Seemingly Housetrained Puppy Has Started Having Accidents Again

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Domestic dog Trainer podcast listener Melanie recently wrote me well-nigh her 3-yr-sometime Chihuahua, Marley, whom she housetrained in puppyhood. She said:

"Every morning since we moved to a new house a couple of weeks ago, I have woken up to pee and poop past the forepart door. Marley is outside with u.s. about of the twenty-four hours and I get out with him before we go to bed. He seems to be freaked out nearly doing his business outside.  He poops outside perhaps every other day.

We did also get a new kitty, and I wonder whether Marley thinks that since the kitten gets to pee and poop in the house, he at present can besides. Or could it be that my granddaughter hasn't been staying over as often lately? Marley sometimes lies in her room, on her clothes, whining for hours. Mayhap it's everything – the new kitten, the new business firm, the litter box, and his picayune girl not here as much?

I haven't really gotten after him for it, except for the stern look I give him while I'm cleaning it up and telling him that he can't exercise that! Tin can y'all help?"

I get a fair bit of mail near housetraining breakdowns, and Melanie's situation sounds pretty typical. Let'south cut out the easy role first. Any the reason for Marley'south overnight indoor toilet breaks, they're not happening because he got the idea from the new cat. If the existence of cats' litter boxes gave dogs the idea that they could eliminate indoors, I don't know how anybody who has a cat would ever exist able to housetrain a puppy. As well, if the litter box was the source of Marley'south inspiration, wouldn't you lot await that he'd use the litter box too? Only no.

If your domestic dog's housetraining falls apart, look for sources of stress that you tin minimize or fix.

That's not to say the kitten isn't a factor. Melanie doesn't say how much experience Marley has with cats; it's possible that he finds his new housemate worrisome or even scary. If that'southward so, then the kitten is a source of stress, and stress can contribute to a housetraining breakdown. Even so, Marley seems to have at to the lowest degree three other stressors in his life right now, and my guess is that they probably affect him more than the kitten does.

Stressor #1: Moving

Anyone who has always moved knows how stressful information technology is, starting from the betoken where we decide to move, looking for a new place, going through a credit check or applying for a loan, packing, hiring movers…well, that list is already long plenty to brand most of the states grit our teeth. Admittedly your dog isn't doing the legwork, but if you get somewhat tense and testy in the procedure, you better believe he picks up on information technology. And in the end, what happens? He's deposited in a new living situation that probably comes as a complete surprise to him.

Stressor #2: The Unspecified Outdoor Freakout

Melanie says that Marley "seems to be freaked out nearly doing his business organisation outside," and that he only eliminates outdoors about every other day. Specific details are golden. What body language does Melanie meet in Marley that makes him look freaked out? Where and when does she see that body language? What is unlike about the outdoor infinite in their new home, assuming Marley was at ease outdoors at the former dwelling? Is there loud traffic? A barking dog in the yard next door? Is the surface of the grand dissimilar somehow? For example, a dog who's accepted to eliminating on turf may not eliminate readily on gravel or pavement.

If Melanie can come up with some suspects for the cause or causes of Marley'southward Mysterious Freakout, she may exist able to change them, avoid them, or assist him feel more comfy with them. For case, suppose a delivery takes identify side by side door every morning at eleven, and the beep-beep-beep of the truck backing up frightens Marley. Melanie might consider leaving Marley indoors at that fourth dimension.

Stressor #3: Change in Household Members

Melanie says that her granddaughter stays overnight less often in the new place than she used to. Usually I would expect a tiny dog similar a Chihuahua to feel less stressed in the absenteeism of a small-scale kid, because children are frequently unintentionally crude with dogs and their movements are erratic and unpredictable. But Marley seems to have an infrequent human relationship with Melanie's granddaughter – Melanie calls her "his little girl" and says that Marley will spend hours lying on her clothes and whining.

"Separation anxiety" tin can be a muddled term, sometimes referring to a canis familiaris'due south panic when left lonely, sometimes to peachy distress acquired by the absenteeism of i item person. Whether Marley can exist said to have full-blown separation feet around Melanie's granddaughter, I can't say on the ground of the information I have. Information technology's certainly possible, for instance, that Marley loves attention and has learned to become it past vocalizing while he lies on the petty girl'south clothes. But I'm betting his behavior reflects discomfort that's in some fashion connected with either her absence in particular, or with other household members' emotions effectually that absence.

Other Possible Factors

The household move would be stressful in itself, but also information technology might have brought some changes in Marley's daily routine – in the timing of his toilet breaks or meals, for case. Even if those changes are perfectly pleasant for him, they could in turn change the timing of his bowel movements or of when his bladder is most full.

Another possibility is that although Marley was housetrained in the old place, he never generalized his housetraining to other indoor spaces. This isn't at all uncommon – I've often had friends and clients mention that seemingly housetrained dogs eliminated indoors in a new apartment or while visiting someone else'due south dwelling house.

Some dogs are never really housetrained to brainstorm with. A tiny dog can get in the addiction of peeing in an out-of-the-style corner so that his guardian rarely or never notices information technology. In a new dwelling, those "mistakes" get spotted, partly because the dog no longer has that same remote toilet spot and partly because humans are also more aware of their surroundings in a less familiar place.

Marley's 3, besides immature for medical problems to be high on the list of reasons for housetraining breakdown, but they're worth ruling out. Finally, the longest of long shots is that something that regularly takes identify overnight is causing his behavior, maybe literally scaring the pee and poop right out of him. Remember, long shot.

I think Marley is probably eliminating indoors because stress and the change in routine accept inverse his timing so he just can't assistance information technology. The testify is that he eliminates near the door, as close to exterior equally he can go.

How to Solve the Problem

Fifty-fifty though Marley is probably housetrained, Melanie'south best bet is Housetraining 101. A predictable routine with frequent outings should help him return to a pee and poop schedule that doesn't include overnights. Melanie could too change the timing of Marley'south supper, or fifty-fifty get up in the centre of the night to give him a toilet break. She can ready the alarm half an hour later every nighttime, until Marley is dorsum to a first-thing-in-the-morn schedule.

Melanie says she'due south been giving Marley stern looks while she cleans up. Stop those stern looks, Melanie! Marley may just learn that peeing and pooping are best done out of sight. Every bit I've said before, that's the fast route to the behind-the-burrow domestic dog toilet.

Finally, Melanie should practice whatever she can to ease Marley's stress. I suggested some possibilities to explore apropos the outdoors, and the predictability of the housetraining regimen tin help overall. Think: a predictable, pleasant routine is a huge stress reliever.

For more tips and tricks on pedagogy and living with your dog, cheque out my book, The Canis familiaris Trainer's Consummate Guide to a Happy, Well-Behaved Pet .Y'all can follow me on Twitter, where I'm Dogalini. I'chiliad The Dog Trainer on Facebook, and you can also write to me at dogtrainer@quickanddirtytips.com.

I actually appreciate your comments and suggestions, and though I tin can't reply individually, I may use them as the footing for time to come articles. Thanks for reading!

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Source: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/pets/dog-behavior/case-study-the-formerly-housetrained-dog

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