Help Needed With Scolded Pup Wetting Her Bedding!

[RobynA]

I bought my Australian Terrier cross from a rescuer 2 months ago. She is approximately 9 months old. I have a vague knowledge of her history - bought as a puppy, "unwanted gift" (God I hate that!) - she spent most of the time with her first family fed, but otherwise ignored, in the backyard until they surrendered her.

Last night she was scolded when I caught her chewing the dining chair. She ran outside to the verandah for 15 minutes. I let her back in to go to bed (she sleeps on her own bed on the floor next to my bed).. then went to the loo... when I returned she scampered away immediately like she'd done something wrong... well I looked at her bed and she had pee'd all over it... This is the 4th time this has happened in about 6 weeks - 3 times after I've corrected her behaviour and once when I wouldn't walk her in the pouring rain - almost as if she's avenging my telling her off!

Rosie has full access to the backyard via her doggy-door and hasn't had an obvious 'accident' (i.e. peeing on the floor) for about 6 weeks - in fact, not since she started this new behaviour of peeing on her own bedding.

Its hard to believe and I know trainers say dogs can't plan and execute, but it really seems like she is taking revenge, because there is a pattern to her peeing on her bed. It is NEVER because she couldn't get out / during sleep etc, She is walked twice per day, is quiet during the day (I work from home so she has company) - and is generally far more active early evening until bedtime.

HELP I'm really struggling with this - has anyone else had this experience? Does she (or I!!) need to see a doggie psychologist?

[The Spotted Devil]

Maybe a little anxiety?

Perhaps you could try teaching a 'leave' command for unwanted behaviour rather than scolding her - as soon as she stops performing the unwanted behaviour, lots of praise and maybe a game or a treat as a reward. I think, as hard as we try, a correction can confuse the dog unless your timing is perfect

[Christina]

If she only does it when you tell her off obviously thats what is causing it.

So change the way you tell her off.

Maybe tone of voice, shout or whatever you do scares her.

Or maybe she does not really understand why she is being told off, like she knows something is bad but doesn't realise what it actually is. She may not know chewing the chair is a bad thing.

Thats all I can think of.

All my dogs know what Leave it means, its a good command for them to know.

[RobynA]

If she only does it when you tell her off obviously thats what is causing it.

So change the way you tell her off.

Maybe tone of voice, shout or whatever you do scares her.

Or maybe she does not really understand why she is being told off, like she knows something is bad but doesn't realise what it actually is. She may not know chewing the chair is a bad thing.

Thats all I can think of.

All my dogs know what Leave it means, its a good command for them to know.

Thank you Christina - they didn't teach 'leave it' at the doggy manners course we just did together! - I really want to solve this, I hate to think that she might be scared of me - my first dog who I lost last January was an adult when I rescued her and I never had to deal with any of these problems! The wisdom of hindsight.....

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Poor dog. Puppies chew, yes they shouldn't chew furniture but they do, that's why I don't normally have foster dogs under 2 yrs of age because they will do that. Distract her, exercise her, you could try putting citronella onto things she's chewing that you want her to leave.

Start toilet training with her, (doesn't matter if you think she already is), this method is all about positive rewards and praise and it helps you build your relationship with the dog. Also, try giving her some Rescue Remedy drops, either onto her tongue or in her water. Walnut Oil massaged onto her chest or her head might also help relax her a little.

HOUSETRAINING TIPS

Ok - first thing to do is decide on the command (I call it “do wees”) you will repeat over and over. You have to really focus on the dog for about 2-3 days to be successful. You have a pocketful of special treats on hand all the time for the first 2-3 days.

Walk the dog several times a day and every time the dog wees, you get very excited and keep saying “Good boy/girl, do wees, do wees” – give the dog treats every time.

First thing in the morning, last thing at night and every time you see the dog eat or drink (both precursors to weeing) whisk the dog into the garden and repeat the command “do wees”. Get very excited and present treats every time dog goes.

The dog’s aim in life is to please you. If the dog should have an accident inside the house – say NOTHING at all. The dog soon gets the idea that when he/she goes outside you are really, really pleased and he/she gets rewarded.

