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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Jennifer Shryock is a certified dog behavior consultant, who specializes in helping families keep things safe and fun between children and the family dog/s. She has a duo bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education from Kutztown University. She combined her passion for working with families, children and dogs into a career in dog behavior, and founded Family Paws in 2002. She developed Dogs & Storks™, an original and complete program for new and expecting parents (and grandparents) who have a family dog.
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8/16/2005
We have had our Shih Tzu for about 7 months now. He is just over a year old, and is our only dog. After a shaky start at housebreaking, he hadn't had an accident in about 4 months. Recently, he spent 3 weeks at my mother's with another shih tzu and a German shepherd. He's been back for about 2 weeks, and he's had 3 accidents inside. He normally roams the house while we are home and takes himself outside when he needs to go (we have a doggie door). We are at a loss as to why he is relieving himself indoors now. We have been considering getting him a friend so he wouldn't be alone while we are at our full time jobs. However, now we are not so sure we want to housebreak another dog if we haven't gotten right yet with this little guy. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. (banessa, Arizona)
When we are off on vacation and our dogs are elsewhere, we often assume that life will return to normal once we return home. This however is often not the case. Dogs are so used to routines and familiarity that being away can often be stressful for them and cause them to regress in many ways but often house manner
s.
Being in a new environment often invites the opportunity for accidents along with marking and just general confusion about when and where to eliminate. Once you return home your dog may be off schedule, have a UTI or just be determined to mark their space once again to be sure that there is no question that you and they are together. We do not appreciate this as we do not have this need and consider it rather unpleasant. Consider though that your dog is trying to cope with stress, change in routines, missing you and get life back to normal.
So, what to do? First.... you must rule out any medical cause; UTI or any other cause.
Second.... supervise! Keep your dog in view or on lead in the house so that you can fully supervise. Management prevents opportunity.
I suggest cleaning up without your dog observing you. Do not make a big fuss over this. If you use paper towels to absorb urine or feces.... take it outside and praise your dog for sniffing it OUTSIDE.
Sometimes going back to house manners 101 is needed once medical reasons are ruled out. Be patient and consistent!
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