Hi

My dog Molly is 10 years old and lives with my mother (she is the family dog, and I've moved out but I often go there and dogsit). As a pup I gave her basic training and she is generally well behaved, however when she is annoyed she will pee on the floor.

It's not stress or having a full bladder, she just wants to be the centre of attention. I know this because she is happy to be on her own in the house, but as soon as she can hear that there is more than one person in a room she wants to be there and know what's going on. Generally I let her into the room, however this isn't solving the problem, just avoiding it. Does anyone have any tips? thanks

To be honest I would say she isn't peeing out of spite at all. It sounds like seperation anxiety. She doesn't like being seperated from you when she can clearly hear you in another room. Its obviously not a severe case as it does not occur when you leave the house
I do not know how to fix seperation anxiety however i'm sure a more well informed member will be along soon to fill you in about the subject

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Lovely Banner By Pheebus!

Yes. Take her to the vets and get her checked out for a urinary infection just in case. Forget attributing human type failings to your dog. She is a dog - she does not do spite like a human can. She is not sulking!

If there is no urinary infection then take it that she feels bereft at being shut out and like any older person will feel the need to toilet more through stress. She does not 'want to know what's going on' - she just does not want to be lonely and why should she be at her age? Why does she need to be shut out if she normally isn't when you're not there? Stop blaming the poor dog and look at what you are doing (or not doing) to cause her to feel this way.

hey, bell! :--)

if it avoids the puddle on the floor, it is IMO solving the problem.

i agree with caroH -
UTIs are 3 or 4 times as common in Fs as Ms. at 10-YO, is she spayed?
stress can cause urinary leaks, and old-ladies are more prone as they age.

an inexpensive medication can often help --
talk to the vet about this issue, maybe she has muscle-loss or nerve-problems and her bladder does not *shut* properly anymore; maybe she is just EXCITED to see a familiar friend or a new face?
maybe she is upset at being alone + her distress causes leaks -
** big emotion ** is a stress, so it can be anything, perhaps a calmative might help her -

see post #22 in the sticky-thread, * dog-body-language * for OTC calmatives.
ask the vet if she is an anxious or easily-stressed / easily-excited dog?

this can be medical, emotional, or both - but one thing its not, is spite.
i hope U get it figured-out soon; a sub-clinical infection can be REALLY hard to diagnose, so ask the vet if culturing her urine might help?
then U know what critter U are dealing with -

THERE * IS * A * NEW multiply-resistant UTI which is mostly in humans, so far - but inevitably it will be found in dogs, if it is not already; it is going? has gone? global;
ask the vet to be sure they are aware of this as a potential complication, just in case.

hope its just some sphincter-incompetence + emotional stress,
all the best to the old girl,
--- terry

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terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

Hi guys, thanks for your replies.

We took her to the vet about a year ago when we thought it was related to her arthritis and he said there was no problem with her bladder, he described her as a 'drama queen', as he felt like a lot of her behaviour is overacting. I've heard before about dogs urinating out of protest (perhaps 'spite' was too human a word), particularly when in their crate or other places where there is a certain level of restriction.

Im afraid that the vast majority of vets have no clue about behaviour...so I would not listen to the vet for behavioural advice...

When the vet said this when you took her, did he actually do any checks on her urine to be sure? And is it only happening in these specific circumstances and nothing else? It could just be excitement at someone being round (like terry said) and therefore being older, she cannot hold her bladder...have you tried letting her out for a wee before you have visitors and before shutting her in this area? Perhaps try this and see if it solves the problem if you have to shut her out... but out of curiosity, why do you need to shut her out? Could she not just be allowed in the room with visitors?

You have had some great advice above and I would still say that in the cases you mention in your last post (weeing in their crate etc) it is still not 'in protest' but very likely out of stress... they do not like being in the crate...

I guess the only other possible explanation is a dog could potentially get into the habit of weeing if they know that it gets them attention? but the cause it still because they feel they are being left and are feeling lonely/stressed etc, so want attention! if the only way to get attention is to pee on the floor then it is very possible that she has learnt that peeing on the floor gets her attention...

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