[Cindy in NY]

I need help!! :hair

In August we adopted a 6 year old male Pug Pekinese mix. He had been living with a family from our church for the past 4 years. They had 5 dogs at the time with this guy being one of the smallest. When they heard we were looking for a dog of this size, they offered him to us. They thought he was getting bullied by the bigger dogs and his response had been to "occasionally" mark.

When he first came in the house, he immediately marked about 4 spots and was chastised for that. He has never marked again in those spots. Over the next few weeks, I found that he had gone in one spot a couple times. He was chastised again for these.

During the last month and a half, it has gotten really bad. He was consistently going in the bathroom and one bedroom. I cleaned these areas with the special cleaner and again chastised him. When it continued, we got Belly Bands for him. He just went in them. So we were continually washing them and changing the pads. The vet gave me a prescription for estrogen to try and knock down the need to mark. He's been on that a week and no change except that it causes him to drink more and need to go more!

The worst time is at night. I take him out at 10:00 and then again at about 8 in the morning. For the last few mornings, I have found that he has gone heavily in the pad and Belly Band and it doesn't seem to bother him.

At this point, I think we are left we no other choices than to crate him at night. We have a very large travel crate (solid sides) that he could go in but we would have to block off about half of it to restrict his livable area.

Anyone have any other suggestions? If the estrogen was going to work, should it have done something by now? Please help before DH leaves me!!

 

[GrannyCarol]

Are you sure he doesn't have a UTI? Did the vet address that possibility?

If he doesn't, then keep him with you on a leash in the house so you can personally supervise everything he does. When he is not leashed in the house, he should be crated. After a nap, like a puppy, he should go out under supervision and praised when he potties outside. Basically he needs to be re-house trained, told what is right and stopped from doing what is wrong and hustled outside.

Also, you don't mention if he is neutered? If not, the obvious thing would be to do so.

I'm still thinking he might have a urinary tract infection causing him to have to pee so much and making him uncomfortable.

 

[aoconnor1]

I would immediately get your vet to check for a UTI or other urinary tract issues! Until your vet can get to him, get him on a good cranberry supplement with vitamin c in it to boost his immune system. You can also add plain, fat free yogurt to help him digest food and give him the correct bacteria in his digestive tract, which may or may not have anything to do with his issue, but it would help him overall.

My advice would also be, if your vet didn't check for a UTI or other reason for frequent urination, find a vet who will actually diagnose the cause rather than just throwing meds at him to fix one symptom of an issue rather than the actual issue.

 

[mekasmom]

Pekingese are extremely difficult to housebreak. My mother bred them and showed them when I was little. I have had dozens of them over the last 50yrs. They mark. Males are even worse than females. People will tell you to alter the dog, but honestly it doesn't help that much. Pekes mark. I have met very few that down't have "accidents" once in a while. Unaltered males have more than females.
They are wonderful little breed that love to "oooohhh ooooohhh", and whine when they are happy. But they do mark.

 

[Cindy in NY]

Yes he was was neutered but not till he was two.

He spent last night in the crate with no complaints or whining and didn't have an "accident". He had the Belly Band on this morning after going out and eating and it was wet about 9:30 (took him out at 7). I'm beginning to think if he is wetting the band when he's overly excited. He had been racing around the house with his cat buddy and then was barking at a dog outside. We haven't put the band back on him and we'll see if he can control himself with normal potty breaks.

I did call the vet this morning and we've stopped the pills. I'm going to take a sample over next week.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! Yes, mekasmom he does make that noise. We call it dog purring!!

 

[offthegrid]

I would crate the dog at night, and restrict the living area in the rest of the house for now. And then I would act as though the dog is not housetrained at all, take him out often, and correct with a sharp "NO" anytime he looks like he is going to lift his leg -- and take him outside, then praise.

I think that dogs that mark in the house have been allowed to do it in the past. Sure, all male dogs would like to mark all the time - that's how they show their territory. I'm sure it's a lot harder to correct than it is not to ever allow it.

Good luck.