why is she messing?

hi, quick into as i am new here.

We have a 2 year old bitch, we have had her since 12 weeks old. we have done all the usual puppy socialisation and training classes, and she is generally a very good dog. does as she is told and gets rewarded for it.

we are having a slight problem at the moment, which i feel a bit of back ground is needed for you guys to understand and hopefully advise.

a week before we picked her up we found out we were expcting a new baby, and already had a 6 year old (now 7 & 1) Rosie (the dog) adapted extreemly well to the introduction of the new baby, and i think she sometimes thinks she is the baby's mum she will be the first at the bed room door when she is crying, and sits on the stairs to stop her climbing up etc. very cute!

so with the birth of my daughter a year ago, i had 9 months off work. before this Rosie was crated whilst we were out of the house at work etc which worked perfectly. never had any problems. we then started to let her have the run of the house while we were out, again, turned out perfectly. no problems.

from a puppy, on the odd nights we would allow her to sleep in our bed, but other than that she was either in her crate or on the sofa.

i returned to work 4 months ago, and was worried that she would have seperation anxiety, since she had got used to me being there all the time. but she showed no signs. we now let her have the run of the house on the 2 days a week both my and hubby are at work, and we have someone come and walk her during the day.

BUT.....lately, in the last month or so, on the nights she stays downstairs to sleep, she has started messing. never in the same place, and i know it isn't because she can't hold it, because when she is allowed in bed with us she never has a problem. we have intruduced a stair gate for our daughter, and close it when she is to stay downstairs, perhaps its this, as i believe the mess is being made shortly after we go to bed. so, i would like to be able to retain the option of having her up with us or not, some nights i just don't need that extra body in bed with us lol, but my hubby works nights sometimes and i like her there when he is away. is this too much to ask, that it isn't a 100% set routine, if so, why the sudden change as it never bothered her before?

i would really appreciate anyone's help as i really hate coming down stairs with the kids then having to deal with a mess for no "apparent" reason. my hubby is really not impressed either, but we aren't into punishment techniques.

she knows she has done wrong because she can't look me in the eye while i am cleaning it up.

ok, sorry, i have typed a lot, but hopefully the detail will help any advise.

Thanks

Sarah

how many times are you taking her out and how long for per day?

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i would start crating her on a night again as it is unlikely she will mess in her space when out she can just walk away after doing the deed.

yes, we have thought about getting her crate out again, do you think we are asking too much for her to be allowed up stairs some night and not others? is it too much for her to comprehend.

as for her walks, at the moment, one long walk a day, then she sleeps for the rest of the day lol. but she has access to the garden all day and has no problems going to the toilet in the garden, i know some dogs need to be excercised to stimulate movements.

she messes even if she is taken out/let out just be for bed.

she need to be take out 2/3 time a day for 45mins plus each time to stop this from happening.

early in the morning, after work or tea and late at night

why now though, its not something she has done before, and her walking schedule hasn't changed. can you give me a bit more theory behind your solution?

i guess if this is the only answer then we will have to get used to the mess as we can't take her out 3 times a day for that length of time.

it just one of these thing you have to do when your a dog owners, if you can take her our more then once it's not fiar on her or you

sorry Steve, i don't quite understand how this is going to help my problem. why is it not fair on her if i don't take her out 3 times a day? i understand that it would be a more ideal situation if perhaps she was taken out more a couple of times a week, but i'd have to drag her around for that amount of time 3 times a day. i do appreciate you trying to help, i just would like to understand how her walking schedule is connected to her recent behaviour.
Thanks

a dog needs to be take out 2/3 times day if he/she messing in the house and i bet she get told off also for doing it am i right? but it's not her fault..

Perhaps I typed too much and you got bored reading but I categorically stated we are not into punishment techniques. I am fully aware that of we tried to tell her off after the event it will have no effect as she won't know what she is being told off for.

Perhaps I am being a bit sensitive but I feel I am under attack here. No it is not her fault, which is why I am here asking for advise. I can fully assure you my dog is perfectly healthy and happy (she doesn't care about the mess, only I do)

you will have to wait someone for another idea but IMO the only way of sorting this problem out is taking her out more.

I fully appreciate your opinion and suggestions, perhaps not the delivery method though.

Hiya,

I would suggest going bk to basics with her on every level. Crates are a wonderful thing and like kids, dogs need consistency too.
You may be confusing her where one day she can sleep with u , the next day she can't, she's upstairs, she's downstairs.
Dogs think in black n White terms, not reason.

