New house new accidents

[KittytheDog]

Hello! I'm new to greytalk, but I've read many posts since I've had my greyhound Kitty for 3 years now. I searched and didn't see my question so I'm starting a post.

As I said, Kitty has been with me for 3 years. She's about 6.5 now, and I was quite lucky she never had accidents. I moved house 4 times since she joined me, and we have been at our new house since October 2022, so 2 months. The biggest change here is that she now has access to a lovely fenced in yard, which she does (surprisingly - see below,) enjoy running around in.

Some background on Kitty is that she suffers from severe anxiety, and I have gotten her help from a behaviorist at a well regarded University research department. She's on the same meds she's been using for over a year that help her immensely with her anxiety. One thing that she's really afraid of is the outdoors. She hates going outside, she hates walks, she hates going to the bathroom out there, she hates being told it's time to go out. She is very anxious about loud sudden sounds, so she hates the outdoors because anything can happen out there. Once she's outside she does ok though, unless there's gunshots or fireworks that happen. It's like she builds it up in her mind, and it's not as bad as she imagines once she's outside.

 She will hold her potty (#1 and #2) for hours and hours if she doesn't want to go out. In storms and fireworks she becomes a giant quaking puddle and I can't take her out at all. She just holds it until the scary sounds are gone. I always try to get her out before it starts, but it's not always possible.

So, about 2 weeks ago at the new house she started having accidents. #1 and #2. I took her to the vet right away because she has chronic UTIs and of course she had one. She is on a course of antibiotics and stopped the accidents of #1. However, she has had a couple more #2 accidents. This is extremely strange for her.

You know how we all get to greyhound mind reading when you have a greyhound. Well, what I think is happening is that she is going outside in the back yard, and for some reason she's only taking #1 potty breaks out there and holding her #2. Maybe because she wants to come in as soon as possible? This is a new behavior, but the accidents are like she's held it for days and she just goes inside without asking to go out. Also, I know it's cold season this time of year. We're in a warm area, and these #2 accidents started before we got into any real cold weather.

Does anybody have any thoughts or experience that can help? I do think this is a behavioral issue so I'm wondering what other greyhound people think of it. If it continues I will talk to her behaviorist but I'm trying to figure it out since it's new, and seeing the behaviorist is expensive and there's a long wait for appointments. Thank you!

Maria & Kitty the Dog

[BatterseaBrindl]

Will she allow you to take her out in the yard on a leash, so you can keep her close until she goes?  How is she if you just stay out there with her?

[KittytheDog]

She is fine when she's out there by herself (watching through the window) and when I am outside with her. She runs around and does zoomies on the porch and sniffs all the corners and trees. She looks happy enough when she's out there, that's part of what is confusing me. If she was acting anxious I would understand it more, but she looks like she's having fun, or at least she's ok with being outside once she gets out there.

I can definitely stay out with her and I also walk her and make sure she goes #2 on our walks. Although part of the yard is kind of wooded and has bushes, so it's hard to keep an eye on her the whole time when she's off leash, even if I'm out there with her. Hmmm... This gives me an idea. Sometimes when I walk her she really wants to go back inside instead of going #2, and she only goes potty because she's realized that we're not going back in until she goes. So maybe she feels like she's getting away with something when she is in the yard out on her own and nobody is making her go 😅

This sounds like too much planning for a dog, but she is a greyhound and a very stubborn one at that. Maybe I'm assuming too much that she will go #2 even if she's outside and she kind of has to go.  🤔

[HeyRunDog]

I don't know what you do with the #2s she does in the house but try putting them in a corner of yard she often goes to so it smells right.

Also wash the area in the house she's gone on with a solution of biological clothes powder/liquid to kill the smell. It has to be biological as the enzymes in it remove all the odours.

[LBass]

I may have missed ta mention of this, but is this the first time she's had free run in her own yard? She's used to pottying on walks and that pattern seems well established.  I would start by trying to use that pattern by accompanying her into the yard and--like on walks--we don't go in until we've had a nice pee and poo.  Maybe even leash walk her in the yard at the start of this? She's been such a good girl about this for such a long time, I wonder if she's more stressed than usual about this move for some reason and needs a little guidance. It sounds like you 2 have a great relationship.