Separation Anxiety, Bladder Infection, Or Behavior?

[Guest mehaul34]

I adopted a female greyhound about 5 months ago. She is really sweet. One thing that I have noticed recently is her incredible ability to pee on my brand new carpets for no good reason. She is walked outdoors often, and when she whines, she is taken outside immediately. Last week I was outside mowing the lawn. She could easily see me from inside the house. When I came back inside, she had already pee'd on the carpet. Last night while cooking dinner she went to the carpet and pee'd again (even though she had been taken outside numerous times before). The carpet is wall to wall and she is not pee'ing on the same spot. So, it makes me wonder: does she have an anxiety issue, a behavioral issue, or might she have a bladder infection? Has anyone else had this experience with their Grey? To be on the safe side, I have made an appointment with the vet but would appreciate any feedback you all might have.

 

Thanks,

Concerned in Vermont

[ahicks51]

Hi! Welcome to GT.

 

1) Inappropriate elimination with no obvious cause is immediately a flag for UTI, as you've already noted. The vet visit should rule that in or out.

 

2) Perhaps you're already doing this, but lavish praise and reward is due for any dog that voids outside- versus, say, your carpet. The object is to make the "outside option" vastly more desirable than despoiling the living room carpet.

 

3) Be thankful she's not a Jack Russel terrier, or it'd be behind the armoire.

 

4) Anxiety is possible. We have a bounce at our house that started peeing *and* pooping because he apparently wasn't getting enough attention; mom was gone 9-10 hours a day, and despite walks in the morning and in the evening, he would still eliminate improperly (and frequently). Once he came here, he urinated on the carpet once- and it was witnessed, unlike every single event in his adoptive home. (We'd had him as a foster before AND after he got adopted out, so we've had a lot of time with him.) He seems to do vastly better with other dogs- he didn't like being an only dog, and the long hours alone didn't help any.

 

It certainly could be one or more of the causes you note. If you haven't already, working on the praise-and-treat for voiding outside will certainly help- provided the cause isn't medical.

 

Good luck!

[Guest mehaul34]

Hi! Welcome to GT.

 

1) Inappropriate elimination with no obvious cause is immediately a flag for UTI, as you've already noted. The vet visit should rule that in or out.

 

2) Perhaps you're already doing this, but lavish praise and reward is due for any dog that voids outside- versus, say, your carpet. The object is to make the "outside option" vastly more desirable than despoiling the living room carpet.

 

3) Be thankful she's not a Jack Russel terrier, or it'd be behind the armoire.

 

4) Anxiety is possible. We have a bounce at our house that started peeing *and* pooping because he apparently wasn't getting enough attention; mom was gone 9-10 hours a day, and despite walks in the morning and in the evening, he would still eliminate improperly (and frequently). Once he came here, he urinated on the carpet once- and it was witnessed, unlike every single event in his adoptive home. (We'd had him as a foster before AND after he got adopted out, so we've had a lot of time with him.) He seems to do vastly better with other dogs- he didn't like being an only dog, and the long hours alone didn't help any.

 

It certainly could be one or more of the causes you note. If you haven't already, working on the praise-and-treat for voiding outside will certainly help- provided the cause isn't medical.

 

Good luck!

 

[Guest beerdogs31]

Our grey has pee'd in the house due to both of the reasons you mentioned, bladder infection and anxiety on different occasions. His behavior was similar in both situations which is why in the case of the anxiety issue we thought it was a UTI and we were surprised when he tested negative. For example, he would pee on the carpet in the middle of the night or not long after going outside and he drank a ton of water. The best is to always rule out infection and then try some re-training if needed. In our case, the anxiety was due to a move. Eventually, once he acclimated to the new move and had some positive reinforcement, the peeing in the house stopped. If it is an infection, antiobiotics will help.

[Guest mehaul34]

Thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it. I often wonder if she is lonely during the day when I am at work. Sometimes, as soon as I leave the house, she'll start barking really loudly from her kennel. I feel terrible but I have to work to keep her in the lifestyle to which she has become accustomed

 

Our grey has pee'd in the house due to both of the reasons you mentioned, bladder infection and anxiety on different occasions. His behavior was similar in both situations which is why in the case of the anxiety issue we thought it was a UTI and we were surprised when he tested negative. For example, he would pee on the carpet in the middle of the night or not long after going outside and he drank a ton of water. The best is to always rule out infection and then try some re-training if needed. In our case, the anxiety was due to a move. Eventually, once he acclimated to the new move and had some positive reinforcement, the peeing in the house stopped. If it is an infection, antiobiotics will help.

 

Funny that you mention "moving." It didn't dawn on me until you just said it, but I just bought a brand new house which the dog and I moved into just 6 weeks ago. In that 6 week time frame, she has pee'd on the carpets 4 times (at least 4 that I am aware of). I will rule out the infection and go from there. Thanks for your comments.

[Guest WarmheartedPups]

My pup did the same.....she had a bladder infection....once that was cleared up...the peeing was less....but still peed in the house. It has taken about 8 months to get her totally house broken....why? who know? Is yours a Broodie? Cause mine is and she had access to outside anytime...she never had the structure of potty breaks.....

 

Good luck....it may just take time...but definitely get a Urinalysis done.

[sweetdogs]

If you just moved, you may need to start house-training all over again. Shouldn't take too long for her to catch on, but she may just need a refresher course. (Always a good idea to check for a UTI though.)

