Tiddling when Excited or Afraid - Advice Needed

Hi,

On Saturday I bought an 18 month old Cairn terrier. He tiddles when excited or afraid. He'd been living with the breeder, but in a special built kennel area with other dogs. I've told the breeder he tiddles, but she says she would have told me if she'd noticed - and he (the dog) only did it once or twice before that she was aware. He came to my home the week before to meet my bitch and to see if they got along, they did. Well, when she took the dog out of her car on Saturday, to stay for good, he tiddled on my drive.

Although it seems to have stopped, he cringed and tiddled every time we put on his lead. He tiddles when my husband makes a fuss over him (I've told my husband to be calm with him ... and to great him on the slate kitchen floor!). I have dog flaps and he's decided he's afraid of them too - he tiddled on the floor when my other dog zoomed in and out. The dog is very sweet - but my opinion is that he is very submissive with people. He was a show dog, but was castrated because once in a while he would pull up one of his testicles back inside him when the judge checked.

What I'd like to know is will he outgrow the tiddling? I am really annoyed at the breeder, because if she had told me he tiddled I would not have taken the dog -- as horrible as that may sound. I am not convinced she was not aware. But now he's here I'm growing attached, of course. I find that I have to treat him almost as a rescue dog. He never heard the sound of a dishwasher, he barked when he heard chops spattering on the hob, he never heard a washing machine .. getting used to napping on the sofa was easy though

Any help or advice would be appreciated. Is it likely he'll grow out of it?

Stacey

Hi Stacey! Welcome to Dogwe btw :smt039

I think positive experiences will help. Many Dogs pee when they get excited or scared. Rocky use to pee himself when other dogs came up to him but he doesnt anymore. He's still a bit weary of new things tho... at the moment he's getting used to the big black brolly lol! I think it just takes time Rocky also lived in a Kennels and he'd never been on roads etc but now he's fine on them. It really does take time, Rocky was 4 months when we got him - it may take a little longer with your boy as he's older, but he'll get there. Wishing you lots of luck!

I'm sorry I cant really offer any advice, but I'm sure its because he's come to a whole new place, with a lot of new noices and surroundings.

If you gain his trust slw and easy, and get him confident I'm sure he will stop.

My friend has a gsd bitch, 14 months, and she tiddles aswell when excited. We have learned to let her out of the house when someone comes, so she tiddles outside

But I've always been told, they'll grow out of it.

Someone more qualified will probableby be along soon and give you advice, but I think its a matter of confidence and trust.

Good luck

Hi Stacy I love Cairns they are usually such cheeky dogs, we used to have one called Mermaid .I would hope your little dog will not wet so much as his confidence grows, I had a rescue bitch like this aged three and she grew out of it. You can help him by not drawing attention to his wetting ignor it and him if he grovells..walk away, encourage him to come to you with tip bits, try not to go to him. When you call him to you crouch down, when you have to go to him crouch down,you will look less threatening that way. When you stroke him try not to stroke his head and neck but choose his back and chest..again confidence building. If he is scared of a noise don't make a fuss or react..he will look at you for a reaction..be matter of fact and ignore it. When ever you get chance praise him. It can be a long job but you will I feel get there in the end good luck and keep us posted. Mini

Thanks everyone. Rudi - the new Cairn - has gotten better with his piddling. He's settled in to our home and he does not get afraid, so no piddling out of fear. My husband has learned not to overexcite him when greating, so that's better.

But I wish I could say he is still not piddling, but he still does. This morning I let him out of a cage (in our bedroom) and he jumped on the bed next to my still sleeping husband -- and left a wet spot on our two week old new bed.

This is almost looking to me like a physical problem as much as a "psychological". I have always allowed my dogs on the furniture and my other Cairn sleeps on our bed. I have carpets throughout the house as well. One wet spot is not a problem ... lots of them over time I think would add up to a smelly one. I am sure I haven't noticed them all.

This morning I've decided to tell my husband I cannot keep the dog. I know he will be very mad at me. He is already very attached to him. I am madder than ever at the breeder, who had this dog and claims she never noticed the problem. And I feel really terrible and lousy and unfeeling, etc.

Stacey

Can't you give the dog a bit longer to settle in? After all you've only had him less than a week if the dog has been abused in any way (no matter how small) it will take time for him to trust you. Put his crate in the kitchen until he's settled, it sounds like you'll have to start from scratch with his training, so back to puppy basics.

If you rehome him again it will only make things worse for the poor dog, at 18 months he still is a puppy and to keep uprooting him he will never settle

Good luck, but please try a bit longer!

my sisters rotty you used to do this I remember always being covered in wee when leaving her house! I dont know what happened but he just kind of grew out of it. I will ask my sister what she did and let you know. I would give it a bit longer if you can because he is still settling down.

Hi Stacy CC is right..each time he is moved on to another home his confidence will sink even more the suggestions given in my post above will not work in a week and I would guess the problem it is emotional not physical, if it were a bladder problem he would leak all the time . I would keep him in the kitchen at night (and as much as I could for now) and I would treat him as a puppy and house train again from scratch. If for some reason he has to be in your room at night put him out first thing before he has chance to wet as you would with a puppy, obviously the more there is in his bladder the more there is to come out when excited. It took me a couple of months with Tilly the bitch I rescued, I thought I had made a big mistake accepting her,she wet ever time we spoke to her when she first came. Tilly very rarely had an accident after that and turned into a fantastic dog I was so glad we had her, she died aged 9 while being opperated on for pyometra

Hi Stacy. I understand completely where ur comming from with regards to letting him go. I had thought that many times when we got Tam a 5 year old rescued bitch. She was deadful but with a lot of TLC she came round and hopefully so will ur little Rudi. He sounds sooo sweet and if it means going back to basics with his training then so be it, but please give him another chance he needs time to adjust

Good luck with him Stacy

If he's been kenneled he won't be house trained- the accident on your bed shouldn't have happened, he should have been taken outside first thing in the morning to relieve himself. The submissive urination will stop once he's settled with you and more confident in his new surroundings.

Good luck