Dachshunds are a loving, free-spirited and energetic dog breed. Dachshund parents often wonder whether our free-spirited nature makes us spiteful after we’ve been left alone or punished. Are soiling the bed sheets and peeing on the floor outcomes of that spitefulness? The answer is no.
It’s true that my stubbornness can get in the way of housetraining. However, there could be many reasons behind my peeing in the house. Don’t dismiss other possibilities by chalking the behavior up to the challenging side of my personality. Inappropriate urination can be frustrating for pet parents, but yelling at me won’t solve the problem. You need to find the root cause behind why I am peeing in the house.
If we were not housetrained well in the first place, then our peeing habits should come as no surprise. If you’re witnessing a sudden lapse in our training, then you really need to find out the cause.
Medical Conditions That Can Lead To Training Lapse
Urinary Tract Issues
If a dog holds his pee for too long, then he can get a UTI or face other issues. When we get a UTI, we need to pee frequently; we feel a stinging sensation every time we pee and we might not be able to hold our bladders due to extreme discomfort. The vet can take a urine sample to see if our urine contains bacteria or abnormal cells. Moreover, a urine culture can help detect problems like bladder stones, cystitis, tumors, etc. While most of these issues can be resolved with antibiotics and supplements, some might need to be treated with surgery.
When you’re crate training your dachshund and he becomes accustomed to sleeping in the crate, it is your responsibility to take him out to pee before bedtime and to wake up early in the morning to let him out in order to prevent him from contracting a UTI.
Other Health Conditions
Specific health conditions like kidney stones, Cushing’s disease, and diabetes can be the reason behind your dog peeing in the house. Frequent and excessive peeing in the house is a possible symptom of an underlying medical condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated.
Incontinence
If we have lost control over our bladder, then we simply cannot help dripping around the house or leaking before we reach outdoors. Incontinence can be caused by a hormonal imbalance, weak bladder sphincter, prostate disorders, spinal injury, or more.
Incontinence can be treated with the help of prescription medication.
Old Age
Dementia and confusion are side effects of old age among dogs and humans alike. An old dog may completely forget his housetraining and start peeing on the floor. Many dog owners will resort to using diapers to prevent their dogs from experiencing discomfort and to minimize the exhaustion that comes with cleaning the house so frequently.
Behavior Patterns Or Emotions That Can Lead To Training Lapse
If none of these health problems are causing our peeing problem, then you can move on to behavioral problems. While the first thing that might pop into your head is our stubbornness, it is important to check other boxes as well.
Marking Behaviors
Dogs mark their territory with urine. You need to alter our habit of marking things to save yourself from a constantly smelly house. This is a common behavior among male dogs and a reaction to sex hormones.
If there is a new arrival in the house, such as a baby or a new pet, then your dog may feel insecure due to a lack of attention. They will try to mark their territory by urinating in the house.
Excitement or Fear-Driven Peeing
If we get surprised or excited, we might pee where we are. It is not a conscious act; it’s similar to humans wetting their pants when they are extremely scared. It can also happen if we are scared of someone and they come closer to us or try to pick us up. Domesticated dogs tend to get scared easily.
Separation Anxiety
While most dogs get separation anxiety, it can be more intense for dachshunds. We absolutely hate being left alone by our parents. We can be left alone for a maximum of four hours once we’ve matured, and after we’ve gotten used to your schedule. If we fear abandonment, then separation anxiety can lead to destructive behavior like chewing on your belongings, peeing everywhere, pacing around the room, and even snapping. Be calm and comfort your dog when he is anxious. What might look like spite and anger at having been left alone is probably anxiety and fear.
Unconventional Ways To Keep Your Dog From Peeing Indoors
Spraying a Repelling Solution Over the Place
What To Do: If your dog tends to pee in a specific area or on your carpet, you need to treat it fast. Dogs first smell the area in which they are about to pee. If they are completely repelled by the smell, they will avoid the area. If they smell their pee there, they will soil the spot again. It is critical that you meticulously clean the area that we have previously peed in so we do not make it our peeing spot. Moreover, spraying a solution of white vinegar and water mixed in equal parts on your carpet can keep us away from it. Citronella oil can also be added to the solution to increase the effect.
What Not To Do: Do not use bleach to keep your dog away from an area where they usually pee. We have a great sense of smell; we are called ‘the scent hounds’. Bleach can damage our nasal receptors, eventually eroding our sense of smell.
Poop Smell Method
What To Do: Your vet might ask you to wipe us after we poop and place the tissue where you want us to relieve ourselves. Once we start associating a specific spot as our pooping and peeing area, we will not pee elsewhere.
What Not To Do: Do not rub your dog’s nose in their pee to stop them from making a mess. As a form of punishment, making your dog smell their pee is not an efficient method. We do not mind the smell of our urine or feces, so you’re just being harsh on us with no benefit. Moreover, if you force us like that, we can become scared and might start hiding from you after we relieve ourselves. Even if this method works for a few dogs, the cause would be fear and not having learned the difference between right and wrong.
Conclusion
When we were younger, you must’ve done at least some poop and pee cleaning in the house, especially if you’re a dachshund owner. While frustration is a natural reaction, taking your anger out on us is a bad way of processing it. You need to be extremely patient and take us to the vet if you notice a urination problem after we have already been housetrained.
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