Peeing peeing and peeing some more…

[ChristyRutherford]

I adopted a 3yo basenji that was never taught to go outside. He is still not reliable when I am not home, but after a year we have managed to get a schedule down. I found that he only goes on the floor when I am not around, so he has an area that is not carpeted that he stays on when I am not home. It is 2 rooms and he does not like being neglected from the rest of the house, but it was either that or he would have to go. I would really suggest trying to crate train him. My moms basenji hated it at first but now goes there with just the mention of the word "cheese". He does not mind it at all, and all they really do is sleep while you are at work.
I was very frustrated when I got squiggy, but I am so glad I stuck it out and we have come to an understaning. In fact it keeps getting better with time.
Good Luck

[TuckerVA]

Thanks for all of the replies. Tucker is now confined to the kitchen during the day. He's not really happy about it and today was the third day. He was really snarky this morning when I was putting him in there and even tried to snap at me. I know why, so I didn't bother to acknowledge him. He hasn't peed on the tile yet as I suspect that he, like Christy's dog, won't pee on the tile floor as he has NEVER peed on any hard floor, only the soft surfaces of the sofa, carpet and my duvet cover (b4st4rd!)… Once I have some more time (after the holidays), I'll most likely start working on the crate or a warm option for the balcony since he really likes being able to see stuff... The kitchen is rather bland... At least with a crate I could put the crate near the glass door... I'm actually thinking of getting a heated pad and putting it in the crate on the balcony for him, but I fear it may still be too cold for him...

Any thoughts?

[Quercus]

Have you thought about giving him a spot inside to pee? Like a big litter box, with either litter, or maybe a blanket, in it?

I would avoid putting him on the balcony. I think it is dangerous, and cold. I would be willing to bet money that he would rather be closed in the kitchen than the balcony, especially during winter. I would much rather see him in a crate, than stuck out on a balcony. Honestly…dogs sleep when we aren't home (minus a few exceptions). But I think the kitchen is a suitable compromise Use some treats to train him to go in when it is time...give him something REALLY yummy when he is there (raw marrow bone, sterlized bones with cheeze whiz, compressed rawhide) something he ONLY gets when he goes into the kitchen, and pretty soon he will be happy to go in.

And then never, ever let him out of your sight when you are home; so he doesn't sneak off and pee on the bed.

[jessi76]

@TuckerVA:

Once I have some more time (after the holidays), I'll most likely start working on the crate or a warm option for the balcony since he really likes being able to see stuff… The kitchen is rather bland... At least with a crate I could put the crate near the glass door... I'm actually thinking of getting a heated pad and putting it in the crate on the balcony for him, but I fear it may still be too cold for him...

Any thoughts?

you need "time" to come up w/ a way to keep the dog confined and warm?!? sorry, I don't understand that at all. IMO, dogs are part of the family, and I'd never leave a family member out in the cold all day. please, find the "time" now, and set him up inside your home. The dog should be warm & safe, he's not worried your kitchen is too "bland".

[Vanessa]

Try this on a cold night…
Put some uncooked rice in a large sock and tie it in a few firm knots. Stick the sock in the microwave for about a min or a min and a half. The rice gets really nice and warm. Its a great little heating pillow along as you can keep an eye on him so he wont chew it.

[tlbuddy]

I would definitely try the crate method and if you have a dog walker come every day that would break up the amount of time he is in the crate. I don't let Cali have anything to eat or drink after 8pm and I take her out at about 9pm every night. She doesnt have to go and pee again until about 6:30a in the morning. She has only pee'd in her crate 1 time and that was a couple of days after I got her. I keep her crated while I am at work and she most likely sleeps most of the time because I take her for a walk every morning before I leave to tire her out. Now that it is getting cold our routine will probably change a little and I will have to find another way to tire her out before I leave for work.
You might also want to take him to the Vet because he could have Kidney Stones or a UTI.
Hang in there with Tucker and I am sure you will find a solution to the problem:)
tlbuddy

[TuckerVA]

