christinepi Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I was just told that after 3 or 4 months of Tracker's going with this particular dog walker w/o problems, he started peeing in her car recently. He's also been many times with other walkers and never has done this. Now I realize this could have a million reasons. He absolutely ADORES the dog walker--I never get this kind of treatment because I'm home all the time!! So it's not that he's afraid of her or anything. One thing that has changed over the course of the last few months is that his confidence has dropped a fair amount because he's been aggressed at by many dogs (mostly loose farm dogs) while I was walking him in a short period of time, and even hearing barking (w/o even seeing another dog) now can make him nervous. Anybody had something like this happen? The dog walker said she'll try to be more alpha with him, meaning she'll do what she did successfully in a similar situation with a Border Collie, which was sending "DO NOT PEE IN MY CAR" like vibes--now I don't buy into alpha theory stuff, but if vibes work, be my guest. If this doesn't stop the behavior, I'm thinking belly band. Other suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Number one, I'd figure out if it's peeing or marking. Peeing could be a sign of anxiety, marking is something totally different. They both require different approaches. If you find that it's anxiety-related, she needs to make sure he's emptied out before getting in the car first. Short walk- watch to make sure he has at least one big pee. Then, there's some more training involved to desensitize the car and make it a happy/calm place. Probably not a good idea for her to be stern or "alpha" with him in this case, as this can aggravate the problem further. Marking, IMO, may be the more likely culprit though, since I imagine a dog walker's car is full of other dogs' scents. With marking, the dog leg-lifts and will try to squeeze any last drop of pee out, even if they've already gone two minutes prior. In this case, a belly band is a good idea. Also, it's okay to give a sharp "uh uh!" if she sees him moving to lift his leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinepi Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 I wasn't specific enough--she said he was marking. It's just weird --why now? But whatever the reason, I'll get a belly band if she can't stop him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pabozem Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I'd get a belly band for him. Quote Waiting at the bridge: Blaze, Rodney, Lady, Spice, Sarahlee, Callie and Baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinepi Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 I also forgot to mention he does this when she's not in the car (she figured out it was him by process of elimination), so an "uh uh" can't be applied! The sneaky boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I wouldn't trust anybody who talks about "be[ing] more alpha" when a dog pees. That honestly boggles my mind ...... When is the dog alone in the car? Has he had ample chance to potty before getting in the car? Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinepi Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 I wouldn't trust anybody who talks about "be[ing] more alpha" when a dog pees. That honestly boggles my mind ...... When is the dog alone in the car? Has he had ample chance to potty before getting in the car? Tell me about it. Unfortunately I'll be left without any dog walker options if I insist on an "enlightened" walker. At any rate, she picked him up today and tried the new and improved alpha approach without success (so much for that). The thing is, he's not peeing, but marking, so emptying his bladder won't help much because there's always enough left in that pesky bladder to release onto the car seat; I'll try that anyways because it can't hurt to do it. He's alone in the car when she picks up and drops off other dogs. I find this whole alpha thing in connection with Tracker particularly amusing. Yeah, he's a dog, but at least with him, as an individual, I KNOW he just laughed behind her back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I wouldn't trust anybody who talks about "be[ing] more alpha" when a dog pees. That honestly boggles my mind ...... When is the dog alone in the car? Has he had ample chance to potty before getting in the car? As a dog walker, I completely agree with this. It could be excitement that he's going somewhere good, it could be that the car smells like many new dogs. When she's not in the car are there other dogs in the car with him? If so, there could have been an altercation or something else that traumatized him and he's now nervous if she's not there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest k9soul Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 (edited) I find it odd that he would "mark" in such an enclosed area where I would assume he lays during the drive. I would be suspicious that it is something other than typical marking behavior. She apparently hasn't seen him actually doing it so I wonder why the walker is so certain it's marking. I know Rudy certainly isn't shy about marking right in front of me on walks (and one time at PetCo ) Edited October 3, 2013 by k9soul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinepi