Rescue dog occassionally "pee'ing" indoors

razorblunt

She's left in the hallway and kitchen (where her food and water is).
Not a big area at all, the kitchen is probably too small to leave her in on its own (and it's internal so no windows).

When we're here she's asked to go out if needed.

Leaving the radio on is worth a shot too, though in a really random coincidence, there are 2 apartments on the ground floor, the other fella is a strange fish, has his radio blaring constantly, literally 24 hours, I think he has a dog but I can't be sure. I'd be afraid the neighbours would think I've caught the crazy from him!

DBB

If she's peeing on her bed, crate training is unlikely to work, because it's success hinges on the dog's unwillingness to pee on their own bed.
I think it'd be very useful to see what's happening when you've Skype rigged up... Knowing exactly when she's peeing in relation to your leaving/your return is vital in knowing how to deal with this because it'll give some insight into why exactly she's peeing, in her bed, while you're out.
It might be separation anxiety. But it might also be anxiety related to you coming home... If she was punished in the past upon the owner's return (for a pee accident, or perhaps for emptying a bin, shredding a shoe etc), she may have real anxiety associated with hearing the car pulling in or the key in the door. If this is the case, she'll be more likely to pee just as you get home.

razorblunt

That's good advice, thanks. I wonder did we mess the routine by using her spare bed and not her sleeping bed? She's never went on her proper bed.

I'll get the Skype setup tomorrow after work and see how that goes.

DBB

razorblunt wrote: »

That's good advice, thanks. I wonder did we mess the routine by using her spare bed and not her sleeping bed? She's never went on her proper bed.

I'll get the Skype setup tomorrow after work and see how that goes.

Go with what works If she hasn't ever peed on the proper bed, then use it!
If she pees on fresh, unfamiliar beds there's a good chance that she's trying to scentmark them to make them feel familiar to her. Actually, now that I think of it, I've seen dogs pee a couple of times on new beds, but if the bed is then washed just with water, thus leaving the familiar smell on it, the problem stops

razorblunt

Yeah I was kicking myself on the bed debacle as it messed with the routine.
Last night when I brought her out before bed, she was reluctant to go, thankfully some dog came past and they got into a shouting match and when he left she piddled at the edge of the patio. This was probably marking rather than peeing, but the same thing happened last week and it set her up on a clean run as I think she realised this was her territory.

I was nervous enough though as it was torrential rain last night so I couldn't get her out and she had water and her dinner, but she slept through the night and emptied herself during a 20 min walk at 6:30 this morning.

I left her with her proper bed this morning, fingers crossed it helps.

Didgeridoodoo

razorblunt wrote: »

Yeah I was kicking myself on the bed debacle as it messed with the routine.
Last night when I brought her out before bed, she was reluctant to go, thankfully some dog came past and they got into a shouting match and when he left she piddled at the edge of the patio. This was probably marking rather than peeing, but the same thing happened last week and it set her up on a clean run as I think she realised this was her territory.

I was nervous enough though as it was torrential rain last night so I couldn't get her out and she had water and her dinner, but she slept through the night and emptied herself during a 20 min walk at 6:30 this morning.

I left her with her proper bed this morning, fingers crossed it helps.

Is homieopaty any good for it?

razorblunt

You mean like lavender candles?



--- i have no idea, it's something I might use as a last resort in a couple of weeks.

Didgeridoodoo

razorblunt wrote: »

You mean like lavender candles?



--- i have no idea, it's something I might use as a last resort in a couple of weeks.

I just herad maybe herbal remedies maybe dunno really just popped into my head that something might work
Maybe someone out there mite no more

Latatian

Homeopathy isn't herbal- it's an old German belief system that doesn't really seem to work when tested, except via placebo. It's kind of magical thinking. For example if you're feeling distance from your partner you use a bit of the Berlin wall, diluted past the point where there is literally any of the Berlin wall left, and the theory is that the water remembers that the Berlin wall was in it and fixes your feeling of separation (because walls=separation). The theory is that water remembers a substance that has been in it if you bang it in the right way a certain number of times (sucussion) and then somehow that has an effect on your body, and that the more diluted it is the 'stronger' it is. Or you use water-with-a-memory-of-having-salt-in-it for many things, or with a memory of brillo pads/exhaust fumes etc. I wouldn't use it on a dog of mine.

Not trying to be negative or unhelpful- I just would rather you know what it is. But you're right Digeridoodoo, herbal remedies can have actual effects.

My westie had something similar- complicated with incontinence when she got older. Two things really helped- teaching her to pee on command, and medicine for the incontinence. You've been to the vet so you probably don't need the latter, but peeing on command really worked well for us. She would be brought outside, asked to urinate, given a piece of dog food if she complied, and brought back in before every time we left the house. So we knew when we left that her bladder was already empty. Sorry if this is something elementary or that you're already doing- just found it helped.

razorblunt

Latatian wrote: »

Homeopathy isn't herbal- it's an old German belief system that doesn't really seem to work when tested, except via placebo. It's kind of magical thinking. For example if you're feeling distance from your partner you use a bit of the Berlin wall, diluted past the point where there is literally any of the Berlin wall left, and the theory is that the water remembers that the Berlin wall was in it and fixes your feeling of separation (because walls=separation). The theory is that water remembers a substance that has been in it if you bang it in the right way a certain number of times (sucussion) and then somehow that has an effect on your body, and that the more diluted it is the 'stronger' it is. Or you use water-with-a-memory-of-having-salt-in-it for many things, or with a memory of brillo pads/exhaust fumes etc. I wouldn't use it on a dog of mine.

Not trying to be negative or unhelpful- I just would rather you know what it is. But you're right Digeridoodoo, herbal remedies can have actual effects.

My westie had something similar- complicated with incontinence when she got older. Two things really helped- teaching her to pee on command, and medicine for the incontinence. You've been to the vet so you probably don't need the latter, but peeing on command really worked well for us. She would be brought outside, asked to urinate, given a piece of dog food if she complied, and brought back in before every time we left the house. So we knew when we left that her bladder was already empty. Sorry if this is something elementary or that you're already doing- just found it helped.

Thanks for that. We've been with her all weekend so there's been no incidents. But I definitely need to start trying the go on command approach. She was a bit restless during the around 2.30 and I woke to her staring at me so I took her out to the front. She's gotten into the habit of just sitting down there so I took her 20 feet down the road to where she normally goes as her first stop on a walk. Came back put her back into the patio and it worked, except I forgot the treat!! Praised her all the way back and gave her a treat once back inside.

To resolve any confusion on the patio area it's about the same size as the one in behind the grey car here:
http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/41201804?image=-1#3smlMFKYCBxMUG1S.97

razorblunt

Hi All,

Update on the situation.
It's been 5 weeks now since we took her home and I think this week we finally cracked it.
Her dog walker/day care person is on holidays for a fortnight, so we worked a schedule where my wife worked from home until 12:30 and I'd start early in work to finish early and get home for 4:30.

The first day was a disaster, pee'd her non sleeping bed, peed' in the kitchen, knocked her water bowl and had a fight with a towel.
Since then I think it's finally clicked that when we leave her, it's only for a while and we're back again.

Skype showed her just chilling in her bed and sleeping.

She's really come on in character too, completely different dog to what we picked up.

Thanks for all the help and advice, really appreciated.

cocker5

well done OP she is lucky to have found you guys!