Bed Wetting Dog

1. 77

   frogdroppingposted 14 years ago

   My daughter's dog (a terrier and almost 7 months old) pees everywhere. I know why - she has been caged during the day when my daughter is at school and my daughter's dad refuses to 'do' anything with the pup.
   
   Which, by the way, is a clever and responsive animal.
   
   Anyway - she's been allowed to pee on her own bed and what have you for too long and now I suspect she has got messed up 'boundaries' as to when and where she can actually pee.
   
   How do I help the dog, how do I retrain her? Any help and advice would be gratefully received

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2. 61

   Jane@CMposted 14 years ago

   If she did pee on the bed and the mattress has her scent, she'll continue to go back to the bed or any other place that she has peed that still has her scent.
   
   Start putting her on a leash and take her out on the hour during the day and praise her highly for going pee outside.
   
   Remove all the odors - if you have to pull up carpet and bleach it, do it.  She'll continue to mark her spots until the scent is gone.  I'd replace the mattress too
   
   Our dog goes on command "go potty" and she is out the door & does her thing.

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3. 60

   h.a.borcichposted 14 years ago

   Puppy pads may help....You put one where she is peeing (the bed) on day one. Keep moving it closer to the door eventually setting it outside. She will "follow" it.
   I trained my dogs to use a bell hung on the door knob to signal "I need to potty".
   I would get a spray product that will make the bed an unacceptable potty place.
   Also - I would check with the vet. Most dogs will not soil their bed or cage. There may be a health issue like a UTI, cushings disease or bladder cancer. Yes, bladder cancer can strike a pup. Some breeds are more suseptable than others.
     Good luck, Holly

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4. 82

   Whitney05posted 14 years ago

   What breed of dog is it? Consider litter box training a small breed dog. I have a hub on that. You  could also consider crating at night.
   
   Definitely take the dog out at night, but if the dad refuses, then litter box training a small breed dog would work. It's actually a great option.
   
   Personally, a child shouldn't have full responsibility of a pet, and if a parent isn't willing to take part, then the parent should have brought the animal home. That's irresponsibility on the parent's part.
   
   Puppy pads aren't always the best option bc you're telling the puppy that it's ok to potty in the house... Just on the one spot. Sometimes it can be hard to train them to go outside once you've taught them the potty pad.

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5. 87

   AdeleCosgroveBrayposted 14 years ago

   I have two terriers, a Westie Highland White (aged 9) and a Jack Russell (aged 3.)
   
   If your dog is inside the house all day, it is bound to urinate indoors.  The dog has no other choice.
   
   If you knew the dog would be on its own all day, every day, why did you take it into your home?  Sorry, but this is unfair on the dog.  Terriers are intelligent, company-loving animals who hate being on their own.  They get bored, and then they'll destroy things - chew and rip-up rugs, cushions, shoes etc.  and then people say they're a bad dog...
   
   Even if you wash the dog's bed, the animal's sensitive nose will detect urine and so the behaviour will continue.  I'd throw it out, and use newspaper for a while until the dog is properly house-trained.
   
   The good news is that at seven months old, your puppy is far from being too old to re-train.  Terriers are puppies until they're aproximately eighteen months old. 
   
   Maybe you could consider puppy training classes - where both the dog and the owner learn how to behave with each other.  Dogs are pack animals, and need to know their place in the household and the expected routine.  Also, there are plenty of dog-training manuals available. 
   
   To train my dogs to urinate outside, I began right from day one when they were first brought into the house.  Put on their lead (which also gets them used to that) and gently take them for a walk round the garden.  Do this several times a day, and when the puppy urinates outside make a big fuss, with lots of cuddles and praise.  Make a game of going outside, and your dog will soon get the idea. 
   
   Whenever the dog looks towards the garden or the door leading to it, using an encouraging voice say (for example), "Do you want to go outside?"  Then open the garden door and praise the dog.  Use encouragement and praise, never anger.
   
   But if the poor animal is shut indoors all day, then it's bound to leave puddles everywhere.  How long do you imagine a puppy can hold its bladder for?!!

