Why my dog pees in the house

My dog is peeing in the house

Your dog may need to master his house training skills

Why is my dog peeing in the house?

When bad things happen to good people, we often ask ourselves: “WHY?” and this is the first thing pet owners say when they discover that their dog has peed somewhere in the house. When your dog pees in the house and you can find it, this is the best case scenario; the worst case scenario is when you can smell the dog pee in the house, but you just can’t find it.

Medical issues may cause your dog to regress

There is no simple answer why your dog is peeing in the house, because it could be anything from a lack of training or a case of  over anxiety to a bladder infection or diabetes. It is important to check with your vet to make sure there are no underlying health problems; this is particularly true if your dog was once house trained and now has regressed to having accident in the house.

House Training

The most common, non-medical reason that a dog may urinate around the house is a lack of proper house training. Dogs naturally develop habits of where they would like to pee. This means that when your dog finds a place where he prefers to urinate, he is likely to continue peeing in that same area; so it is very important that you teach him early on where he should eliminate.

If you have a rescue dog or a dog that has a long history of living in kennels – then there could be a higher chance that your dog hasn’t learned his house training lessons quite as well. It’s often easy for them to slip back into bad habits, especially if they’ve never mastered this aspect of their training or it wasn’t reinforced frequently enough.

Punishing your dog may cause additional peeing in the house

Emotional reasons that your dog may pee in the house:

• Excitement or joy
• Fear or submission
• Stress or anxiety

Because these issues are emotional, the difficulty you face in overcoming the problem will vary depending on the cause. Ultimately, patience and consistency will be essential for the best results. Punishing your dog can make him scared of you, and this will make him more likely to pee in different rooms and areas that you don’t know about.

Medical Issues

Dogs who pee in the house may need medical attention

It is possible that your dog has a medical condition that is causing this unwanted behavior.

There are a variety of medical issues that can make it difficult for your dog to wait to go outside. These include:

• Bladder infections
• Change in diet
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Urinary infections

Many of the medical conditions that commonly cause inappropriate urination can quickly         become serious for your dog so it is important that you visit your vet to rule out a medical problem.

Moving Forward

Even after you have determined that there are no medical concerns, never punish your dog for inappropriate urination. Don't rub your dog's nose in it, shout or hit     your dog. Punishment will only make insecurities and anxiety worse. Much can be gained by understanding your dog and why this inappropriate behavior is happening.

Always remember that a dog learns faster from praise for doing the right thing rather than punishment for doing the wrong thing.

If you need further support in dealing with your dog peeing in the house, join the conversation in our Facebook Group.

My new dog sleeps all day

Understanding your new dog

Let sleeping dogs lie - and don't worry about them

Bella, photo by Katherine Kraus

Many people contract with our professional pet sitting service after they have added a new furry friend to their home. This new lifestyle change can be as scary as it is exciting. This is some of the information we share with our new clients.

New dog anxiety

Hunter, photo by Leanne Fortini

The good and bad news is that new dog anxiety is a real thing that many new pet parents experience. The good part is that you are totally average should you experience this. The bad part is that you can really become stressed out.

Many people expect to have an immediate close bond with their new dog. Don't take it personal or worry if it takes some time for you and your new best friend to look like you've been together forever. Even if you know of someone that had the immediate BFF experience, that doesn't mean that anything is wrong with you and/or your dog.

One of the biggest worries after an adoption: I think my new dog is depressed.

Two observations that often lead to this worry are:    

• My dog stays in the crate even when the door is open

• All my dog wants to do is sleep           

 If you have either of these concerns, please keep reading.       

The purpose of this article is to help relieve concerns linked to new adoptions and rescue pups and their sleeping habits.

Remo, photo by AHB Pet & Home Care

Dogs who prefer their crates

Despite the whole family being in the living room, your pup may go right into his crate and take a nap. This "disinterest" in the family is not necessarily disinterest at all and it definitely does not confirm depression. Many dogs just really love their crates! Also, depending on the age and background of your new friend, he may not be into play time all of the time. In his crate he can be undisturbed and feel safe.

If you have set up a nice comfy crate that your pup loves, then good job to you. The fact that your pup has a place that he considers his personal space in the home is great.

Bailey, photo by Ashley Obara

K.C., photo by Courtney Kraas

How long should my dog sleep?

The average adult dog sleeps between 12 and 14 hours each day. This can be spaced out over any number of naps. Typically your pet will adjust to your sleep pattern; so if you sleep for 8 hours at night, she will nap for 4 to 6 hours throughout the day.

If you have other dogs, you may be worried because of the differences in their sleeping patterns, but breed, age and background have lots to do with their sleep.

Jasper and Mylie, photo by AHB Pet & Home Care

Puppies - Young dogs need more sleep because they are growing. Also, while they are potty-training, they are often up a number of times during the night.

Seniors - Because of their life expectancies, different breeds are considered senior at different ages (ranging between 6 and 11 years old). However, all senior dogs require more sleep. Don't be alarmed if your senior adoptee sleeps as much as 20 hours every day. This may involve more rest than deep sleep.

Working dogs- Both active working dogs and those bred for service work, such as German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers, often require less sleep during the day, even if they are companion dogs.

Brodie, photo by Margaret Ann Hillesheim Timmons

A new life for your new friend will require adjustments for everyone, but especially for the new dog. Patience and love will work wonders. However, please contact your vet if your pup seems to be experiencing symptoms that may require medical attention.

Toby, photo by Jenn Dunn Zollo

AHB Pet & Home Care would like to give a warm thanks to all of the Western Mass families that let us include photos of their sleeping beauties in this blog. THANK YOU!!!

Learn more about caring for your pet on our Facebook Page

Food aggression in dogs

Helping your dog overcome food aggression

Like humans, dogs differ in  what they consider valuable. Some dogs only guard chew bones or toys, others guard stolen items and many dogs guard food. Likewise, some dogs only guard their treasures from certain people while other dogs don't want anyone near their valuables. The simple process below is designed to help relieve the anxiety that is often the cause of food guarding.

For your safety:
> Do NOT attempt the suggestion below with children.
> Do NOT punish or intimidate your dog when food guarding.
> Do NOT try to pet food aggressive dog while eating.

To relieve your dog's anxiety, try this:

1. While your dog is eating, walk up to the bowl and throw in small pieces of bacon or another treat. Keep doing this at meal times so that the dog will start to get excited when you come to the bowl. Depending on your dog's level of anxiety, this may take some time.
2. When your dog is comfortable having you at the bowl, take the bowl away and show him that you are adding treats to the bowl. This system can help dogs to realize that when you take the bowl away it comes back even better.

The simple process above may not be appropriate in all cases. Many food aggressive dogs are motivated by fear and anxiety. Therefore, helping your dog may require the assistance of a behaviorist or qualified trainer. Examples of cases that should seek assistance are:

• Families with very aggressive resource guarders and children in the home
• Pet owners who feel that their dog may bite them during the training process
• If the training stresses the dog to stop eating, but he still guards his bowl

For additional training tips, visit us at: www.facebook.com/ahbsitters