My dog is 2. He was crate trained but he pees in the house when I leave him to go to work for 9 hours. How do I stop this he is ruining my carpet?
This isn't a fix, but have you tried confining him in the kitchen while you're gone? We did that until our dog got the message and stopped peeing during the day. At least it will limit the damage.
Some dogs, depending on the age, are too little to hold it for nine hours, so you may have to wait until he matures.
How about installing a doggie door he can use so he can go out to pee. 9 hrs is to long to expect him not to pee.
I think that leaving a dog nine hours and not expecting him to have an accident is wishful thinking. I would try to find a neighbor or friend who could let him out during the day for a few minutes.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have 9yr old Jack Russell who wees in our home when left alone! It can be from 10 mins to 2 hours, we've crated him in a smaller crate in which he stopped cocking his leg, but while not in the crate he is still peeing on the kitchen corner units. Why does he do this? He knows it's wrong. He has done this all his life, however I've only known him 2 1/2 years! He's my partner's dog.
I'm sick of the weeing. Now, no matter if we take him out for 5mins to hours he still wees within 10 minutes when left alone in kitchen. So we have to crate him at all times when he's unsupervised. I would really like to get him out the crate. He's such a little character and I hate crating him, but I can't cope with the weeing and ruining our home. Please help!My folks had a dog for many years *Baby* was her name, part Pit and part Terrier, which my dad had found her initially wandering in a canal out in the middle of no where, and figured someone left her there that didn't care, so he brought her home so he and my mom could care for her, and they ended up having Baby for 19 years.
Now, she didn't wee in the house, but when she was left alone, even for 5 minutes, she'd turn into a very destructive dog.
My folks RV'ed a lot, and left her in the RV once for an hour while in the clubhouse at the campground, only to come back and find she tore all the blinds and curtains up on the windows, chewed the carpeting up, seats, you name it, she destroyed all that she could.
When they put her in a room in the house, she'd chew the door frames, so they couldn't ever close a door. If she were outside,
she'd chew on the frames of anything she could, to get back in.
The whole problem was, she didn't want to be alone, and that
is a great problem for owners if they're not 24/7 there with them.
If you can (video) for yourself your dog when she's left alone, you may find clues to something that sets her in motion,
This link might give you some suggestions, I hope, or it can be
a lead to other solutions.
It really is sort of like a person that has an anxiety problem when others see no reason for their anxiety - but they still are anxious
because they can't help it. But, it's not a person, the dog has it, and it's probably very similar in that we may see no reason, but they do in fact have that problem.
Some dogs (from reading) can get over that, and some never do.
When a dog feels that *separation anxiety* though, they can become destructive with belongings or property, or wee anywhere, even when they know they're not suppose to do any of that, they still do it, because they just can't help it. That separation anxiety usually is "a mental thing" as we know, which makes it so difficult to remedy, but...not impossible.
I sure feel for you, because I know from what my folks went through, all the ups and downs from getting mad at the dog, to trying to soothe her nerves which was a non stop ordeal.
But read about it, and that too may give you some more clues
in how to handle your situation.
I wish you well and the best.
My dog is almost 5 years old, and I have a big problem with him. He pees at home when he is left alone. It doesn't matter if he will go out before or not, if the balcony door is open so he can go out to the garden or if I leave him for 1 or 5 hours. He exactly knows what he is doing is wrong. He doesn't want to come when I ask him what is it.
I really don't know what to do. Should I crate him? I'm scared he will bark or howl, then imagine the neighbors.
Do you have any ideas?
Ps I also give him bone to keep him busy
Dogs do not have complex emotions like anger or spitefulness. The guilty behavior you see in your dog is really an appeasement pose in response to your anger or frustration. So if you really want a solution to the pee in the house you will need to keep looking. I would suggest a checkup with the Vet for starters.
I have a 10 month old puppy that has separation anxiety. I just rescued her 3 months ago. We have 3 other dogs that are older than her. She has eaten every dog cot we had along with an entire couch and she pees and poops when we are gone and when we go to bed even though she can go out 24/7.
They all go into a very large area in the basement at night and when we leave. I take them all out the regular door regularly when I'm home because she won't go out on her own the way the others do and she will just pee in the house instead of telling me she has to go. I love her, but this needs to stop or my husband is going to divorce me.
This seems like just plain anxiety, not really separation anxiety.
Your dog sounds like the omega in the pack. She doesn't want to go out when the others do. When you take her out you empower her, but as the low dog on the totem pole she feels unwelcome otherwise going where the others do.
