Sudden Peeing In House, Right In Front Of Us

[Guest BrindleBoy]

We've had Indy for 6 months now, and he was house trained almost from day one. The routine is to take him outside before he goes down for the night, which is usually around 8:30, then he doesn't pee until his morning walk, around 8am. He has been alone in the house for 6 hours routinely, occasionally longer. He has NEVER peed in the house due to long wait times.

 

Recently, his behavior has changed: the events, in order:

 

1) at a bday party at out house, a lot of people, after a couple hours of excitement with all the people, he went in front of the patio door (the door we always take him out from), and peed right in front of it. We chalked it up to over excitement.

 

2) Thanksgiving. Same story. While he had been taken out periodically, he went in front of the patio door again. Again, we chalked it up to over excitement.

 

3) We had a dinner guest. ONE person. While we obviously were paying more attention to our dinner guest, Indy was not ignored. I even fed him a little from the table. As soon as dinner ended, I said the magic word "walk" and he ran downstairs... before I could even get a leash on him, he emptied his bladder on the carpet. NOT in front of the door this time. He knew we were on our way out the door, and peed anyway.

 

4) just now. This is where we get confused. Totally normal day, totally normal night. Just me & my wife. We had dinner, we gave Indy his knuckle bone to chew on while we watched tv, normal routine. I tried to get him to walk around 8:30, but he wasn't interested. I just treid again around 9:45, and once again, before I could even get the leash on him, he started peeing right in front of the door. My wife grabbed his collar which made him stop peeing, and I hauled him outside to finish, which he did. But there was no over excitement tonight. It was a totally normal day.

 

Now, before you say UTI, I don't think that's what we're dealing with. He can go all night, 12+ hours, without peeing. He wouldn't be able to do that with a UTI I assume. So I'm thinking behavioral. But I don't understand WHY?? When a lot of people were involved, we figured over excitement, even when it was one person getting most of the attention we figured maybe jealousy? But tonight???? Totally normal, routine night. We don't get it. But we need to nip this in the bud immediately.

 

Any ideas?

[Guest mariah]

Does he have a way of communicating with you when he needs to go out or does he normally just stick to the schedule? If it's the latter, maybe teaching him how to ring a bell (attached to the door) when he needs to go out would help?

 

That said, I still think it would be a very good idea to check in with your vet. Since it sounds like he's always been housebroken since you had him, I'm sure he probably knows that he's not supposed to be going indoors, especially in front of you! He might not have a UTI, but many times that sort of behavior is indicative of some kind of underlying medical issue. For instance, a dog with Cushing's, diabetes, or kidney problems might drink more water than usual, causing him to need to go when he wasn't expecting. Hopefully there's nothing like that going on with your guy, but best to rule that stuff out first and go from there.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

Does he have a way of communicating with you when he needs to go out or does he normally just stick to the schedule? If it's the latter, maybe teaching him how to ring a bell (attached to the door) when he needs to go out would help?

 

That said, I still think it would be a very good idea to check in with your vet. Since it sounds like he's always been housebroken since you had him, I'm sure he probably knows that he's not supposed to be going indoors, especially in front of you! He might not have a UTI, but many times that sort of behavior is indicative of some kind of underlying medical issue. For instance, a dog with Cushing's, diabetes, or kidney problems might drink more water than usual, causing him to need to go when he wasn't expecting. Hopefully there's nothing like that going on with your guy, but best to rule that stuff out first and go from there.

 

I hadn't considered that. I will say, when we're gone & he's alone, he doesn't seem to drink much... and then when I get home (I'm usually the first one home), I walk him immediately... afterwards, he drinks like a fish. And also when we give him a bone, he drinks like a fish. It's like he knows not to drink to much until we get home.

 

No, we haven't taught him to "tell us" when he needs to go out... the ringing a bell thing would be cool. I wonder how you would teach that?

[Guest BrianRke]

I contacted an animal psychic once and asked her why Diamond peed on the floor every so often. She told me Diamond did this when she felt like she was being dissed! Since then I have noticed that this is absolutely true.

 

For example: The other day she wanted to jump on the bed. The other two dogs were already up there taking up the whole bed. What did she do, jumped off, and peed in the floor.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

I contacted an animal psychic once and asked her why Diamond peed on the floor every so often. She told me Diamond did this when she felt like she was being dissed! Since then I have noticed that this is absolutely true.

 

For example: The other day she wanted to jump on the bed. The other two dogs were already up there taking up the whole bed. What did she do, jumped off, and peed in the floor.

