Bea is urinating in the house again

[flyer]

I have done all I can think of except tethering her to me. How to do this with another dog in the house. Possible?

 

She took 4 wks. to house break which was frustrating to me. She was good for a couple of weeks and then started to urinate once or twice (accidents)? every couple of days. Mostly in the same place at the door, but not always. The door with the bell which she used to ring, but no longer does. The bell was not something I had ever needed in the past with any dog, but it was another attempt and it seemed to work.

 

I have caught her in the act three times over the past couple of days. I shout, Bea, No, pick her up midstream and put her outside to finish. She does. I would say that I am more disappointed than angry. Just who I am. She seems to get that I am not happy, but then I find her an hour later squatting again.

 

She is outside tons and urinates on command. She only defecated in the house twice ever.

 

She is smart as a whip and has grasped, leave it, sit, down, go to car (sits at the car door), drop it, chill (stop overly rambunctious play in the house), and much more...you get the pic. She is doing fine in all other areas, but she just doesn't seem to get this at all. I think the only reason she is not urinating in the house more is because I take her out so much and I am so diligent.

 

She does not urinate in her crate. I don't think she has a bladder infection, but she does get her final shots next week and I will talk to the vet.

 

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

[Liz P]

Give her the benefit of the doubt and treat her for a UTI. Many female pups with UTIs can make it through the night in their crate and only have the occasional accident in the house.

[Guest echoica]

how old is the puppy? if she is any where under 8-10 months, i think you might be setting the bar too high. puppies - despite breed - have different response rates to potty training. and different bladders. just because she can hold it at night is not indicative of how long she *should* be able to hold it during the day because the dog is in a stable rest state at night where the body's functioning slows down. if she can hold it 8 hours at night, then you can safely assume it is at most 4 during the day.

 

but you can disregard this if we are not talking about a puppy here

 

as for suggestions ... i really recommend crating the dog on a regular schedule during the day as well. it forces her to hold it longer and establishes a potty routine. take her out only for training, potty, eating and games. after about a month of this you will see a significant difference.

[flyer]

how old is the puppy? if she is any where under 8-10 months, i think you might be setting the bar too high. puppies - despite breed - have different response rates to potty training. and different bladders. just because she can hold it at night is not indicative of how long she *should* be able to hold it during the day because the dog is in a stable rest state at night where the body's functioning slows down. if she can hold it 8 hours at night, then you can safely assume it is at most 4 during the day.

 

but you can disregard this if we are not talking about a puppy here

 

as for suggestions ... i really recommend crating the dog on a regular schedule during the day as well. it forces her to hold it longer and establishes a potty routine. take her out only for training, potty, eating and games. after about a month of this you will see a significant difference.

 

She is 4 mos, but I have always had dogs potty train within a month or so. No the crating won't work for me. Although she is crated at night and if I go out for a couple of hours on the rare occasion I don't take the pups with me, I don't want to crate her and have Colt out. Doesn't feel good to me. I most always have her in my sites anyway. It happens in those rare seconds I am out of the room for something.

[flyer]

Give her the benefit of the doubt and treat her for a UTI. Many female pups with UTIs can make it through the night in their crate and only have the occasional accident in the house.

 

 

How does one treat an UTI. Prescription drug, I imagine?

[juliepoudrier]

Yep, antibiotics. It's not unusual for female pups to get a UTI, and there's no way for you to tell by observation except for things like frequency of urination and accidents. I personally wouldn't wait another week to take her in and get a urine sample tested. I don't know if you've ever experienced a bladder infection, but it is very uncomfortable and I think having her checked sooner rather than later would be wise (and better for her).

 

As for refusing to crate her when Colt is loose, I don't think you have to worry about fairness. She's a pup. My 6 month old pup is crated when I can't watch him, although the rest of the pack will be loose in the house. Getting to stay out of the crate is a privelege that comes with reliability to behave.