You already have three dogs. What made you decide to take on another? In the wild, an unrelated puppy would not be allowed to join an already established pack. The puppy would be run off or possibly killed since the dominant female did not give birth to it. The dogs are only tolerating it because you say so, but it certainly feels the stress of not belonging.
Perhaps your puppy would be happier in a home with no other dogs, or a very elderly one.
Trying to provide a home for a rescue is admirable, but it needs to be the right home for the right dog. This doesn't seem like a good match to me.
My 7 year old dog is left alone while I am at work. He pees all over the house while I am at work. There is nothing physically wrong with him. How can I stop this?
I have a Shih Tzu puppy; he's 9 months old. When someone is at home he'll pee on his tray, but when we leave him alone he'll go to pee and poo in the living area. I don't know what to do. If we chain him in the kitchen he'll make another mess cause he'll pee and poo in the area were he's chained. Then he starts stepping on it and it gets all over him and I need to wash him whenever I come back! Please help me cause my mum doesn't want him anymore. We're fighting a lot because of him :(
By Pauline M. from Mellieha, Malta
My dog pees and poops on the floor every time I leave him alone, why?
I have a German Shepherd Rottweiler Chow mix. I've had him since he was a year old. He's had three homes within the last five years. We've finally settled in our new home in January 2015. I had a baby in September of last year. Since we've been in our home he won't go potty outside. I've taken him to the vet and they don't believe when I say he's seven years old and they haven't given me any advice other then shoving pills down his throat which I won't do. 
I'm home with him twenty four seven unless I have errands to run. I'm gone for two hours at most. I let him outside every hour. When I'm gone he will pee and poop all over the house even if it's for ten minutes. I love my pup dearly, but I'm about to make a Max soup (I'm kidding but not really haha). If I kennel him I get complaints from the neighbors because he howls and barks until I come back home, but if I don't I come home to piles of grossness. I can't leave him outside because he ruins my garden and I've worked too hard for that. I also have the garden caged in so he can't get to it, but he still destroys it. I haven't built him a cage out back because I know he'll cause a "disturbance" even though everyone that has a dog around us barks constantly. I also just realized how terrible the word cage sounds.
I'm at a loss on what to do. He's had his accidents when his dad and I were both working, but I've been a stay at home mum for a while now. I take him on walks, he's fed very good food, and we have puppy play dates, but he still acts out like a jerk. Any sort of tip will help because I've tried everything I can think of. Thank you for reading!
Your dog has had too many homes and was never permanently housebroken. Now he is middle aged, so this probably will never happen. He has psychological damage from being moved from owner to owner.
You say you won't give up your garden, but you're going to have to make a choice: garden or dog. He'll need the entire fenced in yard to himself. Also, a large doghouse that is well insulated, and maybe heated for winter depending on where you live.
You knew the dog had problems when you got him. Your responsibility now is to make him comfortable in his remaining years.
I can understand your frustration in this situation. You love the dog and want to do right by him, and he's stressing you out to the "Max". He can feel that.
He's been moved around a lot, and it's going to take time, love, and much patience. I do suggest that you buy a Large dog crate and crate him for the brief periods you need to be gone. I would also suggest that when you put him into the crate you provide him with a blanket (that smells like you) and the following, which we use with our dog when we have to leave our house for more than a couple of hours;
Go to the grocery store and get a large "dog-bone" (the leg bone of a cow). Boil it for 20 minutes or so, and scoop out the marrow, so you have a hollow in both ends (give him the scooped-out stuff, he'll love it). Dry it out in the oven for a bit, and then pop it in the freezer in a baggie.
When you are about to leave, take a table knife get about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter out of the jar. Using the knife, stuff the peanut butter into the hollowed out sections of the bone. Stuff it down as far as you can, so he really has to work at it to get it out. Then put him in the crate, praising lavishly, and tell him you love him, you'll be home soon, and he's a good boy (dogs understand waaay more English than most people think they do, at least I believe they do!).
When you get home, love him up, tell him how glad you are to see him, etc... and let him out.
As far as the garden goes, I suggest you find some way to get him more exercise. He needs brisk walks daily (put baby in the stroller and go). He also needs routine desperately, so it would be good if you could set up a schedule where he gets his walks pretty much the same time every day.
Also, perhaps you could go to the nearest bulk foods store, and invest in a large quantity of cayenne pepper. Dust the dirt of your garden with it, especially the edges. Don't do this on a windy day--you don't want the yard peppered, just the garden. We use this method to keep neighboring cats from using our garden as a litter box.
I hope some of this helps - I too have taken in "problem" animals from time to time, and sometimes you have to get very creative.
