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Recently started wetting bed/blankets!

Behavioral Issues
  • S

    Hello, I am new to this forum & am so glad I found it. I have a male basenji, Jasper, who is a little over a year old. Recently (in the past couple weeks) he has started peeing on my bed & blankets I keep on the couch. I'm not sure if this is his way of 'getting back at me' for something or a health problem, he is 100% house broken. I have bells on the front door that he rings when he needs to go out & he does let me know. He has also been altered when he was 7 mo. old so he never really learned how to mark though I guess that could be what he is doing as well. I'm not sure what is causing him to do this or how to stop it. He runs when I try to correct him, overall he is a handfull. I could really use some advice.

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  • lvossL

    Anytime there is unexplained peeing, my first thought and recommendation is to test for a UTI first.

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  • tanzaT

    That would be my thoughts too, always rule out a possible health issue first. And even though he is just a year old, was he DNA for Fanconi?

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • nobarkusN

    @lvoss:

    Anytime there is unexplained peeing, my first thought and recommendation is to test for a UTI first.

    That's what I would suggest as well. I had a R/W that tore up a chair cushion at 14 to tell me he was in pain from UTI.

    Buddy, Paolo and Dan

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  • BasenjimammaB

    Starry, it sounds like you got some good advice, head to the vet and have them check him out for UTI.

    I also wanted to wish you a welcome from a fellow Texan..Welcome onboard..

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

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  • S

    Thanks everyone for the advise, I have already thought of that & is on the to do list although I do not believe this to be the root of the problem. Jasper is very strong willed (as are all Basenji from what I'm learning) but from the start he has had a very bad habit of retaliating when he 'does not get his way'. I just got home from a friends house who has a dog & Jasper came to me said hello & then turned around jumped on my bed & wet. Our trainer has suggested I find a Basenji rescue group in the past but I decided to keep trying with him. Any other suggestions other than a UTI, that involve training ideas etc?

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  • lvossL

    The UTI needs to be ruled out first because if it is a UTI all training is going to be ineffective and will only make things worse because he won't be able to help himself. I have known several people who have basenjis who have had problems with inappropriate peeing who have said to me, I don't think it is a UTI because they only do in one spot or they have access to a doggie door, or they only do it when I leave or when I come home, and the list goes on and on. I still urge each one to take them to get checked for a UTI and many of the owners were shocked to find their dogs had a UTI and in some cases quite a high grade one because they had waited so long thinking it was a "training" issue.

    If you don't want him peeing on the bed or on blankets then don't give him access to them. Go back to housetraining basics. When you come home take him out right away and then spend some quality time with him doing something he enjoys like a walk, a favorite game, or even a quick session of tricks for treats.

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  • tanzaT

    @Starry76:

    Thanks everyone for the advise, I have already thought of that & is on the to do list although I do not believe this to be the root of the problem. Jasper is very strong willed (as are all Basenji from what I'm learning) but from the start he has had a very bad habit of retaliating when he 'does not get his way'. I just got home from a friends house who has a dog & Jasper came to me said hello & then turned around jumped on my bed & wet. Our trainer has suggested I find a Basenji rescue group in the past but I decided to keep trying with him. Any other suggestions other than a UTI, that involve training ideas etc?

    I agree with lvoss, first with any behavoir that is new, you need to rule out anything medical. And honestly, I do not believe in "spite" behavior. Now for example, I placed a puppy that started peeing on the a 10yrs old's bed within 2 days of being in the new home/family. The cause was marking with the intention of change her place in the pecking order (as in raising herself above the child in the pack).. many might think this was spite peeing… when infact this is normal behavior for a pack animal. When in the new "pack" and the human family becomes their pack, all dogs will try and understand or higher their pack order... that is what comes natural. Solution.... don't give access to that room, which they did... problem solved. And I also agree with lvoss, if he is peeing on your bed, shut the door so he doesn't have access to that room.

    Where did you get your Basenji? Was it from a breeder as a puppy or was he a rescue to begin with? Once knowing that there are no health reasons, it helps to understand the background. Since only just a year old, I am guessing you did get him as a baby? Have you talked to his breeder? Usually that is the first place to turn and discuss problems....

    Not sure I understand why your/his trainer with a pup just a little over a year would just tell you to find a rescue group.... Doesn't sound like they really understand the breed.

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • listemeL

    I strongly agree that you should go ahead and rule out medical causes for the peeing. In the meantime, I would also urge you to "pretend" there is a medical cause. Treat him as though he cannot help it. Treat your house as though he cannot help it. Close the door to any rooms with beds. Keep the blankets off the sofa.

    If he does have a medical issue, you will be protecting your belongings and you will be protecting him from failure. If he doesn't, you will still be protecting him from failure.

    I had a "bedwetter". If Curie regressed in housetraining for whatever reason (move, anxiety, new people in her life), she would automatically regress on my bed. I still don't know why for sure, although her breeder says a couple of her littermates had the same issue. Maybe they liked the familiar smell. Maybe they liked the soft cushy feel under their feet :). She grew out of this by age 2. Until then, she did not have free access to bedrooms.

    Don't get me wrong. I completely understand that this is frustrating. I had to pay drycleaning bills several times, and I would mutter and gripe. But keeping her away from the trouble spots was good for my bedding and for her.

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  • tanzaT

    And remember you do not want to set your dog up to fail…. so by keeping him from the areas where you have issues with him peeing, you will be doing just that.....

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • lvossL

    Dogs are substrate specific eliminators. They will seek out materials that are most like what they learned to potty on as puppies. If they peed on soft things as puppies when they regress they will go back to that behavior. At this time of year the most common reason for housetraining set backs is weather. Their normal substrate is signifantly changed by precipitation and no longer seems to them to be the "right" place. This is why you have to go back to the housetraining basics so they learn that the new condition is OK and they should still potty there.

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  • listemeL

    We brought Zelda from New Hampshire to Virginia to live; she was sure she was supposed to potty only on ice! :D

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    Just thought I'd share an update on this. I removed the blankets from the crate and replaced them with a mattress. We have been strict about her only staying in the crate at night. When we have had accidents I have cleaned up, with a dog urine killing spray, and placed her back in the crate. Everything is progressing smoothly, not had any accidents for over a week now. So it's been a rather quick turnaround, lovely to have her properly crate trained again. Thank you all for sharing advice on the situation.
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