At my wits end!! (about dog)

AmandaNacora · June 2015

I am about to just lose it. I have 3 dogs 2 I've had for 6 years. Well recently one of them has been pissing and pooping inside. I don't know what to do anymore, everything I try doesn't seem to matter. And it's not like he can't go outside anytime he wants, the back door is always open! And he's just peeing and pooping upstairs... I know it's not that he smells previous dogs because it's new carpet and wood. Took him to the vet, he's all healthy and talked to a trainer and used her suggestions but he is still doing it! Ahhhhh I'm just so done, I'm about to have my first baby and I don't want her to crawl in dog pee or get a hold of dog poop. Plus it's just gross... I clean the area and tried blocking the pathway but he somehow gets through. Neither of the other dogs do it, just this one and I don't want to get rid of him but my husband will if I can't figure out a way to make it stop. I just don't know what to do about it anymore... It's just so frustrating I want to cry.

CaboBride2015 · June 2015

Does he do it when you're home or only when home alone? Our dog absolutely would do the same if left unattended for any extended period of time. She is crated for the day when we're gone and sleeps in our bedroom at night.
Now that he's gone in whatever space he used, it won't matter that no other dog has been in there, he can prob still smell himself. I would recommend steam cleaning if you haven't already.
he could be doing it because he is aware something is up, dogs are pretty smart that way. Ours has nipped at my husband twice in the last week when he's tried to kiss me good bye. She's definitely more protective now and he likes to tease her so it's karma for sure!
Has his behavior toward going outside changed? Like maybe it's too hot or you've stopped going on walks and just let them in the yard now? Has he been getting into food - garbage, fridge - or water from the toilet??

blondehairblueeyeditalianbaby · June 2015

We had s dog that was the same way. We tried everything. She would go out and use the potty and then come in and do it again! It was so frustrating. After a year we finally gave her back to the Humane Society. I couldn't handle it.

v1wwo · June 2015

Do you give your dogs daily walks outside? Not just open the yard door and let them out. I feel like he might be frustrated and walks do relax and entertain them.

Nehouston · June 2015

Block access via a baby gate to the upstairs so he can't get up there. Go outside with him every time and whenever he pees/poops outside praise him - verbally and give him a treat. Set a timer so that you are remembering to take him out often. Or whenever he is out of your site in the house crate him, then Let him out and praise him for potting. And as previous poster said, he would benefit by walks and mental stimulation. They make really great interactive food toys you could feed him out of and they really help him to use his brain, which it sounds like a good outlet for him. I've fostered many, many dogs who aren't housebroken and consistency is 100% key. Good luck to you.

stinglof · June 2015

As others have mentioned, he might be doing it for attention because he senses something's up. What is different about this dog than the other 2? Is there anything special about this room? Does he do it whenever youre home or when youre not, or both?
Try to control more the situation by controling the things you can. Take him out and supervising him and praise him when he goes outside. If he keeps getting into that room maybe crate him when you're gone. Do try stimulation. In addition to walking or outings you can also stimulate him inside the house. With my dogs i hide treats throughout the house and let them find it, i put them in the bathroom while i hide them and they spend a good time looking for them. Theres also a ball u can put treats on and he can roll around to get them out.
Maybe ask your trainer for more suggestions and explain what works/doesn't work.
Please don't give up on him!

aprilmay92 · June 2015

Even if you don't have the energy to go on walks make sure he's getting some exercise in the back yard. I take my boys out in the evenings when it's cool enough for me not to melt and we play fetch in the back yard until they're tired. I just get a chair and throw the ball til they're exhausted

sphillips18 · June 2015

Before my mom moved, our dog always had the option of the doggy door to go potty outside and we never had a problem. But after she moved into an apt he started peeing and pooping all over the living room and it took her almost an entire year to get him to stop going inside. She has a patio and always left the door open for him too. I'm sure your dog senses there is a baby on the way and that could have something to do with it. My cat has been so weird lately. He's always been litter box trained but recently he has been peeing literally right outside his box.

babyneau · June 2015

I am having the same problem just with excessive drinking and peeing in the house. It happens when I am there or not. NY dog had cancer and has been in remission after chemo since december. I thought he was sick again and we went through every test under the sun. All the testing is negative and he remains in remission. They think he may have diabetes insipidus but meds are not working after a month. I am beyond frustrated and tired of cleaning floors numerous times a day. Not to mention is recking my kitchen floor. My bf wants us to move in to his house but I don't want the dog to wreck yet another house or be stressed more. We Walk nearly aily and play outside. Vet said it could be pyschogenic. He is limited in space but no luck any suggestions welcome. I can't lose him I lost my girl fur baby a year ago and still cry and miss her as they helped me through hard times and fight my own cancer battles. ...

ladylianne · June 2015

Maybe your dog senses the changes happening and is feeling stressed about it? Hope all goes back to normal soon.

jizzypuff · June 2015

Have you tried crate training the dog it might help?

WaterBabs11 · June 2015

When we trained the best advice was to keep the dog basically tethered to you when home so that if he tried to go inside you could stop it (e.g. loud No and clap), immediately take outside and heavily praise when went to the bathroom outside (verbal and treat). Only took 1-2 weeks to fully house train. Whenever you can't see your dog, trainer told us to confine him somewhere so that he wouldn't want to soil the small space he was in (crate or if no crate a small bathroom or something).
Blocking access to upstairs sounds critical until you can get this back under control.
Good luck!!!

urfcerin · June 2015

The above suggestions are great! I just wanted to add that you might want to look for Natures Miracle or some other cleaner especially designed to eliminate urine. Even if we can't smell a lingering odor a dogs sense of smell is so much more advanced that they will continue to smell it and seek out the same place to urinate.

