housetraining crested/possible uti

Question
i see that you have a couple of the chinese cresteds, so i thought i could ask you a couple questions.  we have a crested, a new breed for us, that we added to our household a month and a half ago.  he is 9 mos old now and we just had him neutered a couple weeks back as part of the pet contract with the breeder.  his housetraining is not well-advanced at all, so we have been working hard on that.  my first question is in reference to his age and what is reasonable to expect of him at this point.  maybe he is normal and i am expecting too much.  in general he is able to last 4-5 hours during the day when i come home for lunch and then 8-9 hours through the night.  however, he seems to forget when out of the crate and will pee even after he has just been outside to pee maybe a half hour to an hour ago.  currently he is pooping 3 times a day and although we try to take him outside to encourage the elimination, a couple times a week, we find he has done a poop inside.  we feed him iames mini chunk and i'm wondering if it is too rich for him.  is he eliminating too often?

the past day is been different though.  yesterday morning, lunch, evening and again this morning, he has not held his pee at all, peeing all over himself (he wears a bellyband to encourage continence) and the crate.  so now we are concerned that maybe he has a uti and perhaps we need to contact our vet.

any advice/encouragement you can give me about housetraining would be appreciated.  :-)  we would love to be able to have him spend more time with us and less in the crate, especially when we are home most of the day on weekends.  but we have to stick to the normal daily schedule to keep the training going.  thanks, becky!

jill

Answer
Hi Jill,

Male dogs tend to mark their territory.  This is not so much an urge to pee, as it is to "mark". That may be part of your problem.  I usually like to have males neutered before six months of age for this reason.  But I think you will be able to housebreak him, it just takes a little effort and some patience on your part.  But please be aware that a male dog will sometimes "mark" his territory ever now and then , from now on.  My male Crested will do this, and we have to be very careful not leave anything lying on the floor like books, purses, shoes,etc or he will mark them!  Usually he is fine, but it happens.  I just wanted to forwarn you of that.  Cresteds are wonderful dogs and I just love mine.  I hope you will be patient with him and lovingly teach him.

I doubt he has a UTI, but if you see pink or reddish urine, he might!  Take him to the vet if you see him straining to pee and not peeing much or if you see any blood in the urine.  

Here is the housebreaking tips that I give to anyone who asks.  It's a great plan that has been very successful.

PUPPY HOUSEBREAKING TIPS

Puppy housebreaking can be accomplished by many different methods. Keep in mind that puppies are unable to fully control their bowels until they are a few months old. You will have some success during the early months; however, you should expect a few accidents. To avoid difficult clean-ups, keep puppies supervised at all times until you are certain that your pup is housebroken. Once you allow your pup to urinate in the house, he is likely to return to the same spot the next time he has to relieve himself.

Your puppy should be let outside to potty just before you retire for the night. Likewise, as soon as he wakes up in the morning, the first thing your pup will need to do is relieve himself. You should waste no time in taking him outside as soon as he awakes. When your pup hears you get up in the morning, it will be his signal to wake, so attend to him before going about your morning routine. Some pups may cry that they need to go outside at the first sign of light, and if you want a dry floor, it is usually necessary to immediately respond to their needs.


Your pup will also have to relieve himself shortly after a meal, and will need to urinate more often during the summer when his water intake is higher. As soon as your pup finishes dinner, place him outside for several minutes until he potties. At other times, you may notice your pup sniffing the floor for a suitable place to relieve himself. He may whimper or start to squat. Scoop him up immediately and place him outside.

Puppy Housebreaking may be quickened if your pup sleeps in his crate. Dogs dislike sleeping in a soiled area, and your pup will soon learn to wait until you let him out of his crate to do his business. Of course, it may take a few months before your pup is able to hold his bowels all night. As he gets older, he will have fewer and fewer accidents. Expect this, and never scold him for accidentally soiling his area at night.

If your puppy does have an accident during the day, only scold him if you catch him in the act. If you scold him even a minute or two after he has pottied, it will confuse him because he will not know why he is being scolded. If, however, you catch him in the act of relieving himself in the house, pick him up and say "No" in a firm voice. Do not yell at the pup. Immediately take him to the outside area where you want him to potty. Never rub his nose in the mess or hit him; this will cause him to fear you and will make future obedience training more difficult. Be sure to clean the soiled area with a product intended for housebreaking accidents. It should be formulated to remove both the stain and the odor so your pup will not be tempted to soil the same spot.

These training tips apply both to puppies and older dogs. For older puppies and dogs that continue to wet in the house, we recommend belly bands, which absorb wetness and prevent staining on carpets and furniture. click here

Housebreaking pads help to quickly housebreak pups. These pads are scented with attractants, and will encourage your pup to eliminate on the pad and not on your carpet. For the first few weeks, when you cannot watch your pup in the house, confine him to an area with an easy-to-clean flooring such as a kitchen. Place the pad on the floor. Your pup will learn to relieve himself on the specially scented pad. Eventually, you can move the pad closer and closer to the back door, and then place the pad outside. Once your pup learns to use the outdoors to relieve himself, you will no longer need to use the pads.

Remember, you are the greatest aid to your puppy's success. Be consistent and available to his needs. With your consistency, soon your pup will become completely trained.

God Bless!
Becky


Puppy Housebreaking Problems

Some common issues and what to do.

When your pup says, "I am NOT going to go potty now!"

1. Be very patient. Do not let the pup talk you into playing.

2. Try to go to the same area, leave a scent pad for reminder.

3. Be very quiet. DO NOT distract the pup from his purpose.

4. Confine the pup in small area until outside success is achieved.

5. Use another dog to prompt pup. Remember - no playing.

But I want to eat my feces!

1. Brought on by example, influenced by the desire to be clean.

2. Usually occurs when pup has been bored, alone, or confined.

3. Use a product called Forbid.

4. Can be hormonally triggered in females.

Diarrhea causes difficulty in housetraining!

1. Remember when you couldn't hold it?

2. Try to be patient as loose bowels create the need to go often.

3. Could be caused by worms (even microscopic).

4. If worms are present have your veterinarian de-worm, or use an over-the-counter wormer, following directions carefully.

5. Could even be caused by the food you eat and share.

6. Ask your vet about dosage before treating with Pepto Bismol, Imodium AD or other binder.

7. If there is blood in the stool, contact your veterinarian right away.