forgot most everything

[isobelsmom]

I'm having a problem with Isobel. She's 2 1/2 years old and had been a rotten critter to housetrain. She's been real good for about the last 9 or 10 months. Now, all of the sudden, she's no longer letting me know when she has to potty. That I can kinda handle as I know her body language. What is really wrong is she is peeing in her crate and never lets me know if she has to potty while she is in there. She used to---now, nothing. I'm changing bedding about every other day. If I try it without bedding she has a hissy fit and barks. I don't mind washing it---I just cannot figure out what the prob is. Nothing physical as I had her checked after the third time it happened.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks, mary

[Penny's Aunt]

There are usually 3 common reason for a dog to "forget" its housebreaking lessons:

1. Bladder infection creates the need to pee frequently, often without warning. FREQUENCY is a big sign here.

2. Hormone-related problems, esp in females (occas in males) after neutering. There is a new drug called (I think) PPA which works on both males & females & very few side effects.

3. They regress to pre-housebroken days for no known reason. Re-training seems to be the only thing you can do: taking them out frequently, limiting the area they are free in, etc. Make sure they ARE peeing when they go out, so you will have to watch. Occas., they are so interested in other things that they forget to do it, then are called in "too soon".

[Mark]

We have also seen similiar behaviour when there's a big change in routine or in household population. http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/blah.gif

Mark http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/smile.gif

[isobelsmom]

Thanks. The thing of it is there has been no great upheaval. Her "other" housetraining has not been affected. She still goes outside and has not tried to slink off to dark unsupersvised areas like one would expect. It's just that when she is in her crate she no longer lets me know when she has to go out. She used to whine---now everything is silent.

I have a girl on PPA; she's been on it for about 8 years. Isobel is not leaking urine or anything like that. I've had her to the vet and she doesn't have an infevtion or crystals or anything. It's just in her crate. <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm25.gif" border=0> There may not be anything I can do as I cannot catch her. I ask her if she has to go potty in hopes of getting a response and it happens maybe three-four times a week.

She's just made up a new thing to make me insane! Thanks for the advice and I'll keep my eyes on things.

mary

[Oscar's Mom]

In obedience school, the trainer said to remove bedding if they are going in the crate. She said they think if it as 'in door plumbing' because the blankets absorb it. Hope things get better!

[Penny's Aunt]

Does she do it any place OTHER than in her crate? Could she be developing some aversion to the crate? (Heaven knows what goes through those compact little brains!)

What about trying a short (24") tether for a while, in an easy-clean place like the kitchen? Bedding, toys, chewies, etc. See if she does it there, too. If she does, I would think it is a training problem; if she doesn't, it may be a crate problem.

They sure keep us busy & wondering, don't they?

[isobelsmom]

Nope. Just her crate. She doesn't seem to have an aversion to it. She will go back in after the bedding is changed and it's cleaned out--either for a nap or to chew a toy. She never bangs to get out. Never says a word. And that's the problem. <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm13.gif" border=0>

I will try the tether--but I'm not sure how well it will work. Hmmm, methinks it will not only because she will scream. The crate is the only place she doesn't mind being left alone in. I'm sure it's a DWD plot to make me insane . . . .it's on it's way to working!

mary

[Wienergal]

Hmmm... Trying to get this straight, Mary. I feel I MUST have some advice to offer, since I am the mother of <FONT COLOR="Red">Peaches Marie, The Dog Who Would Not Be Housebroken</FONT c>http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/afraid.gif. My first instict would be to keep her out of the crate, but you say this is the only place she likes to be left alone. But you also say she isn't giving you any signals when she's in the crate and needs to go out--so sometimes she must in the crate when you're there, right? Is she peeing in the crate even when the door is open?? If that's the case, the bedding has to go! Is she unreliable if you just leave her in the house when you're not there?

