Help with soiling in the house

Don't want to bore you all with the history of my boy, but please ask if any clarification is needed. He is a 4 year old Staffy cross. He has gone through stages of soiling in the house, mainly if there has been a change in routine, i.e. son on school hols then goes back/my change in working hours etc but he seems to soon settle. However, now it is almost EVERY day and/or night. Sometimes I can only be out of the house for a half an hour and he has been walked before I go and he wees in the house. We live in a bungalow and the bathroom was his favourite place when I got a new washing basket, this has now had to be thrown out. He is walked about 8/9pm, then let out about 10.30pm into the garden before bed, this has always been his routine, but he soils in the night, wee and poo. Can anyone advise please what I can do as it is getting worse and I am finding it difficult to cope with. I am constantly cleaning and trying to rid the house of the smell. I can't afford to replace the carpets at the moment as I think that might help. I have tried so many different things, changing his food, taking up his water, even went back to crating for a while (as this has gone on over years not weeks) and he was even soiling in his crate some nights. I don't scold him, but I'm not sure what to do. Oh and he has been checked by the vet who says it is a behaviour issue.

Poor Buster, something has really upset his routines.

Can I ask a few questions? Some you've probably spoken about before, but without looking back through all the posts.... 

1. What sort of exercise does he get? Times, length, on lead/free running?
2. What food do you give him and when?
3. Can you think of any recent changes to routine or any scares etc?
4. Has he ever suffered from seperation anxiety?

Hi, thanks for your reply. Buster is a lovely dog but has been hard work and I have spent a lot of money on behaviour 'experts' who say I am too soft on him, but that is part of the boring bit I didn't start on. He pulls on a lead so he gets walked 3 times a day about 20 mins, he doesn't go for runs as he broke his back leg and still has problems with it and is prone to a limp in his front one too :-( He is fed twice a day, Asda or Sainsbury's tinned food as he won't eat dry food. These are the only two he will seem to eat. He hasn't shown separation anxiety as in destroying the house or biting himself and most of the soiling is at night time but some during the day. He isn't left longer than 4 hours at a time during the day when I am at work as my Mum comes to see to him. Nothing has changed recently. The most recent change was beginning of September when my son went to college after finishing school so he had been home but usually if there is any change like that he settles back down after a couple of weeks, however this is 2 months now. When he was a pup he was great getting toilet trained, happy to go out in the garden (has to be sent out though in the rain as he hates the rain). From behaviourists I have been told he is an anxious dog, one said she suspected he had dog adhd. He has a lovely temperament but is a very excitable dog and scared of absolutely everything on a walk too. Hope this helps.

My first thought would be to change his food. Although I'd always recommend dry over tinned, I understand that you've tried dry & he doesn't like it.

However, supermarket own brands are pretty bad, generally, and contain a lot of wheat/grains which can play havoc with digestion.

It's obviously up to you, but I would try changing to one of the grain free 'tray' foods if you're going to feed wet. The tins are about 80% water so you need to feed much more, and your dog will need to poo/wee more! Trays such as Wainwrights or Naturediet ( http://www.pet-supermarket.co.uk/Search/Naturediet?gclid=COHp9rTf17oCFUZY3godsgQApg ) would be a better choice.

Other than that, how do you deal with his bedtime and when you leave him? What's your routine?

Have you thought about going back to square one for the night time? ie get up at about 3 or 4am (Yes, I know it's a pain - been there, done that:D ) to let him into the garden. Then straight back to bed with no fuss. Then gradually make the toilet break later until he's going all night. You might find that you'd only have to do it for a week or two?

Thanks again, I have been out today and purchased some Wainwrights trays and a small bag of Wainwrights dry food to try to encourage him again. I have given him a small amount of the wet food with some of the dry in it and he has eaten it. I am slightly concerned at the protein content in the dry food as the behaviorists recommended trying to get 20% or less. I did read reviews of the Wainwrights before purchase and read some very positive things. I have seen it recommended on the forum here too.
His bedtime routine has never changed really. He knows it's bedtime and he goes out into the garden for a wee and then comes back in and goes to get on his chair where he sleeps and waits to have his blanket on him. That's about it really and to be fair it's just simply that. This has been the same from him being a puppy, apart from when he was crated. We live in a dormer bungalow so the bathroom door is shut and the lounge and he has access to the dining room (where he sleeps), kitchen and hall. As I mentioned previously he took a shine to the new washing basket so the bathroom is now out of bounds but I am finding he wees outside the bathroom door sometimes now at night. I can't stand the smell. I love my dog and it has been tough with him with one thing and another but I can't bear this soiling for much longer. I heard him up early hours of Saturday morning so I came downstairs but he had already done it, so I was cleaning up his mess at 3am   

What time is his last feed? You might've already said, but I'm using my phone & it's a pain to look back over the posts!