NB: Please note that the smell of urine must be properly removed for any housetraining to be successful. There are products on the market such as “Urine Off” but they are very expensive. A mix of white vinegar and water is a much cheaper alternative and should work for tiles and other surfaces although you should always take care with wood etc. For carpet/rugs, I use either a mixture of Napisan/water or bicarb of soda and water. I completely soak the stain using a dab on technique with a cloth. When it is very wet, I use an old towel to soak up the excess moisture. Again, be careful on any expensive carpet/rug, I have never had any problems but I cannot guarantee any method here.

[RobynA]

Poor dog. Puppies chew, yes they shouldn't chew furniture but they do, that's why I don't normally have foster dogs under 2 yrs of age because they will do that. Distract her, exercise her, you could try putting citronella onto things she's chewing that you want her to leave.

Start toilet training with her, (doesn't matter if you think she already is), this method is all about positive rewards and praise and it helps you build your relationship with the dog. Also, try giving her some Rescue Remedy drops, either onto her tongue or in her water. Walnut Oil massaged onto her chest or her head might also help relax her a little.

HOUSETRAINING TIPS

Ok - first thing to do is decide on the command (I call it "do wees") you will repeat over and over. You have to really focus on the dog for about 2-3 days to be successful. You have a pocketful of special treats on hand all the time for the first 2-3 days.

Walk the dog several times a day and every time the dog wees, you get very excited and keep saying "Good boy/girl, do wees, do wees" – give the dog treats every time.

First thing in the morning, last thing at night and every time you see the dog eat or drink (both precursors to weeing) whisk the dog into the garden and repeat the command "do wees". Get very excited and present treats every time dog goes.

The dog's aim in life is to please you. If the dog should have an accident inside the house – say NOTHING at all. The dog soon gets the idea that when he/she goes outside you are really, really pleased and he/she gets rewarded.

NB: Please note that the smell of urine must be properly removed for any housetraining to be successful. There are products on the market such as "Urine Off" but they are very expensive. A mix of white vinegar and water is a much cheaper alternative and should work for tiles and other surfaces although you should always take care with wood etc. For carpet/rugs, I use either a mixture of Napisan/water or bicarb of soda and water. I completely soak the stain using a dab on technique with a cloth. When it is very wet, I use an old towel to soak up the excess moisture. Again, be careful on any expensive carpet/rug, I have never had any problems but I cannot guarantee any method here.

Thank you for your lengthy reply - Rosie is so sweet, I sincerely want to solve this problem. I will try your suggestions. By the way, the handmade Turkish rugs were rolled up out of piddling and chewing range weeks and weeks ago - I got sick of worrying about them...!

I had thought of the citronella myself - thank you again, I'll get some tomorrow... Many thanks

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Last night she was scolded when I caught her chewing the dining chair. She ran outside to the verandah for 15 minutes. I let her back in to go to bed (she sleeps on her own bed on the floor next to my bed).. then went to the loo... when I returned she scampered away immediately like she'd done something wrong... well I looked at her bed and she had pee'd all over it... This is the 4th time this has happened in about 6 weeks - 3 times after I've corrected her behaviour and once when I wouldn't walk her in the pouring rain - almost as if she's avenging my telling her off!

If she ran outside when she was scolded then she is not avenging anything. I would lay off the corrections and the scolding, it's possible you're triggering submissive peeing. That's not about avenging, that's about trying to appease you in doggie social language. Don't forget that things that make perfect sense in dog social interaction are things that humans find disgusting (butt sniffing, peeing on valued objects, etc).

I can produce the "I've done something wrong" look on my dog's faces even if they've been perfectly innocent. Try and think about this as a puzzle to be solved, not a misdemeanor to be punished.

When was the last time you praised her for appropriate elimination? With the little I have to go on here I'm wondering if she's learned not to pee in front of you (which is different to learning to pee outside).