Stick to one or the other, maby she feels punished u haven't let her upstairs with u so she's messing out of anxiety/frustration ?

Maby put her crate in ur bedroom and just crate her at nightime ?

I don't think extra walks will solve the prob tbh @ steve.... I think she is showing u frustration.

Good luck with her x

1 walk per day not is enough.. walking her 2/3 times a day this wouldn't happen. all dogs need more then 1 walk a dog or you asking for trouble.

Hi, Could you take her to the Vet and get her checked over? If this messing has only occurred in the last month or so she may have a slight problem in that department.

sarah_c wrote: do you think we are asking too much for her to be allowed up stairs some night and not others? is it too much for her to comprehend.

as for her walks, at the moment, one long walk a day, then she sleeps for the rest of the day lol.

Yes, I do think you're confusing her with sonetimes being allowed upstairs and sometimes not. She really won't understand the difference. I think you need to come to an agreement all round about where she's going to sleep & then stick to it.

I honestly don't know why she's started to do this recently, assuming of course that nothing has happened during the last few months to upset her routine.

As for the walks, I don't think the lack of walks is the reason she's messing overnight, but I do think that only one walk a day is just not enough. How long is the walk you give her right now?

Ideally a dog (any dog, any breed) should be taken out at least twice a day, preferably three times. The timing of those walks can be worked into your own daily routines, but they really ought to be done. Anything less just isn't fair on the dog. They need the sort of exercise, both mental & physical, that only one walk doesn't fully cover.

Has any other routine been changed?

Thanks for your suggestion, I think that is what I was leaning towards in my own mind, all or nothing approach to the sleeping arrangements. Just needed to hear it from someone else.

I totally understand the need for walks, but I also know that right now I can only offer her what she gets. Which is either a long walk on the lead or a shorter more intense session chasing a ball (which she loves!) but also tells me when she has had enough) I whole heartidly believe that isn't suffering in any way from this, but I also understand it can be improved on. And as soon as that becomes possible it will be done. I also believe that by living with us and getting the love and attention she gets currently is much better than any other solution (I.e re-homing) because of our one walk a day. I love my dog and totally want the best for her. If I was doing something horrifically wrong fair enough, but in the grand scheme of things she isn't experiancing any harm or neglect in my opionion.

I think I am getting way too defensive now on the subject

I agree with Caryll on the routine I think it may be a little confusing and disorienting for her , is there any real reason why you let her up some nights and not others ??

sarah_c wrote:Thanks for your suggestion, I think that is what I was leaning towards in my own mind, all or nothing approach to the sleeping arrangements. Just needed to hear it from someone else.

I totally understand the need for walks, but I also know that right now I can only offer her what she gets. Which is either a long walk on the lead or a shorter more intense session chasing a ball (which she loves!) but also tells me when she has had enough) I whole heartidly believe that isn't suffering in any way from this, but I also understand it can be improved on. And as soon as that becomes possible it will be done. I also believe that by living with us and getting the love and attention she gets currently is much better than any other solution (I.e re-homing) because of our one walk a day. I love my dog and totally want the best for her. If I was doing something horrifically wrong fair enough, but in the grand scheme of things she isn't experiancing any harm or neglect in my opionion.

I think I am getting way too defensive now on the subject

Believe me, I'm not saying you're ill treating your dog, neither am aI trying to start a witch-hunt! I'm fully aware that we can't always do exactly what is 'right' by them. She's obviously very well looked after & is happy & healthy - well done for that! But she really would benefit from another walk a day. Please give it some thought.

I know she would benefit from it, which is why I have said as soon as it is possible it will be done.

Steve, I do get your point but repeating it over and over will not make me get it any more than I already do.

A trip to the vets is due anyway for boosters so I will be sure to mention it then. I don't think it is a physical problem though otherwise it wouldn't only be confined to specific triggers such as being left down stairs at night. All other times she lets us know when she wants out.

The only reason it isn't consistent is my husbands shifts are odd and he works nights sometimes, I guess it's a selfish reason of having her with me for security on those nights. But also because I am a soft touch and so on the days she is at home alone, I pay someone to come walk her but then still feel guilty and let her in bed with us those nights too. It's the old age saying, it's not the dog with a problem it's the owners. It just boggles my mind that after all this time doing it this way, she now starts to react.

