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My Dog Has Started Urinating in the house at night

19 11:51:10

Question
Please help me I have an 4 year old staff and he has just started peeing in the house at night time. He used to wake me if he needed the loo but now he just sneaks down stairs and pee's up the wall.I also have an one year old staff x I have had her done so I know it's not the fact she is coming into season. Also I have stop letting him drink anything after 9.30 at night which I feel bad about as the weather is getting warmer. We move in to this house in October 2006 and he started peeing in the house around January 07. I am at home most of the time as I am a full time mum. Please help me if you can. Thank you. Stephanie


Answer
Hi Stephanie,

Thank you for writing to me about your 4 year old Staffie.

If you notice a change in behavior is it always wise to have a full blood workup done by your vet.  Specifically look for bladder/kidney issues.

You will have to start puppy housebreaking all over again.  The following information will get you started on the road to your dog being fully housebroken:

When a dog is housebroken it never uses the house for its toilet, so I suggest that you go back to basic puppy housebreaking, even though your dog is all grown up.

Many people do not understand why their dog does not know what to do when taken outside. Just turning a dog out in the back yard by itself a few times a day for a few minutes is not the way to house train a dog.

Merely taking pooch outside also does not mean your dog knows what it's being taken outside for.

Housebreaking in theory is very simple. It is a means of preventing your dog from doing its business in the house and only giving it the opportunity to do it outside. It also means that your dog learns to communicate with you about going when told to go and about letting you know when it has to go outside.

A dog is a creature of habit and because it learns by association, if its training is consistent it will quickly learn there is no other place to relieve itsself other than outdoors.

We take advantage of a very natural instinct of a dog - its desire to keep its sleeping quarters clean - i.e. not to mess its bed. We offer a dog a den in the form of a dog crate or if your dog at this age is not crate trained, then offer pooch a restricted are or else you will have to leash your dog to a door knob or table leg.  Make sure that there is nothing around that your dog can get entangled in. This area becomes  its bed that your dog cannot get out of. If its dog crate or restricted area is the right size your dog will not soil it.

Dogs are and always have been den and pack animals. Canines naturally and instinctively prefer the shelter of a den. In the wild the young are raised in dens. They spend a great part of their first year very close to their den. In homes, dogs often choose their den. They will get under a
desk, behind a couch, in a closet. ect. etc

A dog crate is a perfect, natural bed for a dog and a safe, natural spot to put your pet whenever necessary for the dog's safety or the owner's peace of mind. However, if a dog isn't initially crate trained then you would have to do it with the assistance of a trainer so as not to traumatize your dog for life.  This is extremely important.

Keep a bowl of all-natural dog treats near the crate. Every time you put your pup in the crate or restricted area give a "CRATE" or "BED" command and toss 3 or 4 liver treats
into the crate or area. It gives your dog a nice reason to go in. You will be surprised how quickly he expects to get a treat when he goes into his area. Going there becomes a positive experience.

As your dog ages and learns, give the "CRATE" or "BED" command before tossing the treats in. Expect your dog to go in on its own. This exercise is the beginning of teaching your dog to go to its area when people come to the
house. Dogs that bark and act stupid when they hear the door bell need to be told to go to their crate or bed. This is how that training is started.

When thinking of the size of a crate needed for your dog, think small. Think den not condo! The use of too large a crate for a dog will encourage your pet to use a small portion of it for a bed and the remainder as a relief station! Your dog, if using a crate should be able to stand up and turn around with a bit of room to spare.

Your dog should only be allowed to relieve itself out doors.

A crate or restricted area is never meant to be used as a place of punishment for your dog, so a couple of safe toys would be welcome for down-time. A kong filled with peanut butter or cream cheese goes a long way towards keeping a dog
quiet in a crate. Be careful of the toys you choose to leave - soft squeaky toys with bells are not healthy for dogs. Too often dogs chew up these soft toys and get parts of them stuck in their bowels which often kills them.

Start crate training while you remain in the same room with your crated dog, frequently praising pooch and letting it know clearly it is pleasing to you that your dog remains in the crate, quietly. Frequent trips out of the room with quick returns with a treat through the bars will condition your dog to your comings and goings.

Gradually extend your absent periods, and in a short time, you can be gone several hours. While in the crate, your dog should not be scolded.

Crate confinement works so well that most dogs soon choose the crate for naps and, in general, consider it their own private domain. They learn that they can go into their crate and sleep and no one will step on them or jump on them. Feed your dog in his crate as well.

If you are in a protected area (a fenced back yard) let your dog go free of the leash. Be sure to stay out there with your dog. Lavishly praise your dog with GOOD DOGGIE when it has completed its duties. Take your dog inside at once and put it in its restricted area.

A puppy or untrained dog is NEVER ALLOWED TO HAVE FREE ACCESS TO THE HOUSE unless you have your eyes on the it. If pooch poops on the floor because you turned your
back for 45 seconds - you made a mistake, not your dog.

The only time pups can be loose inside is just after they come in from going outside and then only for short periods of time.  NEVER leave a dog unattended and loose in the house until it is completely housebroken.

