# Peeing when I leave the house



## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

So my 45 lbs dog who is a ACD has separation anxiety. She pees or poops on the dinning room carpet everytime I leave the house. Be it 5 minutes or 5 hours. How can I fix this? She has a doggy door, and she is about 4 years old, I've had her over a year. I am a high school student so you can imagine I leave the house frequently. 


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## asuna (Sep 26, 2013)

Crate her when you leave? is that a possible solution? or confineher to an area with no carpets so its easier clean up?


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## llillio (Aug 15, 2013)

You should definitely consider crate training her.


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

I agree crate train your dog.


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

I wouldn't want her to be in a crate all day though. 

She does have a crate, it's in my room, she goes there when she is scared (by herself) or if she just wants to sleep. It's a happy place right now. It took a long time tog et this fearful dog to go in there and stay and trust. I wouldn't want her associating it with me leaving. Plus my mom is often home when I'm not.


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## BubbaMoose (May 14, 2013)

Crate training your dog doesn't mean throwing your SA dog in there when you leave and expecting her to automatically be okay for 8-10 hours. 

It's something that will take time, work, and effort on your behalf and eventually can be made a positive thing too. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a dog being in a crate while it's owner is away, many people do it - and it sounds like this option is in your dogs best interest being that she can't keep from going to the bathroom in the house when you're not there. It's one of the most safe and secure options for dogs that are not quite ready to have free roam of the house when their owners aren't present.

Crate training her, if done properly, can eliminate the issue that you're having and above all things can help her feel safe when you're away. It sounds like you already have a good foundation set if she willingly retreats there when she's worried or for a nap. I highly agree with the other posters that you should work on this with her. I think it will help. 


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## asuna (Sep 26, 2013)

V-paw said:


> I wouldn't want her to be in a crate all day though.
> 
> She does have a crate, it's in my room, she goes there when she is scared (by herself) or if she just wants to sleep. It's a happy place right now. It took a long time tog et this fearful dog to go in there and stay and trust. I wouldn't want her associating it with me leaving. Plus my mom is often home when I'm not.
> 
> ...


and what do you think the rest of us do to our dogs when we go to work?

we crate them for the most part, thats where most dogs who pee on floors, chew things or cannot be trusted alone go.

Sounds like this is YOUR dog not your family dog not your moms dog if it was part your moms dog she wouldnt allow it to pee or poo in the house if she was home, as she would know it does it and immediately take it out after you leave for school

the crate is a very happy place as long as you fill it with food, water toys treats and interactive toys your dog will fine you can leave it in there for about 8-10 hours
I highly suggest crate training i feel you have the wrong impression of it


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

Crating is a good idea if she can't be trusted. She might be MORE comfortable in her crate than left out. She knows her crate is safe. You might also want to desensitize her to you leaving. Spend time leaving over and over again. Get your things together like you would when you are leaving, walk out the door, shut the door, then come back in again (ignoring the dog), put down all your stuff, wait for your dog to calm down... repeat! Gradually increase how long you're leaving for. You don't have to go anywhere, just be out of the house. My dog gets a special treat (Trader Joe's Jerky strip) when I leave. He LOVES them, and goes nuts when he sees me getting one out. He will run at a full clip to his crate to get his treat. For him, me leaving = OMG I GET A JERKY STRIP!! Dopey dog.

If the SA is that bad, you might need to talk to your vet about some medication while you work on behavior modification.


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

Most dogs sleep all day. If your crate is large enough for your dog to stretch out and stand up, which it should be, then it should be fine as long as you don't use it as a punishment. Zoey does what Hambonez said as well .... 'I get a cookie for going in there, GREAT ... RUN!!!'


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

The thing is that she will only be able to lay there. She doesn't play with toys at all, she doesn't eat when I'm gone, here's no place to put water in there. She likes my grandma, when I go on vacation my grandma takes care of her and she is over Tuesdays and Thursdays while I'm at school.


