Please help!!! I have a wonderful 2.5 year old female boxer/beagle mix that was rescuded a year and a half ago, who was housebroken, but has strayed from that training in the last 6 months. She has had accidents at night where she urinates in the same general area in the apartment. We were concerned of her health and took her to the vet, they checked urine, blood and general health and there were no problems. The vet said it was psychological. Since then she'll go on a puppy training pad, and does this on most nights, while we are sleeping (and occasionally misses). She does not signal to us that she has to go out (she never did). She does this only when we are sleeping, not during the day when we are at work. It also does not depend on weather, strange noises, when I wake up or go to sleep, when she is fed, or when I wake up in the morning to walk her. Is there anyone that knows of any resources to help dogs get over these pyschological issues? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

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Kristi Allgood

Get a crate. Puppy pads are evil - you're just training the dog that it's o.k. to pee in the house. As long as the Vet says there's no medical issue, then the dog should easily be able to hold it through the night. Search for Ed's articles on housebreaking, follow his advice, and you should be fine. And get a crate.

Kristi,
What has changed lately in your dog's life that may have caused this acting out? New cat? Another dog? Boyfriend? Is there something distracting your attention from the dog that may be causing him/her to act out?
I am asking because my 15 y/o Beagle does this when he's pissed (pardon the pun) or jealous. I know many folks here don't believe in spiteful dogs but everyone who has met my Beagle, including vets, says he's getting back at us. Since he adores the ground my husband walks on, he will retaliate against anyone who takes my husband's attention away from him. When we first dated, the Beagle chewed up and peed only on my things. When our son came along, he used to take dumps on his car track and in his room.
If everything medically is fine, maybe your dog is acting out of jealousy. Try to figure out if something has changed in it's routine lately, and try "putting it back to normal" , is possible, to see if that is what's causing the behavior. Meanwhile, yes, a crate is a good idea. We have to crate the Beag now since we got our new puppies. He was going upstairs during the night and playing King Kong, dropping logs on the Hot Wheels tracks again! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Grrrr!!!!

WE HAVE A CRATE BUT WHEN WE PUT HER IN IT SHE CRIES ALL NIGHT, AND MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGED IN MY LIFE IS THAT I WAS RECENTLY MARRIED. BUT MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT THE DOG TOGETHER AND WE'VE LIVED TOGETHER SINCE WE'VE HAD HER. WE DON'T TRAVEL A LOT, WE HAVE NEVER PUT HER IN A KENNEL. I SUPPOSE IT IS POSSIBLE SHE'S ACTING OUT (SHE IS VERY SMART). NOW THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IT THIS ALL STATRED THE FIRST TIME MY PARENTS BABYSAY FOR HER, AND WE LIVE IN THE CITY (CHICAGO) AND THEY BROUGHT HER UP TO WISCONSIN, AND SHE OF COURSE LOVED ALL THE NEW SMELLS, AND HAS REALLY BEEN PEEING IN THE HOUSE SINCE THEN. COULD THAT BE IT, THOUGH? OH YEAH, WE FOUND OUT TOO THAT THEY LET HER SLEEP IN THE BED, AND WE NEVER LET HER SLEEP IN THE BED (SHE'S A BED HOG--MY FATHER USED TO TRAIN DOGS AND HE TOLD US TO STOP LETTING HER IN THE BED--I FORGET WHY--BUT WHEN WE LET HER, WE NEVER SLEPT BECASUE SHE IS A BED HOG) AND THEN HE GOES AND LETS HER IN THE BED WHEN HE WATCHED HER. MAYBE SHE IS MAD AT US FOR KICKING HER OUT OF THE BED EACH NIGHT.

THE VERY FIRST TIME SHE DID IT (AFTER HER FIRST VISIT TO WI), SHE DID IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. SO I YELLED AT HER IMMEDIATELY, AND SHE NEVER DID THAT IN FRONT OF ME EVER AGAIN, IT BECAME HER NIGHTLY HABIT, WHNE I WAS SLEEPING.

I'LL TRY TO CONVINCE MY HUSBAND OF BRINGING OUT THE CRATE AGAIN AND SEEING IF THAT WORKS.

ARE THERE ANY OPINIONS ABOUT THOSE INCONTINENT BLOOMERS? WOULD HAVING AN UNCOMFORTABLE WET "DIAPER" TRAIN HER NOT TO PEE ANYMORE OR WOULD IT END UP GIVING HER AN INFECTION OR MAKING HER SICK?

I would definetly get her in the crate and leave her in there until she stops crying. It's the only way to make her stop crying. You said she is smart, so she will quickly learn that it doesn't get her anything to cry and she will stop. They do have incontinence bloomers but they are for involuntary urine leakage, not housebreaking. They will only be uncomfortable and possibly cause a rash or bladder infection. The wetness will not make her hold it to prevent getting uncomfortably wet, but it will give her a good reason to chew them off.

The trip to your parents would could have defintely caused the change in her potty habits also. Potty training depends on a consistent schedule and your house is part of that consistency to your dog. A new house and new schedule at your parents could have upset that routine potty training she had before. The crate along with a consistent schedule again will get her back on track. This is the link to Leerburg potty training article http://www.leerburg.com/housebrk.htm

As far as the sleeping on the bed thing, I would keep her off the bed. Same rule at your parents house should apply. Whether people want to realize it or not, letting the dog on the bed can lead to dominance problems. You (and other humans) are the leader of the pack and that is YOUR bed, not hers. The crate is hers. If she's allowed on your bed she may think she's taking the fast road to the top of the pack and may challenge you or other people for the position. It's a small thing to us but a big issue that makes perfect sense to your dog in her dog world.
Hope this helps! She'll get better.
Alison Voore