Indoor Peeing by New Dog

Question
Hello Karen,

We took home a dog last week that is a Katrina stray, up from Louisiana (we live in Minneapolis). Roscoe is a two year old Golden/Bassett mix. We have a 13 year old Golden/Shepherd F he gets along with very well.

He had several accidents the first week due to intestinal worms, since cured by vet. He is very clean and well housebroken otherwise - woke me up at 3AM to go out to pee several nights ago.

Question - last night I heard a peeing sound in our bedroom at 2AM and saw him peeing next to the dresser. This was only 4 hours after a walk. This morning he peed on a leather couch after a walk.

He is a wonderful dog, but has probably led a hard life the past year. Is this dominance behavior? Marking? Nervousness?

I should mention he seems very smart, and my daughter and wife both left the house Sunday for travel. Might this trigger anxiety?

What are our options to treat this?

Best Wishes,

Isaac

Answer
First of all, when you bring home a new dog like this, he is most likely stressed, doesn't know the routine of your house, and doesn't understand the rules of the house, and a week is hardly enough time for him to adapt. You should treat him just as though you have brought in a new puppy. He should be in a crate when you cannot watch him, at night, or when you are gone. In essence, pretend you are housebreaking a new puppy. Of course, he will be able to go longer between trips outdoors and he should adapt quickly to what is expected of him with this method.

That said, when there is a change in house manners, do make sure that there isn't an underlying problem first, such as a bladder infection. His urination in the house could be a dominance issue, but that would be more unusual in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep. Doing it after the walk could be a statement on his part ("I'm BAAAACK!"), so make sure you give him a chance to do that *before* going back into the house. And be sure to PRAISE him when he does urinate at the appropriate time in the appropriate place so he understands *exactly* what it is that you expect from him. Never assume that because he is an adult that he should already know all this stuff; his past year has totally screwed up anything he ever knew. Be sure to get him into some ongoing obedience classes also; it will help the two of you to bond better. There are several good training centers in the Twin Cities; avoid the pet store versions.

And as to the worming, he will undoubtedly need a second dose shortly, so be sure to check with your vet about this. Ask when you call about having a urinalysis done.