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## asuna (Sep 26, 2013)

V-paw said:


> The thing is that she will only be able to lay there. She doesn't play with toys at all, she doesn't eat when I'm gone, here's no place to put water in there. She likes my grandma, when I go on vacation my grandma takes care of her and she is over Tuesdays and Thursdays while I'm at school.
> 
> 
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 if theres no place to put a water dish the crate is too small


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## Pugtown (Aug 9, 2012)

Another alternative is to make a gated area around the doggie door! My dogs have the whole "back dining room" with tile and the doggie door to themselves.


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## petpeeve (Jun 10, 2010)

V-paw said:


> She pees or poops on the dinning room carpet everytime I leave the house.





> I leave the house frequently.


Perhaps just asking the obvious here but, are you making sure the carpet is thoroughly cleaned each time ? If your dog has been eliminating there so 'frequently', I imagine the underside of that carpet and the floorboards are actually pretty putrid by now. I'd be tempted to rip it out completely, and just go with a bare tile floor. 

And, as you probably know, if there are any trace smells of urine or feces remaining there your dog will be inclined to keep returning to the same spot .... again and again .....

At least that would give you a 'fresh' start before you implement any further training.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

asuna said:


> if theres no place to put a water dish the crate is too small


I disagree. The crate should be big enough for the dog to stand up and turn around, but it shouldn't have things like a water bowl in there. You're just asking for it to get tipped over and your dog spending the day wet.


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## Pugtown (Aug 9, 2012)

Dogs should not be restricted from access to water all day long IMO. Yes you can have a water bowl that attaches to a crate wall that might not as easily get tumped over. Mine are zip-tied to the crate and I don't fill it more than half full. So put a towel or something under it to catch water. The whole crate area won't get wet.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

Pugtown said:


> Dogs should not be restricted from access to water all day long IMO. Yes you can have a water bowl that attaches to a crate wall that might not as easily get tumped over. Mine are zip-tied to the crate and I don't fill it more than half full. So put a towel or something under it to catch water. The whole crate area won't get wet.


I also don't think a dog should be locked in a crate all day long without a break, in which case when the dog goes out mid-day, it would have access to water. Otherwise yes, having water suspended to the crate wall would be the way to go, or having a hamster waterer type thing, but I maintain that a bowl of water sitting in a crate is asking for trouble. If the crate is large enough to have a "dining room" then it's too big.


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## Pugtown (Aug 9, 2012)

Hambonez said:


> If the crate is large enough to have a "dining room" then it's too big.


That's still a matter of opinion and preference. Not fact. Maybe it is too big for your dog. Mine (up to 12) do just fine with a crate with a dining area and toy room and a chew bone and a soft bed. I take care of dogs who just had heartworm treatment and they live in their crates and only go out 4-5 times a day for at least 30 days. And that's my preference and it works for us. The ones I foster with UTI's get more breaks and plenty of fluids. Hopefully, the original poster can figure something out.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

Pugtown said:


> That's still a matter of opinion and preference. Not fact. Maybe it is too big for your dog. Mine (up to 12) do just fine with a crate with a dining area and toy room and a chew bone and a soft bed. I take care of dogs who just had heartworm treatment and they live in their crates and only go out 4-5 times a day for at least 30 days. And that's my preference and it works for us. The ones I foster with UTI's get more breaks and plenty of fluids. Hopefully, the original poster can figure something out.


It sounds like both of you are talking about different things. Pugtown, it sounds like you're talking about an ex-pen type setup, something like this;












Hambonez is talking about just a crate, like this;


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

I think, too, that Hambonez is talking about crating for potty training; whereas, Pugtown is talking about crating for confinement. If the overall issue is separation anxiety, crating alone may not solve the issue as others have said.

I'd also recommend a vet check if your pup is having frequent accidents, just to be safe.


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## Pugtown (Aug 9, 2012)

ireth0 said:


> Pugtown, it sounds like you're talking about an ex-pen type setup


No xpens. Just a crate with way too much room according to some. Here's one of my little guys with his water bowl hanging up, a toy, marrow bone and bed. It works for us. Probably won't work for some. They use medium sized crates and they can stand up on their back legs in some of them. I only use small crates for transporting in the car. The crate bank I have on order will have each crate at 24 wide x 18 deep x 20 high (x 12 units).