One more thing - when you get the crate, cover the back and sides with a blanket or dark sheet. It feels more like a den. He'll feel "safer" when he's in it. Make sure it's a very large crate - he's a big dog.
Oh sorry! Second "one more thing"! You can re-use the same bone by retrieving it when you put Max outside to potty and stick it in the freezer in a baggie. Next time you need to go out, stuff it with peanut butter again and follow same routine.
I think the other two have kind of missed the point. I've had my dog Charles, for about 4 years and rescued him when he was 1 as well. In the last 2 years or so he has had 3 different homes and we are about to move into another house here in a couple of weeks. In all my time moving the only time he's ever acted up is when I let my friend and her boyfriend live with me and he didn't like them very much. He never has accidents unless you excite him too much, then he sprays just a little but that has worn off with age.
So them telling you he is damaged and has had some traumatic experience from being moved is ridiculous in my opinion.
But, you said you had a baby? Many dogs do get jealous when infants come into the picture or another pet comes into the picture. For instance, I rescued two kittens a couple of years ago and for the first few months, Charles would mark inside the house. I quickly put an end to it by catching him in mid pee and making a loud noise like "AH AH" and then taking him outside.
Treats are very good to help curb their behavior. Which is what it sounds like your dog is having. Some behavioral issues. He seems like he may be jealous of the infant, I would say have them in the same room and use positive reinforcement like giving him treats when he is near the baby so that he associates the baby with good things.
I did that with my dog and the kittens, where I would have him lay down and I would put the kittens down next to him and then I would give him boiled chicken, or peanut butter.
Afterwards he was excited to have the kittens near him because to him they signified treats and being petted, only good things. Always use positive reinforcement with dogs.
There are sprays you can use on patches of grasses that you'd like your dog to pee on, you can always try those and then reinforce it positively.
Don't give up hope because the more stressed out he senses you are, the more he becomes.
Also he sounds like he has bad separation anxiety from you. If that is the case, do NOT do what the other person said by signifying your leave and return, it just adds to the separation anxiety. Sometimes, along with leaving something that does smell like you in the crate, you can cover the crate with a blanket. It gives them a sense of security, I did it with my dog when I crate trained him as he used to whine and bark. I would start practicing by doing this and then walking out of the house for small intervals at a time WITHOUT making a big deal to your dog. Just walk out the door, stay there for 2 minutes or so, and then come back in. Do not acknowledge the dog for a minute or so, and then calmly let them out. Do it again and slowly expand the time that you stay outside.
It's all about consistency when training. Even if it does not prove results at first, in time it will. German Shepherds are smart and you can definitely correct older dogs' behavioral issues.
I don't criticize what others have written. I will say this - I don't believe I indicated that the dog was "damaged" by this person. I was only saying that moving is an adjustment for dogs.
I also have a German Shepherd - incredibly smart fellow. We got him when he was seven months old. It was a huge adjustment for him. When I related how we handled it with him I was trying to help by telling what worked for us.
Thanks so much for your time and Bless You.
Our dog is 1.5 years old. When we are with her in the apartment she never peeps or poops (even up to 9-10 hours). But when we leave her during the day or for 3-4 hours, even if we have taken her right before for a walk, she very often does it in the house.
We also have a dog walker that takes her for a 30min walk during the day. So she has a break between these 8-9 hours. Also when we come home and she has peed/pooped she knows she has done something wrong and stays in her bed. We have tried punishing her, ignoring the fact, giving her many treats when she does it outside, but nothing works.
Also I don't think it's separation anxiety cause she doesn't bark as far as we know. Any ideas/advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
I have rehomed two dogs from an animal shelter. One is 7 now and has always been fine, but the other one is 5 and every time I leave her, even for five minutes she pees on the floor and sometimes even poos. It's gotten to the stage that she even does one when I go to the loo myself. So I am only out of the room for seconds.
She is only a small Pug so can be carried around if really necessary, but sometimes this isn't practical. Why does she do this? She even sleeps in bed with me lol head on my pillow too. She is very gorgeous and funny, but this is very stressful.I have an 8 month old Puggle and a 3 year old Beagle and every time I leave them alone, I come home to pee and/or poop on the floor. I've tried multiple solutions, but nothing is working. I have to work for 12 hours, but I live close to work so I come home on my break to let them outside.
My first attempt was leaving my Puggle crated and my Beagle in another area of the house. But when I would come home, the Puggle would have peed outside the crate and for some reason never had a problem pooping inside his cage would make an even bigger mess in the crate. So I tried leaving him in a separate room and he clawed a huge hole in the wall. So then I put him in the kitchen and put a gate up to keep the dogs separated. He learned to climb and climbed over the gate and still makes a mess in the house. When I come home on my break during work, he doesn't pee outside because he's already peed inside and then ends up peeing again inside once I go back to work again.
