In This Chapter
Almost every dog has housetraining problems at one time or another.
Some pooches have trouble mastering their bathroom basics. Others ace
Housetraining 101 but run into toilet trouble later. Whether your dog’s potty
problems make him a slow learner or conflicted canine, help is at hand. Among
the following profiles of dogs with potty issues may be one that sheds light on
your housetrainee’s particular problem and how to solve it.
The Teensy-Weensy Tinkler
As a pet journalist, I’ve written my share of dog breed
profiles for magazines and Web sites. One thing that’s always struck me is that
whenever I’m writing about a very small dog, such as a Chihuahua or Shih Tzu,
the owners I interview invariably tell me that these pint-sized pooches have
big-sized housetraining problems. Basically, I’m told, the little guys and gals
wash out of basic housetraining.
However, experts disagree among themselves as to whether
that’s actually the case. Some do contend that very little dogs have some very
big disadvantages when learning proper potty protocol. Here are some
housetraining hurdles the experts suggest:
- Bladder size: Teensy-weensy dogs have teensy-weensy bladders that can’t hold very much urine. That means small dogs have to discharge that urine a lot more often than their bigger counterparts need to — and a lot more often than their human owners may anticipate.
- Sense of space: Because they’re so little, small dogs’ sense of space differs from that of larger-sized dogs. For example, getting to an outdoor potty from inside the house may seem like a huge distance to a Chihuahua, whereas to a Golden Retriever, that same distance is just a hop, skip, and a jump away. Given such differences, the Chihuahua is less likely to reach his spot in time than the Golden is.
Other experts, though, contend that people, not pooches, are
the reasons very small dogs can find housetraining more difficult. People who
live with tiny tinklers may find these dogs so cute that they aren’t as
vigilant about housetraining as people who have larger dogs are. Compounding
the problem is the fact that les petits chiens
make much smaller puddles than their bigger brethren do. Consequently, those
puddles are far easier to overlook than the larger ponds and lakes that emerge
from bigger dogs — at least until the little dog reanoints that same spot a few
times or does that reanointing in front of a guest. Then it’s not okay — but it
shouldn’t have been okay in the first place.
No matter what side of the debate you come down on, though,
you can help your little dog become a housetraining ace. This section explains
how.
Choose the right potty place
A little dog needs a potty place that she can get to quickly
— or that you can get her to quickly. If you choose to have her do her business
indoors, make sure her indoor potty is accessible at all times. And you don’t
need to have just one such potty: Putting a litter box or other doggie toilet
on each floor of your home can up the odds that your petite pooch will reach
her spot in time. I discuss indoor training in Chapter Making
Some Inside Moves: Indoor Housetraining.
If you’d rather have her do the doo outside, choose a potty
spot that’s close to your home or apartment building, and take her to this spot
for any and all potty breaks. See Chapter Heading
to the Outside: Outdoor Housetraining for more on outdoor training.
Don’t push your luck (or her bladder)
Because your little dog’s capacity to hold her water or
other stuff is limited, she’s more likely to respond to schedule changes with an
unauthorized doggie offload. In other words, if you miss one of her scheduled
bathroom breaks, you should count on having something to clean up later.
Be considerate of your teensy tinkler, particularly her
teensy bladder. Simple logic seems to indicate that the little dog’s bladder needs
relieving more often than the bigger dog’s larger bladder does. Either plan on
either taking your small dog to her outdoor potty spot more often or opt for
indoor training so she can get to an indoor bathroom all by herself.
Remember
Consistency helps your little dog develop her capacity to wait until she has a chance to potty in the proper place. For those reasons, setting up and sticking with a reasonable schedule is especially important when a housetraining student is big of heart but small in stature. I discuss setting up a schedule in Chapters Heading to the Outside: Outdoor Housetraining and Making Some Inside Moves: Indoor Housetraining.
Don’t excuse lapses
No matter how big or little the pooch is, she shouldn’t be
allowed to pee or poop wherever she chooses. Canine bodily waste smells bad,
stains carpets and floors, and contains bacteria that can make both dogs and
people sick. Consequently, housetraining is just as important for little dogs
as for big ones.