Pups must go out first thing in the morning (and I mean first thing) take your dog outside. Your dog's been clean all night - and holding it all night -it will do its business in a hurry because it HAS TO GO. Now bring your dog in and give it freedom, but in the kitchen only.   A child's gate at the kitchen doorway is an excellent barrier to the other rooms in the house. Give your dog freedom while breakfast is being prepared and while you are eating breakfast. After your breakfast, and when you have time to take your dog out, feed it breakfast - and take it out immediately. Remember the rule - outside after each meal. Do not leave food or water down or your dog will do its business immediately afterward, when you aren't there to take it out.  Dogs relieve themselves after SLEEPING- EATING AND HAVING EXERCISE.

Now bring your dog in and put it in the restricted area and go about your normal routine of the morning. Your dog should stay in the crate until about 11:00 to 11:30A.M. Then out of the crate and outside. Bring your dog in, and while you are preparing and eating lunch let it have the freedom of the kitchen but only when you have "eyes on your dog".

At dinner time as soon as pooch has finished its last mouthful - take it outside. After munchkin has completed its business, bring it in and again give it the freedom of the kitchen while you are preparing dinner and during
the dinner hour. Give your dog another trip outside about 8:00 P.M. - and again just before your bedtime. Some pups need to be exercised more than others to get them to relieve themselves. Exercises always increases the urge to
pee or poop. Keep your dog outside for up to 30 minutes to insure that he will go.  Prevention is the key to success.

The bottom line is you cannot take your dog outside too much. If you take your dog out every few hour then it learns that it is going to have a chance to go outside to do his business. So when someone tells you to wait for 4
hours - I would ask WHY if you can take it out more often? Why wait that long if you are home. We want to establish a pattern and what better way than to take your dog out all the time. Also do not underestimate how important it is to ask your pup if it WANTS TO GO OUTSIDE just before going out and praising GOOD DOGGIE when YOUR DOG DOES GO.

One last point on your dogs house breaking. A commercial kibble diet takes 14 to 15 hours to go through a dog. An all-natural diet goes through the dog in 5 to 6 hours. I strongly recommend that you consider doing your
research on all-natural diets.

A couple of points on how to housetrain your dog:

1. Do not vary your dog's diet.

2. Snacks or treats are forbidden.

3- Bring your dog in as soon as it does it's business.

4- Praise every time you see your dog pee or poop. Do this forever. Reinforcing good behavior never hurt anything.

5- Dogs who go out and just dink around and then go in their crate need more exercises when they go outside. A long walk will often cure the problem. BE SURE TO PRAISE   -then when you have your dog in the house and say "DO YOU WANT TO GO OUTSIDE" he will learn what you mean.

6- Older dogs are house trained exactly like young pups.

Using An Odor Neutralizer And Indoor Spray Repellent.  I like using Nature's Miracle, peroxide, vinegar and alcohol.Then place some drops of pure vanilla on the spot.

When a handler makes a mistake and allows a dog to pee in the house, you have to get rid of the odor.  This is accomplished with an odor neutralizer, which is available in pet stores or you can try using straight vinegar. (Do not use household cleaners as they contain ammonia and will attract him back to the same spot.) When used properly it will completely eliminate these odors, discerned only by the dog, by neutralizing the scent. When areas previously used by your dog have been neutralized the incentive for using the same spot will be eliminated. You can purchase a black light to find old pee spots in your house.

Proper Correction

Under no circumstances should your puppy be punished for relieving itself in the house, unless you catch it in the act. The punishment should be a verbal scolding not physical harm.

A dog has no mental capacity to connect your wrath with whatever it did wrong, even a few minutes earlier. If you cannot get to your puppy while it is doing its business then you have screwed up. Pups simply cannot put two and two together to understand why you would be mad about it peeing on the rug. It is confusing to your dog and you only get a puzzled whimper.

Catch pooch in the act or scolding is no good. I don't recommend scolding at all but only prevention as it is not its fault at all.

The old adage of rubbing a dogs nose in it is stupid. We don't do this to our kids and we should not do this to our dogs. Anyone who recommends this needs a good swift kick.

Many people are mistakenly convinced that a dog messes in the house for spite or revenge, usually for having been left alone. This is incorrect. It is for reasons of anxiety, nervousness or fear that it behaves this
way...or simply that it is not properly housebroken. Very often the owner comes home and finds the dog behaving in a fearful, shameful, or generally guilt-ridden manner. It is because of this that the owner is convinced the dog has messed in the house for spite. It's simply not true. The dog
cringes when you come home because he associates your arrival with punishment. YOu have conditioned your dog (and it only takes ONE TIME) to be afraid when you came home in the past.

Are you picking the water up at 6:30?

Are you giving your dog enough exercise to make it tired before it goes to bed?

Are you putting your pup in its restricted area all the time and not just bedtime. Your pup needs to learn that it must go in its area and calms down.

If you are convinced your pup just wants to come out and play after a few hours , then ignore it or take it out for some exercise. If there is a mess in the crate later on - then YOU MADE A MISTAKE - not your dog.

