Potty Training for Handicapped dog?
I have a question for Dragondawg if they see this or anyone else can answer this. My dog Scooby suffered a stroke about 2 years ago. His ENTIRE right side was paralyzed. He still has issues with walking and his front paw has no feeling. He is extremely sensitive to the touch like it tickles on his right side. NO cause was ever determined what caused this.
However, on the topic of "potty training". Scooby was adopted from the pound. He never needed any real "potty training". Since his stroke, I've noticed more "gas" and the inability to "hold" his number "2" for very long. I was able to keep him in the house while I was at work with no accidents.
Lately, this has changed. I did have 2 other dogs (4 altogether). I had to put one to sleep and give the other one away. The one I gave away kept peeing on the floor. (She was the only female) She was mainly an outdoor dogs so she wasn't "potty trained" when first adopted. That left many "marked" areas in my house. Now, Scooby has started to go to the bathroom in the house in these same areas.:eek: :rolleyes: He has ALWAYS gone outside (unless it was raining):rolleyes:
What could be causing this? Is Scooby missing the female? They were good friends although him and Shaggy been together much longer. Is this an effect of his stroke? The other dog doesn't go in the house at all. I am at my wit's end on this. I make sure they go outside prior to me going to bed. They get taken out first thing in the morning. However, every morning there is a pile waiting for me. Am I going to have to retrain his "potty training"? If I do, how do I compensate for his loss of control? I've been forced to remove carpeting due to this issue. Please help!!!:eek:
I never had any problems with outdoor
dogs coming in. My prior dog I kept outdoors at night for the first 7 months of her life. As the first winter approached and I was due to make a trip with her, I decided to see how she would do inside. Wow did her eyes light up when I invited her upstairs that first night! No problems. Basically the whole house she thought of as her den. She was a very territorial puppy dog. My current female I got from a rescue at 3 months. The pen she was being kept in was filthy and I had no crate for her. I tried putting her outside in my pen and she made an immediate racket. Amazingly no accidents the first couple of weeks inside! Of course that first week I was up all hours of the night taking her out.
What you are describing with your dog can be broken up into two parts:
1. It's obviously picking up the scent as where to go, and that's the place it goes. If the carpets are up and you are back to hardwood, try something like Murphy's Soap to clean the hardwood. It seems good at getting rid of scents.
2. It sounds as though your dog does have less control, and just can't hold quanity. Try feeding it less at night and more in the morning. Of course if you are gone most of the day, then your dog will be leaving you a surprise during the day. Or if you have the means to do so, go from 2 meals to 3 meals. Total daily amount is the same. That would give puppy less to hold per meal.