Hey there, folks - I'm in need of advice/info and hope to find it here without having to call my vet.

I have a six-month old Basset Fauve de Bretagne named Cooper who has been a jewel since we obtained him at 10 weeks old. The first couple months were difficult as he went through the housetraining process - he frequently peed on our carpet instead of on the pads we had set out for him when he couldn't get outside fast enough. Well, we slowly trained him NOT to pee on the carpet and as of a couple months ago he was NO LONGER peeing inappropriately in our house.

We began obedience training last Tuesday with an instructor and we've been working with Cooper to teach him some basic commands (heel, stay, down, etc.) and since then he's has peed 6 times and left 4-5 "packages" on my oriental rug in our sunroom. Before this he had NEVER soiled that room.

Can someone tell me what may have caused him to suddenly start doing this? Is it because his balls have dropped and now he needs to mark his territory? Is it his way of telling us he doesn't like obedience training? Is it because we have four cats that like this room and he is trying to cover their smell? Could it be health reasons (I know cats pee inappropriately when they have UTI).

Someone please give me some thoughts on what may be the cause, and if it's NOT health related, ways I can make Cooper stop. I don't want to have to block off the room completely which at this point I might do because it's really upsetting me. But then my fear is that he'll just pee in the dining room instead.

HELP!

What sort of methods does your new trainer use? Did you or the dog seem stressed at all by the experience? It would seem he's found it all a bit much and it's caused him to 'forget' what is expected.

The obedience class is great - and I think Cooper finds it fun. There are 12 dogs in the class, and for one hour one night a week we work with an instructor on a couple commands and practice them. Then the rest of the week I continue with the training on my own. We'll do doing that for 6 more weeks. I think that Cooper finds the car ride traumatic - it's 30 minutes each way and he got carsick the first time we went. But the class itself he seems to enjoy because he's around other puppies and gets to run around and play for a bit before the class starts.

The methods of the instructor are fine - he doesn't do anything untoward with the dogs at all, in fact, he only steps in to help a dog owner when they aren't doing something properly with the leash. Other than that, he's in the center of the room merely speaking to us and explaining what we need to do.

Jaynee

It might just be Cooper's way of saying "too much mum". As young children do, young dogs also seem to go through periods when they forget more than they ever knew. The only thing to do is to go back to basics with him. Do you still give him lots of praise when he "goes" outside? It's a trap many owners fall into. As soon as the dgos is going outside, they stop the praise so the dog forgets. My 18 month old still gets a good boy and a treat for going outside.

Give the oriental rug a good wash with a biological detergent to rid oft of the smell and gove the floor a good wash with biological detergent in that area too. If he picks up any scent of poo or wee he'll think that's an area he's allowed to use. Give him lots of praise for going out, firm no's and putting outside if catch him going indoors.

It could also just be his age. Not sure what age your breed reaches adolescence, but they often become useless at that stage too. Again, my older boy was brilliant at obedience class. Now you'd think he'd never been.

hth

Pam n the boys

I do still try to praise him when I can when he goes outside. Lots of "good boys" and an occasional treat. But I'll try to be more effusive than I have been.

And I didn't realize that puppies had an "adolescence" when they might forget all the rules and revert to old bad behavior. I'll try to encourage him when he's been particularly good.

They definitely have an adolescence, or a teenage period, when they can be little b...............s. Incidentally it could be the training classes, not because they are upsetting him but maybe he is getting a bit over excited and over tired. Try a bit of rescue remedy to see if that helps his travel sickness and try having a few relaxing moments with him, gentle down stays with gentle stroking to keep him calm. Otherwise its just back to basics with training for him and I'm sure he will come through it in no time.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Yes I agree! Bella my 9 month puppy who has been 100% clean since about 12 weeks old, suddenly started pooing overnight sometimes and the occasional wee too, about 2 weeks ago. She has just come in season this morning, so that is probably why. Perhaps the hormone surges in adolescent dogs and bitches causes it.

Well I'm feeling much better about the whole thing. I was going nuts when I'd let him outside to do his business only to have him pee within 2 minutes of coming back inside! ARG!

I'll give him lots of lovin' this weekend and see if we can't get back to normal in the next few weeks.

Thanks!

I'm glad someone else has had this problem to my mal is exactly the same for about a week before her season right up until she has finnished, she also forgets the pecking order in the house as well. I have found that if she pees on a carpet with underlay and you don't get to it right away so it soaks through the smell seems to be very pungent when in season (obviously to attract the boys) lay a towel or something equally absorbant over it to get rid of the worst then mix warm water with a few drops of distilled vinegar and resoak the patch where original pee was then with another towel re absorb. This seems to work'.0D