 

 

Now see, this would indicate SPITE. Which I have read over & over dogs aren't capable of. Which I personally don't believe... they seem to be capable of many of the same emotions we are, why note spite? Altho that doesn't explain #4 above... this night, Indy was being well-tended to.

[Guest mariah]

Does he have a way of communicating with you when he needs to go out or does he normally just stick to the schedule? If it's the latter, maybe teaching him how to ring a bell (attached to the door) when he needs to go out would help?

 

That said, I still think it would be a very good idea to check in with your vet. Since it sounds like he's always been housebroken since you had him, I'm sure he probably knows that he's not supposed to be going indoors, especially in front of you! He might not have a UTI, but many times that sort of behavior is indicative of some kind of underlying medical issue. For instance, a dog with Cushing's, diabetes, or kidney problems might drink more water than usual, causing him to need to go when he wasn't expecting. Hopefully there's nothing like that going on with your guy, but best to rule that stuff out first and go from there.

 

I hadn't considered that. I will say, when we're gone & he's alone, he doesn't seem to drink much... and then when I get home (I'm usually the first one home), I walk him immediately... afterwards, he drinks like a fish. And also when we give him a bone, he drinks like a fish. It's like he knows not to drink to much until we get home.

 

No, we haven't taught him to "tell us" when he needs to go out... the ringing a bell thing would be cool. I wonder how you would teach that?

Here is a good overview on teaching a dog to use a bell. He should catch on fairly quickly, and it's definitely a useful trick to know!

[Guest BrindleBoy]

Here is a good overview on teaching a dog to use a bell. He should catch on fairly quickly, and it's definitely a useful trick to know!

 

Thanks!!

[JJNg]

Now see, this would indicate SPITE. Which I have read over & over dogs aren't capable of. Which I personally don't believe... they seem to be capable of many of the same emotions we are, why note spite?

I'd agree that it's possible that dogs may be capable of spite. But I think people are often way too quick to jump to this conclusion in situations where behavior may have another explanation - like stress or anxiety. Also keep in mind that dogs don't think of urination or defecation as a bad thing - it's just a natural bodily function, so I think it's unlikely that this would be a common way for them to express spite as so many people seem to think. Here's another thread where this issue was discussed.

 

With a sudden onset of accidents in the house, I'd be thinking either a medical problem or stress. While the first 3 incidents you describe have an obvious stressor, it's possible that the 4th may have a less obvious one. Or it might just have been residual stress from the earlier incidents. It takes time for stress hormone levels in the body to return to normal.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Now before you dismiss UTI, look at a few facts:

 

1) housebroken animal

2) no dramatic changes in life

3) urination in front of owner, not hiding in another room

 

These things sure sound like a medical issue to me. From what I have read, and my experience, a hound that hides his pee or poop in a house is usually an indication of a housebreaking issue, while actively eliminating in front of the owner indicates a medical issue. For example I had a cat that one day looked up at me in the hallway, meowed and peed on the wall. I was stupified to say the least, until I noticed that the urine had a red tint to it. Vet visit and sure enough, kidney infection.

 

Chad

[3greytjoys]

Here is a good overview on teaching a dog to use a bell. He should catch on fairly quickly, and it's definitely a useful trick to know!

 

Thanks!!

 

I agree could be stress, or medical (urgency), or maybe his subtle cues aren't being noticed. I know you've had him 6 months, but Greys never needed to learn how ask to be let outside before retirement. They don't know how to let humans know when it's time. The kennel door person just automatically showed up every 4-6 hours, including immediately after meals and water. In retirement, some hounds won't get up unless someone makes them get up to go out, especially in rain, snow, or cold temps. How many times have we not wanted to get out of a warm bed to go to work... I sometimes have to talk to one of my hounds in a stern "manly" voice to get him to move.

 

All our hounds are trained to ring a bell when they need to go potty outside. It's an excellent, clear form of communication. I highly recommend it. (Glad to see the link Mariah posted, I hadn't seen that page before.) Our bell is strictly used as a potty call bell, and we take the ring serously and hop to it ASAP. Sometimes our youngest hound wishes the bell would work to open a baby-gate too, but it never works, no matter how many times she rings the bell then runs over to the baby-gate. She must think we humans are pretty stupid. (The cats are toilet trained, and flush too. Wonderful except during water rationing years. lol)

 

Good luck with your hound. If it turns out to be a medical problem, I hope it's resolved quickly.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

Now before you dismiss UTI, look at a few facts:

 

1) housebroken animal

2) no dramatic changes in life

3) urination in front of owner, not hiding in another room

 

These things sure sound like a medical issue to me.

