At wits end... I feel terrible .. weeing issues

[littledoggiedribbler]

I feel terrible because I am so exhausted and want to rehome my puppy.

However, I will NOT be doing this as I took on the responsibility when I decided to get a puppy and knew there would be hard work but let me give some back story.

We have one son (nearly 6) and when we agreed to get a puppy we didn't think we could have another child (another long story). So did a lot of research and set on a Norwich terrier, we got him when he was 13 weeks old and did everything by the book. However, he really struggled with weeing accidents in the house (I made a separate post about this a few weeks back). We didn't scold him, we just cleaned it up, took him out regularly, praised him sooo much and did happy dance, treats when he went outside... basically everything you are told to do.

He's now 9 months and still having accidents in the house, perhaps a wee every other day. Which is a problem in itself but what seemed to have gotten worse is the submissive an uncontrollable dribble/excited wees. Something he does every time he greets someone, even me. The other day my parents came over and he was so excited he just dribbled everywhere... I'm so exhausted by it.

I try the calm, don't approach him, ignore him.. wait for him to calm down and then let him come to you. But he STILL dribbles.

Not long after getting him I found out I was pregnant. I'm now due very soon and finding things VERY hard with the constant dribbling and cleaning up wee. He's also barking at everything (something we are also working on) so I feel my time is 100% taken up by dog admin and dealing with the dog. But I also have a son I need to give attention to and I'm very heavily pregnant. My husband works very long hours so I am responsible for all household admin etc. I'm not currently working.

He won't be going anywhere, we are seeing a dog trainer for barking on the lead but he doesn't specialise in weeing inside issues and the submissive weeing is something he can't seem to control...

I really am trying my best but I'm so exhausted and in tears most days by this. He was castrated at 6 months on advice by the vets but now I wish we ignored them as I'm sure it's gotten worse since the castration.

Any help would be so so gratefully received.

Many thanks!

I have a young terrier too and from my very limited experience, I'm under the impression that those guys are extremely sensitive to their owner's emotional state. All dogs are, of course, but I remember my old dogs being more placid than my terrier.

Terriers are one of the most misunderstood of all the dog groups I find. I have a young terrier and had a terrier hound cross. They are supremely intelligent. I mean crazy bright. With that come sensitivity and also a wilfulness. They learn very quickly how to get to where they will benefit. To that end, they are very easy to train but you do have to approach it in the right way. They learn by association like most dogs but they make that association faster in my experience.

People often say terriers need a 'firm hand' or 'strict boundaries' or some such nonsense. They do need to learn what is expected of them else they tend to go rogue and make their own entertainment. They are physically tough little dogs with a real enthusiasm for life but they can go very badly wrong if you use the wrong kind of training. They are thinkers so can err towards being anxious so that is something you need to bear in mind.

I was reading about terriers and it seems that they're great problem solvers, due to their tendency to work alone, contrary to gundogs for example. There's no one around them when they're doing their "job" of killing rodents.
It makes a lot of sense. My boy gets great confidence from solving problems, we play hide and seek, scent games etc, and it really helps with his energy levels and confidence in general.

They are. They are independent thinkers and workers - they don't need us. So they excel at things where they can use that. I do a lot of free shaping with the clicker with mine as she enjoys working out what it's going to take to get that click and therefore treat. Much more powerful than luring. It also gives her choice which builds confidence.

I have taught many many terriers agility and they are very trainable if you approach it in the right way but they do tend to switch off with the more conventional ways of teaching which makes look hard to train but they are not.

A relationship with a terrier is more like a friend or spouse relationship. You do something for me and I will do something for you. If the balance changes the other side gets less accomodating!