Sure for some kinds of crate training or for certain circumstances, you might want to start with something small, but I've never had to do that.


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## asuna (Sep 26, 2013)

Hambonez said:


> I disagree. The crate should be big enough for the dog to stand up and turn around, but it shouldn't have things like a water bowl in there. You're just asking for it to get tipped over and your dog spending the day wet.


and i disagree with you i wouldnt let my dog in his crate for over 8 hours without water thats just down right cruel. i do have a water bowl in my crate he has never spilled it, he can stand turn around and lay comfortable to chew his toys

we are talking about a highschool student here, he/she probably DOES NOT have the luxury to drive home on lunches take the dog out for some water
he/she may not even drive therefore coming home on lunch break wouldnt work.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

I'd suggest starting with a very very good carpet cleaning, maybe renting one of the cleaners from Lowes/HD for an afternoon. Use an enzyme cleaner like white vinegar or Nature's Miracle.

Then make a space where at least if she pees, she won't damage anything. You can get a big scrap of vinyl flooring as a remnant fairly cheaply and put a pen on top of that. 

Try one of the herbal anti-anxiety chews or water additives, I've had some luck with that for dogs that were anxious on car rides or in crowds. A Thundershirt is another thing to consider, they are money-back guaranteed. If that doesn't help, talk to the vet about anti-anxiety medication. There are different drugs that won't leave a dog "doped up" but will make her a lot less stressed out. 




asuna said:


> and i disagree with you i wouldnt let my dog in his crate for over 8 hours without water thats just down right cruel. i do have a water bowl in my crate he has never spilled it, he can stand turn around and lay comfortable to chew his toys


I often leave the fosters without a water bowl in their crate. Here's why-- a lot of them (initially at least) will drink the entire bowl of water immediately as soon as it is set down. So I can either give them a bowl of water 30 minutes or so before getting crated, which is then drunk down and they get a potty break before I leave for work OR I can put that same bowl in the crate which is then drunk down but they don't get a potty break after because by that time, I'm already gone. 

It isn't like I can refill the water when I'm not there anyway, so the empty bowl sitting there in the crate does nothing but turn into an unsafe chew toy. 

For the dogs that aren't crated, I fill a water bowl before I leave for work. Some of them (like my own dog) will sip on it all day or not even touch it, while others will drink it right away. They sleep the majority of the day and my house has central air conditioning for the warmer months, so a full bowl of water in the AM and free water access all evening meets their needs.


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

The crate is the perfect size. She can even stretch out in there, I just wouldn't wanna put a bowl in that. It also has a towel over it to creat more of a den feel? If I had something like a hanging bowl that'd be cool, I have one for my cats' taxi. I don't think my dog would drink from a hamster drop XD

Everytime she goes on the carpet we soak it up, apply some natures miracle solution, and then wait a while, and scrub. 

We need carpet in that room as it's a fancy dining room with a glass china display and other expensive things.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

What if you take her out before you leave, and give her a major treat when she goes potty? if she's empty she shouldn't have any left to go in the house .


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

Willowy said:


> What if you take her out before you leave, and give her a major treat when she goes potty? if she's empty she shouldn't have any left to go in the house .


I'll try that  she might just push out anything she has tho :/ and I'm usually in a rush before school  but I'll try it! Maybe int he winter since it's so nice in AZ she can just be outside instead of the kennel. What about pool water? She drinks that.. Is that suitable?


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

V-paw said:


> I'll try that  she might just push out anything she has tho :/ and I'm usually in a rush before school  but I'll try it! Maybe int he winter since it's so nice in AZ she can just be outside instead of the kennel. What about pool water? She drinks that.. Is that suitable?


I wouldn't let a dog drink pool water. A tiny sip while swimming isn't likely to hurt, but actually drinking it is very different. 