Don’t let your pint-sized pooch’s cuteness get in the way of
teaching her bathroom basics. If she has an accident, deal with it the same way
you deal with an accident by a larger dog: Figure out what went wrong
(specifically, what you did wrong) and resolve not to let it happen again.
Remember
As with larger dogs, a crucial component to successfully housetraining a small dog is to remove any and all residue of toileting transgressions — and the odors from such transgressions, too. Use a good cleaner designed especially for pet stains to remove the evidence of unauthorized tinkles. Failure to clean up promptly and thoroughly will have the same result no matter what your dog’s size is: She’ll come back and repeat her performance upon the very same spot. Chapter Getting Your Home in Housetraining Order discusses suitable cleaners.
The Dog Who Pees Lying Down
When you come home, does your canine companion fold her ears
back, look away from you, and tuck her wagging tail between her legs? If you
bend over to put the leash on her, does she roll onto her back? And does she
dribble a little bit of urine at such times — whether lying on her back or
standing on all fours?
If so, take heart. Your dog doesn’t have a housetraining
problem at all. The urine she dribbles doesn’t indicate a lack of bathroom manners.
Instead, she’s trying to tell you that she worships the ground you walk on.
Technical Stuff
Dogs who look away from a person or another canine, tuck their tails between their legs, fold back their ears, and leak a little bit of urine are showing what experts call submissive behavior. In other words, they’re willing to yield to the wishes of the more dominant individual. The little puddle on the ground emphasizes this respect. And if the dog leaks this urine while lying on her back, she’s being even more submissive. She is not making a housetraining mistake.
You need to treat the submissive dog very gently. She’s a
highly sensitive individual who needs your help to gain a little bit more self-confidence
or at least time to collect herself so that she doesn’t pee on your floor or
carpet. Here are some ideas to help her — and to rescue your floors.
Play it cool
Ignore her. Yes, really. When you come home in the evening
or at any other time after being away for a while, don’t pay any attention to
your ecstatic pooch, no matter how much she throws herself at you or tries to
get your attention. By ignoring your submissive dog and giving her a few
minutes to calm down, you reduce the likelihood that she’ll dribble. After a
few minutes, you should be able to say hello to her.
When you do greet your dog, whether you’ve just returned
from the other room or a long day at work, don’t make a big deal of it. Say a
quiet hello, smile at her, and maybe give her a little pat. Don’t hug her,
smooch her, coo to her, or make any excited baby talk to her, no matter how
happy you are to see her. Your objective here is to help her stay calm so that
she doesn’t pee.
And do extend your play-it-cool policy to visitors: Ask them
to ignore your dog when they first enter your home. That way, she’ll have time
to collect herself and calm down before she greets your company.
Get down to her level
Tip
Some submissive dogs start leaking when their human leaders stand over them — for example, to put on their leashes. If yours is such a pooch, try squatting or sitting on the floor so that your eyes are level with your dog’s.
By getting down to her level, you avoid giving your dog the
message that you are the leader and she is not. That message is what prompts
her to pee in response. In effect, she’s saying, “I know you’re the boss, and
I’ll do whatever you ask.” Don’t worry that your dog will decide to be Ms.
Alpha if you try this technique. You can give your dog confidence without
relinquishing your position and responsibility.
Don’t stare her down
Some submissive dogs start dribbling when their special
persons look directly into their eyes. That’s because in dog-talk, a direct
gaze or stare is considered a dominant, I’m-the-boss type of gesture — and a
submissive dog will pee to show that she understands her lowly place in the
family hierarchy. But if you look away, she won’t need to make that submissive
response.
The Dog Who Leaves His Mark
If you’re seeing dribs and drabs of dog pee on vertical
surfaces inside your home, your pooch probably doesn’t have a housetraining problem.
A more likely possibility is that he’s dealing with turf or relationship
issues.
Technical Stuff
Dogs pee not only because their bladders are full but also because they want to communicate with other canines. Just about any dog will sniff the place where another dog took a whiz, and often the sniffer will decide to pee on the same spot. However, an intact male dog may lift his leg and direct a little jet stream onto vertical surfaces so that he can announce that those surfaces are part of his domain. In other words, such a dog uses his pee to mark his territory.
