Housebreaking/territory marking?

Question
My mother recently rescued a stray West Highland White Terrier.  Exhaustive searches produced no owner, so she decided to keep the dog.  No history is known.  Mom had her spayed a couple of  months ago.  Vet says she is probably between 1-2 years old.  She was already housebroken.

The problem has now arisen that when she is around other dogs, such as when my Westie and Shih Tzu come to visit or she comes to visit them, she urinates and defecates in the floor for no apparent reason.  My mother feels that she is just too excited to hold it, but I think it is a behavioral issue whereupon she is trying to communicate something to the other dogs.  Any ideas on why she is doing this or how to stop it?  Thanks!

Answer
Hi Jenny,

Your mother's dog should have a good long walk before another dog comes over, or before she is taken to someone else's home. It doesn't matter if this is a marking issue or not, it's not a behavior your mother approves of, so it must stop.

Other than that, the dog needs to be supervised very closely once she's in the presence of other dogs. The instant she looks like she might be thinking about going to the bathroom, your mom needs to "correct" her dog, with a forceful "NO!", and then rush her dog outside. If the dog goes to the bathroom outside, offer praise for a job well done.

If your mother's dog can't be supervised during these visits, she needs to either be crated, or contained in part of a room with the help of a child-gate or two. The dog should not have the run or the house because she can't be trusted. Areas where the dog has soiled should be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner, such as Nature's Miracle.

In time, with constant supervision, your mom's dog will learn that these accidents are a big no-no.

Best of luck,

Patti