If you have a suitable outdoor space, then leaving her there might be a good choice. By "suitable" I mean, safe, secure, shaded, and not directly bordering anyone's property or where any strangers would have access to her. Somewhere she cannot dig or climb out of. A 4 foot fence is generally not enough. A 6 foot privacy fence or a 6 foot tall kennel set back from the fence line would be better.


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

Shell said:


> I wouldn't let a dog drink pool water. A tiny sip while swimming isn't likely to hurt, but actually drinking it is very different.
> 
> If you have a suitable outdoor space, then leaving her there might be a good choice. By "suitable" I mean, safe, secure, shaded, and not directly bordering anyone's property or where any strangers would have access to her. Somewhere she cannot dig or climb out of. A 4 foot fence is generally not enough. A 6 foot privacy fence or a 6 foot tall kennel set back from the fence line would be better.


Yes, there's a patio, an igloo, lots of trees on the sides, some bushes, an 8 foot cement fence, no dirt in the main area, there is gravel and stone ground. People leave their dogs out all the time around here. 


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## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

I'd crate the dog. I also have a dog (my westie mix, Maddie) who will pee EVERY time she's left alone out of her crate. We gave her two chances, then we were done...One of those times, we were camping, and she peed on our bed... She loves her crate and RUNS to it when we say "crate!" She gets a Kong with peanut butter smeared around the inside wall of it, as well as an antler and/or Himalayan Chew. I don't leave a water bowl in the crate-that's a disaster waiting to happen, IMO. She gets water mixed in her kibble in the morning, as well as access to water before we leave.


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## sharol46 (Nov 8, 2013)

It strikes me that no one has addressed the cause of the eliminating in the house. If I read it right, the OP is a high school student who has rescued a very timid dog. I'm not well enough educated to know exactly what causes behavior, but if this is an everyday thing, perhaps finding the cause might be a good idea. Peeing (and pooping to some degree) are demonstrations of submissiveness. Is the dog frightened or anxious when she leaves? Why? 

Certainly crate training is a workable idea. I have two foster dogs that I crate when I leave the house (if I'm only going to be gone a little while). I give them Kongs with peanut butter, and when I get home they are asleep in the crates. We have a fenced area (besides the fenced yard) that they are confined to (with access to shelter in the garage) if I'm going to be gone all day and the weather is decent.

On days Mom is home, can she take the dog out regularly to eliminate (really often at first then less and less as time goes by). Is it possible to strengthen the bond with Mom? I get the feeling that this is a one person dog (plus Grandma).

The OP is to be commended for taking care of this difficult dog and helping her (him?) to become a good citizen that the whole family can love.


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

sharol46 said:


> It strikes me that no one has addressed the cause of the eliminating in the house. If I read it right, the OP is a high school student who has rescued a very timid dog. I'm not well enough educated to know exactly what causes behavior, but if this is an everyday thing, perhaps finding the cause might be a good idea. Peeing (and pooping to some degree) are demonstrations of submissiveness. Is the dog frightened or anxious when she leaves? Why?


Dogs/puppies will pee and poo if given an opportunity until they learn. Both will not pee or poo if they have to lie in it unless they are forced to do so. A crate is a small enough area that the dog may hold it in because it doesn't want to sit in it. The dog may be scared or anxious when to OP leaves which may be another issue that the OP has to address. If the dog is not trained to hold it until outside then the house is the bathroom.

I've had dogs that would hold it forever because it didn't want to go outside because of the weather and I have dogs that when they need to go and it's past their bursting point will go wherever. We owned a Beagle 30+ years ago that now when I look back at it had SA (wasn't something that was thought of 30 years ago) and would pee and poop in the house if we went out, came back and didn't bring her outside to go even if you came back in 5 minutes and left again ... same dog would be OK if you just left and came back hours later.


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

It's deffinatly not a holding it issue because of the doggy door and the weather is good in the winter. 

I'd like to get to the root of it and train her out of it or fix the problem. She is a one person dog, the only time she likes my mom is if she takes her on a morning walk, which is rare. I bike or scooter with her daily, usually 2-5 miles a day since her breed needs that and she doesn't play with any toys.