Dealing successfully with the Dog Who Leaves His Mark
requires several actions. Here’s what you should do.
Neuter him
Your canine guy is likely to be less concerned about whose
turf is whose if he’s not at the mercy of his raging canine male hormones. By
neutering him, you give him some welcome relief (no, not that kind of relief!).
Make sure that any other animals in the house also are
spayed or neutered. Your local animal shelter or rescue group may be able to direct
you to low-cost spaying and neutering services.
Building Molly’s confidence |
|
Years ago, I adopted a little mixed Poodle named Molly,
who was a very submissive dog. Every day, she would greet my nightly
homecomings by rolling onto her back and leaking urine onto my foyer floor. To help Molly collect herself, I would restrain myself
from petting her or even talking to her when I came home. Instead, I would
silently sit on the floor and wait for her to come to me. When she reached
me, I would look away from her and attach the leash to her collar. After
several months of this routine, Molly finally felt sufficiently calm and
confident to hold her water when I came home from work at night. |
Remove (or at least contain) the target
Sometimes you can deal with canine target practices by
eliminating the dog’s access to the target. For example, if your dog likes to mark
the chair in your partner’s home office, keep the door to that office closed.
If your four-legged friend likes to direct his efforts toward your Christmas
tree, consider enclosing the tree in an exercise pen, which resembles a
floorless child’s playpen. I know someone who does just that; in fact, she even
decorates the ex-pen so that it looks as though it was always meant to be part
of her holiday décor. (For a description of ex-pens, check out Chapter Getting
Your Home in Housetraining Order.)
Remind him who’s top dog
A dog who’s engaging in marking behavior may need to be reminded
who is the top dog in his household (and that should be you). As his benevolent
leader, you should insist that he earn any privileges. Have him sit or ask him
to do something else before you feed him, take him for a walk, start a play
session, or do anything else that he enjoys.
Tip
If you haven’t done so already, find an obedience class for yourself and your dog. By teaching him maneuvers such as coming when called, sitting, and lying down, you make it clear to your dog that you’re the leader of his pack and that he has no need to tell you whose turf is whose.
Build a peaceable kingdom
Years ago, when I was staying at a friend’s country home for
the first time, I awoke in the middle of one night just in time to see my friend’s
dog lift his leg and anoint the corner of the bed I was sleeping in. The dog’s
message was clear: I was an interloper, and he didn’t appreciate my presence.
If your dog is marking his turf because an unfamiliar human
guest is in the house, show your canine companion that he has nothing to worry
about. Have the guest play with or feed the dog. As soon as Fido realizes that
the guest is a friend rather than a threat, the marking behavior may stop.
On the other hand, perhaps your dog is displaying his
marksmanship to establish his place among the other four-legged members of your
household. If that’s the case, try to resolve any conflicts between the marker
and your other pets. Feed them separately from each other — at different times
and/or in different locations — and try to give each animal equal amounts of
affection.
Start remedial housetraining
If your dog likes to mark his territory, set up a
housetraining routine such as the ones in Chapters Heading
to the Outside: Outdoor Housetraining and Making
Some Inside Moves: Indoor Housetraining and follow it
religiously until your dog confines his peeing to the papers, litter box,
grate/tray combo, or outdoors.
If you see your dog start to lift his leg and/or anoint a
surface, distract him by clapping your hands or making some other loud noise.
Then get him to his potty area pronto.
Also make sure that you thoroughly clean any area that your
dog has anointed or pooped upon. Otherwise, the smell of the previous dousing
will bring him to the same spot for an encore performance. Check out Chapter Getting
Your Home in Housetraining Order for information on effective indoor cleaners.
Tip
Canine marking behavior can be difficult to, well, eliminate. If your dog persists in christening unauthorized areas, ask your vet for a referral to a qualified trainer, certified applied animal behaviorist, or veterinary behaviorist. The sidebar “Picking among experts” explains how these experts differ.
The Uptight Canine
Scientists are starting to realize that dogs experience at
least some emotions that are very similar to those that humans experience. Among
those emotions is anxiety. Yup, just as with people, certain situations cause
certain dogs to get uptight — and some of those anxiety-ridden creatures end up
having bathroom accidents.
