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Ggggrrr...has my dog got ishoooos??

23 replies

spook · 05/04/2008 09:44

Well. We got a gorgeous little girl dog from Cat and Dog Shelter 6 weeks ago.
She is absolutely luscious and gets on really well with our Border Terrier. She's obviously been abused at some point because if you tell her off for something she absolutely cowers in terror. Heartbreaking but she has got a very loving family home now and seems very happy.
Anyway-last Friday she shit in her bed for the first time and has done 4 times since. Then last night she weed in her bed. I have discounted tummy upset and she gets a good long walk early evening and a wee in the garden at bedtime.
Any ideas because I'm getting seriously fed up now and in every other way shes perfect.
Thankyou!

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Freckle · 05/04/2008 09:48

Goodness, not sure about that as I've always been taught that a dog never dirties its bed. Perhaps you should have temporary bedding which can be replaced once dirty as they will often go back to where they've pooed or wee'd before as the smell tells them that this is where they do it.

Perhaps get some Pampers care mats which you could place under a towel and over her bedding, so that it can be removed as soon as she goes and the towel washed - it would be a pain to have to keep washing the bedding.

Is she doing this overnight? And, if so, where is she sleeping once she's been? It's unlikely that she'd sleep in her mess.

spook · 05/04/2008 09:59

Hi Freckel
I know!! I thought dogs didn't dirty their own bed but she is. She sleeps in a cage because I thought she'd like the security and was fin for over a month. Trotted off to bed quite happily.
So she's sleeping in it
I did think about letting her sleep just on newspaper for a night but thats so cruel.
I will get some Pampers pads though. Thats a good idea.

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Nbg · 05/04/2008 10:07

Our Chihuahua messes in her bed but only if she is scared.

That could be anything from a loud noise or if one of us runs past her to answer the door.

spook · 05/04/2008 10:12

Nothing has changed though Nbg. Same as it was for the first month when she was fine all night. I'm stumped

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peanutbear · 05/04/2008 10:17

my oldest dog did this in the cage too and she slept in her mess

we left her door open at night in the end and the situation calemd down over time we left puppy pads at the back door

Nbg · 05/04/2008 10:20

Or maybe she really needs to go but is too comfy to move

Can't fault her for that

AnAngelWithin · 05/04/2008 10:20

she might have an upset tummy. my lab did this. trip the the vets and antibiotics and chicken and rice for dinner and a few days later she was right as rain.

have you changed her food at all recently? when she poos is it runny or normal?

spook · 05/04/2008 10:35

Haven't changed her food AnAngelWithin. I put it down to upset tum at first but her poo is normal. Then after last nights wee I decided it was more behavioural. I really think she has issues!
Maybe leaving her door open could be the answer peanut bear but she'll probably just shit in her bed and then go and snuggle up infront of the aga (and who can blame her)

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AnAngelWithin · 05/04/2008 10:38

what about leaving a lamp or light on for her? radio on low? if she is happy in the day then maybe its being alone or in the dark etc thats causing the problems?

Freckle · 05/04/2008 10:42

Do you know anything about her background? We got a rescue pup about 5 months ago and have had serious problems with her house-training. However, we know that she has been shunted between dog pounds, someone's home and the rescue centre so figure that she's very confused. She knows that doing anything indoors is wrong as she only does it if out of everyone's sight, but she clearly doesn't know how to ask to go out. No idea how to teach her that, lol.

If the cage is in a room where she can be confined, then I would be tempted to put her in there at night, with the door open and some newspaper down (use the care mats too). See what happens then.

spook · 05/04/2008 10:49

Think you may be right-it could be the dark and the quiet couldn't it? She is very very affectionate and clingy. I will try light,radio and open door. Bloody hell-may as well just get in there with her!!!
Just can't understand why she was fine for a month and suddenly started. She probably waited for us to really fall in love with her before she started regressing
She really is a gorgeous little thing.
Thanks for all your advice everyone.

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singyswife · 05/04/2008 10:55

Is there a neighbour who has changed work shifts and the noise is new and is frightening her????? Maybe her abuse took palce at night and she is frightened of this new sound? I would have thought that she would have done this since the start though so I would think there was another reason for it. We got a puppy and she was put in a cage right away and behaved fine, we had to remove the cage from the house for space reasons and she went completely mental, chewing the carpets, walls etc, we gave her her cage back and she is back to being really happy again/. They are funny little creatures, it doesnt take much to throw them.

spook · 05/04/2008 10:57

No singswife. No new noises. They are funny little creatures. Wish I could get inside their heads sometimes to see what they're thinking......(food,walk,food,walk,food,walk,food,walk...probably )

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bethoo · 05/04/2008 11:00

may be an attention thing.. have you tried getting her to sleep in a crate? best to let her out in the garden just before you put her to bed and lots of praises while she empties herself. if she continues to poo in her bed do not punish her or even talk to her as she will then associate it with no attention. in her previous home she probably did it for attention even if it was negative.

singyswife · 05/04/2008 11:06

It makes me so damn angry that people abuse these innocent little creatures. They can be so loving and its terrible. I contacted my vet when my dog went mental and they gave me the email address of a dog behaviour expert who answered my questions and gave me some advice. Maybe try this?