PregNancyClark · June 2015

I feel you!! We have a cat who has started acting out lately too. Three nights in a row I've lost hours of sleep dealing with her peeing on me while I sleep or bringing in live rodents to chase around our room.
I've had it. She's currently been banished outside. We took her into our home from the outdoors two years ago and maybe that's just where she needs to be right now. I will NOT have this every night. I can't even deal with my son happily today because I'm so tired and cranky from three nights of crap sleep from this kitty.
I will NOT have an animal acting this way with my new helpless baby in the room either.
She can stop this behavior or she can sleep on the porch. Can you build this dog a dog house? We love our animals, but for pete's sake!!

WDDCH · June 2015

We had a dog who did this. He had severe (and I do mean severe) separation anxiety. I was home with him all the time and we really worked hard at dealing with the anxiety. It got to the point that I could run to the store and he was completely fine. With previous families he'd rip down curtains, chew through his kennel and even jumped through a window once. He never did that with us. We worked with a trainer and I think her tricks are why he trusted us and did so well.

But then something changed. We already had a female dog (medium sized) before we brought him home. They were buddies. Well we had friends leaving on missionary work and they needed a home for their mini pitbull. We decided to take her in. She was the sweetest thing ever. Well he started peeing/marking inside even though he was neutered long ago and it wasn't a prior issue. I don't know if he felt like he was being replaced or something? All the dogs cuddled and got along and he had zero animosity toward his pals (I think having other dogs helped with his anxiety because he was never ever alone) but he started to act depressed and weird.

And then he started snapping at the kids and left a mark on my daughter (it was unprovoked; I was sitting right there as she was quietly playing with some toys by herself). He went to bite her but only left a small cut on her cheek.

That's when he had to go. We were trying to work with him through his anxiety and issues but trying to attack one if my kids - heck no! I regret the entire situation. I really loved that dog but my kids come first. My point, I guess, is that if your dog is showing signs of depression or anxiety, like peeing in the house, never ever ever leave them alone with a child. I had zero suspicions that he'd lash out at her after he lived with us for a year!

theglitteredpterodactyl · June 2015

I agree with what some pp said, try adding walks into his routine and keep him leashed next to you to help watch him and his behaviours, it might help point out any specific patterns with his accidents. Also crate training can work wonders for an anxious dog.

AmandaNacora · June 2015

Thanks for the suggestions. He's different from the other two because A) he's male and the others are female (all are fixed) and

he's old around 10 or 11, all are pound dogs so age is hard to verify and I don't know their history. But I've had him for 6 years already! And he just suddenly starts going potty inside a couple of months ago. I do daily walks because I live in a town home with a small yard, plus we go run at the beach a couple days a week. They have plenty of toys and chews, I've tried praising and rewards for going potty outside but he just doesn't get it. The vet says he's all healthy, no issues. He only goes potty upstairs, we keep the bedroom doors closed so it's mostly in the hallway. I have natures miracle and after soaking up the urine I use it. I carpet clean also, he's only doing it when I'm not home or in the middle of the night, I'm just at a loss for what else to do. I have a baby gate and blocked the bottom of the stairs but he somehow manages to get up and idk how! I think he must climb it he's a chihuahua so I know he can't jump it. My routine hasn't changed, I'm a stay at home wife so I know he gets plenty of attention, I'm just so frustrated!! And he's recently started to bark in the mornings. I can't figure out what's changed other than me taking a daily nap of about two hours (I'm only getting 4 hours of sleep at night now...) we are moving to a house in October and I don't want the place to smell of urine and lose the deposit we put down. I would never in a million years get rid of my dogs, their my babies but my husband is threatening to give him away if I can't fix the problem before the baby comes. I'm not sure if he actually would give him away or if he's just saying it but still. I understand where he's coming from and these are my dogs, not his(at least that's how he sees it) since I've had two since before we met. Would a dog just start misbehaving because I'm pregnant?? its just so hard not knowing what else to do and having the added stress.. I don't mind kenneling for short periods of time, but not overnight or if I'll be away for hours, I just feel it's not right to have him in such a small space for so long.

AmandaNacora · June 2015

I just don't understand how he could be potty trained for 6 years and then suddenly start peeing inside,

CaboBride2015 · June 2015

Given the times he's doing it, he probably can't hold it as good as he used to and now that he has so much space to work with doesn't care to try. Make sure you're removing food and water source early enough that he's not being left with a full bladder.

Also, for what it's worth, I'd rather have my dog crated while we're away all day than have to deal with cleaning up a mess, being mad at her and my husband despising her or threatening to get rid of her. Every dog I know that's crate trained actually likes the crate, it's a safe place for them, a den if you will. Ours goes in hers all the time just to lay down. At night she sleeps in our room but at midnight I was up cleaning up #1 and #2 from our master bedroom closet... she's not well and this is not a great sign.

nicthomaspark · June 2015

Ahh I completely understand what you are going through! My dogs used to do this when there is a change in their routine or when I was busy with work and not giving them the attention that they were used to. I would say its just that alot is changing right now in your life and this is your dogs way of getting that extra attention from you, whether it be good or bad attention. In my situation I just took them out more and spent more time with them. We have a solid routine now and I havent had this problem in over a year. Just hang in there! Your pup will come around!

theglitteredpterodactyl · June 2015

That sounds rough and like you're doing a lot of great things. I don't have a lot to add except that it's not mean to create a dog, it's a safe place for them. Like pp said, a den of sorts. Oh also from reading other threads it sounds like yeah dogs can definitely sense pregnancy and reasons to it differently--it might just be a bit of added stress on the guy.

At my wits end!! (about dog)

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