Dogs are social creatures, so separation anxiety is one of
the most common forms of anxiety in dogs. Although almost every dog relishes
any and all opportunities to hang out with his people, some dogs really can’t
deal with being left alone. Other dogs suffer from different kinds of anxiety.
Some, for example, are terrified of thunderstorms (a prime example: the lead
canine character in the book and movie Marley
and Me.) Others freak out when they hear construction noises. These unhappy
campers cope with their problems in ways that often make their people unhappy
as well. Some bark incessantly. Others can’t stop panting. Still others destroy
the household furniture, carpets, or walls. And some, alas, have bathroom
accidents.
Remember
Unfortunately, remedial housetraining doesn’t work with anxietyridden dogs, at least not right away. Before such a dog’s housetraining problem can be solved, she needs help from experts to determine what’s causing her anxiety and the resulting behavioral issues. The anxious dog’s veterinarian may choose to try treating the problem himself or may refer dog and owner to either a certified applied animal behaviorist or a veterinary behaviorist. Either way, treatment of anxiety takes two tracks simultaneously: reducing the anxiety and then modifying the behavior.
To reduce the anxiety, a veterinarian may prescribe
medication specifically designed to treat such problems, such as clomipramine
(Clomicalm) or fluxeitine hydrochloride (Reconcile) for separation anxiety.
Another way to reduce the anxiety level is to use D.A.P., or
Dog Appeasing Pheromone. This product mimics the properties of the pheromones
produced by a mother dog who’s nursing puppies. A diffuser plugged into an
electrical outlet distributes the product throughout the room. You can obtain
products that use this pheromone over-the-counter, but consulting your vet
first is prudent.
After the anxiety is reduced, efforts to modify the anxious
behavior can begin. For a great discussion of how this works, consult Dog
Training, by Jack and Wendy Volhard (Wiley). By reducing the dog’s anxiety,
you’re likely to reduce the problematic bathroom behavior.
Picking among experts |
|
Twenty-first century dog owners are lucky. If their
pooches have problems, these owners can choose among a wide range of experts
to help solve those problems. The right expert to choose depends on what the
problem is and how difficult it is to solve. Here’s what you need to know to
find an expert to help your dog when you can’t help her on your own:
|
However, a dog need not encounter an alligator near his
bathroom to want to find a new one. Dogs can develop phobias about their potty
spots or other aspects of their lives for reasons that their people can’t
determine. In any case, if your dog suddenly balks at using his potty place,
your best bet may be to do what he wants: Find him a new place to potty. Every
time he goes in that new place, reward him with lots of praise and a small
treat.
At the same time, engage in some remedial housetraining.
Crate the dog when you can’t watch him so he doesn’t continue to go in the
wrong place. If you slip up and he does, clean up thoroughly and without
comment. As he becomes accustomed to the new bathroom and begins going reliably
in the new potty place, you can begin letting him out of the crate for longer
periods.
The Dog Who Gets Distracted
Does your four-legged friend seem more interested in chasing
off any squirrels or other critters who invade your backyard than in doing her
business there? Does she pick up a stick for you to throw as soon as you enter
the yard? If you take her for a walk, is she more likely to bark at the dog
ambling on the other side of the street than to poop or pee? In other words,
when it’s time for your pooch to potty, does pottying appear to be the last
thing she wants to do?
Tip
If so, you have the Dog Who Gets Distracted. To bring her attention back to her job — to poop or pee — you need to take on the job of minimizing distractions. If your dog gets sidetracked while out in the yard, consider walking her on the leash to her potty area until she remembers why she’s supposed to be out there. If her lack of focus occurs while you’re out walking her, take steps to regain her attention. For example, try turning around and walking in the opposite direction.
If your dog seems easily distracted, consider adjusting your
pooch’s bathroom schedule. Your dog may be uninterested in doing her duty
simply because she doesn’t have to go, especially if she’s an older puppy who’s
still on a younger puppy’s schedule. If your distractible friend is over 5
months of age but you’re still taking her out every couple of hours, give
yourself a break. Let her hold her water longer, and she’ll probably do her
duty more promptly when you do take her out.