Perhaps I should have been more clear with the balcony idea… As some might have read in another thread, I bought him a dog door for the sliding glass door (the insert panel type) and he spends a LOT of time on the balcony. And, we all know Basenji's love to look out the window and sometimes get restless when they can't (of course this has a 'contrary' also, some like to go eat a sofa when they can't go chase that squirrel...). Anyway, I'm in construction and was thinking of building him an enclosed and insulated doghouse for the balcony with a flap type door and plexi windows (I have access to all of this stuff REALLY cheap). Install a heating pad and you have doggie paradise. If he gets cold, he simply goes inside and takes a nap, if he wants to lie outside, he has the option. The day after he peed on my rug AND my duvet, I locked him out there since the weather was nice. My dog walker left me a note and said that he was as happy as he's ever been that day and, furthermore, when she brought him back in he went directly to the balcony.

Honestly, I don't see the different between that and being locked up in a crate all day??? And, he wouldn't be out there on inclimate weather days, of course...

Again, it's just a thought. Keep in mind he's 4 and has never been crate trained (and that I adopted him which is WHY he was never crate trained)..

[jessi76]

@TuckerVA:

Install a heating pad and you have doggie paradise.

it may be doggie paradise until he decides to chew the heating pad, which could lead to tragedy. Heating pads can overheat and burn an animal, or worse, if the dog chews into it, can get quite a jolt (or electrical burn) from the wires. IMO, heating pads should ONLY be used under close supervision.

Just because he's 4 and hasn't been crate trained doesn't mean it's too late. I think it's a great skill for a dog to have, and with time, patience, and some positive training you could teach him to really love a crate.

[TuckerVA]

I thought of that. They make heated beds for dogs specifically designed for this type of application as far as I know. And, for additional safety, the pad could be installed under the floor of the 'doghouse' which would prevent access. The heat would simply radiate through the floor of the 'doghouse'. As in, one layer of wood for the bottom bottom of the house, the pad, then a second layer of wood…

[jys1011]

Tucker it sounds like you must be very handy to be able to build a plexiglass dog house for your dog with a heated floor can you come to my house & do the same for our dogs?? We have a nice yard that they would love to spend the day in albeit in a glass dog house

BTW-I got my dogs as adults too in fact C3 is 3yo and we crate trained them so that we could go to work. We had a dog walker but Topaz was not liking her after a couple of days so we cancelled it & now they stay in the crate all day after an 1hr work out before I go to work & 1 hr work out when I get home from work. I also set up a doggy cam to see if they would get restless while I was gone or if they would cry/whimper but the truth is they REALLY DO sleep ALL day no probs. I even tried calling the house to see if they would wake up & start to get restless…NOPE they just kept snoozing LOL

[TuckerVA]

Just for clarification, Tucker is the dog and I'm Jason. And I am a bit handy, expecially with a labor crew here on site to help me out and access to all sorts of building materials and power tools. The actualy doghouse would be wood, I just planned on putting some plexi windows in it… See here:

www.jtnewton.com/Images/Jason/Doghouse.jpg
www.jtnewton.com/Images/Jason/Doghouse2.jpg

Don't mind the little man in the background, it's not to scale and conceptual at best…

[ChristyRutherford]

@TuckerVA:

Perhaps I should have been more clear with the balcony idea… As some might have read in another thread, I bought him a dog door for the sliding glass door (the insert panel type) and he spends a LOT of time on the balcony. And, we all know Basenji's love to look out the window and sometimes get restless when they can't (of course this has a 'contrary' also, some like to go eat a sofa when they can't go chase that squirrel...). Anyway, I'm in construction and was thinking of building him an enclosed and insulated doghouse for the balcony with a flap type door and plexi windows (I have access to all of this stuff REALLY cheap). Install a heating pad and you have doggie paradise. If he gets cold, he simply goes inside and takes a nap, if he wants to lie outside, he has the option. The day after he peed on my rug AND my duvet, I locked him out there since the weather was nice. My dog walker left me a note and said that he was as happy as he's ever been that day and, furthermore, when she brought him back in he went directly to the balcony.

