So we have a recent dilemma, and I have no idea what to do because I don't know what the source of the problem is. Boo, over the past several months, has had several accidents inside. I'm a little bit confused is all. She isn't like a puppy that just isn't house trained. She won't have an accident for 3 months and then will have three in 2 weeks. Then it'll be another 2 months and then she'll have one. Always peeing. Always in the same area. And almost always (as far as I recall) in the evening. We clean it up every time, but at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if the smell is now ingrained into the carpet for the dog, so it doesn't matter if we clean it or not.
I'm just perplexed because of the randomness, yet sameness of these accidents. We can be gone almost all day with no issues. A few times we've forgotten to let her out when she's had an accident - she doesn't ask. So that makes sense. But other times, she'll have been out just an hour or two before.
I am confused as to whether this is really a house training issue (she doesn't know that she isn't supposed to pee inside), an "I don't want to tell you issue" (she's essentially housetrained, but if she has to go badly, she still won't ask to be let out), or an "I don't realize that the living room is part of my 'den' too" issue. Therefore, I have no idea what to do. If someone else had asked this question, I would initially say "crate!" or "leash and keep with you!" but it isn't so cut and dry in this case. We could have Boo on a leash for three months without a mess - I don't think she would ever think about peeing inside on a leash. We have a crate, but Boo hasn't been crate trained, just because she was terrified of it in the beginning. I've worked to get her confident to walk through it (I have it half collapsed to make a tunnel), but she's not at the point where she could be left in it without stressing her out.
If she doesn't realize that the living room is a "part of the house" I could just train her to stay out of there. That wouldn't be an issue. We've already trained her that she's not allowed upstairs and must have permission to come to the basement. But if she just isn't telling me, I don't want to give her a reason to find a new place inside to pee.
Or of course, I could try to train her to tell me when she wants to go outside using a bell or something. She's smart, and would probably pick up on it, but if she doesn't realize that peeing inside is not okay (we've never caught her in the act yet and I DO NOT believe in correcting after the fact) it won't get me anywhere.
This is Boo's only issue that we've had as far as settling in. Otherwise, she is the perfect dog. Absolutely perfect (of course, if you have any ideas about getting rid of a large interest in bunnies, I wouldn't mind!). I just hope (for the sake of the living room rug and the aroma of our house) that I can figure this out.
BTW - in case you don't know, Boo was rescued 1 year ago and is probably 3, 4, or 5ish now. Sorry for the rambling post.
-GoingNowhere
I'm just perplexed because of the randomness, yet sameness of these accidents. We can be gone almost all day with no issues. A few times we've forgotten to let her out when she's had an accident - she doesn't ask. So that makes sense. But other times, she'll have been out just an hour or two before.
I am confused as to whether this is really a house training issue (she doesn't know that she isn't supposed to pee inside), an "I don't want to tell you issue" (she's essentially housetrained, but if she has to go badly, she still won't ask to be let out), or an "I don't realize that the living room is part of my 'den' too" issue. Therefore, I have no idea what to do. If someone else had asked this question, I would initially say "crate!" or "leash and keep with you!" but it isn't so cut and dry in this case. We could have Boo on a leash for three months without a mess - I don't think she would ever think about peeing inside on a leash. We have a crate, but Boo hasn't been crate trained, just because she was terrified of it in the beginning. I've worked to get her confident to walk through it (I have it half collapsed to make a tunnel), but she's not at the point where she could be left in it without stressing her out.
If she doesn't realize that the living room is a "part of the house" I could just train her to stay out of there. That wouldn't be an issue. We've already trained her that she's not allowed upstairs and must have permission to come to the basement. But if she just isn't telling me, I don't want to give her a reason to find a new place inside to pee.
Or of course, I could try to train her to tell me when she wants to go outside using a bell or something. She's smart, and would probably pick up on it, but if she doesn't realize that peeing inside is not okay (we've never caught her in the act yet and I DO NOT believe in correcting after the fact) it won't get me anywhere.
This is Boo's only issue that we've had as far as settling in. Otherwise, she is the perfect dog. Absolutely perfect (of course, if you have any ideas about getting rid of a large interest in bunnies, I wouldn't mind!). I just hope (for the sake of the living room rug and the aroma of our house) that I can figure this out.
BTW - in case you don't know, Boo was rescued 1 year ago and is probably 3, 4, or 5ish now. Sorry for the rambling post.
-GoingNowhere