Aa
peepee accidents
I have had this rat terrior since he was found roaming a busy street in May 07. He is a great dog but I can tell that he was abused at some time. He is afraid of doors, he watches carefully when we walk through an open door to make sure that I am not going to close it on him, he is also afraid of a certain ethnic group and some men. He is so attatched to me that if I go downstairs to check the laundry, with out him, he will make a puddle in one of 3 places on the kitchen floor. In front of the sink area, in front of the stove and in front of the refrigerator (the last is his favorite place.)...He also won't pee outside if it is raining or even just sprinkling-but he does poop. Then he comes in and pees in one of his 3 spots. He knows this is wrong-his guilty actions give him away immediately.. He is so good at it that I haven't caught him doing it and believe me I have been spying on him. HE IS GOOD & QUICK! I now crate him when we are gone and overnight but he still has this bad peepee habit. Sometimes I think he does it on purpose and other times I think it is his anxiety problem. HELP US PLEASE
Sounds like you're on the right track - good for you! I have every confidence that given time, you'll have a worry-free, happy addition to your home. :-)
Yes I have seen the dog wisperer in action on t.v. Awesome! Well my dog has worked thru some of his fear issues in the 6 months we've had him. I don't treat him like a baby when we are walking and he gets skiddish-I just say it's o.k. and keep him walking (on a 5ft lease) I have made the mistake of cleaning his accidents in front of him and THEN put him outside. I'll tell my husband not to do that either. Thank-you, I'll try these things. Happy Holidays.
I think this problem is behavioral due to anxiety, but make certain to have your vet rule out a kidney or bladder problem first.
It's obviously not normal for a dog to be so afraid of so many things and attached to one person. He is simply unsocialized, and you may unwittingly be making him even more neurotic. How do you treat him when he acts scared? If you treat him like a human child with lots of cooing, petting and comforting, your dog will see your behavior as a reward for being scared. By babying a scared dog and rewarding him for being afraid, you simply reinforce the behavior. Try to steel yourself to not react when these accidents happen. Just put him outside, or put him in another room while you clean it up. Don't talk, don't pet, don't reward. Simply put, you can't treat your dog like he is human. Those techniques work great with kids, but not with dogs. :-)
Lindell is right that you have to get the uric acid neutralized. Once that smell gets saturated in one spot (or several) it just gets that much harder to solve the problem. You might also try renting a steam cleaner or hire out a thorough carpet cleaning to help start fresh while you work on rehabilitating and socializing your dog.
You're going to have to do some leash work to deal with all his different fears. For instance, his fear of doors can be worked around if you put him on a leash and do some exercises in the house. Just work on going through doors and opening and closing them. No babying if he freaks out and cries. All you have to do is keep a good tension on the leash and quietly encourage him to do what you ask. Once he's through the door, heap on the praise. Then do it again, and again, and again, until it no longer is something to be afraid of.
If you aren't walking your dog every day, get started on a program. Even 20 minutes is better than nothing. With an unsocialized dog, I don't mean taking him out on those idiotic retractable leashes and letting the dog go, and do whatever he wants to do. Use a 5 or 6 foot leash and keep him right beside, or behind you. He can only step out if you tell him it is OK to do so. As you encounter things that scare him, just wait and allow him to work it through. You might see shaking and heavy panting. That is normal for a fearful dog. If you wait just a few minutes, and say nothing, he WILL work through the problem on his own.
I highly recommend that you check the library for Cesar MIlan's book, "Cesar's Way." Cesar is The Dog Whisperer you may have heard of on the National Geographic Channel. I began using his techniques a couple of years ago with a dog very similar to yours, and the results were spectactular. If you don't think you're getting results on your own, by all means consult a veterinary behaviorist for help. Good luck!
It's obviously not normal for a dog to be so afraid of so many things and attached to one person. He is simply unsocialized, and you may unwittingly be making him even more neurotic. How do you treat him when he acts scared? If you treat him like a human child with lots of cooing, petting and comforting, your dog will see your behavior as a reward for being scared. By babying a scared dog and rewarding him for being afraid, you simply reinforce the behavior. Try to steel yourself to not react when these accidents happen. Just put him outside, or put him in another room while you clean it up. Don't talk, don't pet, don't reward. Simply put, you can't treat your dog like he is human. Those techniques work great with kids, but not with dogs. :-)
Lindell is right that you have to get the uric acid neutralized. Once that smell gets saturated in one spot (or several) it just gets that much harder to solve the problem. You might also try renting a steam cleaner or hire out a thorough carpet cleaning to help start fresh while you work on rehabilitating and socializing your dog.
You're going to have to do some leash work to deal with all his different fears. For instance, his fear of doors can be worked around if you put him on a leash and do some exercises in the house. Just work on going through doors and opening and closing them. No babying if he freaks out and cries. All you have to do is keep a good tension on the leash and quietly encourage him to do what you ask. Once he's through the door, heap on the praise. Then do it again, and again, and again, until it no longer is something to be afraid of.
If you aren't walking your dog every day, get started on a program. Even 20 minutes is better than nothing. With an unsocialized dog, I don't mean taking him out on those idiotic retractable leashes and letting the dog go, and do whatever he wants to do. Use a 5 or 6 foot leash and keep him right beside, or behind you. He can only step out if you tell him it is OK to do so. As you encounter things that scare him, just wait and allow him to work it through. You might see shaking and heavy panting. That is normal for a fearful dog. If you wait just a few minutes, and say nothing, he WILL work through the problem on his own.
I highly recommend that you check the library for Cesar MIlan's book, "Cesar's Way." Cesar is The Dog Whisperer you may have heard of on the National Geographic Channel. I began using his techniques a couple of years ago with a dog very similar to yours, and the results were spectactular. If you don't think you're getting results on your own, by all means consult a veterinary behaviorist for help. Good luck!
Thank-you so much. I will be trying all that. If it doesn't stop soon, I fear my husband will put his foot down and find him a different home. Happy Holidays, Sharon
First you need to wash those pee areas with vinegar to neutalize the odor. Then you must watch the dog consistantly for weeks, if you go downstairs crate him or take him with you on a lead- don't trust him for accidents at all. Take him for plently of walks on leash and the minute he starts to pee or seem like he is about to, give him the command "Go Pee" and praise heavily if he does. He will learn to pee on command if you stick with it and praise will build his confidence. You must be very diligent for a long while to watch him in the house and NOT give the opportunity to let accidents occur. If he tries to go inside catch him with an immediate NO - Outside! The anxiety will work itself out over time.. He needs to know you are leader and peeing inside is not something the leader wants
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Dogs Community
Members of our Pet Communities share their Halloween pet photos.
Like to travel but hate to leave your pooch at home? Dr. Carol Osborne talks tips on how (and where!) to take a trip with your pampered pet
Ooh and aah your way through these too-cute photos of MedHelp members' best friends
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