 

Once a UTI has been ruled out (or not) I would also suggest going back to square one on the potty training. Not all pups train at the same rate and expecting her to be like Colt is unfair to her. Something has happened to create a problem with her understanding of going out to go potty and so you need to go back and reteach. FWIW, it was only probably in the past month that my now 6-month-old stopped needing to be taken out every 20 minutes or so if I didn't want an accident in the house. This is a youngster who has slept through the night, a solid 8 hours, from early puppyhood. And yet, when he's up and playing, I had to take him out every 20 minutes--30 minutes tops--to prevent accidents. So even if Bea doesn't have a UTI, it doesn't necessarily mean that she's somehow stubborn or a slow learner or something. Active pups tend to pee pretty often.

 

J.

[flyer]

Yep, antibiotics. It's not unusual for female pups to get a UTI, and there's no way for you to tell by observation except for things like frequency of urination and accidents. As for refusing to crate her when Colt is loose, I don't think you have to worry about fairness. She's a pup. My 6 month old pup is crated when I can't watch him, although the rest of the pack will be loose in the house. Getting to stay out of the crate is a privelege that comes with reliability to behave.

 

Once a UTI has been ruled out (or not) I would also suggest going back to square one on the potty training. Not all pups train at the same rate and expecting her to be like Colt is unfair to her. Something has happened to create a problem with her understanding of going out to go potty and so you need to go back and reteach. FWIW, it was probably in the past month that my now 6-month-old stopped needing to be taken out every 20 minutes or so if I didn't want an accident in the house. This is a youngster who has slept through the night, a solid 8 hours, from early puppyhood. And yet, when he's up and playing, I had to take him out every 20 minutes--30 minutes tops--to prevent accidents. So even if Bea doesn't have a UTI, it doesn't necessarily mean that she's somehow stubborn or a slow learner or something. Active pups tend to pee pretty often.

 

J.

 

This is a relief to hear. You are right I should not compare to Colt. He was a freak of nature in his learning on all accounts. She is indeed a very active pup and yes, pees a lot. Drinks a lot too, but again I am comparing to Colt as a pup who did not have a puppy playmate to dash around and wrestle with, though he was certainly not a couch potato.

 

Alas, I don't have to go back to square one with Bea as I feel like I have remained at square one with her in that I still put her out after plays, naps, meals and watch her at all times. She does ask to go out to defecate, but not to urinate. You know I have the back patio door open and she will still go to the front door hallway. From the back door she has to walk down a flight of stairs and from the front door she just goes down two steps. I had always put her out front in the middle of the night and still do for the first morning pee out of the crate. Hmmm... maybe I need to take her out back for that early morning pee and the last one before bed which I also do out front because it is so much better to stand in my doorway rather then get rained on by walking her down. I do live in a rain forest. Wonder if this is the fix? OK, umbrella at the patio door.

[urge to herd]

Have you thoroughly cleaned the spots where she's already urinated, with an enzymatic cleaner? If not, then there's still an odor there that she can detect, and that will draw her to those spots.

 

Good luck! And it's a good thing they're so darn cute when they're puppies, isn't it?

 

Ruth

[Carlasl]

One thing you also might want to consider is if your pup is given free playtime with Colt during that day, that she may form a stronger bond with Colt than with you. I would either crate her or tether her to yourself except for occasional playtimes with Colt. That will also cut down on her sneaking off to potty (if it isn't a UTI)

[Guest echoica]

I understand where you are coming from in not wanting to crate the puppy during the day too. She is new and you want her around. But she is a dog first and if you want to build the best behaviors now - early on - you can't let your emotions ("doesn't feel good") to get in the way of discipline and routine. I'm not saying she will be in the crate 24 hours a day. Just when you are not training, playing, feeding or exercising her - which hopefully makes up much of her day anyway! I have an adult dog loose while my puppy is crated and I feel bad sometimes too! But it is WORTH IT. She went from a puppy-pee-a-lot-pain-in-the-butt (think every half-hour and accidents galore at 4 months...mostly because, as Julie pointed out, she was playing with the other dog a lot) to ZERO accidents now at 5 months. And I don't have to crate her very often anymore during the day now - she has earned the freedom by learning to hold it longer. Puppies need boundaries - that's my point.

