DOG
OCCASIONALLY MESSES WHEN OWNER GONE
QUESTION: My girlfriend and I have
a small breed house dog. She is 2 years
old. She is well house trained except
sometimes for some reason we will return
home after an evening out and she will have
messed in the house? When she has, she runs
and hides when we walk in? I always walk
her before first leaving and usually
she does both pee and poo then. Why is she
doing this sometimes as we are getting
annoyed with it?
ANSWER:
This sounds like maybe a classic scenario of
a little dog with some "Separation Anxiety"
happening. Not full blown Separation
Anxiety, but still some.
First is to
track down two things. On the times it
happens, are you gone longer than times when
it doesn't happen? Second, on the times it
happens, are you slower getting into the
house than other times.
With the first,
the time your gone is just to long for her
to hold it. Since sometimes she can hold
it, we tend to think she should always be
able to hold it. But neither you, nor I,
nor the dog can
always hold
it.
With the second
scenario, A dog with some "Separation
Anxiety" may get so excited about hearing
their master coming home that they can't
hold it due to excitement. In these cases,
they hear you returning long before your in
the house. A dog knows the sound of your
vehicle, the sound of your footsteps
outside, all sounds carefully learned by the
dog.
If your extra
slow getting into the house, they urinate,
occasionally even defecate. It is these
cases where a well house trained dog
acts AFRAID when you enter since they just
now, seconds before went to the bathroom
which they know you don't
like........................
Animal
Behaviorists have long known that any form
of "Punishment" AFTER THE FACT does not
work. A dog must be caught in the act or
within scant seconds for discipline to
work. In
fact any form of punishment makes training a
dog harder, not better as no dog likes to be
trained through Fear. NOTE: Fear
itself can cause a dog to void it's bladder
or bowel.
The third thing
worth mentioning is how the master(s) is/are
acting both Physically and Mentally upon
their return. Dogs hearing a difference in
their masters body language (Walking
different, heavier tred for example) or
voices even from outside the home may
urinate or defecate out of nervousness.
Talking louder or laughing louder or perhaps
arguing are just some voice differences.
The fourth thing
is to
always immediately take her outside
when you get home so that she learns that if
she holds it just a bit longer, she will get
outside to do her business.
