Marking/Urinating in the House, new problem.

Hi All,

Its been a very long time since I have been on here, years in fact.

My dogs have bene great over the last few years but recently one (or both) have developed a problem.

Here goes:

I am at my wits end and I really need some help.

I have 2 dogs, Shadow and Bandit. Shadow is a 3yr old staffy bitch, and bandit is a 2yr old cross rescue dog. We had Shadow from a pup and bandit when he was 6months old. Both have been neutered/spayed.

My problem is as follows. In november we bought a new house and moved in, we needed a new house to accomodate the new baby and we needed a bigger garden for the dogs, and Jadon (new baby) who was on the way at the time.

When we moved in we decided to build a conservatory mainly for the dogs to use, so rather than having them eat and sleep in the kitchen they'd use the conservatory. Well the conservatory was finally finished a week or so ago, we didnt move them in there straight away as it wasn't fully finished (no skirting boards), but we used to leave the door to the conservatory open, and the back door from the conservatory to the garden open, so the dogs could go out as they pleased.

Well one rainy day I was upstairs with Jadon, and dogs were downstairs, I came back down and found one of them had pee'd in the conservatory (which was empty at the time, no furniture). I cleaned it up and made a vet app for shadow as she had been displaying signs of a water infection and wanted to check that before trying to treat any behavioural probs. She's finished her antibiotics, and BOTH dogs have started peeing and pooing in my conservatory, even with the back door open for them.

I dont know why they started doing this. So to try and make them understand that this was another room of the house and not a toilet I moved their sofa (yes they have a leather sofa), baskets and food/water bowls in there, as I had read that dogs wont toilet where they eat or sleep. Didnt work, the conservatory is too big, they just find an empty space and go. So the other night I filled it with stuff, no empty floor space, but one of them moved their basket and poo'd.

They have clear access to outside, and go out there all the time, they will even pee and poo out there, and I praise them when they do. Just before bed I take them for a walk, (but its only a short 10min walk while hubby baths Jadon), and I get them outside and tell them its "time for wee-wee" just before bed. Sometimes they will go, other times they wont.

SO please help, I have no clue why they are toileting in the conservatory. I thought maybe they dont like going out when its raining, but one morning came down to pee on the floor and muddy footprints where one had clearly been out in the rain. I thought maybe it was a seperation anxiety thing, and that they'd do it when i was out or away from them, but one of them has done it when I've been in the kitchen with my back turned. I dont know which is doing it, but i think its both; Bandit had clearly cocked his leg and pee'd on the bin out there, and shadow cant do that she's a bitch, and the other day one had pee'd so I chucked them out (unfortunatelty I lost my rag, and literally chucked them out, I know its not their fault, but with looking after a a baby aswell, it got to much for me) the back so I could clean up, and bandit went for a pee, so it muct have been shadow who'd messed.

I just dont know why they are doing it. I know it has all been a big change for them, new house, new baby and now new living space, as they used to sleep in the living room on the sofa's at night, and now they are locked in the conservatory. They used to occasionally mess in the kitchen, but the back door was locked, and them must not have been able to hold it for that long. Now they have a dog flap in the conservatory door, as in the old house we used to have a conservatory.

Also they dont get as much exersize as they should, only a 10 min walk at night, and then not every night. I just cant walk them when I'm home alone with Jadon (he's 4months old now). That will change when I'm back in work, I can walk them 1st thing in the morning when OH and Jadon are still in bed, and at night when OH bathes Jadon. Mind you its still not enough, only 20mins a day.

So guys help me please, I know its a long post but I'm at my wits end. Also what should I use to get rid of the smell, obviously I cant smell it, but the dogs prob still can. At present I use White Vinegar, Biological Washing powder, and multi surface cleaner.

HELP ME

Please no-body suggest I get rid of the dogs, thats not an option. If I have to get the help of a behaviourist, then so be it. I'm going to be employing a dog walker in sept, there is only one in my area and she has just given birth so isnt taking any new dogs on yet. I wouldn't trust anyone other than a professional with them as they are both powerful dogs and pull tremedously on the lead.

Also I dont have a family or friends clsoe by (they live 35miles away), so they cant pop over to babaysit whilst I walk the dogs.

I really am at my wits end.

I'm no expert hun, but I suggest a spray to deter them from pooing and weeing in the conservatory. Maybe leave them outside with the doors closed when you know they are likely to "go".
I think your right, they think it is their domain and use it.
Hope this helps, Maybe someone here with more experience can help. But try the spray Oh and try and catch them doing it, then you can use a command that they know when they have done something inappropiate.
Good luck

hello, and congrats on new baby !!

Firstly am i right in saying you dont walk the dogs at all during the day ? Only 10 min walk at night? Or does hubby take them out before work?

There is a lot of change happened and it sounds to me like it might be attention, even although it generates negative attention, its still attention, they sound like they might be a bit bored if they arent getting walked.

I am not being critical but is there no way you can time in a walk with them during the day, when Luca was that age, i made sure that I took him out when i thought he would be due a nap, thus letting bruno have a walk. I think its important to still get the dogs out during the day and keep something the same as before the baby, It might be a jealousy/attention thing and they are acting out in this way.