[Mariji]

My first dog i was determined to have her toilet trained and did it I am ashamed to say quite harshly but she was toilet trained within 2 weeks. My 6 mo. old now was a different story. I had since learned that puppies hold on and don't have absolute and complete bladder control until they are nearly 4-6 months and so to expect them too is silly. So her toilet training was slow but she was very good, she never pees in her crate as i won't leave her in there long enough. The door is always open so she can come and go but if it is not open and she is locked inside she won't tell me she will just go to a hidden room and toilet somewhere. I don't get angry it's just my fault for not letting her outside. So just take her out every hour or so she is after all just a baby. Not all dog learn or grow at the same rate.

[flyer]

Have you thoroughly cleaned the spots where she's already urinated, with an enzymatic cleaner? If not, then there's still an odor there that she can detect, and that will draw her to those spots.

 

Good luck! And it's a good thing they're so darn cute when they're puppies, isn't it?

 

Ruth

 

Yep, use the enzyme cleaner, but it is hardwood so I'm thinking it's not getting it all. Yes, DARN cute is right.

[flyer]

One thing you also might want to consider is if your pup is given free playtime with Colt during that day, that she may form a stronger bond with Colt than with you. I would either crate her or tether her to yourself except for occasional playtimes with Colt. That will also cut down on her sneaking off to potty (if it isn't a UTI)

 

 

You know I wondered about this myself when I first got her, but Bea and I are very bonded. In fact the family has already said Mom has another dog. I can actually call her out of play with Colt in the field and she will often seek me out to snuggle or sleep beside, or for play even if Colt is available. Colt also goes into his crate or my room sometimes to get alone time. I have also made a point of walking and training each pup without the other around.

[flyer]

I understand where you are coming from in not wanting to crate the puppy during the day too. She is new and you want her around. But she is a dog first and if you want to build the best behaviors now - early on - you can't let your emotions ("doesn't feel good") to get in the way of discipline and routine. I'm not saying she will be in the crate 24 hours a day. Just when you are not training, playing, feeding or exercising her - which hopefully makes up much of her day anyway! I have an adult dog loose while my puppy is crated and I feel bad sometimes too! But it is WORTH IT. She went from a puppy-pee-a-lot-pain-in-the-butt (think every half-hour and accidents galore at 4 months...mostly because, as Julie pointed out, she was playing with the other dog a lot) to ZERO accidents now at 5 months. And I don't have to crate her very often anymore during the day now - she has earned the freedom by learning to hold it longer. Puppies need boundaries - that's my point.

 

I hear you and I'm fine with using crates. I am very happy with Bea's boundaries and she will go into the crate willingly when I ask. I have put her in there a couple of times when I was home because I had work to do that needed no interruptions, but I just think this will not solve this particular problem. Bea is peeing on average about once every couple of hours unless we're walking at the river and then she will go more often as she is running and playing.

 

I am going to try taking Bea to the back door only for a week or so and see if this solves the problem. If not and if she doesn't have a UTI perhaps I will try the crate in the manner in which you suggest.

[2 Devils]

If she does not have a UTI (you should ask the vets if you need to provide a urine sample when you arrive, if they will take it there or if they will have to use a catheter). If you have been with the vets for awhile you may be able to get away with just dropping off a urine sample for testing if cost is an issue.

 

You say Bea goes out to pee and then you may catch her an hour later squatting to pee. Are you sure that she is actually peeing each time? Dogs do learn to "fake" it when they are wanting to do something else. Some dogs also don't "finish" peeing when out. One of my dogs has to pee at least twice when let out. He can be a busy dog so he will pee enough to relieve the pressure and then a few minutes later will need to pee again. There are times he will then go a third time. Yes he has a sphincter issue and pees and poops a lot but have noticed that if he wants something he will not finish peeing before he is off wanting something. Currently this same dog has been peeing even more than usual because he is trying to rid the yard of snow. He is 5 yrs old and is needing out every 30-60 minutes until bedtime. It is annoying but I would rather do that than put him on leash or yell at him. He loves the snow.

 

If you have not already, I would give it a command. All my dogs pee on command which is nice especially when we travel or the weather sucks.

 

I also agree with crating Bea periodically when you are home. Many dogs don't really learn bladder control if they never really have to hold it. I know a few dogs that were trained to use a doggie door. They were "house trained" within 2 weeks. The problem is they never learned to hold it and if they go to a house without a doggie door they have accidents because they don't have free access to the outdoors and they were adult dogs. And yes I had to watch these dogs for their owners and kept finding accidents. They never learned to ask to go out. I had to go back to basics and gave no freedom. They picked it up quick but technically they should have already known the basics but didn't since the owners never really taught them.

