I have a 3 month old lab mix. She is an alpha which we are in the middle of trying to correct. Something that she has been doing since we got her (about 2 weeks) is peeing inside. We take her outside often and regulate her water intake, but for some reason, she pees as much as possible inside. We just took her out for over an hour, and the second we took her leash off in the house, she squatted and peed. She is crate trained and knows to ring a bell when she has to go out. She will not poo indoors, but she pees at least 5 times a day inside! She has had all her shots and recently saw a vet, so there is nothing wrong in that category. As soon as she pees, we say "NO" if we catch her in the act, and put her in the crate as a punishment. It doesn't seem to have any effect on her actions, though. When she goes to the bathroom outside, she gets showered with praise and sometimes treats. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am wondering if this has something to do with her being an alpha, or if it is unrelated. Please help. We are going insane!!!!!
It is my understanding that you puppy may be incompletely house-trained and since you have only had her 2 weeks she may have developed habits regarding her urination which are different from those you wish her to have. Puppys develop a preference for the surface they wish to urinate on at 8.5 weeks, since you did not have the puppy at this stage I would suggest getting in touch with the peopl you got her off and find out what she was urinating on before you got her? Until a puppy is 6 months old they may still have accidents and have not cemented their toiletting habits so at least you are onto this early and it is an opportune time to fix the problem. General guidelines for housebreaking a dog include: - Take your puppy out frequently, generally immediately after waking, playing or within 15 mins of eating. - Dogs should not be allowed to play or socialise until after they urinate. - Choose a very restricted area outside for your puppy to urinate in, then she will learn the smell and what she is meant to do in that area. - Always take your dog out to the toilet on a leash to keep them close to you and so you can control the area they are in. - Permit cautious sniffing - Praise your puppy as soon as she squats, but not so much as to startle her. - Do not punish your dog for urinating in a inappropriate area, tis may induce fear and lead to fear urination disorders - Praise your puppy, as you are doing, when she urinates in the appropriate place. This reinforces the location. - Remember female puppies take longer to housebreak than males and may need to go out more frequently. - Confine the puppy when not supervised. - Watching an older dog urinate outside can sometimes help a puppy - Be consistent - Be patient - Use good odour eliminator products on the areas she has urinated on inside.
please make sure you use a specific spray to remove the odor of urine in your house. General house cleaning detergents have ammonia in them which smells just like urine to a dog. When they sniff it they remember that this is their spot and will urinate in the same spot again and again. Your dog might hold on for that long just so she can go to her spot in the house which she thinks is the right spot. Vets and pet shops usually sell special oder removing sprays.
Thanks for the tips, guys. I should have added that the previous owner was actually my father. He had the pup since she was six weeks old, and he had her house trained not long after he got her. It seems that as soon as she came to Toronto with me, she acted like she knew nothing to test her boundaries with her new owners.
Also, I found out that she was in a dark basement (with the rest of the litter) before my dad got her. I was told that the first 2 weeks are very important for puppies to socialize with people, so I wonder if that has something to do with her being defiant.
When she pees, I clean it up right away with an ammonia-free cleaner.
Maybe she wasn't trying to test boundaries, maybe she was just uncertain, a change in ownership, location and family structure can be a big deal for a young, small dog. Sometimes they just don't know what theyre meant to do so they need a little help along the way. She is only young, you have the perfect age to try and change behavioural patterns.
