Doggy toilet issues...

[popularfurball]

We have had patch now for 3.5 years and moved house in August last year.

As of mid February he is (for no apparent reason) started going to the toilet around the house when we are out. He spends less time alone at the new house (never ever had this problem before), we have an awesome neighbour who takes him to hers or at a minimum visits every 1.5 hrs to let him out. He never does it when we are home, if anything we have the opposite problem that he won't go!

He has been alone today for just over an hour, I've come home and he has pooed in the bathroom and peed all down the stairs - banisters, carpets the lot.

Why would this behaviour suddenly develop? what do we do about it?

 

[Jessey]

Oo that's not nice, is he unsettled by the move/change in routine? did something change after Xmas that could have triggered him? Just thinking perhaps when he was left longer at the old house it was stricter times that he knew when you would be back making the routine more for him. I would perhaps try a DAP/adaptil collar to help him relax?
ETA when my dog was destructive I left the video camera/ipad on to record him so I could see exactly what was triggering the behavior, for us it was me leaving, everything he did was within 2 minutes of me leaving the house!

 

[juliecwuk]

setting up a camera like Jessey said was a method we took too when we had issues with Toby.

Toby requires set toilet routines otherwise he also goes in the kitchen. We have discovered: straight after food he must be let out and told to go for a wee. If he doesn't then the moment we leave he will go in the kitchen. in the evening he gets fed after we have eaten and then too has to be let immediately out. Before we go to bed he must be thrown out (lol not literally but even if he is asleep we wake him and send him out for a wee) we don't bother Barney has he never has accidents, but Toby must be sent out and not let back in until it has happened (we re-iterate 'go for a wee' and now that's a command he knows). We don't leave the dogs with chew bones/treats/kongs anymore as Toby gets possessive until Barney has eaten his and then eats his and then pees on the floor!

When we return we don't fuss them, just open the door and send them straight out for a wee.

We don't play with Toby at all unless he has been to the toilet.

He has most issues around Bonfire night up until xmas - this is because he LOVES fireworks and will not go to toilet in the garden whilst they are on, he just wants to lie there and look at the sky, or run around barking at them!

Does Patch have accidents in-between your neighbours visits? Does he feel confident/safe in your garden? (is if not he may not want to go to toilet is my thought on that)

 

[squidsin]

It sounds from what you say that he may be unsettled by the move and experiencing separation anxiety when you leave him in the new house, if he doesn't want to leave you to go to the toilet. I don't know what to suggest though, sorry!

 

[popularfurball]

He won't and never does go on the lead... Lead issues are something else altogether!! The issues with the field are two fold I think - firstly he refuses to use the "gates" in the electric fence and has had his bum zapped three times by the fence. The second is that there is lots to see and do out there and thirdly he would rather be on the sofa!

He has never had a routine - he can't because we work such varied shifts - and different shifts to each other. As a result the time alone is not massive. Neighbour comes in for any gaps alone 2hrs or over but she's not been in for three weeks so shows how often he is alone for any length. He has done it 5 or 6 times - three times this week though.

We now let him have roam of the house but in only house he was just in our bedroom when we are out - maybe he would be better in one room

 

[squidsin]

One of my cats, Tilly, pees on the sofa when she is anxious about something - usually if I go away on holiday, or even if she sees me packing a bag. She never does it any other time. Hopefully your dog will settle down soon, once he gets used to everything. It can take ages for them to adjust. My other cat, Missy, has JUST realised the dog is a total wazzock and nothing to be scared of. It has taken her TWO YEARS to get to this point. She's barely been downstairs in that time as that's where the dog is!

 

[juliecwuk]

hmmm to me it sounds as if the move has unsettled him but he also doesn't find the garden a safe place. can you create a safe non-elec area directly out the back of the house?