[BCjetta]

My first BC was housetrained within a month. Our second pup (an aussie) was absolutely horrible to housetrain! He would ask to defecate, but for peeing, he'd just be walking along the floor and suddenly squat and go with no warning whatsoever. I remember one time he was drinking water out of the dish, put his head up and then squatted and peed without even moving anywhere. It was very very frustrating. He'd go in the house if he hadn't been out within the last half hour yet he could hold it all night. We got him when he was 3 months and he was bad with the peeing thing until about 5-6 months. After that, it happened only once every couple weeks until he was about a year or so old. He just had weak bladder control I think and anytime he got excited or stressed, it would make him have to go even if he had been out within the last hour. We are at the computers a fair amount when we're just at home relaxing so I made a "cage" around DH's computer chair and his pup had to stay in that little space all the time (about the length of a leash). He never really had an issue in there...it was more when walking from the kitchen to that area or vise versa. I blocked off the living room so he only had access to the kitchen and hallway, and if the door was open, the computer room (which was only when we were in there). Even up to a year old he was not allowed in the living room because he could not be trusted. It took him to about 2.5 years to be able to hold it for more than 4 hours during the day when he was not in his x-pen or crate. If he was in one of those, he could hold it for 12 hours easy. He's 5 now and is good unless he's being dumb and won't go down the ramp to pee in the dog run and then goes and pees by the foot of the bed...(really DH's problem because he needs to make sure the dog pees before bed, not just assume he's going to just because he's an adult)

[Guest echoica]

I also agree with crating Bea periodically when you are home. Many dogs don't really learn bladder control if they never really have to hold it. I know a few dogs that were trained to use a doggie door. They were "house trained" within 2 weeks. The problem is they never learned to hold it and if they go to a house without a doggie door they have accidents because they don't have free access to the outdoors and they were adult dogs. And yes I had to watch these dogs for their owners and kept finding accidents. They never learned to ask to go out. I had to go back to basics and gave no freedom. They picked it up quick but technically they should have already known the basics but didn't since the owners never really taught them.

 

My friend's dogs is like that. It's horrible! She can't take the dog anywhere it seems without it having accidents and it is 3 years old or thereabouts. It also grew up with the freedom to go out and potty whenever. No medical problems according to the vet apparently.

[Lokisaab]

Try not to let her drink so much water

[juliepoudrier]

I never limit water unless there is a medical reason to do so. My pup drinks a lot too, but I wouldn't deny him the water--I'd rather let him out more often.

 

J.

[flyer]

I never limit water unless there is a medical reason to do so. My pup drinks a lot too, but I wouldn't deny him the water--I'd rather let him out more often.

 

J.

 

 

No worries. Won't limit her water. I had thought of it at one point mind you, but they do play a lot and she needs the water. The back door only plan is being implemented and I have told the kids and Husband to be extra diligent if I am out and they are on duty when Bea and Colt are playing. As I think this all through, that is a time that she will simply duck out of view and squat.

[urge to herd]

If DH and the kids aren't willing or able to be extra diligent when you're not around, then I'd say you're fighting a losing battle. If Bea is urinating in the house because she's not being supervised At All Times, then she's not going to be housebroken.

 

Would it help if a timer was set - every hour, Bea gets taken outside? If you subscribe to this yourself, then you might get the family more on board than just saying, "Watch Bea while I'm gone".

 

Good luck!

 

Ruth

[PSmitty]

Yep, antibiotics. It's not unusual for female pups to get a UTI, and there's no way for you to tell by observation except for things like frequency of urination and accidents. I personally wouldn't wait another week to take her in and get a urine sample tested. I don't know if you've ever experienced a bladder infection, but it is very uncomfortable and I think having her checked sooner rather than later would be wise (and better for her).

 

As for refusing to crate her when Colt is loose, I don't think you have to worry about fairness. She's a pup. My 6 month old pup is crated when I can't watch him, although the rest of the pack will be loose in the house. Getting to stay out of the crate is a privelege that comes with reliability to behave.