Freckle · 05/04/2008 11:22

Where does your other dog sleep?

moosemama · 05/04/2008 11:49

Hi there,

Newbie here, only my second post but have a little bit of experience so hoped I may be able to help.

First thing is that rescue dogs often have what is known as a 'honeymoon period' where they are taken home and seem like the perfect pets. Then, usually about 4-6 weeks after settling in, problems start to occur. Often these sort of problems can just stem from the insecurity of moving from their home/first situation to the shelter and then to another home and will settle down with consistence, love and patience.

Have you called the rescue centre you got her from. Very often they have their own or have links to behaviourists who can offer you some advice - also they will probably have come across most of these types of problems hundreds of times before and may be able to offer advice themselves.

It is unusual for dogs to foul their own beds - but not unheard of. I have a 10 year old bitch that started doing this when we moved house. We got through it with time, love and patience. We never scolded her for it (no point - she had fouled hours before we found it and wouldn't understand what she was being told off about) we just quietly cleaned up the mess and made sure we had done everything we could to eliminate it (early evening feed, extra late night trip outside etc). She got over it after a while (sorry I can't seem to remember how long exactly - but a few weeks) however she does revert at times of stress - like when we had to take in another dog as a rescue emergency. (She wasn't a rescue btw and had been living happily with us for 7 years before we moved.)

Only other thought is that our bitch is quite dominant and we wondered if she felt she needed to make her sleeping area in the new house smell of her as she had none of the usual smells etc from the old house around her. We thought that she also might have felt the need to do this to let the other dogs know to keep off 'her' bed. Our girl prefers to to have a crate in a quiet place, preferably under a table or with a throw over it but she absolutely hates having the door shut. If yours is similar, you could try keeping a large blanket on her bed during the day and then using it to cover the crate at night - thus creating a sort of doggie scented cave for her to feel secure in at night. (If you have washed her bedding in biological washing powder/liquid after the first accident and then again every time she fouled since then, her bedding won't be smelling very much like her by now.) Freckle was absolutely right about them returning to an area they've fouled before so while its important to keep the crate and bedding clean she may also need some of her own scent around to make her more secure.

Finally, if you feel the problems are stemming from insecurities you may find using a DAP diffuser helpful. This is a little plug in gadget that works a bit like an air freshener but dispenses the pheromone that lactating bitches give off to their puppies and works by relaxing the dogs. (The dogs can smell it but humans cant btw.) Many vet surgeries use them in waiting rooms and we use one from October through the end of November to get our collie through the dreaded 'fireworks season'. (All our dogs seem much more chilled out and sleep more at this time of year and it definitely reduces her sensitivity to the 'bangs and flashes'.) - you can google it as several online pet shops sell them and you can sometimes pick them up on ebay - they also do a spray version which we used when settling in a rescue pup - we bought him a bandana and sprayed it on that.

Well, sorry about the long post - but dog behaviour is such a complex area and it's quite difficult to give advice from a distance. Anyway hope I've been of some help and you get the problem sorted soon - I know its hard to deal with these sorts of problems but try to hold onto what a wonderful thing you have done giving this dog a second chance at happiness.

Good luck

spook · 05/04/2008 12:09

Wow. Thanks guys.
bethoo-she is in a crate under the stairs in the kitchen. I thought she'd feel safe and secure in there. I have been reprimanding her for it but you all say don't so will start ignoring it.
Freckle-Spook (other dog) sleeps on the sofa. He used to sleep in the kitchen but we've just had 6 months of builders in and he had started weeing if locked in the kitchen so we gave him the run of the house. (another one with farking issues!!)
moosemama-welcome to mumsnet and thanks for all that amazing advice! I really like the idea of a DAP diffuser.You're right-her bedding will not smell like her anymore because I keep having to wash it. Her original bed had to be scrapped because she shredded it I think in an attempt to cover up her poo.
I'll also call the shelter on Monday and ask their advice. Singyswife-I know. How anyone could abuse a lovely little pup is beyond me.

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Freckle · 05/04/2008 12:37

I would still try the care mat under some easily removed and washable cover. The rest of her bed will still smell of her, especially if you only put the temporary covers on at night. I'm sure she will settle down in time. She's only a pup and has had some huge upheavels in her life. It will take her time to appreciate that she has a safe and loving home now.

If anyone can advise how I get an 11 month old pup to ask to go out, I'd be grateful!

Oh, and Spook, expect her to dominate poor old Spook dog fairly soon. All that gumpf about alpha males is a load of old tosh. It's the females who are the alpha dogs in a pack.

How's the family btw?

spook · 05/04/2008 16:25

Oh we're ok thanks Freckle. Doesn't get any easier though does it? Beginning to think its me thats hard to live with

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Freckle · 05/04/2008 16:46

Any problems are rarely the fault of just one person - apart from dick-for-brains of course.

How are things with him now? Has he finally appreciated what he threw away? Hope the new Mr. Spook is treating you better.

spook · 07/04/2008 11:40

Hi Freckle. Sorry if I sounded down. Had a tough weekend.
Mr Spook is lovely. Dick-for-brains is still living up to his name. Complete arsehole.
Thankyou for asking

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Freckle · 07/04/2008 21:23
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