[RobynA]

Last night she was scolded when I caught her chewing the dining chair. She ran outside to the verandah for 15 minutes. I let her back in to go to bed (she sleeps on her own bed on the floor next to my bed).. then went to the loo... when I returned she scampered away immediately like she'd done something wrong... well I looked at her bed and she had pee'd all over it... This is the 4th time this has happened in about 6 weeks - 3 times after I've corrected her behaviour and once when I wouldn't walk her in the pouring rain - almost as if she's avenging my telling her off!

If she ran outside when she was scolded then she is not avenging anything. I would lay off the corrections and the scolding, it's possible you're triggering submissive peeing. That's not about avenging, that's about trying to appease you in doggie social language. Don't forget that things that make perfect sense in dog social interaction are things that humans find disgusting (butt sniffing, peeing on valued objects, etc).

I can produce the "I've done something wrong" look on my dog's faces even if they've been perfectly innocent. Try and think about this as a puzzle to be solved, not a misdemeanor to be punished.

When was the last time you praised her for appropriate elimination? With the little I have to go on here I'm wondering if she's learned not to pee in front of you (which is different to learning to pee outside).

Hi Anita, thank you for your reply. I praise her every time she pees, which she often does on our walks and before bed when I take her outside. I appreciate your feedback.

[poodlefan]

Start by eliminating medical causes of the problem.. she may have a urinary tract infection or be suffering from incontinence (ie a weak bladder) it does happen, especially in bitches desexed very early. I'd be off to the vet for a quick test to eominate these possiblilities.

She is NOT punishing you. There is a reason for this behaviour. Focus on finding the cause. If she ran outside for 15 minutes, my guess is your level of "scolding" is somewhat over the top for this dog and/or you have a very submissive dog on your hand. A dog that bolts when you approach is not trusting and confident in you. She is anticipating punishment. Perhaps the behaviour you might focus on modifying in the first instance is your own.

[RobynA]

Start by eliminating medical causes of the problem.. she may have a urinary tract infection or be suffering from incontinence (ie a weak bladder) it does happen, especially in bitches desexed very early. I'd be off to the vet for a quick test to eominate these possiblilities.

She is NOT punishing you. There is a reason for this behaviour. Focus on finding the cause. If she ran outside for 15 minutes, my guess is your level of "scolding" is somewhat over the top for this dog and/or you have a very submissive dog on your hand. A dog that bolts when you approach is not trusting and confident in you. She is anticipating punishment. Perhaps the behaviour you might focus on modifying in the first instance is your own.

Thank you, for your feedback, its food for thought - I feel terrible now. She's a rescue dog and from day one, appeared to be anticipate a telling off. She doesn't seem to like the broom and as I've never threatened her with it, I suspect someone else has.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Start by eliminating medical causes of the problem.. she may have a urinary tract infection or be suffering from incontinence (ie a weak bladder) it does happen, especially in bitches desexed very early. I'd be off to the vet for a quick test to eominate these possiblilities.

She is NOT punishing you. There is a reason for this behaviour. Focus on finding the cause. If she ran outside for 15 minutes, my guess is your level of "scolding" is somewhat over the top for this dog and/or you have a very submissive dog on your hand. A dog that bolts when you approach is not trusting and confident in you. She is anticipating punishment. Perhaps the behaviour you might focus on modifying in the first instance is your own.

Spot on. Terriers are very intelligent. Just make sure that when you praise her, reward her as well. I find a lot of people say "good girl" in a normal tone of voice, I was the same until the trainer told me I was not getting the message across that I was pleased with my dog's behaviour. I needed to appear a lot more excited and use a higher pitch. As I demonstrate this to people, they are surprised to see their dog does respond differently than when they say "good girl/boy" in their tone.

[poodlefan]

RobynA:

Thank you, for your feedback, its food for thought - I feel terrible now. She's a rescue dog and from day one, appeared to be anticipate a telling off. She doesn't seem to like the broom and as I've never threatened her with it, I suspect someone else has.

Don't assume anything. Some dogs are born timid and submissive. A dog that shys away from such things may not have had a negative experience.

Work on building confidence. I'd be going back to training to build the bond of trust between you. Agility training is a wonderful cnnfidience builder if you take it carefully.