[GeorgeofNE]

Hi! If this is your first Grey (I got mine at the very end of April--not my first dog, but my first Grey, and first adult dog adoption) you may be as baffled as I have been by some things--my guy SEEMED to be housebroken, then started to pee in the house. His urine was checked twice--no infections. I started to use a belly band, and that worked great. He peed in it once or twice, then realized "ick" and didn't anymore. He went SIX WEEKS 100% dry in the band, so I took it off. He went almost three weeks--then one day I came home and he had peed!

 

What I'm finding is that he is not a stupid dog at all, but it takes him a LOT longer to learn things than I would have guessed. He peed at the pet store the other day--it clearly didn't even occur to him he shouldn't be peeing on the displays! I was grateful for the opportunity to tell him "No!" when he did it, as he has never peed at home while I am there. He also peed on the vet's reception desk--but I was happy about that because they had just handed me a HUGE bill...but again, he didn't even consider NOT peeing. He easily could have held it until we left, it just didn't seem WRONG to him. So maybe your girl is a little bit like that? She's just as soon go outside, but hasn't quite registered yet that inside is NOT ACCEPTABLE!

 

What I'm doing now is keeping my pockets stuffed with kibbles (about half his morning meal) and when we go out when he tinkles, the SECOND he is done I say, "Good tinkle!" and I give him a kibble. I used a clicker for a while, but that was too much. George requires two hands on the leash, and then I needed a hand for treats, and short of using my teeth to work the clicker...

 

He enjoys this so much he'll even fake pee! But it really helps to empty him out in the morning (I work too, and George is home with the cats all day! Cannot afford a dog walker, although I did do that for a while in the beginning) and I guess he just needs a LOT more reinforcement than some dogs would.

 

George was almost five when I got him--three solid years at the race track--so I guess it shouldn't have been such a shock to me that it would take him so long to "get it" when it comes to the housebreaking. But he's REALLY made huge progress, and I now know they make Nature's Miracle in a 1.5 gallon size with a battery operated spray nozzle!

 

 

Fingers crossed--I left him "naked" today after two more weeks of dryness with his band on!

Edited September 21, 2007 by JumpingGeorge

[Guest mehaul34]

Hi! If this is your first Grey (I got mine at the very end of April--not my first dog, but my first Grey, and first adult dog adoption) you may be as baffled as I have been by some things--my guy SEEMED to be housebroken, then started to pee in the house. His urine was checked twice--no infections. I started to use a belly band, and that worked great. He peed in it once or twice, then realized "ick" and didn't anymore. He went SIX WEEKS 100% dry in the band, so I took it off. He went almost three weeks--then one day I came home and he had peed!

 

What I'm finding is that he is not a stupid dog at all, but it takes him a LOT longer to learn things than I would have guessed. He peed at the pet store the other day--it clearly didn't even occur to him he shouldn't be peeing on the displays! I was grateful for the opportunity to tell him "No!" when he did it, as he has never peed at home while I am there. He also peed on the vet's reception desk--but I was happy about that because they had just handed me a HUGE bill...but again, he didn't even consider NOT peeing. He easily could have held it until we left, it just didn't seem WRONG to him. So maybe your girl is a little bit like that? She's just as soon go outside, but hasn't quite registered yet that inside is NOT ACCEPTABLE!

 

What I'm doing now is keeping my pockets stuffed with kibbles (about half his morning meal) and when we go out when he tinkles, the SECOND he is done I say, "Good tinkle!" and I give him a kibble. I used a clicker for a while, but that was too much. George requires two hands on the leash, and then I needed a hand for treats, and short of using my teeth to work the clicker...

 

He enjoys this so much he'll even fake pee! But it really helps to empty him out in the morning (I work too, and George is home with the cats all day! Cannot afford a dog walker, although I did do that for a while in the beginning) and I guess he just needs a LOT more reinforcement than some dogs would.

 

George was almost five when I got him--three solid years at the race track--so I guess it shouldn't have been such a shock to me that it would take him so long to "get it" when it comes to the housebreaking. But he's REALLY made huge progress, and I now know they make Nature's Miracle in a 1.5 gallon size with a battery operated spray nozzle!

 

 

Fingers crossed--I left him "naked" today after two more weeks of dryness with his band on!

 

 

Thanks for all the information. Julie went to the Vet this past Monday and was infection-free, so it's one of those things where you don't spend enough time with her and she retaliates. We're working on it.

[turbotaina]

Thanks for all the information. Julie went to the Vet this past Monday and was infection-free, so it's one of those things where you don't spend enough time with her and she retaliates. We're working on it.

 

Please keep in mind that it is not retaliation. If she has SA, it's a panic attack. It sounds to me, however, that she hasn't generalized housebreaking to your new home. You've been given good advice so far. Just take her back to housetraining 101 and throw in some alone training to boot (even if she's not anxious, alone training NEVER hurts)

[Jiffer]

If she's been declared healthy medically, then it's time to retrain her.

 

We had a similar issue with Miss Echo when we moved to our new home. She was perfect in our apartment (6 months), had no issues in our townhouse (1.5 years), but the house... for whatever reason, was an issue. She would pee everyday in the basement in nearly the same spot. She even almost peed on my foot one day. We started all over with her.. now she knows to "ask" to pee and I know her tells (pacing back and forth to the back door).

 

The trick is vigilance.. watch and listen closely.