I've gotten so much good advice on this website in regard to my neurotic wire haired terrier from hell. His behavior is much better, so I haven't frequented the site very often, but there is one thing I cannot break him of. He pees in our house when we aren't home. My husband built him a doggy door out to the garage, and then from there he has another doggy door out to a kennel area in the side yard. He will use the doggy door to go potty when we are home, but when we leave the house and come back home we often find pee all over the place.

I've tried crating him, but he just pees in his crate. That means I have to clean up pee, the crate and the idiot dog who laid in his pee. Because I live in Florida, during the winter months I simply left him in the garage with access to the side yard kennel. All was well, but then summer rolled around, and the garage became too hot, at least that is my opinion.

I know plenty of people leave their dogs outside during the day, but our highs can get into the mid 90s. If I put him in the garage during the day, I'm sure he'd go outside if it got too hot in the garage, or vice versa.

What is the general consensus here of what is too hot for a dog to be left outside all day long. Keep in mind that I'd have shade for him, and water and more than likely a fan.

Any suggestions?

Hi, Chris,

I can't sufficiently express the many dangers there are for dogs left outside when the owner is not at home, from poisoning to theft to attack by other animals and more.


About the house-peeing:

How old is the dog? He does not have accidents inside when you are at home?

PS

You will get more folks' opinions, too.

Instead of trying to accommodate a dog that isn't housebroken, I'd focus the effort you're spending in doggie doors and alternative plans into housebreaking.

Granted, you've got some bad habits to break. So you'll have to start over as if this were a 4-month old puppy. But assumably (hopefully) you're going to be sharing your home with this dog for a very long time. It's in his--and your--best interest to simply train away the problem behavior. He doesnt deserve to be banished from his home, and you don't deserve to live in a house reeking of pee. IMO

I would never leave a dog outside alone.

Big ditto to Tracy.


We (LB board folks) can help with potty training suggestions, even with a dog who now has ingrained habits. It's a concerted period of effort, but it's completely worth it.

Does this dog never have accidents when you are at home? How old is he?

was the dog ever actually crate trained ?

like actual , increased duration crate training ?

'cause if he hasn't , you better start now .

Chris, from what you're describing, the dog pees in the house only when he is left alone, right? He uses his doggie door and goes potty outside at all other times. When he is left home alone, he will pee in the house, whether he is loose or in his crate.

I am thinking that could be a symptom of separation anxiety. I'm wondering what else he's doing when you're not home? Does he bark, whine, pace the house?

Maybe you can set up a video camera to observe what he does when you're not home. If he is showing any other symptoms of separation anxiety, then I would say the inappropriate urination is part of it.

It's certainly possible this is a housebreaking problem. (How old is the dog?) But the fact that it only happens when no one is home is what's making me think SA.

Cheri, you've hit the nail on the head. I know he has separation anxiety. In fact, I try to change up my habits when I get ready for work in the morning, or else he starts to freak out.

One thing I do before I leave the house is make him go outside and go tinkle, then praise the bejesus out of him. He knows what "go tinkle" means, and he also knows "good go tinkle outside" and loves the praise. He *only* pees in the house when we are not home, or if he somehow finds himself closed up in the bathroom (again, separation). He also knows how to tell us when he wants to go in the backyard, so he is fully potty trained.

Buster is 10. I've had him since he was 18 mos old. This is not a new habit he's developed, so I know it is not a medical condition or because of old age. Like I stated before, he has access to the side yard kennel all day long, he just has some issue using it when we are gone.

I'm not worried about him getting stolen or digging out. At one time he was a digger and a jumper, so that kennel is basically Stalag 13. Nothing is getting in, and nothing is getting out. My biggest issue is how much heat can a dog tolerate being in the garage and/or in the side yard kennel for the majority of the day? Does anyone else keep their dog in a kennel while at work?

if you are providing a place for him out of direct sunlight and access to the appropriate amount of water , i don't see a problem .

maybe put a kiddy pool filled with water in there .

 Quote: Chris Kuck

My husband built him a doggy door out to the garage, and then from there he has another doggy door out to a kennel area in the side yard...

He will use the doggy door to go potty when we are home, but when we leave the house and come back home we often find pee all over the place...

Keep in mind that I'd have shade for him, and water and more than likely a fan.

1) Guaranteed fail-safe SHADE all day long

2) Kiddie pool & a fan blowing across the water into the kennel

3) "Cooling Bed III" for sale right here on Leerburg

Adding a mister spray system would also be nice !!!