Author Topic: Housebreaking help!  (Read 2106 times)

Offline galxe

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Housebreaking help!
« on: March 21, 2008, 01:08:48 am »
 Hey all, I haven't been around for quite awhile... but the time has finally come for us to add to our family again and so, here I am!

About two months ago we brought home our baby girl Lucy (photos forthcoming, promise!) She's a 5 year old "border collie/lab mix" (so says the shelter, she looks like a pit with bc hair to me, either way, she's 50% bc and 100% mine!)
She's a great dog that came to us with BAD habits, most of all have been corrected or are almost there. With the exception of housebreaking.

She'll let us know when she needs to go out, and goes outside just about everytime we put her out there and tell her to "go potty". But, she keeps peeing in our house! It's driving me batty! She's crated at night and left out during the day. During the day, while we're gone, no accidents at all. (Except for the day I got caught up at work, couldn't come home for lunch and got home late on top of it. All my fault)

When we're at home at night, she will pee upstairs every chance she gets. Literally! All night she is trying to sneak upstairs to pee! Even right after she goes outside! Unfortunately, with the way that our staircase is, it's pretty much impossible to babygate the upstairs off. (And, she'd jump it anyway) It used to just be the second bedroom, but now she's given that up in favor of our bedroom or the hallway. Every accident has been thoroughly cleaned- soaked up with a towel, doused with nature's miracle. I've steam cleaned with pet odor remover atleast once a week since we've brought her home. (Sadly, out of necessity)

I love her to pieces- but we live in a rental! Our LL has been totally gracious in letting us have her, but I don't want to replace carpet! Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Currently, the only solution I can think of is to crate her while we're home, which seems awful. She's just QUICK and it's impossible to keep my eye on her all the time.

Offline Care2Adopt

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Re: Housebreaking help!
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2008, 01:14:35 am »
One word! Leash!

It will suck, but keep her on a leash whenever she is loose with you. Keep her at your side, and your eye on her at all times until you can trust her. Praise her when she isnt peeing, and even walk her upstairs (if you want her up there at all) and praise her when she doesnt pee.

I would think the problem all in all is behavioral, maybe excited urination? I dont know why she is going all the way upstairs though...

IMHO leash is probably your best bet, and crate her when she cant be on a leash, if you are unable to gate off the staircase.

Good luck!


Shawn and her
3 Golden paws
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+ dozens and dozens o' rescues and fosters

Offline galxe

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Re: Housebreaking help!
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2008, 01:21:08 am »
Thanks for the reply, it does seem to be purely behavioral.
She's realtively mellow- except for when we first get home, or take her out on a walk. So I don't know if it's excitement? All I know is that DH is fed up that she's been with us for two months and continues to treat our bedroom like a secondary bathroom. (I can't block it off because we have cats, and that's where they like to hang, but I don't want to confine them there all day)

I'll try the leash, I'm just worried that it will get her too rambunctious.. . or that she'll chew it off (also a common trick of hers. We're on our fourth already, it takes her about 30 seconds)