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## sharol46 (Nov 8, 2013)

That was the impression I got of your first post. If she is retaliating because you are leaving her, then it becomes a discipline issue, if she is nervous, that is a different thing entirely. If you think she is "punishing" you for leaving her, then the crate training is probably the best answer. If it is nerves, maybe leaving her confined in an area where she is secure (a room? outside in a fence?) might work.

Good luck with her. Our fosters are pretty much housebroken, but then this evening, out of the blue, one of them peed on the floor (not sure which one). (throws up hands and slaps forehead) It sounds like you are really trying.



V-paw said:


> It's deffinatly not a holding it issue because of the doggy door and the weather is good in the winter.
> 
> I'd like to get to the root of it and train her out of it or fix the problem. She is a one person dog, the only time she likes my mom is if she takes her on a morning walk, which is rare. I bike or scooter with her daily, usually 2-5 miles a day since her breed needs that and she doesn't play with any toys.
> 
> ...


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## BubbaMoose (May 14, 2013)

OP, I have really great news for you. Your dog will never do anything in retaliation or to spite you. Those are human behaviors that are typically caused by the human thought process/emotions and your dog is a dog, not a human. 

Though I could, I really don't care to comment on anything else on sharol46's posts. I think a lot of the other things stated come down to difference of opinions and ultimately you'll need to decide what you feel is best for your dog. This is a public forum and although there is some really great advice given here, there is also some not so great advice given at times. I'd take a lot of what you read with a grain of salt, though I suppose that goes with many things. I just felt compelled to comment in regard to the dog acting out of spite because that is just ridiculous. 


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

BubbaMoose said:


> OP, I have really great news for you. Your dog will never do anything in retaliation or to spite you. Those are human behaviors that are typically caused by the human thought process/emotions and your dog is a dog, not a human.
> 
> Though I could, I really don't care to comment on anything else on sharol46's posts. I think a lot of the other things stated come down to difference of opinions and ultimately you'll need to decide what you feel is best for your dog. This is a public forum and although there is some really great advice given here, there is also some not so great advice given at times. I'd take a lot of what you read with a grain of salt, though I suppose that goes with many things. I just felt compelled to comment in regard to the dog acting out of spite because that is just ridiculous.
> 
> ...


Good, that's what I though  when I'm gone she usually just lays in the office (we call it her sad place) the whole time, ears down. And it has a window to the front and when it's about time for me to come back she looks out it, and always runs to the front door when she sees me coming.


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

She still does it, sometimes poops. I've tried crating but she is so desperate when I come back and is scared to go back in it overall. I don't want her to hate the crate.. I've worked hard to even get her to go in it by her own will. She doesn't play with toys is a big deal too why she is anxious, locked in there. She won't eat without me either so good toys haven't worked either, bones she will only chew with me there. Sometimes she'll take a bully stick but not often.


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

Yesterday we rented a heavy duty carpet cleaner machine. So we cleansed all the spots she have ever went on. Crossing my fingers, hope it works!

Does anyone know some good ways to deal with separation anxiety? I started giving my mom pieces of bully sticks, and leaving yogurt in her kong (frozen) and she loves those things so much (haven't actually tried the yogurt yet) that she will hesitantly actually take them. I hope that helps. She usually even gets a little walk without me. But every single day unless she was kept outside (where she doesn't actually walk around unless I'm there) there was a puddle. Always in the same places though, so maybe the carpet cleaner did it? 

I'm just not sure how a crate would work for her. It didn't work before, I can't put anything in there to comfort her, I don't want to break the trust she already has with it.


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

Seems to have worked! Yay!


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## V-paw (Jun 1, 2013)

Update: 
She still pees and poops when I leave... Not everytime but often. Usually in 2 places. We have tried to deap clean the carpet too. 
She does have a crate but I dont want to create her everytime I leave. She likes to sleep in there and spends time in it when I'm in the room


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