# Housebroken dog suddenly peeing inside - Help



## cfabe (Feb 27, 2005)

I hope you all can help me with this situation, I'm not sure how to handle it best. 

We have two mix breed dogs, lab & border collie we think, 3 yr old litter mates, one male one female. They are generally very well behaved and well housebroken, like zero messes inside for a year or more. Recently the male has started peeing/marking inside the house. It's usually only a small sprinkle so I think it's more about marking than urgently having to go. His primary target has been the sofa where we spend most of our time in the evenings, but he has also done it on the toilet and on clothes left on the floor. Almost seems like he is trying to cover our scent. 

I need advice on how to stop this behavior. Right now when I find a spot I bring him to it, put his snout in it and loudly scold him, then exclude him for a while by putting him outside or in their pen in the garage. I can often tell when he's done it because he acts nervous/excited and then slinks around when I call him to the area. This has been going on for about 2 weeks now with him doing it maybe 10 times. My wife thinks I am being too mean on scolding him, but I'm not sure what else to do. I do play with him plenty and give him praise at other times so he doesn't get afraid of me. 

Please give me some ideas. I can't have our whole house smelling like urine for company at the holidays.


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## GoldenMom (Jan 2, 2005)

You need to treat him like a baby puppy again. No freedom in the house to prevent "accidents". He needs to be corrected each and every time he lifts his leg in the house. Is he neutered? If not, that might help some, but you will still have to teach him that it's unacceptable to lift the leg in the house.


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## Tervnut (Oct 7, 2009)

IF you catch him in the act, correct him with a deep voice and drag his butt outside (on lead if necessary) and praise him when he goes out there. You must make it clear in his mind that under NO circumstances is this acceptable behaviour, your house is the "den" which is to be kept pristine. You're alpha, he is not allowed to behave in such a rude, and disorderly manner. He is trying to "move up in the pack" by posting notice (sprinkling) around the house.

IF you DO NOT catch him in the act, clean up the mess and watch him closer. Dogs have very short memories, and rubbing his nose in it after the fact is not fair, which is why he is acting submissive to you when you get mad at him, he doesn't know what it is for - he is reacting to body language more than words.

If you find that he is sneaky, and you can't keep an eye on him I recommend confining him to a crate, with his sister if necessary, or put a leash on him, and tie him to your waist where he is ALWAYS going to be close by and within view.

Is he neutered?

Ok, I know that sounds harsh, but in a pack he'd have been flattened long ago, alpha dog wouldn't tolerate it or he'd be banished from the pack, or worse, and he won't be mad at you if it is fair and just punishment. Punishment shouldn't last more than 15-20 seconds at most, at the time of the infraction when he has been _caught in the act,_ which is plenty of time to correct him, get his butt outside. When he's good outside praise is the 'return to the pack' invitation and makes it all ok. Harsh is ok, as long as it is FAIR and brief.

As for the smell/urine in the furniture/carpet. Get yourself a gallon of "Simple Solution", if you cannot find it at your local PetSmart (do you have one?) order it through PetEdge.com. This is THE best enzyme cleaner for stain/odor I've found on the market - it WORKS. Using a spray bottle or squirt bottle (for the vertical surfaces) soak the areas thoroughly with the solution, and allow it to "drip dry" - i.e. don't sop it up, allow it to dry where it is. After it is dry use an upholstery cleaner and/or carpet cleaner to remove any 'line' or dirt you may see after it has worked, (something like Resolve works great).

Hope this helps, I've raised litters of puppies on brand-new carpet, in a rental, and when it was time for us to leave the carpet looked brand new, and had NO odor - the landlord asked me if I really had, had pets in the apartment!! There are other 'enzyme odor/stain removers' on the market, I've tried most of them, Simple Solution is _the best._

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and holler if you have any other questions!

Nona B
NW PA


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

Like goldenmom says you need to start over from the beginning and retrain him. Limit his access to one room and work up to free rein of the house again. It might not hurt to bring him to the vet to make sure he doesn't have any type of infection too. I would get a safety gate and limit him to the kitchen and start there till he can be trusted again. 



> Right now when I find a spot I bring him to it, put his snout in it and loudly scold him, then exclude him for a while by putting him outside or in their pen in the garage. I can often tell when he's done it because he acts nervous/excited and then slinks around when I call him to the area. This has been going on for about 2 weeks now with him doing it maybe 10 times.