The Fair-Weather Piddler
Although the U.S. Postal Service claims that neither rain
nor sleet nor hail prevents the delivery of the U.S. mail, some dogs appear to believe
that the onset of such weather is a perfectly natural reason to refuse to
perform their outdoor duties. Alas, these pooches just don’t want to do their
business under less-than-ideal weather conditions.
The best way to deal with such circumstances is to leverage
your dog’s instincts in your favor. Any time you want him to do his business
quickly, take him to the place he whizzed or pooped upon during his previous
trip out. Odds are he’ll smell his previous anointing and the odor will jog his
memory and prompt him to perform an encore.
If taking him to his previous potty spot doesn’t work, bring
him to a place where you know other pooches have pottied. Most dogs confronted
with other canine calling cards feel compelled to leave some of their own, no
matter how inclement the weather is.
A little protection from the elements may also help,
particularly with small dogs or short-haired dogs who feel the effects of rain and
cold temperatures more intensely. Consider buying a raincoat and/or a sweater
if your four-legged friend is one of these weather sensitive individuals.
Finally, be prepared to brave the elements yourself if you
want to be sure your dog has done her business. That means snapping on the
leash and trudging through the rain or snow until your doggie downloads — or at
least accompanying her to your backyard to make sure she really does what she’s
supposed to do.
The Bedwetter
Although most dogs will do almost anything to avoid peeing
in the places where they sleep, some pooches do wet their beds. However, such
behavior isn’t normal, and you shouldn’t treat it as such.
The bad news here is that a dog who wets her bed is
invariably a dog with a medical problem; she needs to see a veterinarian as soon
as possible. The good news is that the Bedwetter’s problem is generally not
serious and almost always is very treatable.
Among the dogs most likely to leak urine in their sleep are
older spayed females. Just as older human females tend to have more trouble
holding their water than their younger sisters do, such is the case with older
canine females. In addition, spaying can lead to a loss of tone in the urinary
tract muscles, causing the dog to dribble in her sleep. In such cases,
veterinarians often prescribe a short course of either phenylpropanolamine
(PPA) or diethylstilbestrol (DES), a treatment that lasts only a few days or
maybe a week. The latter is a synthetic compound that has the properties of
natural estrogens and can help a dowager doggie stay dry all night long.
Warning!
If you’re pregnant — or are trying to become pregnant — do not administer DES to your bedwetting female dog. Have someone else do it. DES has been known to cause miscarriages, birth defects, and long-term problems among human babies.
Male dogs who wet their beds at night may be suffering from
urinary tract infections or kidney infections. They, too, need veterinary treatment.
In most cases, the vet will ask you to bring a urine sample and will prescribe
two to three weeks of antibiotics. (For tips on collecting a urine sample, see
Chapter Understanding
How an Oh-No Can Become a Problem-o.)
The Dog Who Gets Amnesia
Sometimes an impeccably housetrained dog seems to suddenly forget
his bathroom manners. He may pee inside the house soon after returning from a
trip to his outdoor potty. He may poop or pee in front of his human companion
without having asked to go out.
If your dog appears to suffer from housetraining amnesia and
if he’s more than 7 years of age, he may suffer from a condition called canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome,
or CDS. The condition is very similar to human Alzheimer’s disease. In addition
to the loss of housetraining skills, dogs with CDS may be disoriented, appear
to no longer recognize the other members of the family, and sleep more during
the day but less during the night.
Any elderly dog who exhibits symptoms of CDS should be seen
by a veterinarian. The vet will examine your canine companion and order lab
tests that can identify other possible causes of housetraining lapses and other
problems, such as kidney or liver disease. If those causes are ruled out, a CDS
diagnosis is likely.
CDS isn’t curable, but medication and a diet prescribed by
your vet may slow its progress and alleviate some of its symptoms, including
housetraining amnesia.
The Dog Who Can’t Hold It
Unfortunately, some dogs can’t seem to help having
accidents. Sometimes simple old age is the cause: After a dog enters seniorhood
(which usually starts at age 7 but can vary by breed, size, and other factors),
the muscles in his urinary tract become slack, which can result in unwanted
puddles. Other dogs may have suffered an injury that makes bladder control
sporadic, if not impossible. Of course, you’re sympathetic to such a dog’s
plight, but you also want to preserve your carpets and furniture and keep your house
smelling fresh. What can you do?
