Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 18
  1. #1
    House Broken
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    80
    Thanked: 11

    UTI? Incontinence? Terrible housebreaking??

    We've had Dakota since October... he's estimated to be a 10mo Husky/Shepherd/???-mix. Housebreaking has been terrible with him. To the point where I am actually starting to wonder if there is now a UTI or some form of urinary problem going on here. He'll go weeks with no accidents whatsoever, then all the sudden, he's having tons of accidents. (This pattern has happened a few times, now.) They're always either first thing in the morning, or while we're home in the evenings. I let him out before I leave for work. He can hold it fine until lunchtime when I come home to let him out. Then he holds it again just fine until I get home for the day. In the evenings, sometimes he tells us when he has to go, by barking randomly. Most of the time, he just runs back and forth from door to door, and that's how I know he has to go... but a lot of times (more and more lately) he doesn't do this until he's already peeing a trail! We got a bell to put on the door and taught him to hit it with his paw, and he'll do it when I tell him to, but not on his own when he has to go.

    Most nights he seems to be able to hold it through the night. On occasion he'll wake me up in the middle of the night, but most of the time he wakes me up between 4:30 or 5am. I get up at 5am, so a lot of times he can make it until then, but sometimes he can't and jumps all over me around 4 or 4:30... and if I don't get up quick enough, and sometimes even if I jump right out of bed, he pees a trail in our bedroom and sometimes down the steps!

    I'm very good about getting him outside 1st thing in the morning, the last thing we do before bed, after he eats, after playtime, after naps, etc.

    Also, sometimes in the evenings, he goes out frequently... sometimes not even an hour apart. We're having one of those nights tonight. I noticed he was pacing, so I got up fast and let him out, and here when I came back, he had pee'd a little on the couch!

    I can't figure out if it's us just expecting too much from him (he was a stray before we got him, so may not have had much potty training before) or if we have a real problem here. I am calling the vet tomorrow morning to make an appointment for him, but any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
    ~Kristy
    Hidden Content
    Reggie on the left in the picture, Dakota on the right.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    10,985
    Thanked: 6722
    Going to be a little quiet on the board this evening with the Super Bowl.

    My suggestion, as you're going to do, is a check up to make sure nothing is going on.

    Then, if nothing is wrong, back to potty training 101. You will have to initiate him going out and if he pees, treats and super praise. Sounds like he is trying to be good, just not making it.

    All of our dogs have been, to some degree, kennel dogs meaning when they need to go, they go. Archie, our GSD, was the hardest to train. He would poop outside but it did not bother him to just stop mid play and pee in the house. Patience and a regular routine really helped. Also, you could withhold water a couple of hours before bedtime.

    Good luck. This is fixable.
    Hidden Content
    Kissing Bandit

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to POPTOP For This Useful Post:

    klnst3 (02-07-2016)

  4. #3
    Senior Dog Meeps83's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,917
    Thanked: 1052
    We had teo malamutes. Very smart but very difficult, similar to a husky. They would listen to a command and think "what's in it for me" if the reward was good enough, they'd usually comply. These two didn't get potty training either. It took until they were over a year old (close to two actually) to stop peeing in the houses.

    Definitely look into into a uti, but it could also be a breed/personality thing.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Meeps83 For This Useful Post:

    klnst3 (02-08-2016)

  6. #4
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    2,598
    Thanked: 2588
    Checking for a UTI is smart, but know that other breeds, even large breeds, aren't as easy to house train as Labs. Griffs are notorious for being late even with as smart as they are. Tickle has it down, but Wrigley still can't quite get it. She's 8 months this month...we still keep a potty pad by the back door for the times she forgets to go outside.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to JenC For This Useful Post:

    klnst3 (02-08-2016)

  8. #5
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,135
    Thanked: 5108
    There are meds for male dog incontinence. It's not as common as with the girls and Dakota is pretty young but it would be something to ask about.
    Hidden Content

    Castilleja's Dubhgall Oban, the Black Stranger of The Little Bay
    Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
    Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to Snowshoe For This Useful Post:

    klnst3 (02-08-2016)

  10. #6
    House Broken
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    80
    Thanked: 11
    I hadn't thought about it being a breed thing... I've only ever had Labs to potty train (we had a Collie when I was a child, but I don't remember much of his training, so I'm not sure how that went.) I need to do a little research on Huskies, GSDs, and we think the little dog breed in him might be Dachshund... his head has the profile of one, though he has the Husky/GSD hair texture and colors. But, I think Dachshunds are notorious for housebreaking problems if I remember hearing correctly.

    Crap... maybe it is just needing to go back to potty training basics. We'll see.
    ~Kristy
    Hidden Content
    Reggie on the left in the picture, Dakota on the right.

  11. #7
    Puppy
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    28
    Thanked: 7
    Good luck working through this. I hope you can get into a good routine and get through the training basics with him.

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to PawPrints For This Useful Post:

    klnst3 (02-08-2016)

  13. #8
    House Broken
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    80
    Thanked: 11
    Well, we've got a vet appointment tomorrow night at 7:30p, so we'll see how that goes. They want me to bring a urine sample... that should be REAL interesting tomorrow morning! I've never had to catch a urine sample before! The vet tech recommended I use a ladle instead of trying to hold a container down there... haha, good thing this will be happening at 5am... my neighbors already think I'm nuts for following the dogs around in the yard to check their poops because of Reggie's recent Colitis issues! Now I'll be catching pee in a kitchen ladle?!
    ~Kristy
    Hidden Content
    Reggie on the left in the picture, Dakota on the right.

  14. #9
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    10,985
    Thanked: 6722
    We've all done it!
    Hidden Content
    Kissing Bandit

  15. #10
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,135
    Thanked: 5108
    I used a soup ladle with Jet because she was very suspicious when I tried to catch her pee. The handle of the ladle allowed me to keep a bit of distance. LOL, stuff looks so much like chicken broth it's rather disturbing. Oban isn't so fussy but I found it was a big help if OH went out with me to hold him on the leash.

    Did the Vet say you should refrigerate it? Your appt. is late but you need that first thing in the morning pee. Refrigerating will cause crystals to form and precipitate out and might otherwise alter the sample. We tried to get an early morning Vet Appt. Not refrigerating might alter it too, that's a long time.
    Hidden Content

    Castilleja's Dubhgall Oban, the Black Stranger of The Little Bay
    Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
    Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content

  16. The Following User Says Thank You to Snowshoe For This Useful Post:

    klnst3 (02-09-2016)

 



Not a Member of the Labrador Retriever Chat Forums Yet?
Register for Free and Share Your Labrador Retriever Photos

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •