beauregard2

Our Basset continuously urinates on the furniture. He doesn't do it all the time. I don't believe it is because he does not know any better because he will often do it despite the fact he has recently been outside.

Any Suggestions!!!

Mikey T

One does not have anything to do with the other. The requires that dog understand the puropse he went outside in the first place, Most of the time that has nothing to with urinating or defficating. What is the age of the dog, sex , is it nuetered, are there any other animals in the home, cats etc. other dogs. and when does it occur. ie. right if front of us, when were gone, only at night. etc. Also where is the peeing occuring. ie scent marking lifting leg an hiting vertical surfaces or middle of seating surface where the dog often lies.

beauregard2

He is a two year old male and he is fixed, yes we have another dog. The peeing is only occuring on our bed and on the couch or on his bed. It is never in front of us, or we would be able to address the issue. That is mainly where I have a hard time. How do you correct his behavior if you can't catch him doing it? I know there is no use in yelling at him or trying to punish him if you can't catch him in the act. I think that is where I am really stuck with the issue.

oliwa

Did you ever punish him for eliminating in the house? If so, the reason he is not eliminating in front of you is because he gets punished when he does but nothing bad happens when you're not around. Yes, you are correct, any type of scolding after the fact is useless.

My suggestion would be to start over and show him that eliminating outside gets rewarded but eliminating inside doesn't. I would start taking him out regularly again and when he does go outside reward him with lots of praise and a treat. He'll catch on that if he goes outside that's a good thing and he'll start to want to go out so he can be rewarded. After he is reliably going outside and has zero accidents in the house over a month or so you can start to slowly fade the treats and just reward with verbal or physical praise.

If he is still eliminating in the house then it could likely be a medical issue and you should consult your vet.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

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beauregard2

Thanks Oliwa,

No, we have never punished him for going in the house. Thanks for the suggestions. We have tried the rewards, and that does not seem to be working. His mistakes in the house don't happen all the time. I just found it to be odd, that he chooses to go on the bed and on the furniture. I have never had a dog that does that.

Mikey T

These are all areas he sleeps? do not rule out a medical cause. While far less common in males than females there is a condition known as Spay incontinence. This manafest itself with dogs lossing control while sleeping. It is general realitively easily controled by PPA available for dogs in the prescription drug "proin" now with males some time hormone replacement is also needed.

Incontinence treatments in male dogs


IF this is not a medical issue then as Oliwa stated it is a lack of training.
The mistake you are makeing as pointed out above is asume that dogs learn housetraining as "where not to go" when if fact what housetraining does is to train them where to go. So you never have to catch the dog in the act having an accident etc to housetrain them acutual it is preffered as the first step toward housetrain is to prevent accidents in the fist place.

The basis of teaching the dog "where" to go is something known as substrate preference. That is what is under the dogs feets when it goes. You will find that when dogs have accident in the house it tend to be on a similar surface. In your case soft and somewhat warm and fluff, others it is carpet, some it is hardwood and other still tile. The point is dog tend to go on the same types of surfaces. So part of house training is retraining a substrate prefference for grass or whatever the surface is that you want the dog to use outside. It also means when the dog already has a substrate preference that you most over come this while training a new one which is more difficult that starting from scratch.

below is my favorite article on house training. It explains susbstrate preference, while geared toward training puppies there is really no difference in training adult than there is in training puppies.

Housetraining Your Puppy

On are that many have a problem is when the dog goes outside it becomes interested and distracted and forget what it is out there for. Following teaching a cue for going as outlined in the article above can help along with the following article which uses a different method altogether
Potty Training Tip

Besides substrate preference dogs also use there nose in picking potty spots. They tend to go where they have gone before. It is therefor important to remove all telltale scent markers. Generally simple wasing is not enough. Use of an enzymaatic cleaner yield better results especial on furniture and mattress and the like where machine washing is not practical the ezymes continue to work at destroying the urine and the bacteria that feeds on it deep in the batting etc where it can not be extracted.

The first step however in housetraining is preventing accidents. this means strict supervision of the dog at all times he is free in the house. Some find teather the dog to themselves helpfull for this. Other simply confine the dog, crate , small easy to clean dog proof room etc when they can not watch the dog. Until accidents are eliminated you have no hope of training a new substrate preference. The simple act of going, relieving the strain on the bladder is rewarding. So every time the dog goes where it is not acceptable it is still being rewarded for doing so. Rewarded behavior increases in frequence not decreases. It is vital important to emliminate accidents.



The Training Tether

Tips on House training

Treatment of Behavioral Problems Associated with Canine Elimination

beauregard2

Thanks for the suggestions!