Well that was unexpected! Corona is 5 months old and has not had an accident in over 2 months in the house. She even will go down to the main level if I'm upstairs and wait by the door to be let out. She was at daycare today, so she is quite tired, but that has never mattered before. She was happily chewing a frozen kong, got up, went to the entrance, but didn't stay long, turned around as though she was coming back to the couch, then just squatted and peed. Like it was the most natural thing in the world. I didn't really catch her, so I didn't say a word ( I was also shocked), just cleaned it up with some enzyme spray. I brought her immediately outside but she just sniffed around. I'm not sure what to make of it?? Maybe it was a stressful day at daycare?
It happens. Sparky has been good for almost a month now. No accidents in the house. A few days ago just popped into the kitchen and had himself a pee. It was my fault though wasting time trying to convince my wife it was her turn to take him out and I guess he couldn't wait and just went. Still have to follow some basic rules. Whenever he gets home he needs to go pee, if he doesn't he will be back outside after a few minutes to go pee. After 30 minutes of playing, he goes out and pees. After 30 minutes of drinking water, he will be taken out to go pee. Again immediately after being in a crate for more than 30 minutes. He does ring his potty bell on occasion and the humans have been trained to respond and let him out. Being 6 months I know it's still a long way before we are in the clear with him being fully potty trained. I know marking might start becoming an issue soon too. Just don't scold the pup if you catch him peeing inside or he will soon start hiding it from you. I try to stop him from humping his toys and now he takes his toys and hides behind one of the couches where he thinks I can't see him and starts humping away.
We had a couple of inside wees from Bailey around that age too - both against the fireplace - it may have been coincidence but he was just starting to cock his leg to wee at the same time. Almost like "look mum look what I can do". That said whenever we go into one pet shop, if we take him in, he will wee in there...no idea why and the staff are lovely about it and say almost every dog does it. They clean up immediately but its so embarrasing I won't take Bailey in there anymore - but they keep asking where he is and tell me to take him in...we have tried everything including making sure he's had a wee before going in but in he walks, chooses his spot and lifts his leg .
Here is a great article - http://www.thelabradorsite.com/15-puppy-potty-training-problems-solved/ First take a wee sample to the vets - it could be the beginning of a little urine infection, changes in weeing habits often are. If it's not that then it is back to being very vigilant. All my pups have been through this. In reality it's an easing up on my part, thinking they are trained, they aren't just yet. Don't worry, it's not at all unusual at this age. ...
What the heck? So now, Corona has pooped on the carpet in the basement not once but twice! I didn't even know she pooped the first time until I went in the basement (which has a closed door) to get something and saw a poop on the carpet. She must have done it the morning AFTER she peed in the house. And now yesterday, we were changing some furniture around, and the door was open to the basement. She ran down and had a poop again. In a different spot. I realized a minute too late that she wasn't stuck to my side and went running down. She was just finishing and I rushed her outside. Very strange! We have been watching her like a hawk again and going back to basics with tons of praise. Why out of the blue, would she start pooping in the basement in the first place? She rarely has the opportunity to even go down there.
Because she doesn't see the basement as part of her den and she is still a baby. It's very relevant that she hardly goes down there. Dogs don't really learn 'inside' and 'outside', they come with a 'don't poo in the den' instinct and learn 'poo here' (e.g. outside) over time. Eventually, very eventually, they have a firmer understanding of where to poo (outside).
