Question:
We adopted a 6 year old red heeler a few months ago and she is still peeing in the house. We are mostly home, have her out often and walk her every evening. When we leave we close off all bedrooms and bathrooms and have NO accidents when we return, even after 8 hours. She uses the back bedroom as her safe place and to sleep for part of the night, so when we’re home we leave it open for her. At some point, though, she is peeing in there. I have only found it after it has dried, so I don’t even know when it happens. I do not want to have to keep all doors closed nor do I feel a create in her best interest. Any ideas?
Answer:
First, let me say- God bless you for adopting an older dog.
Your issue is a common one with your Heeler, (I’ll call her “Red”). Red is selectively urinating in her special place just as we want her to do. Unfortunately, her spot is inside your home. Remember that a dog’s sense of smell is 40 times greater than humans, which means, she can smell that room from the kitchen. Unless you eliminate that smell, she can’t help herself from going there again.
First solution is a mixture of 50% white vinegar + 50% water. Always test a hidden area before treating. Saturate the spots where she urinated and do not blot up the mixture. The solution must be allowed to seep into the cracks and fibers just like the urine did and it will dry on its own. You may place a fan across the area to speed up the process. Make sure you get every spot.
Close off that bedroom with no access allowed by Red. You mention a safe place. A back bedroom is not a safe place for a dog. It may be a less scary place, but not safe. The problem is the size of the room. Red, like all nervous dogs, need a safe place that is small enough to protect them like a den. (meaning an animal den). So you will need a plastic crate (not wire) that is the right size for Red and cover all 4 sides with a dark blanket. This shall be her safe place, if you allow her to discover how great it is. If you need help crate training, Google search will teach you.
Your opinion that a crate is NOT in her best interest is flawed. In fact, Red was made to live in a Den. It’s in her DNA. Wild dogs are born in a den and domestics are not, so it may take some training to get the primal instinct to emerge. But I assure you that a proper crate (like a den) will be the best thing for Red.
My dogs always have access to crates in the house which are covered except the front opening. I remove the doors after the dog has become happy in the crate. At night and when I go out, every crate will be occupied. Good news, they never pee in a crate.
Your goal is to allow Red free roaming the home while providing that safe place somewhere away from the chaos of your home. Please don’t neglect a good study of how to crate train your dog and understand why they love it so much when we humans feel as if we’re locking them up like prisoners. Note that I specifically reject cages for dogs. A cage is good for house training puppies only.
Best to you, Red is in my prayers.
K9-Jack
Longshot Farms