Penny is screening my guests..Help!

[Mrs.F]

I am almost embarressed to post this, but I'm getting desperate. A woman from my church has asked my husband and I to keep her 2 young sons for 5 days next month while she goes out of state. The boys are rather difficult... especially the 3 year old. Anyway, they've been coming over for short visits to get used to being here without Mommy. Tonight was the 4th visit. Penny has urinated on something of the 3 year old's 3 times - tonight she actually peed right on Patrick's leg. http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/blushie.gif
I much prefer the urination to aggressiveness - she's as gentle as a lamb with him, will play and eat snacks from his hand. She calmly puts up with less than gentle snuggles from him. I don't think she really dislikes him because she voluntarily goes up to him when he's laying on the rug or couch or when he's sitting in the grass playing, even though I try to keep Patrick away from her.
Penny has urinated on his jacket, the towel that he dried off with after going under my sprinkler, and a blanket that he napped on - er - while he was napping on it.
I don't know what to do. I don't know if she's jealous of Patrick (but then why not the other boy?) or if he has a smell that Penny needs to cover or what. Any ideas?

Heidi

The other thing I am really worried about is our visits to the nursing home! We go twice a month. Penny has always been as good as gold - gets right up in laps and on the beds of a few "favorites" that can't get around. I would absolutely DIE if she urinated there! We've been going for just about a year..... but I've been having guests for even longer than that and she's never pulled this stunt before. We are supposed to go to Cozy Inn on Wednesday morning.......

<font color="#00FFFF" font size="1">[This message has been edited by Mrs.F (edited June 28, 2000).]</font>

[Wienergal]

Heidi, someone who knows more about behavior than I will have good advice for you--I just have sympathy and, I confess, a bad case of the giggles... I can't imagine why Penny has chosen to "mark" this one little boy, but it strikes me as kind of funny. How has the little boy reacted?

I'm also wondering why these folks would foist two difficult boys off on your for such a long time!! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/nuts.gif Boy, I hope they are REALLY good friends!

As to the nursing home, I wouldn't worry about it. Frankly, if Penny decided to try out her new "skill" on the old folks, you would probably be the only one who would be embarrassed. I'll bet the folks there would just laugh it off. Those visits from Penny must mean so much to them. You're nice to do that!

[Mrs.F]

Well, thankfully I am more upset over Penny's behavior than Patrick is. I think he's just surprised and almost pleased to find someone "naughtier" than he is! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/smile.gif I haven't mentioned it to his Mom and she hasn't mentioned it to me so I'm not sure if Patrick's told her. Fergie thinks she knows every detail but is afraid we'll use Penny as an excuse to cancel on her .....
We aren't especially close but the lady is desparate. They can't afford airfare for 4 and she really wants to attend this wedding. Fergie and I have the kids by default. They have QUITE a reputation! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/devil.gif http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/devil.gif

[LisaH]

I suspect Penny is trying to establish herself as higher in the "pack" than the little boy. I doubt very much that she would do this to an adult (a more natural authority figure), especially one who was not in your house. I think she's just trying to make it clear to this little tyke that he's NOT going to get into her kibbles or play with her toys!

I 'm not sure what to do about it, except to reprimand her while she's in the act. Maybe someone has a better suggestion.

[Buddy's mom]

My husband and I had a pitbull once who would pee on his sons things when he came to visit us. We tried everything to get her to stop. And eventually we figured she was just jealous of him. Maybe Penny will get tired of the boy and leave his things alone.

[WOTANSMUTTI]

I had a bunny named Pecknoid once. My roommate Sally used to bop her in the ears and say, "Damn Bunny" because she'd attack her. When Sally'd climb out of her clothes, leaving them on the floor, Peck would run over and pee all over them. Once she jumped up on Sal's satin quilt and did her dirties b/f I could stop her. Other than that Pecknoid was box trained. Go figure...

I think the dominance thing is what's going on with Patrick. Hehehehe. It's sort of funny. I work with 3 yr olds and somedays they'd deserve to get peed on by a dachsie,too!

[wireweiners]

My first wire would pee on one of my boyfriends' things when he came over. Turns out she was a good judge of character. http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/lol.gif I agree that this is marking behavior. There may be something about this kid's personality that makes Penny think she needs to assert her dominance over him more than his brother. One suggestion I would make is to have the kid give her some simple commands under your supervision and let him reward her when she obeys. This might reinforce that people are higher than dogs in the pack order. That and correct her when you catch her in the act. Also maybe take some time to give her a little extra attention while the kids are there so she know's she's not being replaced. I don't envy you. I'd much rather deal with problem dogs than problem kids. http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Penny's Aunt]

If the boy is controllable & it doesn't appear to be a bad suggestion for Penny, you might have the boy feed her. Just putting her food dish down while she watches. It might establish him as a friend. Of course, if there's any indication that she might attack, I wouldn't do it.

(I wonder what Penny would do/think if he peed on HER???)

[Mrs.F]

Thanks for your all your great ideas everyone! I guess I'll just keep on as I've been going and hope for the best. Patrick loves to walk the dogs with me and he always holds Penny's leash. He also likes to play fetch with her. Also, I have both boys give the dogs treats when they first come over because the brother is a bit timid about the dogs and he loves to see that they will "sit" when told to!
We just got back from a camping trip so I haven't had the boys over again yet. They are coming for a few hours later this week though. I'll let you know how Penny does....

Penny's Aunt - It's a good thing PATRICK can't read - I don't know what Penny would think if he peed on her, but I'd bet Patrick would think it sounds like great fun!http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/bounce.gif

[Mrs.F]

Hurray! Day ONE of Patrick's visit has gone quite well. Penny did all of her urinating outside and Patrick and his brother were particularly well behaved. I'm not sure if it's because they miss their folks, or if it's because I'm not feeling well and I've been a bit grumpy all day! http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/disgust.gif
At any rate both Patrick and Penny have had tons of praise and treats heaped on them all day today and we've got a video planned for after supper. Both boys are television addicts and Penny and Maggie will be able to snuggle on my lap for 102 uninterupted minutes....

[Dachsielvrmarie]

Maybe she's tryin to tell ya she likes the little fellow so much she wants to keep him for her very own, and she's marking him to say he's all hers. hehehehehe.
Marie

[Buddy's mom]

I am so glad to hear that Penny and Patrick are getting along. I know it can be stressful to have children in the house when you are not used to them. One of my daycare kids (boy age 1 1/2) likes to bark at Buddy. Now Buddy thinks you bark at all kids 2 and under and they will bark back. Imagine 45mins of doxie and baby barking. At least peeing is quite.http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/smile.gif

[Mrs.F]

Funny incident today - Patrick either didn't like his lunch or just enjoyed feeding Penny and Maggie so much that he fed them most of it. Fergie said, "Patrick, please don't give the dogs any more of your lunch. They have excellent manners and if you share your lunch with them they'll want to share theirs with you and I don't think you'll like the taste of their dog food!" We all laughed, but Patrick kept sneaking macaroni to my ecstatic pups. I didn't think much more about it until about 1:30 when I suddenly realized that I didn't know what Patrick was doing. When Penny and I went looking we found him eating dog food from Maggie's bowl! He was grinning and told me that he was "sharing Maggie's lunch".http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/silly.gif Luckily Maggie was asleep on the sofa. Her manners aren't nearly as good as Fergie led Patrick to believe......

[WOTANSMUTTI]

I can hear the conversation now:

Mom: Patrick, dear, what did you eat while you were over there?

Patrick: Dog food! I got to eat it off the floor and in the dog bowl, too!http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/blah.gif