Messes in the house..

[XxSydneyxX]

I just got a Bichon Frise with possible poodle.. the only thing the previous owner really said was that he was nine..
He has been making messes in the house maybe since we first got him.....if we put him in the cage he barks himself crazy or he will make a mess and possibly on himself.
We did let him roam through our kitchen and back room when we were gone but he still made messes...
We did block him in the back room before but he scratched at the door frame and made marks in the wood.
We feed him in the morning take him out to go then throughout the day we take him out every hour or hour and a half but he still makes messes when we are asleep.
What can we do??

 

[MEG126]

where does he sleep? my collie always used to sleep in the basement and she'd scratch at the door in the mornings and the finish on our door has scratch marks all over it. when you're not in the house, you need to look into containing him in a smaller place and not giving him free roam of the house. we always used to take my golden out on a leash in the front yard to do her business, and then she developed this habit of not going in the backyard because she didn't want to dirty up her territory since she spends a lot of her time in the back yard (fenced in, of course). so that could help once he is given a more limited area. (kitchens are good!)

you can get some other good training methods if you do a search on yahoo. good luck!

 

[Kbob]

Messes in the house

sounds like a possible case of separation anxiety. I would suggest that you talk with your vet about it. If it's really serious then medication can be given to help. It's difficult when you adopt an older dog and don't really know the beginning life of that dog. You kind of have to figure it all out from scratch.

Good luck!

 

[Renee750il]

Makes me wonder why the owner gave him up. Definitely make a trip to the vet just to make sure it's not something medical, although it really doesn't sound like it. A dog that old that is suddenly thrown into a completely new environment, cutting ties with his old life is bound to have a difficult period of adjustment.

Good on you for being great hearted enough to take in an older dog like this. My main thought is that this problem may gradually disappear as he becomes more and more attached to you and his new life. Plenty of affection, reassurance and gentle correction should help more than just about anything, but you might want to check into some good training references for older dogs.

 

[Debi]

Just guessing here..but I bet he is feeling stress. It's new territory for him and he is just taking time becoming adjusted. Have patience. I bet he will soon be back in the swing of being housebroken ( assuming he once was) when he relaxes more. Poor baby.......it's just alot to deal with for him. How wonderful you have taken him in!!! Old dogs can be taught new tricks. They are wonderful companions.