# Puppy pees in house when ignored



## [email protected]

Is it possible for a 11 mo. old puppy to pee in the house just because she is angry you are not paying attention to her? It is happening when we are watching TV or are on the computer and just ignore her. It doesn't matter whether or not she has recently been outside. Today it happened within 30 minutes of her peeing outside (I witnessed her do it outside) so I know it wasn't because she couldn't hold it any longer. this has only started happening in the last 2 weeks. What can I do besides drop everything to pay attention to her. By the way, we work from home so sometimes we can not drop a phone call or get up from the computer to pay attention to her.


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## pugmom

what do you do when she has an accident?


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## [email protected]

Scold her, put her outside and clean up the mess!


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## pugmom

Then she is getting exactly what she wants 

You are reinforcing this behavior .....if you cant be interacting w/her they maybe you should try crate training her until she is trustworthy (not to pee)

I would also try taking her for a long walk/run before you know you need to sit down and do some work....then put her in her crate w/a yummy treat like a frozen peanut butter kong


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## opokki

It's not because she's angry, it's because she's learned that this works to get your attention. For prevention, crate or otherwise confine her when you are busy. Give her a special chew or a stuffed kong to keep her occupied during this time. If she happens to get a chance to urinate for attention again, do not acknowledge her. Confine her (unemotionally), clean up and concentrate on prevention.


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## [email protected]

Good advice, but I'm not sure about the attention part. She doesn't do it where she is visible to us, she hides. Sometimes we don't find it until much after the fact. I would agree about the attention if she was doing it in front of us but is she associating the act with the attention if the attention comes a 1/2 hour or more later? I know I shouldn't scold if I don't catch her in the act. This is new behavior in a dog that has had a "spotless" potty record up until about 2 wks. ago. She is 11 mos. and we've had her since 8 wks old.


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## GeorgeGlass

[email protected] said:


> Good advice, but I'm not sure about the attention part. She doesn't do it where she is visible to us, she hides. Sometimes we don't find it until much after the fact. I would agree about the attention if she was doing it in front of us but is she associating the act with the attention if the attention comes a 1/2 hour or more later? I know I shouldn't scold if I don't catch her in the act. This is new behavior in a dog that has had a "spotless" potty record up until about 2 wks. ago. She is 11 mos. and we've had her since 8 wks old.


The theory that dogs aren't vindictive, that's just an anthropomorphism, is the common thought. Like you, I'm not sure I buy it.

Fortunately, whether you buy into it or not, the solution is the same.

After my dog mostly settled in, he appeared to be angry with me when I would go in the shower in the morning behind a closed, locked door. Even though he would go out just before, he messed the carpet in front of the bathroom door.

I was angry, but I just took a deep breath, put him in his crate so he didn't see me clean it up, clean it up then let him out and acted like nothing happened. And then I treated him like an unhousetrained puppy. He never left my sight. I either kept him gated so he was in a room I was, crated if I had to move around a bunch or tethered to me with a leash. Over a period of MONTHS, I let him have more and more freedom. Now he's fine.

My thought to the key: He saw that wasn't a way to act that got me mad (and therefore accomplished his goal).

The traditional theory's basis on why it worked: I didn't give him the chance for it to be a stimulus for attention.

One other thought: Since your dog is 11 months old, she is entering her "teenage" years. That could mean the training regresses some. The next few months will require additional patience.


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## [email protected]

Thanks for all the good advice. 

"Patience is a virtue", especially in dog training!


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