Friends having a problem with a new dog...help!

[caseysmom]

I don't know if anyone remembers but my friend adopted a standard poodle from the shelter about a year ago, he has worked out pretty well but he seemed lonely.

My friend adopted a boxer female for him last thursday. They love everything about her except she pees in the house all the time. She takes her on a long walk and she comes back and pees in the house. She ties her leash to her hip for a whole day over the weekend and she doesn't pee till she gets untied.

She was ready to take her back to the shelter but her husband wants to give her another chance. I am thankful for her hubby, I believe this is fixable but I dont' really have any new advice to offer.

Anyone???

[Seravieve]

Oh boy.. We've had similar issues with Treo. We've talked about taking her back/rehoming her several times. Its so frustrating. She's so good.. and then she DESTROYS something.. ugh. 2 78" faux wood blinds, couch, shoes, 2 crates (metal and plastic), 2 muzzles, molding around a door, oh yea.. and she used to pee too!

When she'd pee, I'd scream at her to startle her and then rush her outside. Maybe they need to just take her in and out quickly.. in addition to the walks. Maybe she doesnt know when to go? Some dogs are on a mission while on walks.. like our Bunny. Maybe just a quick in and out and a treat/praise if she goes.

[luvofallhorses]

Has she been spayed recently? When we adopted Dixie in December we got her the day after she was spayed (She was 9 weeks then) and she kept peeing in the house but now she is fine. She has a accident here and there but she's a puppy. Maybe have them take her to the vet to rule out a urinary tract infection. She could be marking in the house too but I would definately have them consider taking her to the vet.

Sometimes if dogs pee a lot like that, they are either marking or have a urinary tract infection. Plus she maybe isn't quite on their routine yet so she may have accidents. She could be peeing in the house also to prove dominance over their other dog. You never know.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

Hmmmm... that's interesting. How old is the Boxer? It sounds more behavioral to me, but who knows. I would definitely recommend taking her in to see the veterinarian for an exam and to rule out different possibilities.
Good luck to your friend!

[Taz_Zoee]

I have a similar problem with Taggart. For some reason ever since my mom took in Little Bit he pees in their house. He never did it before Little Bit arrived and he doesn't do it at our house or my brothers house. The only thing I can think of that is different is Little Bit. When he has to be at my moms we keep him on a leash at all times. Everyone in the family thinks its strange because Little Bit is female. I don't know.
Maybe the Boxer just has a problem with either the poodle's smell or another dogs smell that may still be in the house. Did this family have a dog(s) before the poodle?
I don't have any suggestions for them. In fact, I'm going to keep checking this thread for ideas for Taggart.

[Canis-Lupess]

If she has been in kennels a while, this can cause such behaviours because the dog gets used to peeing pretty much where it lives and doesn't have the chance to learn to go further away from their quarters.
I did some work in a kennels at Xmas and some of those dogs had obviously never lived in a home and even peed, pood in their own beds and such.
You could tell the boarding dogs from the rescues because they'd usually be a lot cleaner...often refusing to poo in their kennel area at all and waiting until they were taken to the exercise area.

It's a case of starting from scratch again like you'd teach a puppy. Perhaps a dog cage in the house for her to spend a bit of time in while she learns...I doubt she'll go in there...and regular visits to the garden to go pee. She can stay out of the cage if she has peed recently and isn't likely to need to go again anytime soon. Perhaps the use of one of those puppy pads or something which attracts them to pee on it out on the lawn or something and get her accustomed to peeing on the grass instead. Dogs are creatures of habit when it comes to toileting. Even my two don't like going to the toilet on lead...they aren't used to being on lead when they toilet. Sleet refuses point blank to go on lead and Wren isn't too keen on it.

Come up with some sort of cue for relieving herself and praise her when she does it in the right spot. Mine know what I mean when I tell them to have a poo or pee and they go do it...providing they need one.
Meanwhile, when they are at home, they need to watch for any signs of her being about to pee such as walking slowly forwards sniffing the floor.

For dogs who start peeing somewhere unusual as a result of another dog being introduced, I'd say that was more to do with stress of change. Dogs, like children, might show this sort of behaviour as a cry for help as well...where they aren't happy.

[Taz_Zoee]

For dogs who start peeing somewhere unusual as a result of another dog being introduced, I'd say that was more to do with stress of change. Dogs, like children, might show this sort of behaviour as a cry for help as well...where they aren't happy.

This makes sense for Taggarts issue. But my brother got two puppies the exact same weekend that my mom got Little Bit. He doesn't potty at my brothers. Maybe because they are puppies and Little Bit is an adult (approx. 3 years old)?

Anyway, there are some good suggestions here. I hope they can find a solution and quickly.

[Freedom]

Tasha is a puppy mill rescue. She was used to peeing and sitting in it. Learning house rules has been a challenge for her. We are about 80% there, after 10 months.

Find a high value treat; something the dog goes NUTS for. With my Tasha, that is bits of hot dog. When the dog goes outdoors, praise, praise PRAISE! I jump and down, wave my hands, GOOD JOB, GOOD GIRL, the neighbors must think I am nuts. And Tasha gets a bit of hot dog. After about 3 weeks, I didn't have to keep the hot dog with me in a baggie in my pocket any more; she knew we would run in to the fridge for me to break off a bit for her.

When she goes in the house, at least initially, you ignore the dog. Make noises of disgust, clean up, don't approach the dog.

When the dog goes in the house, it is key to clean up and eliminate the smell. Dogs will go in the same place as the smell tells them this is a pee place. Maybe put a pee pad there, let the dog use that and move the pad closer and closer to the door, then outside. While I haven't done this, many folks on the bichon forum have had success in this way. (I can't use pee pads, the cats think it is a new toy to shred. And if there are dog poops on there, those roll! )

I've taught Tasha a lot of commands, and we've moved to lower value treats for most of them. But the house training? Still using those high value treats to keep her attention.

Hope this helps!

[caseysmom]

Thanks everyone for all the good advice I will pass it on to her.

She doesn't know much about her history and I just realized that I didn't get her name...shame on me!