House Soiling Problems |
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| As with all problem behaviors in dogs, effective treatment of house soiling
problems relies upon correctly identifying its cause. The most common causes of house soiling
in young dogs are incomplete house training, excitable urination, and anxiety due to separation or fear. |
Incomplete House Training: Treatment for young dogs who have not been reliably
house trained follows the same procedures as initial house training. In the majority of cases,
simply establishing a regular routine, providing frequent trips outside, reinforcing correct
elimination habits, and preventing indoor accidents will result in a dog who is reliably house trained.
Excitable Urination During Greeting: This problem is not really a house-soiling
problem per say, but is a common complaint of owners who have young dogs. Puppies who are very
excited may dribble urine as they greet their owner or visitors. This can also be related to
submissive behavior. If your puppy urinates while greeting, decrease the intensity of the
interaction by speaking softly and calmly. Crouch sideways and avoid standing or leaning directly
over the puppy as you greet. In some cases, greeting intensity can be reduced by immediately taking
your dog outdoors to eliminate and then play for a bit, avoiding effusive greetings altogether.
Anxiety: Both separation stress, and environmental
stressors such as a fear of fireworks or storms can cause dogs to have indoor accidents. The
most distinguishing factor of separation-induced elimination is that the problem occurs only
when the dog is isolated and never when the owner is present. Other signs of separation anxiety,
such as destruction and vocalizing, will also be present. Storm-phobias and other noise phobias
are usually easy to identify as a cause. In all of these cases, treatment is directed toward
reducing the dog’s anxiety. Consult a trainer or behaviorist in your area for help. |
Cleaning Soiled Areas: Regardless of the underlying
cause of house soiling, your puppy will be attracted back to any spot that he has eliminated
in the house, simply because the area smells like urine or feces. Therefore, it is important
to thoroughly clean all soiled areas using a product that is specifically designed to eliminate
pet odors. Although normal household cleaning solutions may impart a fresh scent to the area,
these products mask odors, but do not completely eliminate them. The spot may smell clean to
you but your dog’s keen sense of smell may lead him to continue to use the spot as an elimination area.
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Medical Problems Can Cause House Soiling Problems
Illness can be the underlying cause of house soiling in dogs who were previously very
reliable. Urinary tract infections cause dogs to urinate frequently and intestinal problems
such as diarrhea or intestinal parasites can lead to accidents in the house. Therefore, if
your dog has suddenly started to house soil, an initial step is to have your veterinarian
conduct a complete medical examination to check for underlying medical problems. |
Methods to Prevent Excitable Urination
Because “face-to-face” greetings often trigger excitable urination in young dogs,
an effective training approach is to redirect your puppy by tossing a biscuit or
toy to the side when she approaches to greet. Your pup’s movement to the side positions
her out of direct eye contact and prevents you from standing directly over her. After
she has consumed several treats in this way, begin to greet by crouching down and
positioning yourself sideways. It can also be helpful to train your puppy to offer a
reliable sit-for-petting in non-greeting contexts, when she is not excited. This can
then be incorporated into greeting situations, with the treat offered to the side as a
reinforcer when your puppy sits. |
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