Need help with potty issues!!

    • Bronze

    Need help with potty issues!!

    Hello all!
    I guess I will start off by describing our dog which may help with answers. We have 2 dogs. One is a 3 year old Chocolate Lab (Buddy) and the other is a 1 year old mix between a Jack Russell Terrier and Pit Bull (Bean, we let the kids name him). We are having problems with Bean. He is good with the kids to a degree. He has never bitten them in a way to him the kids but when our little one (2 years old) sits on him or is pulling on his head he will growl and if she does not stop he will try to gently chew at her hand to get her to stop. He never snaps at her or shows aggression. He likes to mark his territory. Our lab pees like a girl although he is a boy and while he is peeing Bean will come up and raise his leg and pee on Buddy's leg. He always goes behind Buddy and pees over his spots. The problem we are having is even though he will go out during the day to potty lately he has been pooping in the house at night. During the day he gets me to come let him out but he does not come get me at night (to my knowledge). We let him out before we go to bed. I understand he is a little guy and may not be able to hold it as well as Buddy but I just want him to come get me at night if he needs to go. Also, he has spots in the house that he "marks". He does not do it very often but he does go to one particular spot and now he has 2 new spots. This has just seemed to become a problem and I don't understand why he is doing it now since is 1 year old and potty trained. Any insight or thoughts would be appreciated.
    • Gold Top Dog
    He has never bitten them in a way to him the kids but when our little one (2 years old) sits on him or is pulling on his head he will growl and if she does not stop he will try to gently chew at her hand to get her to stop.


    I am confused - are you viewing this as a problem you need an answer to?  I am not seeing a problem here at all.  He's just saying "I don't like that - stop it".  In which case I hope you intervene and explain to the child why they can't do that?Don't let kids (of any age) do what they like to a dog.  The dog should not have to put up with it.

    Re the peeing:

    Feed his last meal at say, 6pm and take up his water around 7 or 8pm (depends on the time you let him out for his last wee and go to bed)  Limiting his food/water intake in the evenings should help.  Make sure he gets a super duper reward for toileting outdoors, to encourage him to hang on until he gets out there.  I mean seriously super.  The yummiest treat you can think of.  His most favourite ever toy.  Throw a party and tell him how wonderful he is when he goes.... we're talking more than just a "Good boy!!" here.  Aim to make your neighbours think you've gone a bit.... funny.

    Re the wee spots indoors - what do you use to clean them with?  No matter how thorough you are he may still be able to smell traces.  Something specifically designed for pet mess is best.  If you don't have any, then biological washing powder is good for cleaning the area he has poohed, especially carpet - the enzymes break down the components that he can still smell after it has been cleaned up.

    Trouble is he no longer needs to smell the area to use it now.... he will simply remember it because he has used it a number of times.  Try moving his bed or food/water bowls to those areas.... most dogs are quite clean and dont like soiling eating/sleeping areas.

    Re his marking - is he doing this during the day?  Or are all his toilet problems at night?  I think you should keep a closer watch on him during the day to be on the dafe side.  Watch him all the time to make sure there is no way he can toilet without your knowing about it.  If you can't watch him then confine him somewhere that is easy to clean, or somewhere he would be reluctant to soil (like a crate if he has one) 
    • Gold Top Dog
    Potty trained or not, some intact males will mark.  Neutering would help.
     
    A discussion on enzymatic cleaners:

    [linkhttp://forum.dog.com/discus/messages/48/138873.html?1117941182]http://forum.dog.com/discus/messages/48/138873.html?1117941182[/link]