Dogs acting out

Question
Hi, I have an 11 year old shih tzu who has suddenly began peeing in my dining room which is something he never did, not even as a puppy. My mom and my sister also got a wheaton terrier puppy a few months ago and have turned most of their attention towards her lately. I have tried to give the same, plus more attention to my shih tzu as I usually would since I was worried that he would begin to feel ignored or replaced. I was just curious if it is likely that because he is no longer the only dog (which he has been his entire life) and has had a major upturn in lifestyle he has begun to act out by drawing attention to himself, even if it is negative.
Thank you! :-)

Answer
Hi Stephanie,

Thank you for writing to me about your 11 year old shih tzu. I've been extremely swamped with emergency rescue work which is why my response has been delayed.  I am very sorry about this.

The first thing that is essential is to have your dog checked for a bladder or kidney infection. Always rule out the medical aspect before considering emotional causes.  

Once the medical has been cleared, make sure that your new puppy isn't allowed to annoy your senior dog.  Monitor when the two are together and do not allow them to interact if the puppy is jumping all over your senior dog.  This alone could cause enough anxiety to provoke the problem.

The peeing could also stem from marking territory.  Your senior dog may be saying..hey..this is my place..I was here first and to prove it..I am going to leave my scent around the house so that you understand that I am boss!

Once the medical has been eliminated and your puppy is not allowed to annoy your senior, then I would suggest that you begin puppy housebreaking immediately.  Yes, even at 11 years old, you may have to go back to step one for awhile.  Do not however, blame your dog for what's going on.  She's been the perfect pup for 11 years and there is some reason why she is peeing inside the house.  It's just a matter of tracking down the cause and then addressing it.  Just don't let it become a habit, because then, whatever the cause, it will be difficult to break, even after the solution is found. Remember that prevention is the key, which is why I am suggesting puppy house breaking. The best way to housebreak a dog is to prevent it from ever going in the house in the first place.  If you need the protocol for housebreaking, please write to me with a follow up question.

Be sure to throughly shampoo the areas where she has marked.  Do not use ammonia products, as they smell like urine to a dog.  Instead you can use vinegar and/or peroxide to remove the odor.  Pure vanilla extract will completely mask the old odors.  You can also try a product that I've been told is carried by some Walmarts and Sam's clubs called Odoban.  It's had very good feed back.

Best Regards,
Shelley Davis