#1 and #2

[Dbuzz156]

Saw a few posts on this subject but thought I’d give it a shot myself. 

We’re on our second greyhound now (unfortunately had to put our first one down due to cancer) and just adopted him (Finn) about 2 months ago. He’s a great boy: loves people, great with other dogs, and adapts well. Or so we thought!!

Due to the pandemic, my wife and I are home 7 days a week all day, with the exception of a few grocery trips and other errands and a slight change to routines on the weekend. We’re working on leaving him alone, which he seems to be doing ok, save for some pacing and minor whining but overall no real concerns for SA which is good.
 

We take him out first thing every morning (7am) and he’ll SOMETIMES pee/poo. We bring him in to feed and it’s back outside again. Again, he MIGHT pee/poo (usually does at least one) Since we’re home all day and we’re able to let him out frequently we usually don’t push it. I will take him for a walk at about noon during which he’ll do all of his marking and will poo. Well let him out mid afternoon, sometimes he’ll go/sometimes not. Then it’s the same routine at dinner time (5:30pm): let him out before and after. Again, he MIGHT pee/poo.  Same thing before bed.
 

However lately he’s decided that if he doesn’t want to go eliminate outside he doesn’t have to and will pee inside and has pooed twice (once on our carpeted floor in the bedroom - where he also sleeps) and in our basement (cement floor). The second time I caught him in the act and did scare him (not too much) but since he was done the process of letting him out really didn’t do anything (hate reading those articles on this - if they’re done going what does letting them out do??? They’re done. What do I reward?? He stands at the door staring at me wondering why we just went outside. Additionally, if I’m downstairs and my front door is a good walk up the stairs, and out is he really putting those two things together?? He might be thinking “I just pooed and now I get to go hang outside - SWEET!!)

I’m pretty sure this is mainly due to the size of our house and the many areas/rooms we have. We didn’t crate train (he howls and just genuinely does not like the crate. He goes in on his own but lock the door and he starts to whine) Our last greyhound was stellar with potty training and didn’t have any issues with his new space (granted he’s was a foster whereas this guy was actually from Ireland, and was only in kennels) Not looking to crate train at this point - he’s been doing fine so far in the house and I can’t see putting him back into such a small space. I just think the cement floor is close enough to an outside-like environment and since we don’t really “hang out” down there then he sees no issue with it but man is this frustrating. He seems to do so well for weeks then bam - we turn around or get more lax with supervision and he takes full advantage.

I’ve read that UTIs are sometimes an issue though this isn’t frequent - this latest poo comes almost a month after the last. He has peed but again, the frequency is weeks to a month apart. Can that still be UTI? No other symptoms- no licking, straining while peeing, blood in urine - nothing!

I’m sure “Persistence and patience” might be the best medicine here though wonder from a behavioral perspective what this dude is thinking!! Or the best way to avoid this from happening. Do I just stand outside with him for a half hour/hour/however long it takes until he goes? Do we make him go? I’ve tried and he just stands in front of me - literally for 15 mins one time. Is he just challenging me??

 

[greysmom]

No to the challenging thing.  Dogs don't really think that way.  He just doesn't have to go.  It sounds like he's just iffy on his potty training.

Put him on a strict schedule, even when you're home.  One that will be what his day will be like when you're back to work.  Keep up with your alone training *daily.*  When he's not under your direst supervision he needs to be wherever he's going to be during a workday.  A smaller, easily cleanable space.  And somehow you need to get him to go around meal times, whether that's an extra long walk after eating, or an extended time in the yard.  Sometimes taking them to a place where other dogs have gone will stimulate their instincts to go.

It wouldn't hurt to have a urinalysis and fecal testing done, just to rule out any medical cause.  Especially if it's been a while since that was done.  Parasites and other baddies can mess with a dog's system enough to make it seem like thay have a UTI, when they don't.