, some 2 months. Be patient. It will come.

B.B

glenmar

Posted : 5/14/2006 5:01:47 PM

Let's treat each other as we did after 9/11.

Too bad you don't practice what you preach.

There is nothing wrong with restricting fluids right before bed. Do I? No. But then I don't have issues with dogs peeing on the floor in the nite. In fact I encouraged my crew to get a drink before they go to bed....in their crates.

If this dog had a UTI she would have trouble holding her urine ALL the time, not only at nite. CALL your vet and ask. S/he will tell you what I said is accurate. I've asked my vet many of the questions that I answer here.

I am NOT pretending to be a vet. I have never claimed to be an expert on anything. Just an old broad with a LOT of dog experience under my belt. And, if you are going to be rude and attack on a personal level, please have the courtesy to address me by my NAME. That's why I took the effort to MAKE a sig....so people would know my name.

jaye

Posted : 5/15/2006 2:24:25 AM

i dont see a need to restrict fluids, there is a doggy door that she knows how to use so its not like she has to hold it til morning. this is a behavior problem.

i agree, dont ever hit or rub her nose in it, if you punish after the fact, the dog has no idea what she is being punished for, she doesnt even know shes being punished, even if you rub her face in it, she just thinks you are being mean to her, she doesn get it, doesnt make the connection. to discipline a dog for anything you have to catch them in the act. and then i would point it out but still not rub their face in it.

and heres the part where i go against the majority again, i dont agree with the suggestions about using the crate. i think its cruel.

heres a tip thought, neutralize the odor where she has already pottied by saturating the area with distilled white vinegar. there are also products for this purpose available in pet stores. i dont know what they re called as i use the vinegar. if she smells the potty there she is likely to use that spot again, thinking its acceptable since the scent is there.

jaye

Posted : 5/15/2006 2:25:36 AM

oh, one more thought, maybe for some reason this dog is afraid or has some kind of aversion to going outside alone at night.

glenmar

Posted : 5/15/2006 6:32:53 AM

Yep, this IS behavioral. The dog isn't using the doggie door, owner is getting frustrated, and sick and tired of stepping in pee. Limiting water before bed, making SURE this little girl potties and then confining her are the ONLY way to break this cycle. Even if she IS afraid to go outside in the dark alone in the middle of the nite, the peeing in the house has to STOP and since SHE has issues, its up to Heidi to find ways to deal with those issues in a gentle and humane way.

Crates are not cruel. Most of my dogs CHOOSE to sleep in their crates at nite. Their crates are THEIR space where no one ELSE is allowed. Kind of like a little kids own bedroom.

White vinegar is a wonderful cleaner/disinfectant. But it stops short of being an enzyme destroyer and what you must do to totally eliminate all urine smells is to kill the enzymes. Petastics is the best, Natures Miracle is good, but there have been issues with it leaving slightly faded spots in carpeting so if you use it, TEST it first in a closet. And you can't just spritz it on, you MUST saturate the entire pee area.

Pick up a little carpet sample...padding too if you can get it. Lay it on the kitchen counter and pour a SMALL amount of water on the carpeting...even better if you put a few drops of food coloring in it. Now wait. Wait a couple hours or as long as it might be between a mistake in the house and the unpleasant discovery of said mistake. Now turn the carpeting and pad over and SEE how big it has spread. In order to get rid of ALL the smell, you've got to completely saturate that spot. Cuz it really goes deep and it really, really SPREADS a lot.

Heidi? how is she doing?