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.

Dog hygeine: Ear Cleaning

Cleaning dog's ears contributes to good health

Do I need to clean my dog’s ears?

Yes! Cleaning your dog's ears is an important way to keep your dog healthy, reduce the chance of ear infections and excess wax build up. The regularity with which you clean your dog’s ears depends on your pet's breed, coat, level of activity, age, and ear wax production. Most dogs with normal ears require cleanings at least once a month. Others may need more frequent cleanings, especially those that regularly swim or get their ears wet. We recommend that you take time each week to examine your dog’s ears.

Examining your dog’s ears. Look inside the ears for signs of irritation, infection, dirt and parasites. If you notice redness, discharge, dirt, or waxy build up, do not attempt to clean your dog’s ears; your dog likely has an ear infection and should be seen by a veterinarian. If there is no sign of an ear infection, it is safe to clean your dog’s ears.

Before cleaning the ears. Dirty, matted or excess hair should be removed from around the ear canal and the ear flap. In some dogs, excess hair may need to be removed from inside the ear canal; this must be done very carefully to avoid damaging the ear canal. If you feel uncomfortable or your pet is unwilling to cooperate, it may be best to have a professional groomer or medical professional remove the hair if needed.

Do not attempt to clean if you detect an ear infection

Now that you have examined and prepped your dog’s ears, you are ready to begin cleaning.

Here are two important things to keep in mind:

1. Dogs don’t want their ears cleaned.
2. If you are not careful, you can cause serious damage.

So how exactly do you clean your dog’s ears?

Step one: Prepare

Your Work Space. Because your dog does not want to have his ears cleaned, you should try and make the experience quick and positive. By having everything within arm’s reach, you can reduce stress for you and the pup.

Your Supplies. You will need cotton balls (NO Q-Tips) and ear rinse for dogs. You can purchase a rinse or make your own; make sure that you are not using any alcohol at all in your dog’s ears.

Your Dog. You might want to have treats handy to give to your dog to reward him for cooperating. Also, a nice belly rub before you start will help your pet to relax.

Step two: Clean

While you may feel like you want to scrub your dog’s ears, the most important tip we can offer you is: be gentle! The ear canals and flaps are sensitive, and overly aggressive cleanings may cause serious damage to your dog’s inner-ear.

1. Start on the outside and work your way in — but only until you start to feel resistance. If you try to push further in, you can damage your dog’s ear, so err on the side of caution.
2. Wet a cotton ball with ear rinse and wipe the part of the ear that you can easily see, the outer flap.
3. Then wet a new cotton ball to clean the inner ear.
4. Repeat as necessary.

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