My husband and I have two dogs - a 7 year Pembroke Welsh Corgi and a 14 year old basset hound. Our problem is with the 14 year Basset Hound and it is one that I can't seem to find a solution for. This may sound funny, but Sydney is the most spiteful dog I have ever had. If you prevent her from doing something she wants, she immediately urinates or defecates near you. To give an example today my husband and I had pancakes and bacon for breakfast. We threw a bacon scented paper towel into the garbage ( located in the pantry with a cover on it). My husband noticed that she was heading for the garbage can, so he closed the pantry door. Sydney walked away and proceeded to defecate in the family room.
My husband will walk me to the car in the morning. If she is left behind she defecates. He goes to take a shower she will do the same thing. If she is following me into the bathroom and I close the door for privacy she will urinate in front of the door.
When leave the house for a few hours, our return home is always capped off with "I wonder if she has left us a mess to clean up?"
What complicates matters is that there are times when there are absolutely no problems at all. This past holiday we had family visiting. We were gone for several hours ( approximately 6). When we returned there were no accidents to clean up. The whole week they were visiting there weren't any accidents.
We have tried putting her in a crate when we go out; we have tried limiting her roaming area when we go out. None of these actions make any difference.
Any suggestions. We would love to stop this type of behavior!
Toletting in the house
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
Re: Toletting in the house
I would consult a dog behavorlist on this one. I have a friend that her cat hated her boy friend and would back up to anything of his and squirt it. come to find out this guy was a jerk and the cat knew it. Smart cat!
The best days are spent with my dogs.
Re: Toletting in the house
I doubt its spite as much as it may look like it - spite is a human thing to do, not a dog thing.
Your body language to her is like reading a book - to you, you dont even notice you are showing any.
You put something in the bin and she shows a sign of wanting it, as you walk to close the door your body language is HIGHLY likely to be saying 'you wont be getting THAT Madam..' or 'Ill stop that game before it starts'... or similar.
Another thing to bear in mind - toiletting for dogs is about WAY more than just releiving themselves of 'waste'. Its about identity, belonging somewhere, security, anxiety....
If shes used to following someone around and never ever being left, and you shut a door on her - that may be a situation she cannot cope with and her strategy to cope with it.. is go potty, make it smell like you live here.
Maybe (its always maybe, i cant read her mind), she sets her mind on doing a thing and when thwarted she cant cope - think about how YOU feel when you plan to do someting adn then you are prevented. It can range from just mild annoyance to being a very very distressing thing indeed, which is dependant on you, your personality, what that thing was, how much you wanted it, how much you knew youd enjoy it when it happened.... etc etc.
Hounds are pretty single minded about stuff especially scent hounds, if she think shes going to go somewhere, do something, get something.... and shes stopped by an insurmountable phsyiscal barrier.... she might actually find that really distressing.
Obviously this doesnt mean you let her eat bacony paper towels or follow you into the bathroom if you dont want to - but it ought to lead you to figuring out how you can teach her to cope with these things. Labelling her as spiteful definately wont.
So how can you improve her confidence, reduce anxiety, help her feel a little more in control of her world? What training do you do with her, what exercise does she get, each day?
Also what is she fed and how often?
Your body language to her is like reading a book - to you, you dont even notice you are showing any.
You put something in the bin and she shows a sign of wanting it, as you walk to close the door your body language is HIGHLY likely to be saying 'you wont be getting THAT Madam..' or 'Ill stop that game before it starts'... or similar.
Another thing to bear in mind - toiletting for dogs is about WAY more than just releiving themselves of 'waste'. Its about identity, belonging somewhere, security, anxiety....
If shes used to following someone around and never ever being left, and you shut a door on her - that may be a situation she cannot cope with and her strategy to cope with it.. is go potty, make it smell like you live here.
Maybe (its always maybe, i cant read her mind), she sets her mind on doing a thing and when thwarted she cant cope - think about how YOU feel when you plan to do someting adn then you are prevented. It can range from just mild annoyance to being a very very distressing thing indeed, which is dependant on you, your personality, what that thing was, how much you wanted it, how much you knew youd enjoy it when it happened.... etc etc.
Hounds are pretty single minded about stuff especially scent hounds, if she think shes going to go somewhere, do something, get something.... and shes stopped by an insurmountable phsyiscal barrier.... she might actually find that really distressing.
Obviously this doesnt mean you let her eat bacony paper towels or follow you into the bathroom if you dont want to - but it ought to lead you to figuring out how you can teach her to cope with these things. Labelling her as spiteful definately wont.
So how can you improve her confidence, reduce anxiety, help her feel a little more in control of her world? What training do you do with her, what exercise does she get, each day?
Also what is she fed and how often?
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
Re: Toletting in the house
Has she always been like this or has it come on recently?
Fourteen is very old for a hound. She would benefit from a full vet check - bnloods for organ function, sight, hearing, the lot. There might be a physical problem, or she might have the onset of senility, which makes dogs very insecure and more likely to potty out of stress.
It isn't spite. Their minds don't work that way.
Fourteen is very old for a hound. She would benefit from a full vet check - bnloods for organ function, sight, hearing, the lot. There might be a physical problem, or she might have the onset of senility, which makes dogs very insecure and more likely to potty out of stress.
It isn't spite. Their minds don't work that way.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
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