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6. 61

   jellydonut25posted 14 years ago

   by the time they get to seven months, a dog SHOULD be able to hold it for a good while...my dog is just over a year old and in a pinch (like if both my wife and i end up not being able to come home for lunch to let her out) she's able to hold it in her crate from about 7:30 AM until 6:30 PM (I hate leaving her in there so long but it's happened like 3 times...)
   
   It's partially about where they think it's acceptable to go out and partially about where their scent is...my dog doesn't have one SPOT outside, so I'm not sure she has what she considers to be a 'potty' but peeing in a crate/bed is a major issue...
   
   dogs don't LIKE to pee and sleep in the same areas...their natural instincts are for them to find a place AWAY from where they eat and sleep to do their business. So if your dog has peed in a crate/bed and then is being locked up in there while your out, that dog is likely not getting any rest either while it's locked in there...picture it like somebody locking you in your bathroom!
   
   if you can remove the smell, and then use HUGE praises (and treats) when your dog does go outside to train it that going outside is a GOOD thing...then the dog will be more likely to view its bed as its BED and not its bathroom and will be more likely to really try its best to hold it when its in its bed...
   
   absolutely no dog is beyond saving.

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7. 60

   Geocynposted 14 years ago

   Start from the beginning, this pup has never been trained.  Do your best to remove the potty scent anywhere that it has been left.  Create a schedule, feed on a regular basis, crate the dog when you cannot be watching him/her, take the dog to potty area every three hours, if he doesn't go, then crate for 15 minutes and take him out again.
   Praise and treat whenever he does the right thing.
   Don't punish unless you catch him "IN THE ACT" not 30 seconds later.  You really MUST find the time and make the effort to do these things if you are to correctly potty train him. The same advice as is given for a brand new puppy, only now you have to get the poor dog to unlearn bad habits too.
   
   If you don't get him potty trained, then you may lose patience with him for something that is simply not his fault.  If he goes to the local Animal shelter in this condition although he is a wonderful dog, perfectly healthy and able to learn he could face being "humanely euthanized" (oxymoron there is nothing humane about putting down a healthy dog)

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8. 0

   cosetteposted 14 years ago

   i hate to say it but you should buy a new mattress. the poor litlte pooch has marked it and no matter what, she can still smell her own scent. then do as others suggested; taking her out, walking her, etc.
   
   this might sound odd but just in case, perhaps a plastic litter pan in the corner for emergencies? i know dogs aren't supposed to use litter boxes but stuff happens and once it happens, they will return to the 'scene of the crime'
   
   my bunny uses a litter box and never goes anywhere else. i think as long as they have some place to go, they will go.

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9. 77

   frogdroppingposted 14 years ago

   Ok I'm sorry ... I have barely been around for over a week. And I've been travelling since the middle of the night (Wednesday into Thursday) and I'm still not home. Bad weather, delays and trains breaking down ... currently sat in another hotel for the night.
   
   And so - thankyou everyone for your replies.
   
   All replies are useful but - I've had the dog rehomed. My daughter isn't old enough to become fully repsonsible for a dog and it was a bad idea from start to finish. Suffice to say that on Tuesday, she (the dog) got herself in a little pickle and when my daughter went to correct her she tried to bite her. She only just missed taking a chunk.
   
   Having seen my daughter's reaction, I knew an accident was waiting to happen. The dog, after all is said and done, is a lovely animal and simply doesn't understand where she's going wrong. My ex-husband is clueless and has constantly undermined my daughters very structured attempts to train her.
   
   She had taught her to sit, wait, retrieve, walk decently on the lead, come to call. She had, in my opinion, made a positive start, despite her age and the fact that her dad is too damn soft and irresponsible. But the attempt to bite was, for me, too much.
   
   She is now with a friend, a great guy that already has a Jack Russel (her breed), knows how to treat a dog and he's more than willing to put right what she needs.
   
   Again, thankyou all for taking the time to reply.

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   1. 0

      cosetteposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      wow, no small accomplishment. i'm glad it had a happy ending. your daughter did great with her!
      
      (one my favorite doggies, the terrier...)

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   2. 0

      Justine76posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      
      You know my dog/stupid man expierences. I'm sorry your daughter had to go thru this. I hope you get home safe.

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