Hiya,

A year or so ago my partner and i adopted a jack russel bitch who is 11/12. She had always slept upstairs with the previous owners and had the run of the house. This arrangement didnt suit us so we tried at first keeping her in a separate bedroom, she used to scratch and mess during the night so i moved her downstairs to the kitchen.
The kitchen doesnt have a door so we lock her in with a baby gate but every night she scratches, wee's and poo's (she does do it on the newspaper we leave which i suppose is one thing!) but this is getting boring!!
I have tried the thing of a t-shirt of mine in her bed which doesnt work! Also tried a squirt of water in the face and a sharp no when she has done wrong. From my bed i can shout 'no' and she wil scurry back to bed, but 5 mins later she is scratching again and jumping at the gate!!!

First problem to solve is the weeing and poo's in the morning (she can go all night without going if she sleeps upstairs with us). Is it ok to tell and animal off a while after she has done this? does she know what she has done wrong?
Second problem is how to stop the scratching once and for all!!!

Sorry this is lenghty but hopefully someone can help!!

Alex

Hi, sorry to hear your having problems.

You said you shout from your bed 'no' and she stops scratching, but then does it again, this might be because she knows she's going to get a reaction (attention) from you when she starts up - so does it all the more. Try ignoring it if you can, she may get bored and give up...

Hope this helps a little. Sorry I can't give more advice. Good luck.

you could try a crate @ night 4 a while just 2 get her out of the habbit? im sure some1 else will pop along with more ideas xx

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]mummy 2 :_lucy x rescue,2 golfish & 3 gals, african grey parrot - mojo x

Try Canac pet behaviour spray.. my cats had a bad habit of scratching at my door at night, and I used to get up and chase them off.. they did it more to be naughty!
I put that spray on my door and they stopped. I don't have to use it anymore, they have learned. I did keep putting it on at night for a few weeks.. it wears off after a while.

x

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You say the dogs 11 years old if thats right you are going to find it very hard to retrain the sleeping thing. As dogs are pack animals some need to be with you

i agree with Bobbie At 11/12 she is an old girl. its going to be hard for any kind of adjustment.

Its abit like taking an old lady and making her do cartwheels.

The pooing and weeing at night when shes alone is stress. She is stressed becasue shes on her own. You could see abut getting her a mate or let her sleep in her bed in your room.

Being an old dog i would make her life comfortable as best you can for what she has left of her life. My rescue dog used to sleep in her bed next to my husbands side of the bed thats where she stayed until we got the puppy which is now 2 years old and they sleep together in the dinning room.

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Hi. I also agree. It is not natural for a dog not to sleep with it's pack. There are loads and loads of people who have the same problem on here with their puppy's. For an older dog like your's it will be extremely difficult for her to adjust, also at her age it seems a bit of a shame for her to be under such stress (wee's and poo's). Hope you work it out

Thanks for all the replies everyone!
We will be moving house soon-ish and we may think about getting her a friend then but the house isnt big enough at the moment for a mental jack russell and another dog!!

I might have a look into the crate idea, if not we may have to let her have the run of the house, do you think if she has the run of the house she will mess or do you think she'll be relaxed enough to not go?

Also i think she might be posessed, she is staring intently into my fireplace and there is nothing there! Oh well!! a life with no worries!!

I don't agree with giving a dog too much space to run around in when you want them to be calm or when you are out. My dogs know they have to sleep on the floor of our bedroom and not move apart from to get a drink of water. I think we either closed the bedroom door to start of with or we used a baby gate, can't quite remember. She'll prob just be happy to be in the room with you. With regards to the fire place - if she starts to get more intent about her staring, then distract her. Not good for a dog to get fixated, it can lead to other things. Best nip it in the bud by distracting her x