[isobelsmom]

Can't leave her out of the crate when I'm not here . . . she'd get eaten! I don't think she goes pee in her crate when the door is open; I'm not a 100% about that tho. I took the bedding out last night. You'd've thought the known universe was comin' to an end! <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm14.gif" border=0> The shrieks and groans and grumbles. That girl really was miffed about being blankie-less. And she peed in the crate. I found her mushed in the front with pee in the back. <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm25.gif" border=0> Maybe it's a faze, ya think? <sigh>

I have no idea what to do. Maybe if I just ignore her and the problem she'll stop doing this silliness!? Hmmm, sounds like Isobel may wanna be a student of Miss Peaches Marie. I coulda sworn she had the hang of this pottying outside thingy down. Silly hooman!

mary

<FONT COLOR="#00FFFF" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by isobelsmom on September 22, 2000 at 07:28 PM</font>

[Mark]

Mary,

IMHO removing "her" blanket may be a mistake. Maybe with another breed . . . but that in itself (seems to me) represents the kind of big change which could cause misbehaviour, not solve it. Naturally it would need to be washed whenever peed on to get rid of the odor . . . but I picture taking something of our 2 Dachsies away (something they consider as theirs) vs. taking something of Top Spin's . . . it would work with him . . . not them.

I wish I had "an" answer for you, but do not.

Please keep us posted and good luck,

Mark

[isobelsmom]

Mark,

Came to the same conclusion . . . .put her blankie back in. The kid is lost w/o her polar fleece! I really have no idea what to do about this. I guess I'll just keep washing and replacing her bedding. It broke her heart to sleep on the bare crate. She's used to being spoiled. There are more pressing problems in the world, so I'll just muddle along with this one. Thanks for all the advice and if there is any change or whatnot I'll let you know.

mary

[Roxane]

Hi Mary:
Having to deal with the problem of incontinence with my older Annie (Dobe) I am always suspect of a dog, especially a spayed female, when they seem to be losing bladder control.
There can be so many physical reasons including anything that damages the nerve supply of the bladder. My Veterinary Handbook lists spinal cord disease and ruptured disc, among others. Since our dachsies are so prone to back (disc) problems, maybe that might be something to investigate?
So often the dog doesn't signal to go out because either they are not aware of the need to go or because this happens while they are sleeping.
Hope whatever it is you and Isobel can get the problem solved.
Roxane

[isobelsmom]

Roxane,

Thanks. Never thought of that and now it's so painfully obvious. I'll talk to the vet and have her checked again. Her urine was fine--nothing out of the ordinary. And it is puzzling about her not letting me know--she had been soooo proud of how her squalling could bring her mama running. Perhaps only a small dose of PPA would be the answer and I really hope it's nothing serious. Thanks again for the "heads up" I appreciate it!

mary

[Penny's Aunt]

Maybe you mentioned it before, but I haven't time to look for it. Is her crate quite large? I am wondering if she has decided that it's large enough to have a sleeping place AND a peeing place. Could you block off maybe half the crate with a box or something, put her blankie in the space that is left for her bed, & see if she still pees?

[isobelsmom]

Isobel's crate is small--just enough to lay down and turn around. <sigh> So far over the last three days she's not peed in it. Maybe we're on to something here? Thanks.

mary

[Sue&Reu2]

Mary, I know what you are going through. Reuben had bad bed habits from the get go. It did not bother him to pee or poop in his crate and lay right in it. I tried everything to keep him from doing it. I boxed off the crate like Penny's Aunt suggested. It did not matter. I always came home to one stinky dachsie. As soon as I got home he had to go straight to the tub for a good cleaning. Along with the crate that was smeared with you know what. I finally resorted to allowing him free rein of the garage. Reuben is very passive and has never to this day been a chewer. (Go Figure?) So I did not have to worry about him getting into trouble. He stays in our garage from 8:15 a.m to 1:30 p.m. and naps most of the day (at least that's what he tells me). Very seldom does he ever pee or poop in the garage now. This worked best for us[IMG]Hope you find a solution soon, I know it can drive you crazy!

Sue <IMG SRC="http://dachsie.org/ubb/cwmsmilies/cwm28.gif" border=0>