I don't know what other options I have to teach him not to do this. He never pees or poops inside when I am home, but I could leave for an hour, and there will be some kind of mess when I get back.
By Lauren
Sounds like separation anxiety. Have you tried leaving the TV or a radio on at a 'murmur volume'?
Another help might be to put the two crates side-by-side in the same room when you go out. Plastic sheeting under the crates will catch any mess and make clean-up easier too.
Do you ever crate the dogs when you are home? That's a helpful training exercise actually and especially helpful with dogs suffering separation anxiety.
If the only time your dogs are in the crate is when you leave they will come to associate the crate with separation. Some dogs don't mind but others mind terribly. Even putting a 'comfie' (for example a robe you've worn enough to really make it smell like you) into the crate won't help if the dog knows the only time he's crated is when you are leaving.
My wife and I just adopted a 8 year old Treeing Walker Coon hound and most of the day she's home while I'm at work, and he never had a problem. But when we both leave to go get groceries or go out to eat or whatever, he will bust down the dog door that keeps him and our other dog in the kitchen and he will always poop in the hallway and pee by the dining room table.
We have tried the no marking spay and have shampooed both spots, but he continues to do it. Is there anything else we can do or should we just get him a kennel?My dog is 5 years old and since our son was born, he has peed when left alone at home unless crated. My son is now 3 and I can't figure out how to stop the behavior. My dog has never pooped in the house. He has a doggie door where he can go outside to our enclosed yard anytime he wants.
We do not have grass in our yard. We have a rocked yard. I admit he doesn't get walked everyday. I am a stay at home mom. Any suggestions would be wonderful. How can I fix this?Remedy for a dog that pees in the house when I'm at work.
I took my puppy from a dog foster home about a year ago. I love him to bits; he has a great personality, and I feel that he loves our family so much. But, whenever I leave him at home he pees in the house on the carpet, on the bed, on flowers, etc.
My wife and I were thinking about taking him to 'doggy school', but then again, it's extremely expensive, and the nearest 'doggy school' is far away from us. Maybe you have some advice? Thank you.
My 5 year old Chihuahua keeps peeing or pooping in the house when he is left alone. What do I do? What can I do to correct the problem? Are there any classes that could fix it?
By Tiffany from Lebanon, OH
Kennel him when you go out. He probably will not soil the kennel. When you return, take him immediately out.
I have this 9 month old pup that I rescued about 3 or 4 weeks ago. He is super cute and sweet, but has major separation anxiety. He will tear anything and everything up that he can get to the second we leave the house. If I go into another room that he isn't allowed in, so he is left "alone", he will pee and poop in our formal dinning room. He pees on the legs of the furniture and poops in the corners.
I have tried the positive training with treats when he goes outside, but that spoiled him. And I've gotten so frustrated that I punish him almost every time now. I feel like I'm out of options, my mom said if he doesn't stop we are giving him back or making him an outside 24/7 dog.By Jennifer B.
Have you tried leaving the TV, radio, and or lights on? It helped with our dog. We also have another dog to keep her company.
How do I stop my 2 year old Staff from weeing in the house? He only does this when I leave him home alone. Even if I leave him for ten minutes he will do it. He knows where he is supposed to go. Any suggestions other than crating him or neutering him, as I want to breed him?
By gillian from Yorkshire
You could put him in the back yard (if you have one). My in-law puts her dog in the bathroom while she's gone.
Neutering him won't stop him from urinating where you don't want him to. It only stops him from breeding. If you don't want to crate him you've got to either put him outside or in a room that you don't mind being wet. He's punishing you for leaving him...most likely.
We had a beagle that did the same thing. I think it's separation anxiety, anyway, crating worked for us. After a while, Petey got to know that if we were leaving he was to go into his crate. We had it all decked out for him with blankets and a toy or two, we made it his "space" and after while he would go in there whenever he napped (which was a lot).
I am currently taking care of a Border collie puppy named Tang Yuan (it means dumpling soup in Chinese) who is about 7 months old. I had left something in my car that is parked right in front of my apartment so I told him to stay and wait and that I'd be back in 2 minutes and once I came back he had made a big puddle on the apartment floor.
The second time I had to go back briefly (another less than 2 minutes) he did it again, but thankfully I had the puppy pad there in the same spot where he made the previous accident. Is he doing that because of his anxiety or is it because he is excited? I hope someone can help answer my question. I am just curious to know and always open to learning something new about dogs. Thank you.
