Help for "accidents" at night

coppersmom · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 11:32 pm Post subject: Help for "accidents" at night

I have two female dachshunds ages 9 and 8. Last October I had to stop them from sleeping with me because they would jump off of the bed like super-weenies and chase the cat who was aggrevating them. (I even made them a ramp but one of them wouldn't use it.) They started having neck and disc problems and I had to stop the jumping. They now sleep in an ajoining room separated by a baby gate. My problem is this: the 8 year old keeps going potty in the house in the middle of the night. I take them out as late as I can and if I hear her walking around at night I get up and take her/them out. She can hold it all day when I'm at work, but not at night! WHY??? I'm talking about 6 hours here. My theory is that she's not sleeping as deeply because she's listening for me in the next room and therefore if she's up, she just "goes". If she hears me moving around, she's at the gate crying. Do you guys think she's just not over not being able to sleep with me??

Angie · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:48 pm Post subject:

My friend has a female dachshund. She is about 2yrs old. She has always slept with her and in the middle of the night she will jump down and go 'potty' on the floor. She takes her out late, right before bed, and right when she wakes up. She only has this problem at night.
I wonder if this is common with the breed?
She doesn't know what to do either. Now she puts paper down. Any suggestions?

Mary_NH · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:34 pm Post subject:

I would start with getting the dog(s) checked for a urinary tract infection. If they are all clear maybe actually putting a diaper on them at night will stop the behavior. Well maybe not stop but it'll certainly help on the cleanup part of the issue.

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

What about putting them in crates right next to your bed? Maybe that would make them feel closer to you, and the confinement might help with the potty problem.

Samsintentions · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 4352 Location: Texas

Harley does this as well. He's a mini Daschy....Strange....

Angie · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 4:32 pm Post subject:

She would never crate her dog!
Reese sleeps with her. She is spoiled.
Very Happy

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

But Coppersmom might use crates...

coppersmom · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:40 pm Post subject:

I have a crate to confine them when they have had (hopefully past tense) disc problems and they didn't do too well since I didn't start it when they were young. But I have thought about that. If I sleep with them on the floor, they don't get up AT ALL! Not even to go get water. I put down a wee wee pad now, and that stops the mess clean up--but those things aren't cheap. What really confuses me is that they can hold it all day which sometimes is 10 hours. But not at night. Hard-headed weenies!!

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

What kind of a crate did you try before? If it was a plastic crate, try a wire one. They can see out better. With Nala when she was a pup, I put it right next to the bed and would dangle my fingers inside when I first laid down. I don't know if that would help them or not. Or maybe one larger crate that both can fit in?

Or, you can buy a futon and sleep on the floor with the dogs. Smile

Samsintentions · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 4352 Location: Texas

lol...I've done that!!!! With many of mine!!!

coppersmom · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:33 am Post subject:

Yes! I've slept on the floor lots of times!LOL!! I have a wire crate for confinement. They'll even get in it on their own, just not stay in it when I get in MY bed.

CockatielCrazy87 · Member Joined: 17 Oct 2004 Posts: 193

Im thinking she could be acting out. My sister had a Dachshund named Missy and a toy Poodle named Georgie. Boht were very close with my sister and moved out with her when she left home to take on her own life. Bothe dogs were used to Eva being home all of the time with them and alowing them to sleep in her bed. But she had a new boyfriend and a new job the boyfriend taking away from the sleeping on the bed and the job taking away from the constant attention. Both dogs were walked alot to go potty and they would do so or Georgie might go and Missy hold it and then when they would get inside go right on the rug in front of my sister. One time Georgie even jumped up on her dining room table and took a crap Rolling Eyes

. Missy liked to hold in her pee and then secretly sneek on their bed and pee on her boyfriends side of the bed..... Yeah so im thinking your dog is just acting out to not being aloud to sleep on your bed with you anymore. Im not sure how you can fix it truly. Missy and Georgie lived with my sister and her husband for a year before my sister gave up and brought Missy and Georgie to my grandparents and it seemed in only a weeks time both stopped their acting out and became the nice well bahaved dogs they had once been.

coppersmom · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 2:53 am Post subject:

Yeah, I think they're acting out too. My Mom says she/they don't pee on anything at night when they stay with her--or wake her up crying. And she puts them behind a gate in another room too. But what do I do about it?? Has anyone tried the DAP plug in? I was wondering if that would help.

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

Will they pee in a crate? If not, I would say to crate them for now. Let them cry, but don't go to them. Hopefully it won't take long for them to learn the rules have changed. When they are good in their crates for a whole week, then let them try the gate thing again. If you reward them with attention for crying or peeing, they will keep doing it. Since you KNOW they can hold it and be fine at night at your mom's, then I think you just have to let them know that this is the way you are doing things now.

coppersmom · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:44 pm Post subject:

Oh yeah, they'll pee in a crate. They routinely pee on their bedding. Shocked

*Lightbulb* You mean Jamiya, that I am REWARDING them by getting up when they've peed?!!? Of course!! Last night we had only gone to bed about an hour and a half when I heard one or both walking around and I got up and someone had peed on an extra mat I leave in their room. I had just washed it, so I just assumed they were putting their scent over my Gain. Little stinkers...they've trained me again!

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

I hate it when my dogs train me!! It happens all the time, LOL.

Can you confine them somewhere with a linoleum floor? Maybe put down a puppy pad and then DON'T GET UP! I don't know what else to suggest, besides putting your mattress on the floor and sleeping with them there. Or don't let the cat in the bedroom so they won't jump down to chase him?