New dog, urinating on couch!

Question
Our new Beagle (about 6 years old) has always been an outside dog.  I just got her from the pound, 12-16-08.  We keep her in the house.  No accidents, until today.  She has been using the doggie door.

I came home from work today and she had urinated on our couch!  It has a slip cover and several throws, so the couch cushions were hardly penetrated.  (I've covered the cushins with trash bags).

Can you please, please recommend something I can do, to nip this in the bud?  I hesitate to spank her, since she's new and she has a large fatty tumor on her chest, and if you pick her up, she screams.

Other than that, she's a wonderful, sweet dog.  Again, she does use the doggie door and only this once, has urinated on the couch.

Thank you so much for any advice.

Beth

Answer
I'm glad you don't want to spank her - because all that would do is damage the trust she is probably starting to feel for you. My first thought, considering her age and recent past is a trip to the vet with a urinalysis. She may have a urinary tract infection. It's also possible that she has spay incontenence or another condition which would cause her to "leak" in her sleep. In that case it would be really cruel to punish her as she wouldn't even be aware that she had done it. There are medications you can get from your vet that tone the bladder and can help with that. In the mean time, I'd arrange the household so she doesn't have access to the sofa when you are not able to supervise her. Depending on where the doggie door is, maybe you could baby-gate her in the kitchen? Sandy Case BFA MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com