With a little effort on your part and the use of this method your dog can be housebroken very quickly. But remember there is more than peeing and pooping in the house that goes along with housebreaking.

House Training :

House training should only take approximately two weeks to establish as a routine provided;

a) you must be consistent and committed
b) you are prepared to train your pet. Have a leash, collar, a designated area and are prepared to maintain a
schedule.

Retraining a dog that has already established bad habits can take six weeks or more.

As soon as possible get your dog to the vet for a complete check-up. This will assure you that you have healthy and alert you to any medical complications that can make house training more difficult.

Situations such as intestinal upset, intestinal parasites and urinary tract infections can make house training difficult to impossible.

The designated toilet area can be as general as outside of the house or as specific as a particular corner of the backyard.  You must have a specific plan as to what the designated area is going to be.  You can not teach your
dog what is acceptable if you are uncertain.

Your attitude is one of the most important ingredients in house training your dog.  Your puppy does not know what is wrong.  If there is a mistake tell it "no" but do not discipline too severely.  You only want him to know that you are displeased, you do not want your pup to feel that you are the source of pain.

When your pup has done well, pat it, praise it, let your dog know that you are very pleased.  Your pup will want to do things that please you.

House training can be a foundation for all future training.  Affection and praise as a reward for proper response - "no" signaling displeasure and guidance to show your dog what you do want.

Scheduling:
1. Create a schedule that is practical for you to maintain.  If you can not stick to your schedule - you can't expect your dog to adhere to it.

2. Do not allow your dog to free feed until house training is well established.  Be very careful of your dogs diet - avoid foods and/orsnacks that can be upsetting to his digestive tract.

3. Schedule your dog's bed time and waking-up time.  Adhere to these times as closely as possible.

4. Remember that your pup will need to be taken outside after each feeding or drinking.

5. Emotional intensity - after intense emotional stimulation (badly scared, frightened, or a particularly rowdy play session) your pup may need to relieve himself.

6. Within two to three days, most dogs will be able to "control themselves" for eight hours during the night.  You must keep in mind that your daytime schedule will need to be somewhat flexible.  

Supervise in the House :

1. By knowing where your dog is at all times, and what he is doing, you can avoid mistakes.  When a pup stops playing and starts to look around for a "good spot", he needs to go out.  By observing your dog you will quickly learn to tell the difference between the pup's exploring his universe and his searching for a "good location".

2. If your pup starts to make a mistake, firmly but quietly say "No" and take him straight to his toilet area.  Do not yell at your dog.  Do not chase your dog.  At this point it is up to you to be observant of your dog.  Any mistakes that are made are due to your not paying attention.

3. If you can not supervise your dog for a period of time, put your dog in a confinement area (prepared with papers) or confine it to the room where you are.

4. When you are relaxing (watching TV, reading or on computer), have your dog with you.  Give pooch some of its toys to play with.  Have your dog on a leash or confine it to the room where you are, so that pooch doesn't wander out and have an accident.  Teach your dog that it can be enjoyable just being with you. When you can't be with your dog:

1. Provide a small area confinement area (bathroom with all "chewable" items removed, fenced off area of the garage, or a crate).

2. Do not leave food and water with your dog, or fill its area with cookies or snacks before you leave.  You should schedule your pup's breakfast to be at least 2 hours before your planned departure time.  That way he can
eat, digest his food and relieve himself prior to your departure.

3. Ideally, if you are going to be gone for more than eight hours, someone should give the dog a drink and an opportunity to relieve itself several times during the day.

Taking your dog out:
1. Take your dog on leash to the designated toilet area.  Stand quietly, so that it can find the right spot.  Do not distract your dog.  Do not praise your dog during its search.  If after about a time your dog hasn't gone to the bathroom, return it to the house (keeping a close eye on it) for about 1/2 hour, then try again.

2. When your dog does go, calmly praise it.  Use a chosen word or phrase (good potty, etc).  This phrase will only be used for praise in going potty.

3. When your dog has finished relieving itself praise it very enthusiastically.  Let your dog know that you are very proud of it.

4. Remember your dog's routine. Some dogs will "potty" two or three times per outing in the morning, but only twice per outing in the evening. Urination is often followed by defecation, while other dogs will do the reverse.

5. Even if the weather is foul, do not let your dog know that you don't want to be going outside with it.  By teaching your dog that even in bad weather going outside is "the thing to do", to please you, then it will be
more willing to convey its needs to you.

6. While you are learning your dog's "time table", take it out immediately after it wakes up, after it has eaten and after all play sessions.

Catching your dog "in the act" :
1. Without yelling, firmly say "No".  If you still don't have your dog's attention, clap your hands.

2. Get your dog outside, to the designated latrine area.  If your dog relieves itself outside praise it.  Proceed with the potty routine.

3. Clean the mess with a deodorizing or odor killing cleanser or vinegar. If your dog smells its own scent as having been used as a bathroom area, it will continue to use the area.

If the cleanser is not able to eliminate enough of the scent so that your dog can not detect it, you can help mask the scent over as I mentioned before, with vanilla extract.  Just one or two drops will make it impossible for your dog to smell any lingering odor.

Best Regards,
Shelley Davis