Reassurance Needed - Am I Doing Ok?

[Brandiandwe]

So, as you know we adopted Brandi about three weeks ago, nearly four, and Paige one week ago, nearly two. Everything is basically going fine. They have settled in together, Paige is the dominant dog, and I'm the one in charge. They switch beds regularly, share time on our bed, alternating, share toys fairly well and both seem happy enough. I'm working on Paige NOT guarding me and keeping Brandi away, and particularly not growling at Brandi when we're having cuddle time. All seems well.

 

Except that Brandi still pees in the house. It's only occasional, but this morning I was woken at 5 am by her peeing in our bedroom. They are taken out at 6 am for an hour, then usually they're inside till the afternoon - no accidents since Paige has arrived. Then they're out again quickly at 4-5pm, and for a longer walk at around 6 or 7 depending how hot it is. Out again at 9.30 - 10pm for a pee stop then we start again. This has worked really well for Paige, but this morning, apparently, not for Brandi.

 

We can't limit her acccess to water because I just won't do that and it's coming into summer - they really need it. The only different things I can think of is that they both had rawhide chews last night - they won't be getting them again as it upset both tummies this morning on their walk (yuck), but I noticed that they were both drinking more, so maybe something in the chews made them thirstier, meaning Brandi couldn't hold it for another half hour?

 

Can anyone see something that I'm missing here? I obviously need to be hyper-vigilant about making sure both pups pee on that last walk of the night, and cleaning up (which I'm doing), but is it just time? Both are only 20 months old or so (2 in January and February), so is this partly age? Or just more rigorous training? I really don't think that she's doing it deliberately - she's doing her best to do the right thing and the idiot human is obviously mucking things up (so often the way with humans and animals).

 

Also, does anyone know of any good chewy treats or snacks which are good for teeth and which are natural? Paige has a very sensitive stomach and I'm still trying to figure it out. Brandi doesn't like Kongs (too difficult), so I was hoping something nice and chewy but not chock full of nasties.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

She's still very new, I think a little more time and diligence will have her completely potty trained.

 

That said, I've had mine for nearly two years and she won't wake me if she needs to go at night. If I don't watch her on her last turnout and make sure she pees before I let her in she'll mess her crate. When it's chilly, windy or rainy she's especially likely to lie and ask to be let in before she's emptied out. I have just come to accept that this is how she is. I just have to be extra watchful to prevent it happening, and it is a very rare occurence, maybe twice this year. She just sleeps in her crate and stays crated if we're gone for longer than a couple hours, which she's fine with as she's a crate loving hound.

[christinepi]

No advice on the peeing, but as far as chewies go, Tracker adores (free range Brazilian) Bullysticks as well as old hollow marrow bones that I fill with canned dog food (or peanut butter) and freeze. The bones can be reused endlessly and the whole thing costs next to nothing.

Edited November 28, 2011 by christinepi

[ShebasMom]

No advice on the peeing, but as far as chewies go, Tracker adores (free range Brazilian) Bullysticks as well as old hollow marrow bones that I fill with canned dog food (or peanut butter) and freeze. The bones can be reused endlessly and the whole thing costs next to nothing.

I agree that Bullysticks are natural and great. Not cheap but last a while, especially the 12-inch thick Bullysticks. www.bullysticks.com

[MaryJane]

Chews can make a dog drink more and then have to pee more. What about giving a carrot instead?

[kudzu]

You've mentioned a number of things that could be contributing but the first thought for me is that she is still very new. Some dogs just take a little more time. Add in a few complications like change of schedule, increased or added stressors & you can find a newish dog more prone to mistakes. Of course you should always keep an eye out for the possibility of a medical cause like UTI.

 

Your description though sounds like she may need her freedom decreased when not under direct supervision. In our house that would mean being crated at night. Actually, fosters & new hounds are always crated at night for at least a month or two. Then, depending on the dog involved, we may put up a gate to keep the dog in the bedroom with us. Eventually full freedom will be given but only after a period of time without any problems.

 

Is it possible you have given her too much freedom too soon?

[Brandiandwe]

You've mentioned a number of things that could be contributing but the first thought for me is that she is still very new. Some dogs just take a little more time. Add in a few complications like change of schedule, increased or added stressors & you can find a newish dog more prone to mistakes. Of course you should always keep an eye out for the possibility of a medical cause like UTI.

 

Your description though sounds like she may need her freedom decreased when not under direct supervision. In our house that would mean being crated at night. Actually, fosters & new hounds are always crated at night for at least a month or two. Then, depending on the dog involved, we may put up a gate to keep the dog in the bedroom with us. Eventually full freedom will be given but only after a period of time without any problems.

 

Is it possible you have given her too much freedom too soon?

 

Good things to think about everyone - thanks! Both dogs are kept in the bedroom with us at night, and I've been home more or less full time for the past four weeks. When I'm home both dogs are within 2 metres of me, usually lying directly behind my chair and across the doorway so I can't make a move without them knowing. they also escort me to the bathroom, kitchen, laundry, back upstairs, downstairs to get something else, upstairs again, to answer the phone, the door..... It might be that she's had too much freedom, but really, she's been pretty strictly supervised, and accidents before this morning I've been able to trace to SA or me having a small sleep in.

