PLEASE HELP ME - OLDER DOG PEEING

    • Bronze

    PLEASE HELP ME - OLDER DOG PEEING

    Please, someone help me with this gross dog. 
    My boyfriend of 2 years has a 9 year old female doberman.  I have recently (since May) been practically living at his house.  Ever since I have known my bf, the house has smelled like dog urine, BAD.  Since I am there frequently, I clean and clean and clean.  It's REVOLTING.  Every once in a while, the dog will pee on my clothes or sleep on my clothes and shoes. 
    I told my bf that he really should seclude the dog to one portion of the house (I suggested the kitchen since the floor is easily cleanable and her food/water dish is in there).  I do not believe that she should have full run of the house any longer.  He says: she's an old dog and needs to be comfortable.  I say - she's a DOG. 
    My parents have a yellow lab that had incontenence (in the summer only - odly) who they "fixed" with Prion (spelled totally wrong).  But, my bf says he has no time for getting a urine sample to the vet.
    It's getting to ultimatium time.  I can't keep trying to keep a clean house only to come home every night to a urine infested mess.  It gets me sick.  I told my bf that I will NOT bring babies into this environment. 
    What do I do?  Am I wrong for being this revolted by the messes the dog leaves?  Is it okay to force the dog to stay only in one area and not mess the remainer of the house?
     
    HELP ME PLEASE.  I am ready to kill (not literally) this dang dog!
    • Gold Top Dog
    my bf says he has no time for getting a urine sample to the vet.

     
    That comment is where the problem lies.  His dog's health is his responsibility and the urine needs to be checked.  It's easy to get a sample and drop it off at a vet's office.  It may be a health issue that is easily fixed, but in the meantime I agree with you that his dog should be corralled into one area of the house until this issue is solved. 
     
    Being complacent about living with urine everywhere is no way to live.  I'd think long and hard about having babies with someone who doesn't have time to get a urine sample!  Doesn't seem like the time or place for that added stress.       
    • Gold Top Dog
    Tell your bf to make the time...while you are cleaning his home!  Proin may be the solution, more walks outside as well.  The problem is most likely fixable, but he has to get off his duff...
    • Gold Top Dog
    That dog MUST be checked for a uterine infection.  Take the sample in yourself, if you must,  You need a first thing in the morning sample.  Get a clean frisbee - $ 1 or $ 2 at the pet store, and take her out first thing, and collect the pee, put it in a sterile container, and take it in to the vet.  You don't have to take the dog in; HOWEVER, in this case I would, b/c she probably hasn't been there in a long time and needs looking after.
     
    I know she's driving you crazy, I know how awful the smell is, I really do -- but PLEASE consider that she can't help being in the circumstance that she is in, and she needs YOUR help and patience.  YES, your bf should be responsibile for her, but clearly he isn't.  So, please, please, be her advocate and give her the love and support and attention that she needs.  I know it will be hard since you are sooo frustrated with her, but remember, she can't help the way things are.
     
    And kids, by golly, I wouldn't ever think of having kids with someone who can't even get his lazy ass to the vet's. 
    • Bronze
    Here are a few things.  My bf owns a business, so, he works crazy hours and then is usually working aroud the house to fix it up. 
     
    I am NOT taking the dog to the vet.  She is a doberman that needs to get tranquilized to go to the vet.  I like her and she is calm in the home but I am not chancing her biting me or someone else while she is at the vet under my care. 
     
    I want to give her to a home that can give her the time she needs but he says - that's not an option...   [>:]
    • Gold Top Dog
    She is a doberman that needs to get tranquilized to go to the vet. I like her and she is calm in the home but I am not chancing her biting me or someone else while she is at the vet under my care.

     
    Has she bitten anyone before?  There are medications to give prior to a vet visit to calm an animal, and then they, or you will put a soft muzzle on her.  No one will get bit at the vet as they use precautions.
     
    What I'm hearing is that you want help for your BF's dog, but no one seems willing to do anything differently.  You want the peeing to stop, yet getting a urine sample and/or the dog to the vet is too much trouble.  That's what pet ownership is.  It's responsibility and money and time.  I think re-homing a 9 yr old Dobie with urinary issues would be virtually impossible and not very fair to her.
     
