[Kim H]

I have two dachshunds, one of which we just adopted as a rescue about 6 weeks ago. He didn't have any accidents the first five weeks and used the dog door every time he needed to eliminate, but in the past week he has had many intentional eliminations in the house. He has emptied his whole bladder multiple times, so I do not believe that he is marking. It's as if he has completely forgotten that he is (or at least was) housebroken.

There are only two things that I can think of that could have caused this sudden change in his behavior. One, I have stopped taking them on walks in the mornings because it has gotten too cold for them. Two, my family and I went on vacation and left him and the other dog with a petsitter for about 5 days. Could either of these two incidents caused him to suddenly "forget", or perhaps to act out by peeing in the house?

I am so stressed about this. I got a rescue so I WOULDN'T have to deal with the whole housebreaking issue as much as I did with my puppy, and now it's worse than ever. We love him so we would never dream of giving him up, but I can honestly say I don't like him very much right now!

What could have caused this, and what should I do about it?

 

[Dawnben]

I have two dachshunds, one of which we just adopted
There are only two things that I can think of that could have caused this sudden change in his behavior. One, I have stopped taking them on walks in the mornings because it has gotten too cold for them. Two, my family and I went on vacation and left him and the other dog with a petsitter for about 5 days. Could either of these two incidents caused him to suddenly "forget", or perhaps to act out by peeing in the house?

Both could be the problem. Get them sweaters and walk them it is an important part of their day. Bonding with you and getting exercise are important. The pet sitter thing may have made the new dog feel insecure. I would say keep the dog close maybe on a lead so you can keep a close eye on him. Maybe train him to ring a bell when he needs to go out. Clicker training is great for that

 

[fawkese1]

first welcom

second, yes, either or both of those things could be what caused his current problem, check out this thread:
http://www.dogforum.com/housebreaking-puppies/house-training-how-tos-2135/
for tips, and start over with him it shouldn't take quite as long for him to get the idea the second time around...

you may also want to look into a belly band

third, and most importantly, any time there is a sudden change in this type of behavior, it is very important to rule out UTIs either take him to the vet or call and see if they would accept a urine sample (hard to get a clean one tho, so they might not)

fourth, good luck, there is a light at the end of the tunnel with this



Dog | Forum | Rocks!

 

[Kim H]

Thank you! We actually have a doggy door so that is part of why I have been so surprised at his behavior, since he always has free access outside. I guess I'm back to square one with the house training. But I do like the idea of getting them sweaters!!

 

[Kim H]

Also, thank you for the link to the house training how to's. And thank you so much for the encouragement!!

 

[Barb]

Also if it is cold there, do you think he doesn't want to go outside because it is cold? I know my pup can get picky about the rain or snow.

 

[Holly]

As fawkese1 stated- please rule out medical conditions first.

How old is he? How is his water intake? Is he urinating more frequently than usual? (may be hard for you to decide since you haven't had him long). Does he look like he is straining to urinate at all?

I recommend not just dropping off a urine sample, but having an exam. There are a bunch of medical problems associated with possibly increased urination and "loss of being housebroken"- not just urine issues like a UTI or stones/crystals but also metabolic issues. If urine analysis and bloodwork rule out medical issues, then unfortunately it seems like you're back to square one.... :-(