Posted October 3, 2013 Author Share Posted October 3, 2013 I find it odd that he would "mark" in such an enclosed area where I would assume he lays during the drive. I would be suspicious that it is something other than typical marking behavior. She apparently hasn't seen him actually doing it so I wonder why the walker is so certain it's marking. I know Rudy certainly isn't shy about marking right in front of me on walks (and one time at PetCo ) Are you suggesting it may be peeing after all, then? In which case it may be helpful to walk him first for a bit before he gets in the car. As a dog walker, I completely agree with this. It could be excitement that he's going somewhere good, it could be that the car smells like many new dogs. When she's not in the car are there other dogs in the car with him? If so, there could have been an altercation or something else that traumatized him and he's now nervous if she's not there. I'll ask her about that, whether he's always with the same dog in the car when this happens. Good point. Tracker is a dog that according to all dog walkers who have walked him pees, marks and poops more on walks than most dogs. He's also extremely vocal, while on walks, about his efforts. He makes the funniest "growly" sounds, very throaty, no matter whether he's all by himself or there are other dogs nearby. It can take up to 10 minutes before he'll actually start going into walk mode. He can spend those 10 minutes pretty much in a small square, just hurling around dirt like there's no tomorrow, and "growling" all the while. Not sure whether there's any kind of connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest k9soul Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I'm just wondering if it might be an anxiety issue or something. In my experience usually marking territory is very deliberate and seems unusual to be done in a confined area like a car. It would be kind of like a hound marking inside his crate. That's why I just wonder what else might be going on. Anxiety? Excitement? For some reason less bladder control than before? It would be hard to get to the bottom of it since you aren't there and seeing the circumstances yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 I find this whole alpha thing in connection with Tracker particularly amusing. Yeah, he's a dog, but at least with him, as an individual, I KNOW he just laughed behind her back... Yeah, you can only do what you can do. It might be worth checking for a bladder or sheath infection, if he used to be fine being alone in her car and now he's not fine. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Giselle Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 One thing that has changed over the course of the last few months is that his confidence has dropped a fair amount because he's been aggressed at by many dogs (mostly loose farm dogs) while I was walking him in a short period of time, and even hearing barking (w/o even seeing another dog) now can make him nervous. I think this is your answer. Urine release is an extremely common side effect of anxiety or just heightened arousal. Check to see if it's dribbling v.s. full-blown peeing. Ask her to videotape his behaviors while he's in the car. Ask to videotape his "peeing". What are his other behavioral signs when with her and while in the car? And what did she DO to him using the "alpha" euphemism? I'd be extremely cautious and would want to see exactly how she handles him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinepi Posted October 4, 2013 Author Share Posted October 4, 2013 (edited) I think this is your answer. Urine release is an extremely common side effect of anxiety or just heightened arousal. Check to see if it's dribbling v.s. full-blown peeing. Ask her to videotape his behaviors while he's in the car. Ask to videotape his "peeing". What are his other behavioral signs when with her and while in the car? And what did she DO to him using the "alpha" euphemism? I'd be extremely cautious and would want to see exactly how she handles him. It'll be difficult to videotape it since he doesn't do it when she's in the car. But I agree, it would be good. I don't know how he behaves with her IN the car, since I'm not present then. She hasn't reported any other of his behaviors signs. Lastly, all I know is that he is besides himself with joy whenever he sees her. By being more "alpha" with him (you'll have a good laugh at this one, as did I, secretly--and I told her I don't believe this crap, though I used different words) she meant she'd walk through the door first when taking him out to the car, and have him heel on the way. Didn't help yesterday when she tried that tack, obviously, since he peed in the car again. The only thing I can see doing right now is a) not use her again for a while; c) walk him a bit before she gets here so he can release some energy, and a little pee, perhaps; and c) use a belly band. One thing that drives me so crazy is that everybody I tried around here, and I've tried everyone available, buys into the dominance myth. I can't find anyone who will listen to anything I say that goes counter to that. But that's a separate story. Edited October 4, 2013 by christinepi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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