Why has my dog forgotten all of his house-training?

[GuyAndStoic]

Every morning for the last week I have come down to wee on the hall rug. Every day I have cleaned it using bio powder and have made sure that he goes out later and for longer. But the next morning, same thing. Always on the hall rug. Any ideas?

He is 5 btw, and otherwise v healthy and happy.

[GuyAndStoic]

?

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Get a sample and get him checked by our vet UTI and crystals are possible causes.

[GuyAndStoic]

This sounds daft, but do I just hang round him until he wees? He is very private about his toileting. Shame that coyness hasn't extended to not pissing in the hallway...
And do I just use a normal sample bottle?

[HotPanda]

Can you tell how recent the wee is? Is it worth trying to pre-empt his weeing by setting an earlier alarm and taking him out in the garden then?

I am useless, I posted the same thing about my dog earlier today, but a UTI could be her cause, so DH is at the vets with her now.

[lissieloo]

It seems that he is coming down in the small hours. It's always on the rug, which is a runner. I did wonder if he is scenting it (despite being de-crackered) which is why I've been scrubbing. Today I have cleaned it all, put it in the washing machine then scrubbed it while still damp.

It's frustrating though, isn't it? Hope it's nothing serious, how old is yours?

[moosemama]

Depending on the dog, you can just hang around in the garden until he goes then slide a foil tray (like the disposable roasting trays or something similar) under where he's aiming to catch the flow. We had to take regular samples from one of our dogs when he was ill and the vet supplied us with sample bottles to erm ... decant the sample into.

Of course it's easier with a long-legged dog than something like a Daschie!

Can you get rid of the rug for a couple of days and see if he still does it? It could possibly be that the bio powder isn't completely removing all the scent.

[lissieloo]

He's a jack russell so short legs, low belly. I could put it up for a couple of days, he doesn't seem ill at all, which is good.

[moosemama]

Ah short legged dogs aren't so easy to get samples from. Worth doing a MN search, as iirc there was a thread about getting samples from small dogs on here earlier this year.

I'd still get him checked at the vets to be on the safe side. Any sudden change in behaviour is always worth getting checked. When one of my boys had a nasty prostate problem we had no idea until he started passing blood. It was only once he was better that we realised how low he was before, iyswim. I think we just thought he was getting a bit older (although he wasn't old by any means) and not as exuberant as he had been as a youngster. Dogs can be very stoic about illness and not give us many clues there's a problem until things get much worse.

Perhaps try taking the rug up for a couple of days and if he's still doing it book a vet appointment?

I just remembered that our old vet used to have a sort of cup on a stick contraption for capturing wee samples. That might be easier - worth asking what they recommend if they do want a sample.

[lissieloo]

Thank you so much!

[8thplace]

I have to catch lots of wee samples from my short dog who needs regular testing.

The best solution I have is a cheep plastic soup ladle ( for this use only!)
I am able to scoop this under her and catch a sample, then decant it into a sterile bottle. Most samples only need 5mos max so its easy to get this much. Soup ladle is then washed in very hot soapy water and ready for the next event.

Does need to be tested and taken seriously. My dog was found to be diabetic because of sudden weeing in the house.

[lissieloo]

Oh, thank you for the tip! He doesn't wee very often although crapping is a different matter but I shall keep an eye on him.

There was nothing this morning, and he wouldn't go out last night, so I was expecting a mess this morning.

[moosemama]

If there was nothing this morning and you have removed the rug it sounds hopeful that he was just rescenting the same place due to residual odour - but definitely still keep an eye on it and pop him to the vets if he starts up again.

[lissieloo]

I will, thank you. Looks like I will have to get it properly washed then.

[BarfaStewart]

Well, nothing at all since. We have decided to throw out the rug and get a new one, we will never get rid of the smell all together.

[LackingEnergy]

Just a thought is the rug the only soft floor surface besides his bed that he has access to? Dogs don't generally like weeing on hard surfaces as they end up with wee on their legs so will choose a softer absorbent surface if they have access to it and they need to go

[BarfaStewart]

His bed is in our bedroom. The only hard surfaces are the hall floor (laminate) and the kitchen (lino) he hasn't wee'd anywhere else, not on the carpets, our bed, the sofa or any of the other rugs. That's why I thought he might have been scenting. It smelt quite strong and he has been going through a phase of humping my foot despite being decrackered.