[The Opera Poodle]

Hola from sunny Mexico. I need the poodle army's great advice.

Waffles sliced a paw pad wide open last week. It was deep and fully across the pad. He did this in a game of chase with Sherlock on the edge of the patio tile (it is being reworked this week even though he had to hit it just right to cause the cut.) The wound has heeled nicely. The two vet visits cost me a total of $11 USD. I love Mexico and the fact I can take the dogs to the vet with no worried of a bill. But I'm facing a secondary issue. He now doesn't want to play chase anymore (but seems to be getting over that one as long as it is in the house,) but worse, doesn't want to go out to pee or poo in the back yard.

And he is picking all the wrong places to go. The first accident was on the king size brand new mattress on the third floor. I rarely go up to the third floor but I smelled it. Luckily there was a memory foam pad on top. Unluckily, it was an expensive memory foam top. And he had runny stools. I just though he went up there because he was feeling ill and it was a "go" emergency that couldn't wait for me to get a door open. One tossed memory foam pad and a can of Fa-breeze later.....

Then, the next day I heard him in my dressing room. The door is usually shut so I though he was exploring because I just pilled up all the winter blankets to encase in bags to store. What he was doing was peeing all over everything. It was apparent his badder was on full. I could have done a back stroke though the yellow swim pool he made. So, five blankets, two pillows, and the area rug cleaned....

I thought back and realized he didn't go out with us to go potty. I rarely keep track of who goes when because with three, I'm opening the door for one every half hour. And a lot of days, it is left wide open all day.

Then that night, while I was at my desk, I head tinkling - and it wasn't bells. I walked around the corner and he had peed Sherlock into a corner of the hall. They had been playing together and I guess he couldn't hold it any more and just stopped and let it go. Two mop buckets and a bottle of disinfectant later....

Again, I didn't recall him peeing when we went out. As it was dark, I took him to the front yard and he instantly pooed - a big "I have held this in for a few meals" poo. Since then, I am having to let him out front because he won't go out back.

This happened to me with a past dog when I lived in Texas. She went out and squatted in a fire ant den. She did not go on grass ever again after that. That was okay as we had a huge yard with a couple of patio areas. And I sympathized with her. Her feet and legs were swollen for weeks. The vet couldn't stop comforting her when I took her in. Anyone who has had one bite relates. But I can't keep taking Waffles out front. There is no fence, he is slow to go because it is a fun place with lots of animal smells, and this isn't practical at all.

I can get Waffles out with a treat into the back yard but he eats and stands by me as it seems he doesn't want the big bad patio to bite him again. He is going to the front door to tell me he wants out now but I need to figure out how to get him to not fear the loo in the back.

It doesn't help that right now I have a crew of five to seven men at any given time in the yard doing a huge landscaping project and there is fresh cement involved if the two who aren't afraid to venture are not watched very close. I'm basically pooing and peeing them one at a time and it seems like all I do all day. We do have a lovely dog park that is always almost totally empty (and has such responsible owners when there are dogs there.) I'm doing that once a day for now.

Any ideas? Let him drink five beers and take him out back till he breaks the seal? Mercy - just kidding. I forget there is no sarcasm font

Thanks crew!

 

[Rose n Poos]

The closest I can come to being helpful is a Tale of Remo. Somewhere around their first birthday, Remo decided that the backyard was only good for peeing in the daylight. At night I'd have to leash him up, go out back, walk around, wait for nothing, come back in, leash him up...til one day I got the bright idea to leash him up and take him to the front yard to sniff trees which always brings on a pee. This went on for a while. I'd start with the backyard then decamp to the front, so he'd understand (I hoped) that the front yard option was not preferred.

Then this day came:

So, I'm guessing that whatever prompted him to stop peeing in the backyard faded with the acceptance of the alternative along with continued reinforcement of the preferred location. Your situation is definitely complicated by the ongoing construction.

Oh Oh crazy idea!! (and please video if you try it ). When taking him out front, catch some of his urine in a cup or on a rag then anoint an area in the back not near the offending tile. I'd just lay the rag on the grass rather than squeezing it LOL.

 

[The Opera Poodle]

Oh Oh crazy idea!! (and please video if you try it ). When taking him out front, catch some of his urine in a cup or on a rag then anoint an area in the back not near the offending tile. I'd just lay the rag on the grass rather than squeezing it LOL.

Lol. Not going to happen. Unless I have five beers first.

 

[cowpony]

That's a tough one. Apart from the Tennessee belles, all my dogs have been boys. As soon as one peed the rest would line up to mark the same spot. DH will sometimes encourage the process with a bit of helpful, um, pointing. Probably not an option for you.

 

[Mufar42]

Could also be all the commotion out back on top of the accident. I'd walk him on a leash for awhile until he goes, either out back or front. His bad memory will eventually fade and once the commotion is gone he will very likely get back to normal.

 

[Mufar42]

And $11. for a vet. I can only dream, Renns upset stomach cost $1200. ugh..I was saving for a new phone but oh well

 

[Mfmst]

I would walk Waffles on a leash and not just for a once a day excursion, until the landscaping crew is gone. Monitor liquid and food intake, and in that hard to pinpoint window between success and mess, strap on the leash. Do block off the nobody ever goes there,(Ha!) third floor, and the rest of the house until he’s back on schedule. Buena suerta!

 

[twyla]

Panic, fear and pain pain are mighty deterrents. Your pup needs to know that his world is a good pain free place, my Pia scares easily I have worked hard on making the world a good place. A slight trip on the steps made her avoid stairs, it was so slight I barely noticed except on deep reflection. Together we made the stairs a fun good place again.
Basically saying the injury and excessive activity in the outside world has made scary enough that soiling inside is the better option.