 

Once a UTI has been ruled out (or not) I would also suggest going back to square one on the potty training. Not all pups train at the same rate and expecting her to be like Colt is unfair to her. Something has happened to create a problem with her understanding of going out to go potty and so you need to go back and reteach. FWIW, it was only probably in the past month that my now 6-month-old stopped needing to be taken out every 20 minutes or so if I didn't want an accident in the house. This is a youngster who has slept through the night, a solid 8 hours, from early puppyhood. And yet, when he's up and playing, I had to take him out every 20 minutes--30 minutes tops--to prevent accidents. So even if Bea doesn't have a UTI, it doesn't necessarily mean that she's somehow stubborn or a slow learner or something. Active pups tend to pee pretty often.

 

J.

 

As usual, Julie already took all the good answers! I gotta ditto the crating fairness issue. All of my dogs, as puppies, got crated when we were at work, or out of the house for some reason. And yes, another dog (or two), was left loose while they were crated. It didn't cause any issues, and nobody ever showed signs of feeling slighted. Our newest addition, though not a puppy, is crated, while the other three are loose. He's fine with it. Freedom from crating is earned in being reliable in the house, both potty training-wise, and not eating the sofa-wise.

 

Alex was the WORST puppy to potty train! He and Jack were the same age when I got them, and Jack must have spoiled me. Alex took the LONGEST time, and he even had no problem peeing in his crate. The only answer was routine, diligence and time. Like Julie mentioned, active pup=drink alot, pee alot.

 

Good luck!

 

ETA: Oops. I'm sorry. I didn't read all the posts, and I see the OP has already responded about the crating issue. Never mind!

[HoosierMike]

When I was housebreaking our dogs I seem to remember

reading that a pup can hold it's bladder for an hour for every

month that it is old. I'm sure that's just a "very general" rule

of thumb, but I stuck to it while the pups were younger and

didn't have hardly any accidents.

I also was on a constant watch mode too, whenever either

of them wandered behind the furniture or something, we went

out. Both were confined by baby gates to only certain parts

of the house for a long while. My male pup just turned 1 and

just now got complete run of the house.

Even now, after a good romp through the house, I still

automatically take them out. Better safe than sorry and have

to start over again.

[juliepoudrier]

If DH and the kids aren't willing or able to be extra diligent when you're not around, then I'd say you're fighting a losing battle. If Bea is urinating in the house because she's not being supervised At All Times, then she's not going to be housebroken.

^^Agreed. Here's where I think a crate would help. If DH and the kids are being slack with their supervision of Bea when you can't be there, then I would potty her right before I left and then crate her until I get back. Don't forget that pups need a lot of down time too, and she would likely just use the time in the crate to sleep. That's a good thing, and it's part of teaching them to settle down. Until very recently my pup always took an afternoon nap and sometimes an evening nap too if I wanted to watch a show on TV and didn't want the constant distraction of watching him. Even now, if I want to take a nap or something, he goes in his crate for some down time. Remember that if the pup is always up and moving and playing, then you're creating a dog who always needs to be up and moving and playing.

 

J.

[flyer]

^^Agreed. Here's where I think a crate would help. If DH and the kids are being slack with their supervision of Bea when you can't be there, then I would potty her right before I left and then crate her until I get back. Don't forget that pups need a lot of down time too, and she would likely just use the time in the crate to sleep. That's a good thing, and it's part of teaching them to settle down. Until very recently my pup always took an afternoon nap and sometimes an evening nap too if I wanted to watch a show on TV and didn't want the constant distraction of watching him. Even now, if I want to take a nap or something, he goes in his crate for some down time. Remember that if the pup is always up and moving and playing, then you're creating a dog who always needs to be up and moving and playing.

 

J.

 

 

Bea has learned a lot from Colt and has slid in to our routines in the house. We go out in the early morning to the trails for an hour and 1/2 or so come back, they sleep for an hour or so while I work, they play a bit more then often will nap for a couple of hours in the afternoon while I work again. I work at home. Often Bea will plant herself under my desk and Colt takes the crate in the bedroom. Both dogs seem to like alone time from one another, even though they get on great.

 

Then there are evening walks and general playing and off to bed.

 

I do like the idea of crating when I am not home after they are finished playing with her.