 

Then how do you explain waiting 12-14 hours every night before peeing again?

[GeorgeofNE]

Now before you dismiss UTI, look at a few facts:

 

1) housebroken animal

2) no dramatic changes in life

3) urination in front of owner, not hiding in another room

 

These things sure sound like a medical issue to me.

 

Then how do you explain waiting 12-14 hours every night before peeing again?

 

 

It'll cost you maybe $20 to have his urine checked. Trust me when I tell you--you WANT this to be medical. A UTI is very easily treated. A behavior issue is not.

[Guest BrindleBoy]

It'll cost you maybe $20 to have his urine checked. Trust me when I tell you--you WANT this to be medical. A UTI is very easily treated. A behavior issue is not.

 

Oh- I'm not trying to disagree with you, I was seriously asking... if it's a UTI, how would you explain routinely holding it for 12-14 hours? I don't think that would be possible with a UTI. As another poster mentioned above, there are OTHER medical issues it could de apparently.

 

I will get him checked out, I have to anyway to provide current med info for the dog park license anyway. If it's just something caused by excitement or anxiety, once in awhile, I can handle that. I just don't wan this to become an ingrained behavior (if it is indeed behavioral)

[Batmom]

if it's a UTI, how would you explain routinely holding it for 12-14 hours? I don't think that would be possible with a UTI.

 

Easy. Overnight, or during a long "down" period of the day, the same hormone is in operation that people have to keep them from having to get up 2-3 times a night and pee. That hormone still works during UTIs and most other medical conditions. You'd need a blood chemistry to check out the other possibilities; urinalysis is a fast, easy, cheap place to start.

[4My2Greys]

if it's a UTI, how would you explain routinely holding it for 12-14 hours? I don't think that would be possible with a UTI.

 

Easy. Overnight, or during a long "down" period of the day, the same hormone is in operation that people have to keep them from having to get up 2-3 times a night and pee. That hormone still works during UTIs and most other medical conditions. You'd need a blood chemistry to check out the other possibilities; urinalysis is a fast, easy, cheap place to start.

 

I'm so glad you posted that information. I remembered someone (may have been you, Jey) posting this on an older thread, but couldn't remember the exact details to share with the OP.

[Guest BillF]

Now before you dismiss UTI, look at a few facts:

 

1) housebroken animal

2) no dramatic changes in life

3) urination in front of owner, not hiding in another room

 

These things sure sound like a medical issue to me.

 

Then how do you explain waiting 12-14 hours every night before peeing again?

 

 

I've heard a couple of different things about this. One is that the UTI causes pain during urination. Some dogs will hold it as long as possible before going. I've also heard that it can be from the dog trying to change the situation. In other words - it hurts to pee outside now, I'll try some where else.

 

This past July I had trouble with my boy Tip peeing in the house. He had been housebroken for over a year. I have dog doors so he could go out anytime he wanted. I had the vet check him out and everything was fine. Over the next few days I figured out he was afraid of the backyard, but only at night. I think some fireworks scared him one night and he didn't want to go out. We got past it by taking walks after dark for a few nights. He got over it in a week or so.

 

Good luck - It can be frustrating.

 

Bill

[Guest Dragon]

I'm so sorry I JUST now read this post. Pixie, Indy's sister, did the EXACT same thing (and still very occasionally will do it). She just looks right at you and pees. For her, it is a boundary tester. She does it mostly when she's being dogsat with a new person to test her limits, and I think that's what it was about in the beginning with us. I hope he is better now...?

[Guest BrindleBoy]

Dragon- Indy doesn't do this at all anymore! We haven't had an accident in probably 9 months! I think it was him being over excited and stimulated!

[Guest Psycmeistr]

My greyhound, Husky used to do that, in his later years-- I think that he was developing dementia; but again, it wasn't until he was 11 years old. After a while, he started losing control of both his bowel and bladder.

[Guest mbfilby]

Our Loki had some issues where he would pee right in front of us. We chalked it up to house breaking/boundary issues until one day he emptied his bladder completely while lounging (not sleeping) on his dog bed. He was right in front of us at the time and never made any attempt to get up, just peed while lounging. A trip to the vet and a complete physical found nothing, so we started looking for other answers.

We found that Loki hoards water. He will drink an entire bowl at one time and then have to eliminate urgently. We started regulating his water intake and all inside pee issues stopped completely.