 

[The Opera Poodle]

And $11. for a vet. I can only dream, Renns upset stomach cost $1200. ugh..I was saving for a new phone but oh well

Tomorrow my three get full grooms. The woman does quality work. For all three dogs it will cost me $75 USD. That is $25 a dog. I tip her $25 extra. She kept trying to give it back to me the first time but now it goes in her pocket quickly. It takes her all day and my dogs love her. Baths are so cheap I have mine three done ever two weeks. And don't even get me started on how cheap my utility bills are.....

 

[townferret]

You may have to go back to the beginning. If you crated him when housebreaking, start crating him again- and put him on a timer.
Every 30 minutes let him out, put him in the yard you want him to use, watch his progress- if he is productive outside do not re-crate
for an hour or so but keep him in sight. If you didn't crate, you might want to contain him in an active room where he will do the least damage
with a gate.

You mentioned his poo was runny, a client of mine called me and told me her schnauzer who was 3 years old had walked into their
family room where they were all watching TV and proceeded to pee right on the floor in front of the TV. I told her to make a vet appointment,
and she called back the next day to relate that the dog had a urinary infection. It would have gone undiscovered had the dog not
"communicated" it as she did.

Since his injury was the precursor of the behavior, is he on anti-biotics? (would make runny poop which he needs you to know about?)
The injury may have been traumatic to him, or the workmen may be a bother to him, but mostly his routine has been disrupted so that is
why it might help to bring him back to basics and reinforce whatever routine you implemented to housebreak him in the beginning.

Hope this helps, I wince when I think of his injury, and thanks for sharing because I'm going to check all the patio tiles now.
I hope he is back to himself real soon!

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Gracie experienced urinary incontinence when she had diarrhea. She would do massive pees inside, just staring helplessly at me.

 

[The Opera Poodle]

You may have to go back to the beginning. If you crated him when housebreaking, start crating him again- and put him on a timer.
Every 30 minutes let him out, put him in the yard you want him to use, watch his progress- if he is productive outside do not re-crate
for an hour or so but keep him in sight. If you didn't crate, you might want to contain him in an active room where he will do the least damage
with a gate.

You mentioned his poo was runny, a client of mine called me and told me her schnauzer who was 3 years old had walked into their
family room where they were all watching TV and proceeded to pee right on the floor in front of the TV. I told her to make a vet appointment,
and she called back the next day to relate that the dog had a urinary infection. It would have gone undiscovered had the dog not
"communicated" it as she did.

Since his injury was the precursor of the behavior, is he on anti-biotics? (would make runny poop which he needs you to know about?)
The injury may have been traumatic to him, or the workmen may be a bother to him, but mostly his routine has been disrupted so that is
why it might help to bring him back to basics and reinforce whatever routine you implemented to housebreak him in the beginning.

Hope this helps, I wince when I think of his injury, and thanks for sharing because I'm going to check all the patio tiles now.
I hope he is back to himself real soon!

We saw the vet twice with his foot. Once when she cleaned it and wrapped it. And then two days later when she unwrapped it. One thing I love about the vets here in Mexico that I have seen is they are not quick to give an antibiotic.They have only given it to my dogs once when a wound was too jagged to clean properly. As a human child from a small town in the 60's and 70's, I was given antibiotics for anything from an allergy to a bump on the head. It was their one go to. I now have almost no natural immunity. I guess I project this on the dogs as I really don't like to see it given unless absolutely necessary. So that was my long way around the block to say, no - it wasn't medication. I think it was from the stress. The vet couldn't feel or hear any tummy troubles when we went back the following day.

I did not have Waffles till last June. He was one years old and a rescue with quite the story (I will post it in a different thread.) So, I don't know if he even is officially potty trained. He could have been going when one of the other dogs asked out until he figured it out on his own. This was the first time he had messed inside though since I got him. Since I posted this, he has started to go again out back if I am right beside him. He still won't go out the open door on his own. But I'm now sure this was just a setback from being afraid of getting hurt again. It is a good thing they bounce back like they do. I still will not get on a ferris wheel after a carnie shut my finger in the safety bar when I was about ten.

Yes, check your tile edges. Although I think they really have to be hit at just the right angle to cut like it did. Mine isn't "sharp" but just a right angle made of hard material that will do damage only if the speed and trajectory are right.

Thanks for your response!

 

[The Opera Poodle]

Gracie experienced urinary incontinence when she had diarrhea. She would do massive pees inside, just staring helplessly at me.

Poor Gracie! That must be so hard on a dog who is such a good girl but has to do something she knows is bad because she can't help it. I posted an update above. Thanks for your imput!

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Poor Gracie! That must be so hard on a dog who is such a good girl but has to do something she knows is bad because she can't help it. I posted an update above. Thanks for your imput!

Yes, always so hard to see a housebroken dog unable to control themselves. At least I'm not the sort to scold or rage over such things. Some do. Breaks my heart.

Happy to hear Waffles might be getting over his fear. They really are so resilient, but they also have sharp memories for the exceptionally good and the exceptionally bad. Maybe hide something wonderfully smelly and tasty out there for him to stumble upon.

 

[The Opera Poodle]

Yes, always so hard to see a housebroken dog unable to control themselves. At least I'm not the sort to scold or rage over such things. Some do. Breaks my heart.

Happy to hear Waffles might be getting over his fear. They really are so resilient, but they also have sharp memories for the exceptionally good and the exceptionally bad. Maybe hide something wonderfully smelly and tasty out there for him to stumble upon.

Great idea!