Adult Poodle Pees in the House

Location:                      Arroyo Grande, Ca
Dog Age:                      6 yrs old
Dog Sex:                      Female
Neutered:                     Yes
Dog Breed:                   Poodle mix
Training History:          She sits, shakes hands, walks obediently on a leash
Number of Humans:    2 ages 53 and 52
Other Pet Info:              16 year old male terrier mix; 5 yr old black cat
How Long Owned:        One year
Other Info:                    This dog appears to have been abused and has had several homes.  She has been checked several times by the vet and does not have a bladder or urinary tract infection.
Question:                     Margie seems to be housebroken but pees in the house when I am not there or if I am there she will run into another room and pee.  It appears that she does this because she is stressed but I can't solve it because I usually come upon the peed carpet hours after it has occurred.  She rarely does it in front of me.  She has gone for 3 months without peeing but then "out of the blue" will start peeing again.
How have you attempted to solve this problem?   I do not react when I discover the pee because I know it will do no good. I simply set to work cleaning the carpet. However, I may be giving off an angry vibe because it is really getting old.  I haven't a clue what to do because I can't determine what is stressing her.  I have two doggie doors in my house that she has access to and I walk her twice a day.
 

Answer

My guess is that in her former homes, Margie learned that it was unsafe to piddle in the presence of humans.  This happens often when inadequate housetraining has occurred and every time the dog eliminates, s/he gets yelled at or punished.  If she was abused (ie., hit or kicked, or isolated for long periods) immediately after eliminating, her need to sneek off is even stronger.  I wouldn't worry too much about your "angry vibe" but yes she may be picking up on it and remembering far worse consequences.

Your info regarding the dog doors and daily walks is also helpful.  This leads me to believe that additionally in her former homes she really got into the habit of eliminating inside, not quite learning that outside is the right (and only) option.  Most dogs don't have the option of going outside at will so the fact that she still goes inside is bringing me to this conclusion.  Of course it doesn't help that she has 3 pee-inside-free months and then starts inside "out of the blue".  But the solution to this problem is the same either way.

Before you start, you'll have to thoroughly clean ANY spot on which she has eliminated with a serious enzymatic pet stain solution.  Then clean it thoroughly again with a white vinegar/water solution.  It's very hard to stop a urinater when she can still smell the spots.  Better yet, if there is any way, REPLACE any rugs.  Also consider purchasing a urine identifier (similar to a black light) from a pet supply house so that you don't miss any spots.

The main thing with your dog is that she gets lots of positive reinforcement for eliminating in your presence, preferably in close proximity to you, including praise and her very favorite treats (chopped or broken into tiny pea-sized pieces so that you can deliver them quickly but one at a time to her, all the while enthusiastically telling her how wonderful she is).  As a matter of fact, try your best to save her treats for use only when she pees or poops in these situations.  Obviously you can't praise and treat her if she pees right next to you while you're inside the house, so you have to go on walks equipped with these treats and take her out into the yard on leash for as many of her potty breaks as you can for the next few weeks.   Your gal needs to learn it's actually fun and good to pee near you so be generous with your praise and treats at these times.

Alternately, she may not be allowed to eliminate in the house any more.  The problem most dog owners have is vigilantly monitoring their dog's activity while gradually increasing the time.   It means she must be either

1) With you at all times or

2) Crated (I'm assuming she does not soil in a crate). 

Generally I prefer the first method for all times that you are at home, particularly if the dog has bad experiences in a crate.  Use the crate when you are away, or a bathroom or fenced off kitchen if she stresses in a crate.   

How do you get a dog to be with you at all times?  Put her leash on (preferably 4 foot) and tie the other end to your wrist or your belt loop.  Go about your daily business for a little while, then go outside with her, either on one of your walks or just to the yard, keeping her on leash.  Whether it's a walk or the yard, stand in one place near the house and allow her the length of the leash.  Don't play with her or move around.  Just occasionally say "go pee" or whatever your phrase is.  Bring a book if you think it might take a while but continue to stand there until she eliminates.  Then praise and treat her immediately and start your walk or play a little game in the yard.  She will learn that the fun starts after she pees, and will learn to pee sooner and sooner after you leave the house in order to get to the fun stuff.

I don't know if she generally holds it for say, 2 hours and then piddles in the house, or even if you know.  It seems that it's more unpredictable than that. 

A)  If you know she ALWAYS holds it for some period of time, then you may come back into the house, allow her off leash for free run-around time for 15 minutes LESS than her regular holding it time, then leash her and go about your indoor business for another 30-60 minutes or so.  What will happen is that she will get the urge to pee and either

1) Vocalize to let you know so that you can take her out on leash, repeat the standing around on leash and waiting until she goes, then praise/treat  OR 

 2) Sniff or squat so you can catch her in the act and immediately shout "OUTSIDE!OUTSIDE!OUTSIDE" while rushing to the door and then stand calmly outside with her while you wait for her to finish up out there, of couse praising/treating when she does.  This catch in the act is very effective for housetraining, and shows her in no uncertain terms that it's unpleasant to eliminate inside and that it's fun and profitable to eliminate outside. 

B)  If she has unpredictably-timed peeing inside, then just start with an hour inside on leash, then outside, then off-leash but IN THE SAME ROOM for 15 minutes while you watch her like a hawk, then on-leash inside for an hour, etc.

• Crate or otherwise remove her access to most of the house when you have to go out.  I'm assuming you are not gone for more than 3-4 hours at a time.  If you are out more than 4 hours, then skip the crate and keep her in the bathroom AND get a petsitter to walk her after 3-4 hours, instructing her on this method.
• You can also limit her water consumption for an hour or so before you leave, and of course make sure that she has had a good piddle just before you leave.

After 2-3 days, start to add time in 15-minute increments to BOTH the on-leash inside time AND the off-leash in-the-same-room "free time" until you've reached several hours or as long as you need her to hold it when you're away. 

Then you can start to reduce the leashed-to-you time, again in 15 minute increments, when you're inside with her, as long as you continue to bring her outside on leash and be there to praise/treat her out there when she goes.  Remember, her education is mainly that it's profitable to pee when with human present, unprofitable and unpleasant to squat/pee when inside.

Then you can start to eliminate the crate for the times you're gone.  Start with very short times when you are out of the house - 15 minutes to start and add 15 minute increments with continued success.  Continue to have her leashed to you inside and outside and enthusiastically praise/treat all elimination outside.  Keep using the crate when your times away are longer than her progress level.

Finally let's get the doggy door back into the scene.  When she's due for a potty run, bring her to the doggy door, go outside and call her to come through it.  At this point she may be following you around out there expecting her potty treat, so you probably won't have to leash her outside now.  But if she starts to play or "forget" about peeing right away, leash her and wait as usual, and work up to the point where she pees upon exit, you treat and then you play for a while (or walk) and then go back in.

I'm going to estimate this entire process will take 2-3 months, based on her age, habits, history, and unpredictability.  Let me know how you do.

Good luck and thanks for writing!

Suzanne Harris

Dog Days Behavior Center

http://www.dogdaysUSA.com