    Clearly, your suggestion is to re-home the dog.  So, again the responsibility of her health lies on your BF's shoulders as he doesn't want to do this.  What does he suggest??     
    • Bronze
    Here's the deal:
     
    He got her at 4 because the people moving out of his house didn't want her.  They allowed her to sleep on the furniture and beds.  She can't break the habit.  I catch her all the time on the furniture, if we forget to put the cushions up or place large objects on the sofa.  That's no way to live, not being able to have your couch free of debris. 
     
    She is not allowed in the bedroom during the day.  But he allows her at night and then - well - she pees all over the carpet and the clothes (that he put on the floor for some rediculous reason).  I steam clean, I pet fresh, I bought a "pee pee mat" for her (which she REFUSES to sleep on), I am constantly washing her bedding.  All this because I want a nice place to live.  Not a dirty, urine infested one. 
     
    My parents have a yellow lab.  So, dobermans are not exactly my cup of tea.  They're scarey, you can't walk them and it's spitfire trying to get them calm enough to take to the vet.  My fear is, what if she bites some one at the vet because I have never taken her there before?  Then it's MY fault in sue-happy American society.  And I was just trying to help!
     
    I would have never chosen a doberman as a pet but now I am stuck with one.  A frustrating one, who pees on the floor and my clothing, who whines incessantly no matter how much attention I give her when I am home (the thing whines while I am petting her - I try "go potty" or treats - so she's just aimlessly whining).  I'm at my whits end.  That's why I am asking for help. 
     
    I do feel as if we don't have enough time for her (he owns the business, I am a school teacher and take grad classes at night) and I don't think that's fair to her.  That was why I suggested re-homing her. 
     
    I gave him the ultimatium - seclude her to the kitchen ONLY or I move back home to my apartment.  I can't take the dog piss anymore.  I am sick of cleaning only to recieve no help from him...
    • Gold Top Dog
    I would have never chosen a doberman as a pet but now I am stuck with one. A frustrating one, who pees on the floor and my clothing, who whines incessantly no matter how much attention I give her when I am home (the thing whines while I am petting her - I try "go potty" or treats - so she's just aimlessly whining).

     
    This is why she needs to see the vet and have her urine tested.  She's probably in pain.  I've had urinary tract infections and they are not fun!  It's painful and you have to pee all the time.  They are easy to cure, if that's what she has.  Can you get a vet to come to your home?  I had to do that once.  Some are willing to do that vs. not getting an animal care.
     
    What did your BF say when you gave him the ultimatum?
    • Bronze
    She doesn't do the "spotty peeing" that is characteristic of UTI in dogs.  It's like - relaxed peeing - incotenence.... 
     
     
    **Sorry for my poor spelling, I am a SCIENCE teacher not English!  :)
    • Gold Top Dog
    With incontinence or uti, there are drugs that the vet can prescribe that will help a lot.
    • Bronze
    Well, let's add insult to injury because HE (the bf) says that proin may have adverse side effects that we can't tell about because dogs can't talk So, he is very very very hesitant to give her "drugs".
     
    If anyone knows of any websites that negate that idea - TELL ME.
     
    PS - you see why I am ready to kill him and the dog?  FRUSTRATION
    • Gold Top Dog
    Please don't take this wrong, but everyone needs to stop making excuses about why not, and just do something to help the dog.  Dogs really don't like laying in their own pee either.  She needs the help that only you or bf can give her.

    Another thing, when you clean, make sure you use an enzymatic cleaner such as Petastic.  It breaks down the protein in urine to help take away the smell, but you really have to flood the area with it.
    • Bronze
    I AM trying to help it, I am the only one trying to help it.  I don't even want the dog but yet I am the only person doing anything about it.
     
    You are more than welcome to send me an email that I could forward to him and his stubborn mentality.  However, if you are not a vet, he won't listen.
     
    Wish me luck, thank me for being the only one trying here - don't critisize me because I don't have 30 hour days - I only have 24.
    • Gold Top Dog
    There is a retired Vet who does post on this board.  I will send him a message and ask him to post on this thread for you.
    • Bronze
    Thank you. Please, this is a frustrating situation as is, don't make it worse.
     
    Ahhh!!