Species: Dog Breed: Yorkshire Terrior Age: 1-2 years
I really need help, i have a dog that is now one and a half years old, hes a cross between a jack russel and a yorkshire terrior and he has a problem with urinating. we're close to have to get rid of him because its becoming too much to handle. We got him when he was a puppy and trained him to use the backgarden, or outside, for urinating and other, the training worked but only for a year and how he is urinating on anything and everything, cushions, sofa, tv etc...we have two cats, one parrot and one budgee. I also recently had my teenage daughter move out, she was the one that picked him out and raised him basically. please help i dont want to have to let go of him. thank you.
Dr. Marie replied:
Oh, sorry to hear that Titch is having this problem. It is really a frustrating thing when a dog wants to pee on everything.
My first question would be to ask whether or not he is neutered. If not, then having him neutered has a really good chance of stopping him from urinating on things. Testosterone can cause a dog to want to mark his territory and usually once we castrate a dog that desire goes away.
The next thing I would advise is to have your vet check a urine sample from him. Quite often when a dog is urinating in the house it is because there is a medical problem. One such problem would be inflammation in the bladder from a chronic infection, bladder stones or crystals. All of these are fixable problems. Another possibility is something that would cause him to produce extra urine such as diabetes or a kidney problem.
If medically he checks out ok then there are some good training things you can do to help. I really advocate crate training. What this means is that he stays in his crate all day long other than going outside for walks. When he urinates in an appropriate place give him lots of praise. It usually takes about 1-3 weeks of crate training for a dog to retrain his brain that outside should be his toilet and not inside. After 1-3 weeks then you can start allowing him small time periods outside of the crate and gradually increase the amount of time he is allowed out.
It will also help to thoroughly clean any area where he has urinated.
Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.
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Veterinarian, Dr. Marie created this site to be able to provide quick, accurate veterinary advice online. She would love to help with your pet's problem!
Dr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.
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