Re: Urinating in the house

In Reply to: Urinating in the house
Posted by:  Eva
Posted on:  December 29, 2001 at 23:44:26

: I have a two year old female and she was the perfect pet. She was never distructive in any way. We got a male pup in October and he is almost 6 months old, they get along great. Recently, my two year old female has been urinating on my furniture and my daughter's mattress. If she is in heat will she mark her territory, especially since we have a male in our home now? She has reverted since we got the pup. She chews things up, picks on the cats, etc. We started putting her in a crate when we leave the house now, so she doesn't pee in the house, she used to have free run. She pees in her crate when she is in it for less than an hour. I'm home all day with my children and let her and the puppy out frequently. The puppy has not had an accident anywhere in the house, but the kitchen floor because we gate the area off. I really don't know what else to do. Is it common for a female in heat to mark her territory in the house?

: Thanks,

: Eva

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Hi Eva,

This is really not all that uncommon when you introduce a new dog into the house, especially when the other dog as been the only dog.

Her peeing in the house and on your bed is territorial marking and yes females can also do it. She feels that her status in the pack is being threatened by the new pup.

I highly suggest spaying your female. You are playing with danger here with an intact bitch and an intact dog, especially as he nears sexual maturity.

You don't mention what your plans are for these dogs, but if you are not a serious breeder/shower/hunter and these dogs are intended to be just pets, you should get them both in to be altered.

Now that your girl is marking all over the place it is going to be much more difficult in curing her of this habit. Spaying may help but you are also going to have to go back to square one and re-housebreak her. You are also going to have to find all the areas of the house she has soiled and clean it with an enzymataic cleaner so she won't go back and do it again.

As far as peeing in your bed, gate the bedroom off so she can't get into it. You better watch the male too because he is getting to the age where he is going to start too, especially since your female is already doing it.

It also sounds like your female could use a course in basic obedience so I would make arrangements for getting her enrolled.

I know it is very tempting to add an additional dog to the household but many people do it for the wrong reason thinking the dog they already have needs "company." Sometimes it really works out well but many times all it does is create the situation you find yourself in now. Some dogs just like being the only dog.

So clean up the areas, get both the dogs in to be altered, start the housebreaking process anew, and both dogs need obedience school. It all of this a hassle when you are busy enough with your kids and all? Yep! But stop and think if you want to spend the next 12 years trying to keep dogs off of furniture, away from each other when she goes in heat, and in general, dogs out of control. Three months of intensive effort for a lifetime of carefree dog ownership seems like a small price to pay.