Ok, it's happening again...

[dappledoxie]

Claire is peeing on things again, this time, I am in formulas situation. Claire is peeing on my bed. Past four days she has. She does it when I am here and really for no reason. I went and bought a new bed set and she peed on it that same day, as if to mark the new thing hers. Well, I went and bought a baby gate today. So while I am trying to figure the contraption out she gets on my bed and pees right in front of me. Well, at least I caught her in the act and yelled NOOO!! and clapped my hands very loudly so she would jump down. Well, I sent her out of the room so I could finnish, now the gate is up and hopefully that will fix it. Any other advice?? Am I moving in the right direction?

[Chrisanne]

I think you are going in the right direction.

I hope it works out soon for you, I know how frustrating it can be. Hugs to you. You know we're here if you need us.

[dappledoxie]

Thank you so much Chrisanne!

[Pure14K]

Man, I don't have an answer for you (have never had to deal with that before) but I wanted to say I hope it gets better

[dappledoxie]

Thanks Nicole. I hope it does too, hopefully if she can't go in there except at night when we go to bed then she won't pee on the bed anymore. I hope.. *Crossing fingers*

[Formula86]

welcome to the "my-dog-pees-on-my-bed" club!

honestly dude...read my post where i was fighting to keep the dogs on the bed at night. i reeeeeeeeeeeeally thought that i could train them to stay off the bed all day and only be on the bed to sleep at night. but unfortunately it doesn't work out that way. i thought i would die not sleeping with them at night, but you know what? i actually like that they don't now. i NEVER thought i'd say that. but i can move around and all that and they KNOW they aren't allowed up there. i set them up with a big pillow pile on the floor and they automatically go there now when i get into bed. there is no whining or anything. it only took about 4-5 days for them to really get used to it. i get my fix every once in a while and take a nap on the couch with them.

i think you are just going to have to teach them to not be on the bed. what if you get up to go pee at night? the dog will be up there and might pee. chaquita pooped on the bed while my friend was sleeping in it! i never thought she'd do that.

a gate for the bedroom doorway (i'm assuming that is what you meant) is a good idea. i just shut my door when i'm gone.

let me know how it goes. i'll be thinking about you! i know EXACTLY how you feel! it can be fixed! they haven't done it once after i trained them!

[Deja]

I'm so sorry Claire is doing this! Arrgh - how frustrating

Formula is right - go back and find that thread. Read the posts and everyone's advice.

I can't tell you *why* Claire exhibits this behavior- but since she does - you need to deal with it in a quick, firm and consistant way.

Keeping her off the bed *period* is the first step. She has already put her scent through the mattress and even if you have cleaned it to the point where you can't smell anything - SHE can. Claire needs to know that YOU are in charge of everything she does, including where she sleeps and where she eliminates.

I know this is going to be hard on you - and whatever direction you choose to go in is yours to make.

Formula made another great point. Now that the dogs aren't on her bed - she's in charge of *her* bed and HER sleep! Her dogs are in their own cozy bed and dogs don't pee on *their own* sleeping place.

Just a question that popped into my head. Have you totally ruled out a bladder problem with your vet?

If you have and this is a totally behavioral issue, you need to take firm control. I know it's not always easy to be firm with our best friends and our "Babies" - but the more in control *we* are of them, the happier *they* are.

Formula!! Good going girl - you took control and look what you accomplished!! WTG!

Brandy - we are here for you - good luck! I hope you can get to the root of what is triggering Claire and figure out a solution that works for you.

[Formula86]

thank you for the kind words deja!

you know what put me over the edge dapple? well, for about 2 weeks i guess, i'd had my thread up and was arguing over keeping them on the bed at night. the chaquita pooping in bed while my friend was sleeping in the bed incident had already happened and i still refused to make them sleep on the floor! well..........this one night, i took a nice long shower, pulled back my freshly washed covers and sheets, and slid my feet into bed only to discover a HUGE PEE SPOT! urggggh! i was soooooo mad. i don't know why, but that was IT!

and now i actually enjoy sleeping alone.
(ok, not entirely alone... any cute guys out there? haha!)

[elfomatic]

My Shih-Tzu used to do the same thing ...

Interestingly, some breeds are prone to this behavior. Dachshunds are one of these breeds.

There are many possible causes of it ... territorial marking ... submission and dominance signals ... sickness or stress.

Sickness could be caused by a UTI or a kidney problem ...

