Dog and toilet issues....

njs030

My female lurcher has recently decided not to go to the toilet outside under any circumstances! She was always quite bad overnight and in the year that we have had her she has left 'presents' on the floor almost every night, we solved this by getting her a crate and piling in cushions and lovely cosy blankets so she has enough room to be comfortable but if she does any 'toilet stuff' she would be lying on it which has worked so far- previously she was ok during the day.
We have tried everything, letting her out in 10 min intervals, leaving her out for 10 mins every hour, taking her for walks etc and nothing. The second she is left alone she empties her bladder and bowels- she has never done it in front of us or in the same room.
For example she will sit with us from 6pm at nighttime until bedtime when all the dogs go out for a final wee and she just stands and looks at us, she will go to bed in her crate for another 8/9 hours, wake up and go outside for a while and again do nothing, and the second I leave the room she does it on the floor so she has to be holding it!
We can't let her out alone as she runs off if unsupervised.

I totally adore her , we foster young pups from the rescue centre and she takes them all into her care- she's sweet and kind and so so gentle....but this can't continue!!!

Any ideas anyone? To save my sanity

tk123

What are you cleaning the floors with would be my question? You need to use something like biological washing power solution to break down the enzymes and get read of the smell. Also do you clean regularly outside - she might have decided it's not clean enough for her with other dogs hoping out there too? My dog did that when we got our pup and it wasn't clean enough for him - refused to go out the back until it'd been hosed down again!

njs030

I'll try your suggestion for washing the floor, though it's not one particular area or room- it's like she just holds it until she's alone.

She hasn't gone to the toilet since 8am yesterday morning because she hasn't been alone- and with the exception of sleep time she's been outside every 30/40 mins.

I know what you mean about the garden but she won't go anywhere at all! Even on a walk or a run in a field- yesterday the puppy did a poo on the floor and my lurcher dragged over a blanket to hide it so there's definitely something up! We don't scold her for going on the floor but she probably picks up on my annoyance.

wexie

Did you get her as a rescue?

Sounds to me like someone tried to toilet 'train' the dog with very old fashioned and hamfisted methods when she was younger perhaps?
(rubbing nose in it etc.)

If she's refusing to do her business in front of you and trying to cover up the puppy's poo there's definitely something up alright.

njs030

Yes she's a rescue but was fine for 7/8 months previously so it's totally random, maybe I need to get advice from a behaviourist about it as it seems quite unusual :-(

wexie

notjustsweet wrote: »

Yes she's a rescue but was fine for 7/8 months previously so it's totally random, maybe I need to get advice from a behaviourist about it as it seems quite unusual :-(

Would seem to be the way to go alright, pretty strange if she was fine before.

Hope you get it sorted cause it can't be a great situation to be in

njs030

Thanks, more so that I'm worried she will get ill and constipated. It can't be healthy!!

Toulouse

Is it a very recent thing? Do you think that a banger or firework could have gone off one evening when she was out and spooked her?

I only mention it as my own hound got the fright of her life one night during her pre-bed pee when a firework went off and we had a couple of accidents over the following evenings.

njs030

No it's gradual over a couple of months and she didn't really care about the fireworks thankfully

meoklmrk91

I am having a similar issue the last week or so, he will go outside for wees no bother but is pooping in the house. I literally think its just a case of him not wanting to go out the cold and the rain. I have gone back to toilet training 101 and I go out and watch him going to toilet and praising him.

njs030

Thanks everyone, she finally gave in and did her business outside....we acted like it was the most amazing thing ever and gave her lots of treats! She's been in and out a couple more times squeezing out every drop of wee she can manage for treats so hopefully it's a new start!
I'll get some kind of long lead to let her out alone safely.

Thanks again x

witnessmenow

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

I am having a similar issue the last week or so, he will go outside for wees no bother but is pooping in the house. I literally think its just a case of him not wanting to go out the cold and the rain. I have gone back to toilet training 101 and I go out and watch him going to toilet and praising him.

Are you leaving them out for long enough? My dog will wee instantly when brought outside if she needs to, but needs to build up for the pooping

When its wet and cold the last thing we want is to be standing out in it, so maybe you are just noticing the delay more now?