Honestly, I don't see the different between that and being locked up in a crate all day??? And, he wouldn't be out there on inclimate weather days, of course...

Again, it's just a thought. Keep in mind he's 4 and has never been crate trained (and that I adopted him which is WHY he was never crate trained)..

I think your balcony idea is really nice. Squiggy HATED his crate and we worked on that forever. I have a kitchen and sitting room that has hardwood floors, and he has a twin size bed to sleep on and he still has issuse with it, although, after a year he is getting the idea of it. I could not bare to part with my boy, but I also could not have him ruining my new carpet and new home (he was my housewarming gift to my self:) so we have learned to just manage it and get a routine. I dont know what would ever happen if I got married and had to move… I guess I would make sure the guy loved my dog (and 2 hairless cats) and that we had a "safe zone" to keep Squiggy when I am not home.
I also went through 6 gates before I found ones that he could not climb over or jump and that I could.

[ChristyRutherford]

Did you get Tucker through BRAT?
Mine is a tri-color also, although he does not have the eyemask on like yours.

[TuckerVA]

Yes, I did. I got hime from a family in MA that had a baby and was scared that Tucker would eat the child due to his aggressive tendancies…but that has been discussed here...

I bet yours came with a complete tail, though... I'll post some pictures of him here and in the 'show off' forum later tonight...

[ChristyRutherford]

Yep, cant hang a flag from squiggys tail. It is curled tight as can be.
I am still waiting on getting my camera back from my sister, but I will post pics when I can.
My dog came from an abusive home and is really skittish, however he is doing so much better, after a year. Poor guy didnt even have a bed, he had to sleep in an outside dungon-like basement on a step. The family also didnt care where he "went" so we have battled that, as you know, forever. But he is a good appreciative boy and I love him so much, he's my buddy!

[TuckerVA]

Yeah, I dig Tucker also. It's just a learning process…for both of us. That's sad how Squiggy was treated. I loathe people who do that to animals.

When I went searching for Tucker, the two things I was most adamant about were finding a pooch that was 'non-destructive' (I've just spent 1000's of dollars buying a new condo and furnishing it like I want it) and house trained. I think I was sort of duped with the house training thing assuming there is nothing physically wrong with Tucker (in that he pees often). However, he hasn't peed in the kitchen since I fenced him in which reveals that he CAN hold it, he just hasn't been. He's going to the vet in a couple weeks and I got some sticks to test his urine with. Nothing showing positive at this point...

[ChaseandZahrasmom]

Christy,

Where did you find gates that worked? I have issues with Zahra climbing over all of ours!

Thanks,
Jenn

[ChristyRutherford]

They are extra tall gates I got off target.com. I liked that they have vertical rails not horozontal, so he cant get a toe in for a boost. I think they are 41 inches tall. and have a gate so you can walk through them.

Found them

http://www.target.com/gp/product/B0007G6KF6/601-7570993-3212956

[ChristyRutherford]

Yeah, I was a bit duped with squiggy also. Although I would never get rid of my buddy now. I just purchased my first home and know where you are coming from. Squiggy almost ruined my carpet. So I had it professionally cleaned and now the carpet looks new again (I didnt let it go to long) and Squiggy and I have worked out everything now.
Does Tucker pee on the floor when you are home with him?
Squigs doesn't.
I know, it was hard not to lay into the girl who turned him over for his poor treatment. He was scrawny, jittery and dirty now he is still pretty lean but not as jumpy and his hair is shiney and smooth now. I am just glad this family turned him over to BRAT so that I could get him and spoil the heck out of him.

[jys1011]

Christy/Jason-you guys are real heros to me! I absolutely detest animal cruelty. I wanted to adopt a BRAT dog but I couldn't get approved. Then I went to a breeder looking for a pup & turns out she had adults that she had been trying to place for over a year. So I took them in a heart beat!

Jenn-I have the same exact gate that Christy has 41 inches metal & vertical bars works really well.