Rule out other issues
Incontinence can result not only from old age and injury but
also from conditions such as diabetes, Cushing’s disease, kidney disease,
urinary tract infections, and urinary stones, all of which I discuss in Chapter Understanding
How an Oh-No Can Become a Problem-o. That’s why the incontinent dog’s first stop needs to be at his
veterinarian. The vet can perform the tests needed to rule out these and other
conditions.
Find a holistic vet
Acupuncture, herbs, and homeopathy may help solve or at
least improve incontinence problems in some older dogs. Some veterinarians who
practice Western-style medicine may also be trained in acupuncture, but if your
vet isn’t one of them, check out the list at the American Holistic Veterinary
Medical Association at www.holisticvetlist.com.
In any case, hold off on ordering herbs or trying holistic remedies until you
consult a veterinarian.
Consider diapers
If nothing else works, doggie diapers may be the way to go.
Pet product manufacturers sell both washable and disposable diapers; type the
term “dog diapers” into an Internet search engine, and you’ll get over 80,000
hits.
Warning!
Don’t use any of these diaper products for dogs who are being housetrained, who suffer from submissive urination (see the earlier section “The Dog Who Pees Lying Down”), or for whom other conditions haven’t been ruled out. However, if your otherwise reasonably healthy dog simply can’t hold it and other solutions haven’t worked, diapers can be a reasonable remedy.
The Poop Eater
Some dogs, alas, are not content to eat the food that you
prepare for them. They choose to eat other items as well, ranging from the merely
bizarre to the out-and-out disgusting. In the latter category is that truly
gross practice that experts call coprophagy
(but which the rest of us call poop-eating or stool-eating). That stool may come
from the Poop Eater or from some other animal.
Technical Stuff
No one really knows why a Poop Eater indulges in this pastime. Although some experts have speculated that a dog who eats stool suffers from some sort of nutritional deficiency, this belief hasn’t been proven. Others believe that the habit may result from anxiety or stress, particularly among dogs who spend a lot of time in kennels. Either way, the practice not only grosses out the human but can also result in a dog’s ingesting parasites that may be infesting the stool.
The best way to deal with a Poop Eater is to keep him from
getting to the poop in the first place. Walk your dog on a leash outdoors so
you can keep him away from any poop lying on the ground. Better yet, don’t
leave any poop on the ground. Clean it up right away. To discourage indoor
poop-eating, keep your cat’s litter boxes out of your dog’s reach and change
all litter boxes — feline or canine — frequently.
Tip
Your vet may be able to suggest products that discourage poop eating, too — but bear in mind that you’ll need to feed such products permanently to permanently end the behavior.
The Bleeding Lady, or the Canine Fertility Goddess
Is your female dog licking her private parts a lot? Do they
look swollen? Is she bleeding from her vaginal area? If the answer to any of
those questions is yes, your dog doesn’t have a housetraining problem. Instead,
she’s exhibiting her canine womanhood.
That’s right: Your dog is experiencing something like the
canine equivalent of a human menstrual period, but there’s a significant difference
between the two. A human female’s menstrual period generally signals that she
isn’t pregnant. A canine female’s menstrual period — more commonly known as her
heat cycle — means that she can become pregnant if she mates with a male dog
within about a week.
Tip
To deal with your female dog’s bloody discharge, get her some doggie diapers, which are available at most pet supply stores.
More important, though, is the need to keep your dog away
from any and all male dogs if you don’t want her to have puppies. After her
heat cycle is over, which is about three weeks after the first bloody discharge
begins, have her spayed — either with your vet or through a low-cost
spay/neuter clinic. That way, you’ll never again need to deal with heat cycles,
overexcited male dogs, or the possibility that she could become pregnant
unexpectedly. You’ll also make an important contribution to eliminating the
problem of pet overpopulation.
Of course, you can prevent this problem completely if you
spay your female dog before her first heat cycle occurs (usually at 7 to 9
months of age). In doing so, not only will you spare yourself the mess of the
heat cycle and the hassle of dealing with unwanted puppies, but you’ll also
significantly reduce your dog’s chances of getting mammary cancer later in
life.
by Susan McCullough
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