Housebroken, but has her favorite spot....

Question
I have 2 dogs.  One is a lovely 13+ year old Aussie, well trained, no issues really.  We just got another dog from some friends who couldn't keep her, a 2 year old English Shepherd.  Wonderful dog, minds OK for having been a solely outside dog and fairly new to us.  For all intents and purposes she is housebroken.  However, if given the chance to reach our 2nd floor, she invariably pees on my bedroom carpet.  I have no idea what to do about this.  I've done all the housebreaking routines with her, so I think this is a behavioral thing.  Help me, please....I hate to keep having baby gate at the stairs.  Thanks in advance!!

Answer
Sometimes, dogs urinate to leave a comforting scent, or to mark a territory (even females can be guilty of this).  Time in the home can ease their anxiety, and they often quit the behavior so long as they aren't just allowed freedom for the first several weeks.  The best thing is to clean the spot thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner (Petastic, Trail (my favorite), or Nature's Miracle).  Then, retrain the dog a bit, so that she generalizes that she isn't to pee anywhere in the home, not just the first floor.  If you tether her to your waist, she cannot use those spots, and you can take her to the right outdoor area, and repeatedly reward her for going in the right area.  Do not punish her for mistakes (those are your fault for allowing her unfettered access to the second floor lol), because it might make her want to "hide" or not to pee in front of you even outdoors where you want her to.  

Do consider the possibility of spay incontinence - if she is leaking while sleeping in that spot, it may not be a conscious decision on her part.  Spay incontinent dogs can often hold it while awake, but lose control of the sphincter while sleeping.  That solution is easy - inexpensive medications usually work very well.


I'm glad you're doing well so far - another thing you can try is to feed her treats, or even dinner, in the spot where she was making her mistake - dogs don't often soil where they eat.