Ok, this needs to stop. You are dealing with a dog, not a human that has the ability to reason. Dogs don't dwell on the past and think about what they did a hour ago. He has NO idea why you are dragging him over to the spot and rubbing his face is urine. Dogs are very in tune to our behavior and he can tell you are angry about something by your actions before you even called him over. He is coming to you in a submissive manner because he knows you are going to discipline him, not because he knows he peed on the carpet 20 minutes ago. Dogs just can't make that connection unless you catch them in the act. Also dogs do not understand time outs. I am all for putting the dog outside until your anger dissipates, but you need to understand again he will never make the connection that he is being put in time out for behaving badly. He isn't going to spend his time out there thinking about what he did. If you keep doing this stuff it could make him worse in the future. Previously house trained dogs that start marking usually do it is because of feelings of insecurity or a perceived threat. The above is not going to help the dog feel more secure in its environment. Also the way you are discipline him could lead to other bad behaviors like submissive peeing and fear biting.


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## cfabe (Feb 27, 2005)

Thanks for the advice. He was neutered at about 6 mos old. 

He is sneaky and I have not caught him in the act yet - only shortly after. I will stop scolding unless I actually catch him - but I don't think he will ever do it if I am there. I can keep him contained to one room with me and gradually allow him more freedom - but I am concerned he will start agian as soon as he's left alone briefly. He's done it when left for less than 2 minutes before. 

If he's doing it to try to assert dominance, how can I assert my dominance to put him back in his place? 

I will pick up some simple solution on the way home today. Is this just to make it smell better for me or does it keep them from smelling it and going in the same place agian too?


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## Willow101 (Feb 20, 2008)

I agree with everything Tervnut said...

If not neutered...do so.

If you catch him in the act correct. Rubbing his nose in it even 30 seconds after the event does nothing but confuse the dog.

Be the alpha.

Crate or leash if sneaking.

Willow101


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## Tervnut (Oct 7, 2009)

cfabe said:


> I will pick up some simple solution on the way home today. Is this just to make it smell better for me or does it keep them from smelling it and going in the same place agian too?


Keep at it, you WILL catch him doing it, and that may be all it takes is once, it may take a couple times. 

He MAY have done it and then to keep the odor fresh continues to do so, as any dog would do who marks his 'territory', the Simple Solution WILL remove all residual odors, including those that he is smelling and perhaps that is all that will be needed, but I expect him getting caught in the act is going to go far to reminding him of his manners.

Let us know of your progress!

Nona B
NW PA


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## simplegirl (Feb 19, 2006)

Please do take him to the vet to check for an infection. When my dog started doing something similar, it was due to infection that a round of antibiotics cured.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

simplegirl said:


> Please do take him to the vet to check for an infection. When my dog started doing something similar, it was due to infection that a round of antibiotics cured.


I was thinking the same thing...he might be trying to tell you it hurts to go potty  Take a urine sample to the vet.


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## barnyardgal (Sep 21, 2009)

I have to agree with Simplegirl and Minelson since your dog was house broken before..could be infection and he is trying to tell you it hurts to pee,thats an animals way of getting your attention to let you know something is wrong.....
Good luck...


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## cfabe (Feb 27, 2005)

Well last night he was acting like a little saint. Did keep him confined to room with me. Did get some simple solution, will use that this weekend. We go to church with the Vet so I'll ask him about an infection on Sunday. Thanks for the advice.


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## grandmajo (Mar 25, 2008)

One other thought, to go along with all the great advice you've already been given. Is the sofa something recently added to your house, and if so, was it previously owned?

I was given a used chair once, and as soon as I set it in the living room, I had a neutered dog that lifted his leg on it. This dog had never lifted his leg on anything before. Cleaned it up, he did it again, cleaned it up, and he did it yet again. Got rid of the chair, no problems.


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## mawalla (Oct 28, 2002)

grandmajo said:


> One other thought, to go along with all the great advice you've already been given. Is the sofa something recently added to your house, and if so, was it previously owned?
> 
> I was given a used chair once, and as soon as I set it in the living room, I had a neutered dog that lifted his leg on it. This dog had never lifted his leg on anything before. Cleaned it up, he did it again, cleaned it up, and he did it yet again. Got rid of the chair, no problems.


Must have been one ugly chair to make the dog want to pee on it! LOL

But seriously, have him vet checked to rule out a physical problem, then use the behavior modification tricks already explained. Good luck!


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