Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
Trending News
Dog problem. At breaking point?
I could really use some advice. We have a rat terrier/mix, He was a stray about 5 yrs ago that we found on the streets and took him in. He was very good with people and children.Very good in the house as it didn't take long to potty train him. Well up until 2 months ago he has turned into a totally different dog. He is going to the bathroom all over the house. Everyday his food and water gets taken away at 5:30pm. We let him out at 11pm and watch him poop and pee a dozen times. We also leave him out about 30 min after to make sure he is through. We get up at 6:am to find rooms full of pee,and poop ground up and dug into the carpets. like he kicks it or something. This is happening daily. Now funny thing is if we leave him on a leash at night there is no problem. Let him off and we got problems. I don't like to have a dog on a leash all day. I have two kids under 5 and a grandparent who lives with us. We are at the breaking point. The house smells like crap so we have to clean the carpets more than before. He was taken to a vet and checks okay. I'm affraid we have to get rid of him. I feel bad cause he was a stray some years ago but now he is growling at me and my kids,and the bathroom mess. He knows what he is doing or he'd poop on the leash. What can i do? My wife and g.parent want him to go. My wife is stressed out. about 5yrs of good turned upside down.
Thanks to those who replied. He had two vet visits and testing done. The vet said that he could be acting out in aggression. We leave him on his dog bed with a leash and he is fine. its in our kitchen. He doesn't do this during the day off the leash. Just at night. I don't understand why he won't do it when tied up but soon as he is unhooked he'll do it.
5 Answers
- VictoriaLv 59 years ago
I would take him back to another vet for a second opinion. A previously house trained dog that suddenly starts going to the bathroom in the house is often a sign of a health issue. His sudden aggression can also signal a health problem as he may be in pain and you don't know it. The problem can also be age-related as if he is a stray, he could be older than you thought so his bladder may be failing him and he could be going incontinent. Older dogs can also get senile just like people do in their older years.
You might want to start crating him when you are not home and at bedtime until you find out the root of the issue. Alternatively, confine him to an area of the house without carpeting such as a kitchen, mudroom or bathroom so accidents will be easier to clean. If you have a fenced-in yard and shelter for him outside, I would also consider tieing him in the yard while you're at work if the weather is nice with fresh food and water.
When you clean up the pee and poo, you need to make sure you are eliminating all of the odor and not just covering it up. Even if you can't smell anything, the dog might be able to and will continue going to the bathroom in that spot. Denying the dog access to the areas he has eliminated in is also often suggested.
- Anonymous9 years ago
When you brought him to the vets, did they run any bloodwork, a urinalysis and a fecal sample? He could have a medical issue causing him discomfort which would cause the constant accidents in the house and the behavior. That is the first thing I would rec having checked ti make sure he doesnt have a medical reason.
If those have already been ruled out, i would get him a crate and start crating him at night. It would teach him boundaries and as long as it is big enough for him in the to stand and turn, he wont want to go in there as he would know he would be stuck in it.
Good luck and def run some tests first.
Source(s): Im a vet tech - Anonymous9 years ago
Repeat Vet visit with another Vet to rule out medical issues.
Put the dog in a crate at night to sleep. Just like the dog won't soil his area when he is on leash, he won't soil in the crate. Your house stays clean & the dog sleeps comfortable in his den.
- Horse LoverLv 79 years ago
It definitely sounds like it is some kind of medical issue. Did the vet do blood & urine test? How old is he? If he is an older dog it could be incontinence. You could try a crate, as someone suggested.
- How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
- 9 years ago
Call in a dog expert or bring him to an obedience school but make shire to take a video of what he dose cus he may act different in front of other people. If you really wanted after you take the video send it to the dog whisper(nat geo) or it's me or the dog (anImal planet) but idk were you would go for that or if they would come to you but MAKE SHURE you take a 10 to 15 minnet video so the trainer knows what's going on.
