Claire is having a bit of a problem...

[dappledoxie]

Ok, well here's the story. I have a round chair, you know one of those like wicker base and almost basket like with the big round pillow type cushion. Anywho, Claire peed in the chair once. I don't know why, normally she will pee on her pad. She did this once, I just cleaned it and thought nothing much of it. Well, she did it again a few weeks later, again I thought nothing of it. Well, the past week or so I would say she has peed in it every day or every other day!!! I am now becoming a bit worried. It's almost like she just goes there to pee. The majority of the time she pees on her pad but at night she will pee that one time in my chair! I was worried she had some kind of problem but I just don't know what to do. Any suggestions or advice. Is it something I should be concerned about enough to take her to my work and let them check her out, my pet insurance through them hasn't come into effect yet but I don't care, I just want my babies to be healthy. Ok, thanks ahead of time you guys!

[Jade]

It sounds like she is peeing there because she can smell that she's peed there previously. I know a lot of animals will do this, but I'm no expert on dogs. I'd try a Nature's Miracle type product to get rid of the scent. As long as she's eating, drinking, urinating a normal amount/color and at normal intervals, I wouldn't be inclined to think it was an infection.

I'm sure Deja or someone else more experienced will be along, but I thought I'd chip in my $.02!

[dappledoxie]

Thank you, see that's what I thought about the smelling where's been there before. I've been using that Woolite Pet stuff but I need to get some of that better stuff to get the smell out. Thank you Jade!

[Deja]

Brandy, the cushions on those Papazon (sp?) chairs are so thick - the pee most likely soaked so far through it that short of totally saturating it with Natures Miracle and letting it totally dry (and even then some smell may remain if the urine wicked through and spread out in the stuffing) some scent is going to remain.

I think she's doing it because she's now permeated it with her scent and it's become one of her habitual spots.
Is there a way to remove the cushion for a few days to see if she stops urinating where she isn't supposed to? That would give you the answer. If that is the only spot she is having "accidents" on - by removing the cushion you'd be removing the trigger and eliminating the behavior.

When you return the cushion to the chair and she does it again... there are a few things you could try.

I'm guessing she can easily jump up on that chair?

You can try covering the cushion in heavy duty aluminum foil. Usually they hate the sound and the feel of the foil and it will scare her just enough to make her jump right off.

Another way to teach her to stay off that chair would be to cover a thick sheet of paper with strips of thick double sided tape. When she jumps up the unpleasant sensation from the sticky tape will cause her to unstick herself and get down.

Both methods will distract her without causing her any harm while interupting the trigger. Once you interupt the trigger for the behavior, you can eliminate the behavior. If you catch her doing it all the better - don't rescue her or scold her - praise her for getting off the chair and direct her immediately to her pad and give her the potty command. Then praise the heck out of her when she goes on her pad.

When you say she does it at night - do you mean while you are just hanging around ? Is she crated when you are alseep?

I've got to say - those thick futon/papazon cushions are next to impossible to saturate and remove scent from. My daughter had one in her room that one of the cats had peed on *once* (she accidentally closed her door and left for school not realizing the cat was locked in there all day, the poor thing had to go *somewhere* ) - no matter what we did to it to try and clean it she says she was always able to smell it if she stuck her nose to the cushion! The darn thing was white and we didn't want to stain it - I took a chance because it already had the offensive smell - I soaked the heck out of it with Nature's Miracle - the entire cushion! I saturated the entire thing top and bottom just to make sure...
I let it air dry and it took 2 days. I made sure it was propped against the wall so air could circulate around it and during the day I put it outside in the sun propped up on the deck. It worked! She said she couldn't smell it anymore. She still has the chair It was one of the big double seater ones - they used to put the cushion on the floor and use it when they had friends sleep over. We really wanted to try to get the smell out instead of having to replace that big *crouton*. That's what they called the chair, "The Crouton"

Yikes - I'm sorry I got off topic...
I'm sorry Claire did that to your chair! Puppies will be puppies, will be puppies though....

I'd try removing it - then testing her with the distractions, I'd also try to clean it with the Nature's Miracle (you're going to need the giant size bottle!)

The reason why I am not saying just soak it and clean it is because with that kind of cushion there is no gaurantee the smell can be entirely removed... I'd want to break her of jumping up on it period.

Good Luck!! Let us know what you try and how it works out for you.

[dappledoxie]

Quote: Originally Posted by Deja When you say she does it at night - do you mean while you are just hanging around ? Is she crated when you are alseep?

She does it usually around 8:00 or so, just while I'm hanging around. I have an ottoman with it but it's still at moms. My friend Stacy has a chair just like it and she puts the ottoman in the chair unless someone is sitting in it, just to keep her dogs off it. She can get in it pretty easily b/c I have it right next to the futon. We thought at first it was b/c she felt like she couldn't get down but she can pretty easily. I am trying now to keep her off it all the time. Were can I get the Natures Miracle stuff? She is not crated at night, nor is Rebel. Claire is not crate trainned at all. Rebel is, he stays in the crate during the day. He is very destructive when alone, has seperation anxiety. I never scold her, I normally just pick her up outta the chair and go to cleaning with a paper towel, lol! Weird thing is last night she did it while she was laying down in the chair and she peed on her leg a little. Shannon was watching her and he didn't realize she was doing it b/c she was laying down. I am going to try some of those things you said. I'm just going to try to keep her off at all times, that way she won't get confused. Thanks Deja!!

[Deja]

Brandy-
Wow! She's obviously made that chair *hers* I shouldn't laugh but I am picturing her just laying there so comfy and probably in a comfy position to pee - when I think about how those chairs are shaped!

When you clean the chair in front of her after she pees you are being subservient to her - you are sending her the message that if she pees there - "it's ok mommy will take care of it." Yanno what I mean?

You can buy Nature's Miracle or Simple Solution (both enzymatic cleaners) in any pet supply store. PetSmart has it.

Brandy- be her boss at all times. It's ok to have expectations - teach her clearly what your expectations are and make sure she follows through. It's ok to be a little tough at times, you are the leader.
Always remember that every behavior has a trigger - there is no secret to dog behavior. It may be a puzzle sometimes, but once we figure out what is triggering the behavior there are so many things we can try that will re-program the behavior.

Keep us updated!!

[dappledoxie]

Yeah she sure has, she just did it again while we were all comfy watching a movie, lol! I clean both sides just as hard as I can go, first I put her on her pad and said GO Potty! She stood there and looked up at me like "What momma??" Then I cleaned the chair. I'll hopefully get some of that stuff soon. Thank you soooo much, I will keep you posted,

[dappledoxie]

Ok well, Claire didn't pee in the chair tonight, she peed on my futon...Next she'll be peeing on my bed, lol. I am going to have to figure this out.