 

The carrots as a treat are a great idea! I've been giving them a little bit of carrot occasionally in their dinner, but they can certainly have it as a chew instead. Then at dinner they can continue to have their organic yoghurt, kibble, cooked chicken, scrambled eggs or whatever.

 

My dogs eat a better diet than I do!

[Walliered]

Bullysticks gave two of mine the Big D. They loved them, but I had to stop giving them to the dogs.

[Brandiandwe]

Bullysticks gave two of mine the Big D. They loved them, but I had to stop giving them to the dogs.

 

Yes. That's what I'm worried about. You can also add the rawhide and pigs ears to that list, in addition to liver treats. So far the only things that seem to work are the venison treats I can get, but they were a free sample, and they really aren't that chewy. Peanut butter in a Kong might be the next stage, or an easier Kong for them to chew on.

[OwnedBySummer]

I wouldn't recommend giving rawhide to a dog. I've had choking problems with them. Some people have also had choking problems with the pigs ears.

 

Maybe your pup would like raw turkey necks? Healthy AND good for the teeth. Another much loved treat is raw chicken or duck feet (I don't like or trust the dehydrated version).

 

As for the peeing, I'm with the other posters that she's still new. Some dogs simply take longer to "get it". I've had a dog be fully house trained in a week while another dog took 3 months (that one would be Summer ). IMHO, I think she needs to go out more, especially at the beginning.

 

Good luck!

[Guest Lovey_Hounds]

If you are looking for different type of chews you should take a look at Nothing added i order all my treats from here they offer bully sticks, tendons, beef snouts and such, the tenods from here are easy on the belly and have no smell.

 

Rawhide can be ok to give to dogs, not all dogs but some if you have a dog that likes to chew quickly and gobble down treats i would not suggest it but if you have a dog who chews nicely its ok. I give Vegas rawhide and he does well with it but he prefers to chew slowly and goober all over it so he is not swallowing large chunks that would up set his belly (i also do not let him finish it all at once). Another chew you could try is sweet potato chews (dried) i have not tried them but hear good things.

 

I knwo you don't want to limit their water intake bit i would suggest doing so at bed time until she gets everything figured out, i do not give water after 10pm at my house at Chili likes to drink a lot and then asks to go out in the middle of the night and the would be fine but she insists on running and playing for 20 minutes or so when she is out there. Also do you have a kennel or x-pen? maybe have her in one at night so she doesn't feel the urge to walk across the room and potty then walk back to her bed. If she is more confined she will be lesss likely to make a mess at night.

[TwiggysMom]

It sounds like your schedule is very reasonable. It is similar to my schedule, and 20+ hounds have all found it worked well for them.

 

However, it took at least a few of them several weeks or more to settle in and not have accidents either during the day when I'm gone, or at night. It may help to confine Brandi a bit at night (either gate her into a smaller area in the bedroom or crate her) for a while. Otherwise, assuming your house is a reasonable temperature at night, you should be able to limit water intake after last turnout without ill effect. Even if you leave out a few cups of water overnight, that shouldn't be enough to require additional potty breaks, assuming no UTIs.

 

I do think this will improve with time.

 

As for chewy treats, bully sticks, raw turkey necks, etc. are great, but often these are too rich for dogs newly off the track. The first time I gave Twiggy a turkey neck, she had the watery D for a day and a half. Now, she can have them as often as she likes, they even cause her stool to be more solid than usual because of the extra bone content. Go small and slow at first with this type of treat.

 

It sounds like you are all doing really well and just need a little more settling in time.

[silverfish]

One thing which hasn't yet been mentioned is that she may possibly have a urinary tract infection (UTI). Can you catch a sample and get it tested?

 

Sometimes there's a low-grade infection that just shows itself as an increased need to pee, but not every half hour, just not being able to wait as long as they would normally. You haven't really had her long enough to know how long is 'normal' for her, but it's not too expensive to get a urine test done and it's well worth doing.

 

True also that chewing many things will make them drink more. Pig ears, tripe sticks, bully sticks, puffed jerky (lung usually, here in the UK) are all great, natural treats, and excellent for their teeth, but pig ears can be smoked and salty, and the others just seem to dry them out, somehow. I don't give them after dinner. For later snacks they have cookies, usually.

 

Oh yeah, and I always make my dogs go pee last thing at night. They quickly learn what's expected: here, they have a small drink of milk, immediately run to the back door to go pee, then run in and jump into their beds. Dogs LOVE routine!

 

I won't limit water intake either. And certainly if there IS a UTI, it is a very, very bad idea.

[Brandiandwe]

Thanks again for all the replies. I don't think it's a UTI - it seems to have stopped, and I need to just make sure she does pee before bed. Of course we're now dealing with the big D with her, but it's stopped in Paige with rice - on the other hand, the rice seems to have caused it with Brandi so they're now on different diets.

 

Otherwise, all is well. They're doing great and are really settling in. A cool change came through last night so they took it in turns to pop up onto our bed in the night to warm up - DH and I woke up to find the Brandi had wiggled her way in between us and was roaching, using is to balance. This is not something I want to encourage, but it was very cute!