Stress might also be a cause. Bored/lonely dogs have been known to tear up a house when their owner is gone from their usual routine even if they normally don't participate in such behavior. It is possible that if this behavior is just presenting itself recently it is the cause of something else wrong in the dog's life.

I used to know a couple who had a housebroken chihuahua who would pee on the guy's side of the bed whenever the couple fought in the next room ... so .. it is entirely possible it is being caused by stress. Has anything in her life changed recently?

I think it is a great idea to ground the dog and keep it out of the room until things work out. Once this behavior starts it can be hard to stop even if the cause is determined unless it is made clear somehow that the bed is not a place to use the bathroom.

[RSbunny]

I agree Brandy....you need to keep Claire off the bed....at least for now!! What about a crate that you can pile up with blankets and pillows so they have their own little 'room'? It will be difficult at first but once they get their scent there they will love it!

[elfomatic]

Oh yes, I love crate training.

[dappledoxie]

Ok, first, thank you all for replying! Well, I really really didn't want to make her stay off the bed at night. I really don't, I mean, they are the only other "people" I see during the week, they keep me from being lonely and at night I know they are right there and it makes me feel better. I just hate to feel alone, that's all. But, but, if I have to I guess I can, but my question is should I make Rebel do that too, it makes sense to me that he have to as well but just wanted to throw that out there. I am gonna go back and read those posts you guys, they will be helpful. I have no bedroom door at all. I keep Rebel's crate in there for him during the day. I have my bed on the floor, no bedframe at all, could this have something to do with it? I have not gotten a urine sample from Claire to take in but I am doing that in the am so it's fresh, lol! I am concerned she may have some problem b/c she pees approx. 8-10 per day. Wow! lol Anywho, I thought it was since Rebel only has to go out four times a day, morning, lunch, after work, and before bed. I am getting my bedframe this weekend from home so soon my bed will be off the floor and hopefully outta reach for Claire to get on! *Crosses fingers* I know she is not gonna like that one bit I am worried she will hurt herself trying to jump onto it no matter what. It's just that my apartment is so small and if I make her stay outta the bedroom at all like I do when I get home she'll have no room at all, crate trainning Claire went down the drain long long ago. lol For three months straight we tried and she would never stop screaming and digging and tearing. She almost ripped her toemail off and she was grinding her teeth at the wire and I was worried she was just doing way more harm than good. That's all. Rebel does great at it, I mean, I could always try it again, I'm not against that by no means you guys.

Here's what I am gonna do...tell me if I should do different or what...

Get my bed off the floor this weekend.
Buy Claire and Rebel a nice sized bed, comfy, and soft.
Put it beside the bed for them to sleep on at night or allow them to choose Rebel's crate if that's what they want.
and give that a go.
Not allow Claire or Rebel on the bed ever and teach them it's mine not there's, me being the one who's really gonna be sad b/c of this not so much them, lol.

Sound like a plan? and remember this having not yet read the other advice you gave formula yet.

[Formula86]

getting a bedframe to get your bed off the ground will help tremendously. i think that this is a great plan. this is exactly what i did. you will have to make them both sleep on the floor. it wouldn't work otherwise. i think that in my situation it was mostly chaquita, but i made penny sleep on the floor too. they are cool with it now. good luck and keep us updated!

[Pure14K]

WoW.... Good luck.... I couldn't imagine potty training a dog without using a crate

[Deja]

I'm all for crate training too. Jim likes to snuggle with Remy in our bed (the big softie- he'd kill me if he knew I said that here ) When he falls asleep - Remy gets off the bed (I have a step for her to go up and down - laundry basket turned upside down with a rubber backed bath mat over it) and she pops herself into her crate. It's so, so cute. I leave the door open because she is still on potty-pads (which are getting smaller and smaller and will eventually be gone now that the weather has turned). Sometimes I hear her come out of her crate and go use the pad...

Anyway - I am side tracking - sorry...

Yup- a bedframe is a good idea. Just remember. A dog usually won't eliminate where they sleep - it's *their place* and they instictually keep it clean.

I think a urinalysis is a good idea. Urinating 8 or more times a day sounds like a lot. It may be behavioral, but ruling out any Urinary Tract problems will give you the direction to go on.

I know this is hard on you and that they are your company and security at night in bed - but - if she has started urinating on the bed, at some point Rebel might want to cover that scent with his own... it becomes a cycle of who's scent is going to be the dominant scent on that object.

Good Luck - keep us posted!!! I have some other ideas rolling around in my head