ETA: I recommend you remove the expression "she's a rescue" from your vocabularly when you talk about her and your relationship. Rescue is a source of dogs, not a behavioural cause. I know that our inclination is to feel sorry for rescue dogs but you've got to look at the dog in front of you.. the rescue part is history now.

"She's a rescue" can often end up as an excuse. My response to handlers who say this is "I don't care where you got her". After they recover from their initial shock I tell them that excuses don't modify behaviour. Having had that one trotted out as a reason for a dog being overweight (and about to fail an agility fitness test) I told them that it might be a convenient excuse, but not a logical one.

She is what you make her now... not where she came from. With such a young dog, there is great opportunity to overcome any shortcomings in her training.

Edited October 26, 2008 by poodlefan

[Crest_Fallen]

This little one needs ONLY positive reinforcement for things she does right. I am guessing scolding her brought about the peeing on her bed, probably triggered by nerves from being scolded. If she was trying to get back at you (which I don't think she is) she would have peed on YOUR bed, not her own.

So any corrections need to be done gently, probably with re-direction. So if she is chewing a chair, tell her "leave" but then offer something appropriate to chew. She will then know what you are expecting from her instead of her worrying she is doing the wrong thing all the time. Some dogs can take being scolded and some can't.

Biozet laundry powder is great for removing wee smells (cats or dogs) and it is much cheaper than Urine Off. It can be used as a laundry powder to wash the bedding and if she pees on the floor, it can be mixed into a paste and used to scrub the floor.

[Jed]

Sounds as if she has anxiety brought on by getting into trouble. She doesn't feel secure yet, after a couple of months, and getting into trouble upsets her.

I own dogs I could hit over the head with a brick (I don't) and it wouldn't alter their behaviour at all - apart from stopping them doing whatever I didn't like at that particular time.

Other dogs, if doing something wrong, are terribly upset if I say "no" in a big or loud voice. They simply need distraction from the sin they are committing. And a pat when they desist.

Like people, each has an individual personality. When you own a dog from a pup, you learn what he needs, but when you get him as a difficult teenager, it takes a little time to discover the most effective training method.

I had a dog who yearned to please. Early on, he did something wrong, I said "Bad Dog" - and he went directly to his bed, and grieved because he was distraut to have me speak harshly to him. From that day until he died, I never spoke to him in a harsh voice. If he did something, and I called him off, and rewarded him, he rarely did it again, and if I had to call him off again, he never did it again. Talk about the perfect dog!!

As mentioned, you may have to make the enticements to err unattractive - ie, citronella, or "Stop Chew" on furtniture etc. If she has been an outside dog until now, all those interesting things inside would be very attractive, and she is trying her teeth out on them.

There is no difference to a dog, between a chippendale table and a lump of firewood!!

[Diva]

Sounds as if she has anxiety brought on by getting into trouble. She doesn't feel secure yet, after a couple of months, and getting into trouble upsets her.

This would have been my suggestion too, lack of security and anxiety, certainly not revenge. She isn't feeling secure enough, or doesn't have the robust nature, to handle your displeasure.

[RobynA]

Sounds as if she has anxiety brought on by getting into trouble. She doesn't feel secure yet, after a couple of months, and getting into trouble upsets her.

This would have been my suggestion too, lack of security and anxiety, certainly not revenge. She isn't feeling secure enough, or doesn't have the robust nature, to handle your displeasure.

Thank you everybody who took the time to reply. I absolutely doted on my last dog who I lost to a sarcoma of the liver, after 2 years' chemotherapy to keep her lymphoma in check, then finally in remission. She was an adult when she came into my life so I appreciate all the help you have given me in adjusting to my new teenage puppy - obviously I need help in adjusting to this unfamiliar behaviour.

[Diva]

Thank you everybody who took the time to reply. I absolutely doted on my last dog who I lost to a sarcoma of the liver, after 2 years' chemotherapy to keep her lymphoma in check, then finally in remission. She was an adult when she came into my life so I appreciate all the help you have given me in adjusting to my new teenage puppy - obviously I need help in adjusting to this unfamiliar behaviour.

It can be hard to adjust to a youngster when you have been used to an older dog, but she sounds like she has lots of potential.