my dog (7yrs.) is peeing on all my carpets. especially the one in my home office! i've been keeping this door closed, but as soon as he gets a chance to get in, he will do the deed. it seems he's doing this on perpuse!! so, how can i prevent this from happening!!!??? my house is smelling like an unkept kennel! HELP!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

-- genie sharp (geniekins@hotmail.com), May 04, 2002

Answers

First, clean your carpets thoroughly--the pet urine smell will hang around which is not only gross but it'll also attract the dog to the spot again. White vinegar usually helps, but if your house is smelling like a kennel, you may need some heavy duty cleaning. {sigh} We would blot the spot thoroughly, then saturate it with water, blot again, then saturate with a solution of part water/part white vinger, then blot yet again. Seems like overkill, but pet urine can not only ruin your carpet, but also the padding and the subfloor below.

Second, take the dog to the vet--there could be a physical problem like a bladder infection. In some cases, medication can be prescribed if your dog has an over-active bladder. With male dogs, they sometimes mark their territory, although it'd be strange for this to be occurring out of the blue at age 7 absent some big change in his life, which brings me to the next point . . .

If there's no physical cause that your vet can find, you may indeed have a dog that's doing this on purpose. We had a dachshund that used to poop in strategic places to express displeasure. She was very intelligent. {grin} If it's being done more or less on purpose, than you have to figure out what's bothering the dog-- anything new going on in your life/the dog's life? A new pet, change in your hours away from the home, less time spent with the dog, etc. can all cause problems.

If you can't fix the problem, I'd figure out a safe way to keep the dog outdoors except when you can devote your full attention to him. For a dog that's always been an indoor dog, this can be very difficult for both of you. If he needs to spend time outdoors, make sure that he's safe (fenced in) and has adequate shelter and access to fresh water at all times.

Good luck.

-- Julie in NC (jwoessner@rtmx.net), May 04, 2002.

Hate to say this, but no matter how well you clean the carpet, chances are the urine is in any padding/wood floor underneath the carpet, and short of pulling up the old and replacing both carpet and padding (as well as cleaning the floor), you are not going to get rid of the smell, and if this is a home office where you meet customers, you could lose business because of something like this (though of course they would never say so to your face).

Maybe the dog needs some refresher housetraining? Try crating the dog during the day (I'm sure there are sites/books with full instructions on how to do this), and see if that cures the problem.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), May 04, 2002.

Genie, get a "good" book on training. Sorry, dogs do not do this stuff "on purpose", it is usually poor training and/or anxiety. And it is not just the "house beaking" you have a problem with, it is training.. period. After the above suggestion re getting your dog checked at the Vets(very necessary-and is your dog neutered? Are there bitches around in season?) start concentrating on your dog. One of the best books out there to help you address this problem and to help you understand just "where your dog is coming from" is MOTHER KNOWS BEST, BY Carol Lea Benjamin. Carol was a staff writer for the AKC for many years and her books are a joy. You will love her approach and will wind up with a dog you can be proud of. It is very nice to be able to praise your dog instead of yelling at it and being upset all the time. I have been advising people with dog problems for many years and I can say with confidence that it is a rare dog that does not respond, if you give this book and your dog a fair shot. Some breeds are notorious for this problem i.e Italian Greyhounds and some medical problems are associated with it, i.e. cryptorchidism. Can't help ya there. LOL The first you are stuck with, the second, surgery is the way to help. Good luck, hope you will return with feedback for us. :) LQ

-- Little Quacker in OR (carouselxing@juno.com), May 04, 2002.

You might have him checked by your vet to see if he has bladder stones.

-- teresa (padsr@centurytel.net), May 04, 2002.

I take it this is a new activity for your dog.

If so, I feel very sure there is a physical problem.

Most likely would be bladder or kidney infection.

Please get your animal to your vet post-haste to have him seen to.

He's just as upset about these events as you are, and feels physically horrid as wewll. No doubt you are expressing your displeasure in his face, and he can't do anything to rectify the situation so he's stressed and confused. This makes matters much worse. If this was your child, would you already have had him seen to by a doctor?

The sooner the vet and meds, the better you both will feel. If you confine him to a small, easily cleanable space in the meantime (with ample opportunity to relieve himself outdoors) and he soils that space, you can be certain it's a physical problem because a dog will not foul his space on purpose.

There are products on the market to help with the clean up, your vet can provide them to you I'm sure.

You AND your pet have my sympathies. Please post the outcome, because we care.

-- LoveMyDog (lovesdogs@notrolls.com), May 04, 2002.

