rescue dog 6 yrs

Question
QUESTION: Casey is smart and house trained,have had her since August, she learned quickly to go outside. Two problems.She is walked  4x's and let out in the yard several times a day and she asks to go out, sometimes during the night she will pee and she has been out before bed and i took up her water.Frustrated..She does not sleep in a crate, and she will let me know in the evening sometimes.. there is no pattern ... Also she will come if I have her sit and stay and call her and give her a treat, but trying to get her to come when I Ask her to she runs away like she is afaraid of me..She goes outside in my yard without a leash and comes when I call her but not in the house.


ANSWER: I'd get her checked out by a vet - sometimes inappropriate urination is caused by a physical issue like a urinary tract infection. And then if she checks out healthy, I'd probably let her sleep in a crate until this issue is solved. If you don't see it happening, there's not much you can do about it. While she may seem "sorry" after the fact, it's a reaction to your anger or frustration, not guilt associated with her previous behavior. Treat her like a puppy - supervise carefully and close off rooms where you can't see her for now. Clean with a good enzymatic cleaner made for pet accidents. Keep a journal of when she eliminates (which means you will need to go out with her) and you may start to see patterns where there doesn't seem to be one. When you take her out, if she doesn't go within 5 minutes, pop her back in the crate for five minutes and try again until she does. Then she gets supervised (if inside) play time. When you find a place where she's urinated, do you call her to correct her for it? If so, that may be why she doesn't like to come in the house. I'd do lots of short, happy informal recalls for a cookie (no sit and stay - just come find me/hide and seek, etc), but the treat should be a surprise. If you show it to her before she comes, she may only come when she sees a treat. I would teach her to bop a bell on the door with her nose to let you know she needs to go out. That way it will be clearer to you, and possibly clearer to her how to let you know. Sandy Case MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com

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QUESTION: Thank you for your suggestions,just had her fixed, nothing physical wrong.she was a rescue so had my work cut out for me.She barks and goes to the door and even barks three times, out out out, which I taught her..It seems she should be able to do that during the night. I confined her in the kitchen,do not have a crate.This worked,but if I do that it would have to be in the morning and she won't know why she is confined.When I discover the pee, she runs under the bed,
when she barks I praise her for telling me, when she pees and poops i praise her,,she gets a treat after she goes.
Have all the stuff for the smell and stain.. just want her to stop. I will try the come as you suggested.. thanks

Answer
Well, it certainly sounds like you are doing a lot of things right. It may be that someone in her previous life punished her for accidents in the house and that's why she hides. Or she's been punished for waking people up and afraid to let you know she needs out during the night. You just had her spayed? Does she possibly "leak" in her sleep? Sometimes the spay surgery traumatizes the bladder. Also sometimes the change in hormones can cause spay incontenence. If thats the case there are meds that help. Did the vet do a urinalysis before the spay? That's not normally part of the pre-surgery testing, but if it wasn't done, you don't know if there is a UTI or not. If it's not any of the above, you might get her a crate (sometimes you can get them used on Craig's list, out of classifieds or in second hand stores pretty cheap) and crate her in the bedroom with you at night so she does't feel ostracized. Sandy Case MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com