Title says it all, Bruno has recently recovered from a UTI and is now fighting fit. But now there's something strange. Bruno just wont urinate in our garden, he will hold it in until we walk him, which can only lead to another UTI. Is there anything i can do to encourage/ help him wee? He holds it in that long, that he will urinate for a good minute or so when he does eventually go. First dog but i cannot see this is normal?! Or healthy. Just looking for some guidance.
Hello there,sorry Bruno has not been well.I have this problem and without making you feel pessimistic I really gave it my all and couldn't solve it.We've chosen to live with it because it just means a couple of nips over to the park opposite my front door and life is set up for us to be able to do it....I'll tell you what I tried though...... Putting Dexter on his lead and walking around our garden with a pocket full of warm roast chicken to give him a massive reward when he went,no luck.Trying again in an hour,no luck,doing that every day for 10 days ,if I wasn't there,Chris or my dog sitter did it.....I used to give in after 8 hours ( pretty much what he does through the night as I felt the same as you,I didn't want to make him ill or cause a UTI)all we learned was that Dexter could hold a wee up to 10 hours....I left him for that length of time once to just try and get that one jackpot reward opportunity so he would cotton on.I opened the gate that day and he did the biggest wee 20 m away on the lamppost.......I also invited anyone I saw walking past the house with a dog into the garden to avail themselves of the facilities Dexter marks quite a lot on a walk but he didnt do it in the garden once despite sniffing everywhere that a strange dog had gone.I couldn't believe it! I've spoken to people since giving up and they say I should have tried a small piece of artificial grass,that might have encouraged him.I know Mags has to set up a particular 'spending ' area for her guide dog pups,she might have a few more suggestions on how to accomplish this. My reason for doing it was Dexter not burning his feet when I ran him across the road to get to the park in our Summer temps ( 48 degrees today) but I manage to get him there safely so now I just accept that its nice not to have him cocking his leg on garden furniture and my niece and nephews garde toys...
Thanks for your quick response, glad to know that someone else has experienced this. I dont mind walking Bruno every time I know he needs to wee, just a shame that when he needs a wee he will sit by the door until someone lets him out and then will go out but not do anything, but as soon as I take him for a walk, he will find the nearest thing to cock his leg up and wee. I will certainly try walking him on lead in the garden and give him a jackpot treat for going if he does, didnt think of that!
I had the opposite problem with Juno after her operation in that once we were going for walks in the big outdoors again she would hold onto her wee, and poo, until we got home and she could relieve herself in her usual places. She has gradually got out of that routine but will often only wee on a long walk otherwise she still tends to wee at home. I guess the important thing is that they wee at regular intervals during the day - Juno's normally every 4 - 5 hours but could go longer, it's only that I go out in the garden with her and ask her to wee
