I have a 6 year old dachshund bitch (spayed) who was an ex breeding dog. She is well loved and very attached to us. She does not have any accidents while we are around, however if she is left alone even for 10 minutes she will wee and mess. We even installed a cat flap for her to give her outdoor access. She still prefers to wee/mess in the house. Is this a nervous thing as we are not around or is she just doing it because she can as we are not watching her????? We have tried to ignore it and not react but this makes no difference. She has been living with us for 2 years. Is it possible to amend this behaviour as we are having a puppy son and we are worried that she will pick up these bad habits. Any advice is more than welcome.
Thanks.

Hi,

If she wees and messes soon after you leave the house it sounds like separation anxiety.

I would do two things. The first is to treat her as if she is a puppy going through housetraining. Praise her profusely when she wees and poos outside. Make sure that ever time you take her to go out you have her exit and enter the house through the dog flap. You need to reinforce that going outside is wonderful - and that the dog flap is the means to get there. Make sure she has had the chance to elimante before you leave the house.

Then I would leave the house for the shortest period of time that you know she will stay clean, even if this is only five minutes. Come back into the house, but do not make a big deal of it. Gradually increase the amount of time you "leave" until she is confident that your are coming back.

Stacey

Stacey,
thanks for your reply, we will try everything that you have suggested. But we do let her go to the toilet before we go out. I'm wondering if its because shes such a character: she won't walk in a puddle, she won't go for a walk in the rain, she won't drink tap water. Daft I know but when we first had her she was never a big drinker until one day she had some of my bottled mineral water, which she loves. I've tried to trick her by filling the bottle with tap water and putting it in the fridge but still she won't drink it. Maybe it is because she can taste the chemicals in the tap water. Maybe it's me who's daft!!!!!!!!! She is also a real drama queen, this is confirmed by my local vet as she cries and cries while having her claws clipped yet my vet assures me that it does not hurt her. To be honest I wouldn't have her any other way but I would like a wee free kitchen.

many thanks

susannah