LOL, Little Quacker . . . I have to disagree with your assertion that dogs don't do "do-do" on purpose. I assure you that sometimes it DOES happen (although I can't imagine that's the case with Genie's dog). We had a dauchshund who passed away earlier this year. What a bright dog she was! When our second child was born, for weeks Winnie would wander into the nursery and deposit a poop right next to the crib.

Another time we were packing for a trip via car. Winnie was going to stay home with my brother who was living with us at the time. The car was open as we were loading some of the stuff in, and Winnie kept jumping in the car (ready to go along, too). My husband would gently reach in and set her down on the ground again. Finally getting tired of this game, she went into the house and pooped right on one of the suitcases that was open on the floor. It got to the point that every time we were loading up to go on a trip, she'd poop in the house UNLESS her crate was placed in the car. One time we put the crate in the car to avoid the problem, then took it out at the last minute . . . she walked into the house with us and pooped right inside the front door when we put her crate down.

When my husband went away on a business trip for a week, she pooped on his shoe for three days straight. (I never did tell him.)

We talked to our vet about it after the third or fourth incident (and yes, there were many), and he said that he's known some dogs, especially dauchshunds, to express their disatisfaction with a given situation by this particular means.

Still, I can't imagine Genie's dog is doing it deliberately--my guess is it's medical or perhaps the dog is just totally stressed. We had a rescue dog at our house for a few days. We heard that in her original home she was well behaved, but by the time she arrived here she was a bundle of nerves. She peed EVERYWHERE and it wasn't like she was trying to do so--the vet said it was she was very nervous and very submissive. {sigh}

Anyway, perhaps my Winnie stories will give everyone a chuckle. I sure do miss her--she was quite a character.

-- Julie in NC (jwoessner@rtmx.net), May 04, 2002.

Hi I have been raising dogs and live stock for 10 years now. When I read of your problem. I could not wait to respond. however Julie said every thing that I wanted to say. She is 100% correct about everything that she said. If you have had the dog for 7 years and just started to have a problem, It could very well be an enfection. If not than the dog is upset or unwell. If I can help fell free to e-mail me. Oh and you folks from the forum do not need to atack me for raising dogs, you have already done that.

-- lisa in tx (lhopple@sweetwater.esc14.net), May 04, 2002.

I don't know if this would help while your'e figuring out what's going on with your dog but there are these house breaking pads/mats that come in different sizes depending on the breed of dog. Walmart & Petco both sell them for puppies & older, incontinent dogs, I think they're about $7.00-$10 for 20-30 pads. Maybe if you put one or two of those around he'd use them instead of the carpet. It might make it a little less 'aromatic' around your house. Good luck it must be a tough time for both of you. Blessings,Kathy

-- Kathy Aldridge (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

Is he neutered? If he isn't currently neutered or was neutered as an adult then it could be an exlarged prostate. This problem is much more commom in unneutered male dogs, but I can attest that dogs neutered as adults also can develop it. I adopted one of my dogs, Toby, as 3 yr old and had him neutered, but he developed an enlarged prostate about a year ago at the age of 13. Enlarged prostate could be caused by an infection, cancer or a cyst. Toby started having accidents in the house, but Toby had NEVER done it before. I took him to the vet, Toby went on antibiotics for 2 weeks and was okay.

Make a vet appt. and bring a urine sample with you. I used to have problems getting urine samples until I discovered the many uses of a longhandled ladle :-) Yes, the easiest way to get a sample is to use a long handled ladle to collect it, uh, midstream. The first pee of the day is best because it is so strong. You will also need a clean jar with no soap reside and a lid for the jar. I try to set out everything the night before so it is ready. The urine needs to be refrigerated until you can take it in. I usually double bag the jar and have never had any urine odor escape.

I know some folks don't believe in Vets or drugs for pets, but our dogs have always faithfully completed their duties as protector and friend and I could never let them suffer or be ill.

-- Dash (forthechix@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

A portable cage kennel is a big help also. Dogs wont mess where they sleep. A spacious cage with catch pen can be bought for less than $30

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 05, 2002.

A friend's dog recently started doing the same thing. The vet operated and took out a LOT of stones of various sizes. My friend saved them in a container. The dog is no longer peeing in the house.

White vinegar does a so-so job of cleaning up. Put some food grade Diatomaceous Earth on the urine spot. Leave it on overnight til it dries and then vacuum it up. The DE draws up the urine, leaves no stain nor smell.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), May 05, 2002.

Nature's Miricle works great to get out the urine smell. It will smell stronger when it works so be warned. You can use a black light to find the spots. It does work. Ditto on the other advise

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), May 05, 2002.