Pete Just Urinated On My Pants

[Pete.the.dog]

Please tell me this isn't a dominant thing!!

Since the snapping incident - see http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...80359&st=30 if you managed to miss it Pete's been great, there has been no furniture allowed, he's worked for every 'good dog' or pat, been very well behaved and coming along well in the targeting training. He has been leaning into my legs when he gets pats - which I thought may have been affection but read it could possibly be a sign of dominance also.

I took him to the vet yesterday and discovered he had a skin irritation/eczema, have been putting cream on it but the vet said it was a pretty mild case.

I got home from work this afternoon and after I let him in he settled well has just been sleeping on the floor, I was in and out of my room a couple of times he wouldn't have been in there for more than 5 mins and each time I came back he was lying down calmly. then I walked over my dirty pj pants which were scrunched up on my flood (yes I forgot to make the bed this morning ) only to find they were soaked in Pete's urine. He is toilet trained and hasn't had an accident in about 6 and a half out of the 7th months I've had him! I don't understand and I'm scared you'll all say it's dominance but thought I shouldn't ignore it...

Sorry about all the posts guys, I really appreciate the input

[corvus]

As long as you weren't wearing them at the time.

I think toileting and dominance is often a tenuous connection. They may be linked in some cases, but let's pretend for a moment that it was Pete behaving dominantly. Then what? You are already doing everything that is recommended for these things, and growling at you is WAY more serious than toileting on your clothes, even if the latter was dominance (which I don't think it is).

It's all together likely that he got caught out and just looked for something absorbent to go on. There's always the possibility that he's got a UTI, or he might just be stressed. Best not to read too much into it, I think.

I've heard a lot of people say it is meaningless when a dog goes on your belongings or bed. After having a rabbit that would pick the places in the room that smelt most strongly of my or my hare to wee on when she was out of her cage, I would say that anything is possible. But is the answer going to have any impact on how you are already working with Pete?

[Pete.the.dog]

As long as you weren't wearing them at the time.

I think toileting and dominance is often a tenuous connection. They may be linked in some cases, but let's pretend for a moment that it was Pete behaving dominantly. Then what? You are already doing everything that is recommended for these things, and growling at you is WAY more serious than toileting on your clothes, even if the latter was dominance (which I don't think it is).

It's all together likely that he got caught out and just looked for something absorbent to go on. There's always the possibility that he's got a UTI, or he might just be stressed. Best not to read too much into it, I think.

I've heard a lot of people say it is meaningless when a dog goes on your belongings or bed. After having a rabbit that would pick the places in the room that smelt most strongly of my or my hare to wee on when she was out of her cage, I would say that anything is possible. But is the answer going to have any impact on how you are already working with Pete?

Thanks corvus, no I don't think it would change what I was doing with him, because I feel like I'm doing absolutely everything I can at the moment to improve his behaviour, unless someone had any more suggestions. It was just a verge of tears moment where I thought 'what more can I do!?'

[angelsun]

One isolated incident isn't too much for concern until you rule out UTI or other such things, however connected with the snapping episode which I deem as resource guarding, this MIGHT be more than a simple 'caught' situation.

If you have begun to sort out the resource guarding or simply putting the dog back in it's place with you as alpha, this could be a way of him lashing out in frustration for being told what to do and to back down the totem pole.

If it's repeated, I would be concerned that it is in fact a struggle for dominance as many alpha dogs mark items or objects that they deem inferior to them. Such items can be anything from another dogs feeding dish, to their bed, or in some cases the humans they live with.

I would not dismiss this event entirely however at this point until you rule out any health issues, I would not stress overly at this point unless you see other dominant behaviours and then basically if it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck and looks like a duck........

[ruthless]

Angel does protest wees. If there's been a change in house rules or another member introduced to the pack she'll do a protest wee She hasn't done one for a long time. I wouldn't rule out the possibility that Pete did it on purpose.

[Animal House]

Get a baby gate so he can't get to your bedroom. That at least takes away the opportunity to do it again, if it was dominance. :

Edited October 28, 2009 by Cazablanca

[corvus]

Angel does protest wees. If there's been a change in house rules or another member introduced to the pack she'll do a protest wee She hasn't done one for a long time. I wouldn't rule out the possibility that Pete did it on purpose.

And OH's parents' Mini Pin marks everything in sight outside and several things inside when he is feeling stressed and overwhelmed by my two dogs.

Consider that dogs like predictable environments. Changing house rules or introducing new family members can throw a dog's whole world into the realms of unpredictability, and is subsequently stressful for them. Urinating in odd places or marking excessively can be a symptom of this stress, not necessarily a protest or an act of dominance. I'm not entirely convinced they even do it on purpose in those cases. Dog's don't often plan things. They just react to their feelings and their sense of the environment.

I say just keep on doing what you're doing with Pete. Even if he did start marking everywhere, it isn't necessarily dominance. It could just be that he's upset by his environment going from predictable to unpredictable.