Hi, I'm sure she gets plenty of attention and lots going on to keep her busy being in a family with young kids. My 2 kids certainly keep My staffs busy, My eldest has started putting jumps in the garden so they now have a little corse to do although maisy not up for it, scooby enjoys being bossed around!

Mine get 2 walks a day, morning and tea time, there's no way I could walk them late a night as My oh works away a lot...but that suits us all...

I also think you need a set sleeping place, maybe just a bed in your room would work x

Ha ha you know my son does exactly the same thing with the jumps. He takes the broom and mop outside and uses her regular food as treats to get her to jump, never mind that she has a bowl full of the exact same thing, to eat without the jumping, just goes to show how much they love it.

We are also luck that we have a wire fence between is and next door who have a dog too, they spend hours running up and down together and (somehow) passing toys to each other lol

Ok off to eBay I go to get her a nice big pillow to have her own bed in our room

Good luck Sarah I bet the fence think with the 2 dogs must be wortha chuckle

You'll have to get a video of them running up & down the fence together & post it here!

Aww.. u Can get pillows really cheap at carboot/market, I got a huge one for £8 u might have to keep putting her back on it if she sneaks in with u but she'll soon get the message

Let us know how you get on x

I would think the change of routine has confused her. A bed of her own in your room should help if not solve your issue.

Okay, just my view, I think its the stair gate. Cos she now cant go up the stairs of her own free will anymore, she thinks she has done wrong. She was also the first one to go to your daughter when she crys, thats been cut off from her too. And she cant get upstairs to sleep either. I really think its the stair gate. But I do agree she does need an extra walk at least. I know you are doing your best, and she is very loved, we can see that. Hope it goes well with the bed in your bedroom.

Hummm that's an interesting point. Because I know once we go to bed she waits a little while then checks the stair gate, if it's open she sneaks upstairs, if it's closed, perhaps that's when she does the deed.

Is there a reason why you have the stair gate closed at night?

Only to stop her coming up when I need a good nights sleep, it gives me back ache when there is me hubby and pooch in bed lol.

Can you just shut your door, and maybe have her bed upstairs, outside your room? Don't know if that'd help - it might.

As some of you may know..i got Jess about 9 days ago,i and my son give her plenty of walks and she has started weeing in the living room again.Always after we go to bed.She did it for the first couple of nights then stopped,but i woke up this morning to find out she had done it again .the missus aint that impressed.I at first put it down to her missing her old owners and the change in enviroment.but now i am just baffled

I had a greyhound that always messed at night until we moved him into our room. Charlie did the same until he was about a year old, but he's happy to sleep on the sofa or in his crate now with no problems. In your situation, I would just have her on her own bed in your room, which it sounds like you've decided to do. Hope its working out for you.

Then the best thing to do is put your dogs bed in your bedroom, and the same for Jess too.
Reason for this is cos I had the same problem with Pixee, she use to sleep on the landing right outside our bedroom door. But about amonth ago, she stared weeing in her bed. We moved her bed into our bedroom, and the problem has not happened again since. She loves going to bed now. And is allowed on our bed first thing everymorning.

Definitely sounds like an anxiety thing. She isn't allowed to freely go upstairs and she is probably anxious that she cant get to check on everyone. I would do as suggested but also as your daughter will get older and bolder i would put a gate on your bedroom door also so you can still hear her but keep the dog in, as im sure you know when kids sneak out of their rooms they will get up to all sorts and having a dog freely roaming won't be a good idea for those times!

Quick update for you all. So we tried leaving the stair gate open but shutting our door, but she peed that night again. So we have reinstated her crate, it is in our room, I was worried after not been in it for a while that she wouldn't like it anymore. But she has been in it for 2 nights now, and apart from a little whine the first night (apparently, so my hubby says but I didn't hear anything so it couldn't have been much) she has been fine.

Tonight is the real test, husband is at work so she usually would sleep with me on the bed, but I'm going to be consistent and put her in her crate again tonight. Fingers crossed, I really hope this works! She is going on a 'holiday' with friends this weekend as we are goin away. She has stayed with friends and family efote but I'd like to be confident she won't mess in other peoples houses! (she will have her crate while on 'holiday')

Fingers crossed everyone! and thanks to all that commented and helped x happy dog = happy owners.

Well done and thanks for the update x

Jess has stopped her messing and seems alot better in the house,so all is good here

Timmy69 wrote:Jess has stopped her messing and seems alot better in the house,so all is good here

Good stuff it can be a bit stressful at times