DogBoston Interactive Forums » Ask Jo - Dog Behaviorist

1. cristirinklin
   Member

   Dear Jo,
   I just found your forum, and I'm very excited- we live in Boston.
   We recently moved into a new loft a little over a month ago and we have 2 rediculously cute and super fun small dogs, Trixie, a boston terrier (2yrs) and Rudy, a boston/chihuahua mix (almost 3). Both were rescue dogs. Trixie has her own issues which I'll get to later, but Rudy, the more even tempered and well-adjusted dog has recently taken to suddenly getting up from the couch and peeing on the floor right in front of us! When we first moved in I worried he would mark since the previous owner had a large male dog who still lives in the building, and with whom Rudy is acquainted. However it didn't seem to be a problem until recently. Trixie has also had somewhat of a housetraining relapse since we've moved in as well. she was rescued from a puppy mill, and we worked very hard to housetrain her and she finally came along and got the hang of it. Shortly thereafter we had to move, and when we moved into our new place we would come home and find little puddles near the front door that I assumed were from her. We tried crating her again for a week- even if we would leave for 10 minutes we would crate her , otherwise we'd find the puddle. After 8 days we stopped using the crate, and she still uses the spot next to the door. And now Rudy is spontaneously peeing right before our eyes (and possibly behind our backs as well). HELP!!! We're being taken over by peeing dogs! We've tried desparately to keep them on their same schedule, and we take them out at least 5 times a day. I'm not really sure what to do, and any advice would be helpful.
   Thanks
   Cristi

   Posted: 2007-06-13 13:23:21 #

2. snickdog
   Member

   Hi, Cristi,

   See inline, prefaced with '******'

   >> We recently moved into a new loft a little over a month ago ... <snip> ... Rudy, the more even tempered and well-adjusted dog has recently taken to suddenly getting up from the couch and peeing on the floor right in front of us! When we first moved in I worried he would mark since the previous owner had a large male dog who still lives in the building, and with whom Rudy is acquainted. However it didn't seem to be a problem until recently. Trixie has also had somewhat of a housetraining relapse since we've moved in as well.

   ****** Many dogs have issues once moving to a new home -- dogs do not generalize, and all the house rules that you had at the old location are connected there, not here at the new location. When moving to a new home, you generally have to go back and give a 'refresher course' of sorts to 'apply' the old house rules to the new house.

   ****** As well, new homes have new sounds. Inappropriate urination can also be caused by anxiety over these new sounds. Refresher Courses also help dogs and other pets understand that -- just as in the old home -- you will still take care of them and protect them here in the new home, as well. Refreshers help them to see that things can still be the same even though the environment has changed.

   >> Shortly thereafter we had to move, and when we moved into our new place we would come home and find little puddles near the front door that I assumed were from her. We tried crating her again for a week- even if we would leave for 10 minutes we would crate her , otherwise we'd find the puddle. After 8 days we stopped using the crate, and she still uses the spot next to the door. And now Rudy is spontaneously peeing right before our eyes (and possibly behind our backs as well).

   ****** When you cleaned the spot, did you use an enzymatic cleaner? There's only a few that really work, because you need to get rid of the enzymes that were left behind after normal cleaning.

   >> HELP!!! We're being taken over by peeing dogs! We've tried desparately to keep them on their same schedule, and we take them out at least 5 times a day. I'm not really sure what to do, and any advice would be helpful.

   ****** Okay. First of all, as with ANY sudden housetraining lapses, a vet visit is in order to make sure that there isn't a medical reason.

   ****** Now, purchase some enzymatic cleaner specifically for pet enzymes and clean all floors, furniture everything that may or may not have gotten urinated on by either your dogs or the previous dogs.

   ****** Next -- go back to housetraining 101 for BOTH dogs. In my articles section, there is an article on Housetraining Hints... please print that out and follow it to the letter.

   ****** To cap it off, work on refreshing their previous rules and regulations -- start 'reteaching' all of their behaviors, as if from scratch with a new pup, here in this new location.

   If there are truly no medical reasons, then these steps should get you back to normal in a couple of weeks.

   Good luck, and keep me posted!

   Jo Jacques, CPDT, CPCT
   WiggleBums!
   Dog-Friendly Training and Behavior Consulting
   http://www.wigglebums.com
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   President, International Siberian Husky Club
   http://www.casinstitute.com/
   Ask Jo at dogBoston.com
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   Posted: 2007-06-14 16:33:33 #

3. cristirinklin
   Member

   Thanks Jo,
   I think we'll take Rudy to the vet. The fact that he's urinating right in front of us (he did it again last night right as I was getting them ready for a walk) seems so out of character, and he immediately looks very ashamed once he does it. I've been using an oxy cleaner for pet stains, but I guess that's not really doing the trick. I'll pick up the Nature's Miracle this weekend. Thanks
   Cristi

   Posted: 2007-06-15 13:00:19 #

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