Seemingly Housetrained Puppy Has Started Having Accidents Again

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Dog Trainer podcast listener Melanie recently wrote me about her 3-yr-onetime Chihuahua, Marley, whom she housetrained in puppyhood. She said:

"Every forenoon since nosotros moved to a new house a couple of weeks ago, I have woken up to pee and poop past the front door. Marley is outside with us almost of the day and I become out with him before we go to bed. He seems to be freaked out about doing his business outside.  He poops outside maybe every other solar day.

We did also get a new kitty, and I wonder whether Marley thinks that since the kitten gets to pee and poop in the house, he now can too. Or could information technology be that my granddaughter hasn't been staying over as often lately? Marley sometimes lies in her room, on her clothes, whining for hours. Maybe it's everything – the new kitten, the new firm, the litter box, and his picayune daughter not here as much?

I haven't really gotten after him for information technology, except for the stern wait I give him while I'm cleaning it up and telling him that he can't do that! Tin can yous help?"

I go a fair bit of post virtually housetraining breakdowns, and Melanie's state of affairs sounds pretty typical. Let's cut out the like shooting fish in a barrel part first. Whatever the reason for Marley's overnight indoor toilet breaks, they're not happening considering he got the thought from the new cat. If the existence of cats' litter boxes gave dogs the idea that they could eliminate indoors, I don't know how anybody who has a cat would ever exist able to housetrain a puppy. Also, if the litter box was the source of Marley'due south inspiration, wouldn't you await that he'd use the litter box also? But no.

If your dog's housetraining falls apart, look for sources of stress that you can minimize or fix.

That'due south not to say the kitten isn't a factor. Melanie doesn't say how much feel Marley has with cats; it's possible that he finds his new housemate worrisome or even scary. If that's then, then the kitten is a source of stress, and stress can contribute to a housetraining breakdown. However, Marley seems to take at least three other stressors in his life right at present, and my estimate is that they probably affect him more than the kitten does.

Stressor #1: Moving

Anyone who has ever moved knows how stressful it is, starting from the bespeak where nosotros decide to motion, looking for a new place, going through a credit bank check or applying for a loan, packing, hiring movers…well, that list is already long enough to make near of united states grit our teeth. Admittedly your domestic dog isn't doing the legwork, but if you go somewhat tense and testy in the procedure, you meliorate believe he picks upwards on it. And in the stop, what happens? He's deposited in a new living state of affairs that probably comes equally a complete surprise to him.

Stressor #two: The Unspecified Outdoor Freakout

Melanie says that Marley "seems to be freaked out well-nigh doing his business organization exterior," and that he only eliminates outdoors about every other day. Specific details are golden. What body language does Melanie come across in Marley that makes him await freaked out? Where and when does she see that body linguistic communication? What is unlike nigh the outdoor space in their new habitation, bold Marley was at ease outdoors at the former abode? Is there loud traffic? A barking dog in the yard side by side door? Is the surface of the k different somehow? For instance, a dog who's accepted to eliminating on turf may non eliminate readily on gravel or pavement.

If Melanie can come upward with some suspects for the crusade or causes of Marley's Mysterious Freakout, she may be able to change them, avoid them, or help him experience more comfy with them. For example, suppose a delivery takes place side by side door every morning at xi, and the beep-beep-beep of the truck backing up frightens Marley. Melanie might consider leaving Marley indoors at that time.

Stressor #three: Change in Household Members

Melanie says that her granddaughter stays overnight less often in the new place than she used to. Normally I would look a tiny domestic dog like a Chihuahua to feel less stressed in the absence of a small child, because children are often unintentionally rough with dogs and their movements are erratic and unpredictable. But Marley seems to take an exceptional relationship with Melanie'south granddaughter – Melanie calls her "his petty girl" and says that Marley will spend hours lying on her clothes and whining.

"Separation anxiety" can be a muddled term, sometimes referring to a dog'south panic when left alone, sometimes to keen distress caused past the absence of one item person. Whether Marley can be said to take full-blown separation anxiety around Melanie's granddaughter, I can't say on the basis of the information I have. Information technology's certainly possible, for instance, that Marley loves attention and has learned to get it by vocalizing while he lies on the little girl's clothes. Merely I'm betting his behavior reflects discomfort that'southward in some way connected with either her absence in item, or with other household members' emotions around that absenteeism.

Other Possible Factors

The household move would be stressful in itself, but also it might take brought some changes in Marley's daily routine – in the timing of his toilet breaks or meals, for example. Even if those changes are perfectly pleasant for him, they could in turn modify the timing of his bowel movements or of when his bladder is well-nigh total.

Another possibility is that although Marley was housetrained in the old place, he never generalized his housetraining to other indoor spaces. This isn't at all uncommon – I've often had friends and clients mention that seemingly housetrained dogs eliminated indoors in a new apartment or while visiting someone else's home.

Some dogs are never really housetrained to begin with. A tiny dog can get in the habit of peeing in an out-of-the-way corner so that his guardian rarely or never notices it. In a new home, those "mistakes" get spotted, partly because the dog no longer has that same remote toilet spot and partly because humans are also more aware of their environment in a less familiar identify.

Marley'south three, too young for medical problems to be loftier on the listing of reasons for housetraining breakup, but they're worth ruling out. Finally, the longest of long shots is that something that regularly takes identify overnight is causing his behavior, maybe literally scaring the pee and poop right out of him. Call back, long shot.

I recollect Marley is probably eliminating indoors because stress and the alter in routine have changed his timing and so he just can't assist it. The bear witness is that he eliminates near the door, as close to exterior as he can go.

How to Solve the Problem

Even though Marley is probably housetrained, Melanie's best bet is Housetraining 101. A predictable routine with frequent outings should assist him return to a pee and poop schedule that doesn't include overnights. Melanie could also change the timing of Marley's supper, or even get upwards in the heart of the night to give him a toilet break. She can set the warning half an 60 minutes later every night, until Marley is dorsum to a start-matter-in-the-morn schedule.

Melanie says she'southward been giving Marley stern looks while she cleans upwards. Stop those stern looks, Melanie! Marley may just learn that peeing and pooping are best done out of sight. As I've said before, that'due south the fast route to the behind-the-couch dog toilet.

Finally, Melanie should exercise whatever she can to ease Marley's stress. I suggested some possibilities to explore concerning the outdoors, and the predictability of the housetraining regimen tin assistance overall. Remember: a anticipated, pleasant routine is a huge stress reliever.

For more tips and tricks on educational activity and living with your dog, check out my book, The Dog Trainer's Complete Guide to a Happy, Well-Behaved Pet .You can follow me on Twitter, where I'm Dogalini. I'm The Domestic dog Trainer on Facebook, and you can too write to me at dogtrainer@quickanddirtytips.com.

I really capeesh your comments and suggestions, and though I can't respond individually, I may use them every bit the basis for future articles. Thanks for reading!

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Source: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/pets/dog-behavior/case-study-the-formerly-housetrained-dog