Why does my rescue do this sometimes?

[Karcheer]

We've had a rescue for about 18months, we got her when she was two.
When we got her she was very nervous and you only had to look at her and she'd submissive wee, she's grown in confidence and rarely does this, and never with us.
She used to sometimes poo in the house, she never asks to go out, but she's walked twice a day, sometimes I can tell by her body language or mostly my other dog asks to go out and I chuck her out at the same time. So once every 3 or so months she'll poo in the house.
I'm not too bothered about this, she clearly isn't 100% clean but it's manageable.
The bigger issue is that every now and then when I'm making the bed, I'll put the duvet on the floor and she'll wee on the duvet. There appears to be no reason she does this and mostly she doesn't, but does anyone know why she does?

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

It's always tricky with rescues - you never know what's happened in the past.

Re: not asking to go out. It took my girl about 2 years to master this one! But one day she just did it. I think nervous dogs find it quite frightening - to actually go and effectively demand something of a human being.

The duvet... hard to say really! Have you been able to wash it since the first time she did it? If not the smell will still remain which could be attracting her to it. It could also be that at some point in her past she was encouraged to wee on something soft. You probably could train it out of her but without knowing exactly why she does it it's going to be challenging! Personally I think I'd just manage it for now - keep her out of the bedroom whilst you change the bed.

Out of interest - what do you think might happen if you got a cheap single duvet and put it in her bed for her? Might be worth a try just to see if you get any clues! If she doesn't pee on it, I'd bet she's marking on yours, so replacing yours could help. If she DOES wee on it, I'd guess she's been encouraged to wee on something soft at some point, which you could probably fix in the same way that you toilet trained in the first place (keep an eye, interrupt if you catch her doing it etc).

[honeyroar]

I wonder if she thinks it's a puppy pad and was trained to wee on one?

[MrsJayy]

You never know whats happened to them my boy is nutty has only peed twice in the house though when he came back from boarding kennels is she maybe stress weeing or scent marking

[triballeader]

Karcher, your doing really well.

Mine was a rescued cruety case so it does need much to throw her back to nervous widdling. New people comming to our house always does it.

Two years on even with lots and lots of input, TLC, training and all the best she can manage is mostly clean and dry with accidents now down to three times a week. Hurrah for wipe clean floors and washable rugs!

Second the ideas by Lettherebecupcakes. Might be worth using a mix of a good biological and napisan to really clean any lingering smell to your dog of wee from your duvet covers and restricting her access whilst you change the beds.

[MrsJayy]

White vinegar gets rid of urine smell put a glug in the conditioner drawer , rescues bless them are a mystery ours is 4 and some of his behaviours are imbedded its a shame

[mollie123]

interesting to note that dogs 'ask' to go out as the norm
my rescue lurcher never asks to go out - but about every 4 or 5 hours, last thing at night, first thing in the morning he will go out and perform on command at a bush of his choice.
never thought that he could be trained to ask - do they woof or just start making 'I need to wee' signals. I am curious to know.

[georgedawes]

Mine has only just started! Same as you mollie she would just wait til she was given an opportunity to go, but has now started going to the back door sometimes when she needs.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

mollie ddog1 used to sit silently at the back door. If he got desperate he would come and pudge me with his nose. Ddog2 goes to the back door and starts with a soft growl, working up to a short bark if you don't drop everything IMMEDIATELY to pander to her.

[Karcheer]

My non rescue who I've had since 8 weeks either sits by the door, paws at the door or if I'm not in the kitchen will do a "I want to go out bark"
I know people who've trained their dog to knock a bell they have hanging on the door handle.

Thanks for the advice, she's such a sweetheart it's a small price to pay. I have to take the duvet to the cleaners as it's a super king, presumably that process would get rid of all smells?
Hadn't thought she might have been trained with puppy pads, this is a posibility as I know her last home she was crated pretty much all day, she also had a home before that, but I've no idea what her regime was there, we are her third ( and final ) home.

[Swissgemma]

Our cocker rings a bell dangling from a door handle if he wants out!

[mollie123]

what smart dogs you all have - they could be human

[MrsJayy]

Mine just stares into my soul till i let him out he was in a better pee routine when we lived in a flat though now we have a back garden he is in and out all day he can pee on command

[liptolinford]

Mine just stares into my soul till i let him out

Haha! Brilliant description. Mine used to do that too.

[foolonthehill]

Mine just stares into my soul till I let him out....

this.....if I fail to get the message she sits by the puddle looking so sad and down that I feel properly guilty. Happens about once a year.

A bell...now that's genius...