Just my opinion, i know its hard having a baby and a dog as sometimes your just so knackered you can hardly get yourself sorted but i think the dogs are acting out and perhaps a bit more exercise will do them good.
I think you will find that a behaviourist will firstly look at the exercise issue as a contributing factor .

hth

Hi Rachel I remember you and your lovely little 'miracle' Staff . Congratulations on the baby.

Firstly any change in routine can affect dogs adversely, new baby/new house /new sleeping area/change of feeding time or food.
You need to clean every trace of smell from the conservatory floor . You can do this by wiping the floor over with vinegar to neutralise the ammonia smell in the urine then wash with biological washing powder (sorry re read your post and see you are already doing this) . If you are leaving the conservatory door open all the time the dogs may equate it with the outside (particularly as it was originally empty ), I would put them out when you can and close the door.

I note Shadow was given antibiotics so guess she must have had a urine infection, this could have started the whole thing off and it has now become a habit.


At night time you really need to go out with them to make sure they are 'empty' before bed time. I realise you must be very busy just now but a good walk in the evening, every evening is essential, the various scents and exercise will stimulate the dogs to relieve themselves so that they are empty at bedtime.

You really need to get the dogs back in a routine then things should be ok again.
Added.
If it continues, the other option is to go back to puppy training taking each dog out separately on a lead and teaching it to relieve itself on command by waiting until it is in the middle of relieving itself, adding a cue word like 'beclean' (that it can learn to associate with the action) then giving lots of praise when it finishes. Repeat this until you are able to say the cue word and the dog will go on command. It takes a bit of effort but will sort things out.

Hi all,

Thanks for the advice, yes brundog u are right they do only get a 10min walk per day. I cant take them out with the pram, as soon as I get the leads out they go frantic, and they pull ferociously. Which is something I have treid to correct numerous times, but to no avail. I've even taken shadow to training classes and she was good on her own, its just when u add bandit into the mix, they seem to have a pulling contest. OH doesn't walk them, he gets up for work and goes, thats it, I do everything with regards to baby and dogs because I'm off wokr on maternity leave. I knows its crap, but I cant do anything about that,

Minihaha, I'm flattered that u remember shadow. She still does the same thing with her neck and head! We just dont notice any more!

I'm just going to have to pull my finger out and make sure that I take them out every evening, its just so tiring doing everything with the baby, and sorting the house, OH and dogs out too! But I feel super guilty they are not getting the attention they deserve. From tonight, new regime; walks EVERY night, and I'll try my hardest to get them to empty before bedtime.

Thanks for the help guys.

Rachel

good luck Rachel, I hope that it improves for you it must be very stressful - its bad enough constantly doing babys pooey bum without the dogs joining in too !!!

I was lucky that Bruno actually walks sooo much better beside the pram that i prefer to walk him like that !!!!!
we now have the problem that Luca wont stay in his buggy and climbs out so i have to walk a dog, push a buggy and hang on to a marauding 20 month old !!!!
it was much easier when it was just bruno!!!! LOL

Have you considered looking in to a dog walker until you have your routine sorted? It took me a bit of phoning around and interviewing but I now have a lovely dog walker who comes by on the two days i am at work and is willing to pop in if I need her to at other times... I actually found mine through another website that I notice has forums so wont post here... But do a search for pet sitters, dog walkers and your area and see what comes up, or look through the yellow pages...

My dog walker costs £5 for an hour walk. (All three dogs). She does take other dogs as well though and charges £7 for a solo walk (just your dogs)... As 5 is her limit and I have three, I figured what's 2 more dogs? It has worked out brilliantly. (Though I did pay her and walk with her the first two times just to check on my babies)

It might give you a bit of a break once or twice a week and could be enough to help break the habit... You could use the time when they were out for the first walk to really blitz the conservatory and make a fresh start of no means no!

Hi, one thing I would definately try, if you haven't already, is a DAP diffuser and plug it into the consevatory. I have a few rescue dogs and most had toileting problems, I used a DAP diffuser ( along with praise when they did it outside) and it has made a huge difference. I have one plugged in all the time and when it runs out I know as accidents start to happen again. It will need to be on for a few weeks before you notice any difference and it doesn't always work, but I swear by it. I even use the cat version for the moggies.

Well just wanted to say guys that since I started my new excersize regime with the dogs things have settled down.

After posting last week I had a discussion with my husband and told him if he wasnt interested in walking the dogs then we had better start thinking about re-homing them as its not fair on them to be cooped uo all day with no excersize. He soon changed his tune and was quite happy to come and help me walk them (I was in NO WAY serious about re-homing the dogs, they are my best friends, but I know OH needed a harsh reality check, and it worked!).

so now everyday when he comes home from work, we take them out, me, OH, the baby in his sling and the two dogs, we go for a walk for at least 30mins, and its really seems to be helping. I know its still not enough, but its a vast improvemtn and we are taking baby steps here.

Since walking them we have had 1 "accident" in the conservatory, and that was when we went out for the day yesterday. So fingers crossed things are improving.

I just wanted to say thanks so much for all the help.

Rach xx

(knowing my luck because I've posted this my dogs will start doing it all over again! )

Hi Rachel I am very pleased to hear there has been an improvement ,well done . These things take time and until the dogs have fully adapted to the new conditions and the new routine becomes 'set' , expect the odd setback.

You have done wonders with Shadow, these small temporary difficulty should be just that 'temporary' and order should be restored soon.