Don't worry about the protein content. It's the grains/fillers/additives that cause hyperactive behaviour, not protein. As long as he gets at least two decent walks a day he'll be fine!

I can't stand the smell

i've found this stuff works well ..
does what is sais on the container :-)

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/simple-solution-urine-destroyer-106361

~~~~~~~

there's no doubt other solutions for 'the smell'
thought i'd drop that in as 'Lady's been a bit wee-naughty since cold weather arrived .. and i've tried that stuff .. and it works ..
( .. bit pricey though .. )

Yes, it's pricey! Just as good is a solution of biological washing powder/liquid. It works & it's a lot cheaper!

I have tried that even though it is pricey but I find I have to use it all the time. I've also tried biological powder. I change my mop regularly too. I've tried spraying white vinegar around as it was another suggestion. His favourite place is the dining room. Thankfully he has NEVER soiled in the lounge or my son's bedroom which is downstairs. I know some dogs just 'go' everywhere. That has added to the confusion. He never used to 'go' in the bathroom until I bought the new washing basket. It has been so frustrating.

His last feed is usually 5.00/5.30. As mentioned before he is walked 3 times a day normally but 20 minute walks each as he is a puller. I have tried the canny collar but all his does with this is knock himself into my legs all the time. I have tried and tried and tried with these things with Buster. One of the behaviourists said many would have given up before me but I can't as he has been here since a pup and he's our family pet I couldn't just give up on him.

With the pooing/peeing overnight, has the new food helped at all? If not, it may be helpful to set your alarm for about 2am (I know it's a pain!) and pop him to the garden quickly, then straight back to bed. After a couple of days, start to set the alarm later by a quarter of an hour & gradually get him used to waiting a little longer.

Regarding the pulling, have you used the tirn & walk the other way method? If not, just let me know & I'll take you through it.

If you've tried that, then maybe a check chain will be the answer (but only once you've tried eveything else!). But if you use a check, please read the link below as a chain used wrongly can badly hurt your dog's neck, oesophegus and larynx.
https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t3292-check-chains-how-to-use-them#52018

Well the first night my son was still awake at 1am and let him out and there was nothing when I came down at 7am. Last night, he went out at 11pm and I came down about 6.45 and he had poo'd but no wee. So fingers crossed. My son said he will let him out again about 12 midnight tonight and see what happens. With regards to walking I have tried the turning back around. I have tried the stopping. I have tried treats but all his does then is bounce around because he knows I have treats. I use a half check collar as I find he walks best with this. He doesn't pull as bad as he did, but unfortunately as I am the one that walks him I get a lot of head aches when I walk him due to the repeated strain on my neck and shoulders. I do find if I stick to the same route he is not too bad, but he is such a nervy thing if I go somewhere new with him he hates it.

Toddyjo wrote:Well the first night my son was still awake at 1am and let him out and there was nothing when I came down at 7am.  Last night, he went out at 11pm and I came down about 6.45 and he had poo'd but no wee.  So fingers crossed.   My son said he will let him out again about 12 midnight tonight and see what happens.  With regards to walking I have tried the turning back around.   I have tried the stopping.   I have tried treats but all his does then is bounce around because he knows I have treats.   I use a half check collar as I find he walks best with this.  He doesn't pull as bad as he did, but unfortunately as I am the one that walks him I get a lot of head aches when I walk him due to the repeated strain on my neck and shoulders.   I do find if I stick to the same route he is not too bad, but he is such a nervy thing if I go somewhere new with him he hates it.  

Try the check chain. I know a lot of people will disagree, but if you've tried everything else, then you need to do something or walks will be miserable for both of you!

You must use it properly, though, that's very important. And only use it for training.

Update today is that my son let Buster out about midnight. I set my alarm for 4am but he had already poo'd! No wee, just poo? He isn't keen on the food but I think he realises this is it so eats it.

You could try him with Naturediet trays. They seem to be quite palatable to most dogs, and you can warm them up a little which releases more of the scent & flavour.

hi i had the same problem with my girl and for the last week she hasnt wee/poo indoors at night, i dont know what other people have wrote but the way i done it was i took her for a walk as soon as i got up around 10/11am then about 4/5 pm then again at 8/9pm then just before i went to bed whatever time that would be(sometimes i would go back home as soon as she went toilet cause she dosent like the cold so they dont have to be long walks), i also woodnt feed her any later than a certain time mine was 6/7pm but thats cause i went to bed late so you would have to adjust that to suit you, i also fed her tinned and biscuits in the morning and only biscuits at night maybe a tiny bit of tinned just to get a smell on the dry that has worked for me so far for the night time, now i just have to stop her going when i leave her