Possible Behavioural Issue - Dog Going To The Bathroom Inside

[1nfinite]

Hi

I have a 3.5 year old female Bullmastiff who has just recently taken to going to the bathroom inside when I leave her alone when I go and work my nighshifts. It only happens when I am not present in the home and it has happened 4 times now. I only work 2 nightshifts a week. I do not think its a case of it being an accident as she regurlarly goes significent periods of time before wanting to go out the back for a potty break (significantly longer then my shifts anyway), hence why I think its behavioural.

I have attempted the following solutions:

*When I was home she was inside and with me all the time, now I have her outside for at least 5 hours a day.

*I have attempted to move her meals around from evening to morning, which met with no success.

*I usually feed her some kibble and some roo meat, as I was told by my vet Dogs digest meat at an est.6 hours and kibble in 12, so during the nights I was only giving her kibble. This did not work either.

My limitations:

* I cannot afford a behaviourist till feb or march next year, I have dug myself a whole financially with just buying a new home 6 months ago and its subsequent renovations. Hence why I am here looking for solutions

* I work shift work, not by choice, I was redeployed from a business hours role 6 months ago, about 3 weeks after I signed the papers to my house and had commited to extensive renovations of my home, the only other option was redundancy. The shifts are 4 on 4 off 2 days 2 nights at 12 hours a piece.

* Due to a being a prolific night barker I cannot put her outside at night.

History:

She had separation anxiety when she was one. Basically everytime I would get ready to go to Uni she would take a dump in the lounge room Which was the one room inthe house she was not allowed in back at my dads place. This was addressed by a pet behaviourists who informed me that I needed to put her outside more when I was home (as the pooping was also a form of protest about being put outside when I went to uni), change a few of my habits that was inadverdently signalling to her that she was the alpha (little things like when I would get home from work I would feed her while my dinner cooked, but as only the alpha eats first ...) and that she was probably afraid of the dark. Her night barking is a direct consequence of her separation anxiety and me not addressing it as I was not made aware of it (till it progressed to the point that she was pooping inside).

Possible key triggers to this behaviour:

* Just moved house 4 months ago, at my old place she had my dad when I wasn't home, though he never let her inside or anything. He thought I was weird for letting her inside.

* Just started shift work 6 months ago, while this is not the first time I have done shift work in the past during the days my lil brother use to take her to the park with his kids for a few hours and during the nights my sister used to babysit her with her dog. These options are no longer available and they where my only alternatives.

* In the last month I have done nearly 80 hours of oveertime, the first instance of this pooping happened before the overtime, I felt this still may be relevant as I doubt it helped the situation any. Oh and this much overtime is rare, I only grabbed it up as I said before, I am in a hole financially at the moment and this much OT doesn't come around too often.

Well I figured I have answered most questions that some people may ask, and if you have any more please feel free as I really need to find a method of stopping a 45kg dog from pooping inside mah house. Oh and to assuage any fear, No i have not yelled at her or rubbed her nose in it. My exaspperation on this matter actually stems from the fact that I have no idea how to convince to stop crapping inside my house. The last thing I need after a 12 hour night is to spend several hours cleaning up poo.

[Rebanne]

I too work night shift but I can put my dogs outside.

Can you minimise the problem by confining her to a room with no floor coverings? The kitchen or bathroom?

[poodlefan]

When do you walk her? Does she get a walk before you leave for work?

12 hours is a long time for any dog to go without toileting.

Edited October 18, 2010 by poodlefan

[Miranda]

The last thing I need after a 12 hour night is to spend several hours cleaning up poo.

Several hours? Surely you exaggerate? I agree with poodlefan, 12 hours is a very long time to expect a dog to hold on.

[Aussienot]

I'm not sure you have a behaviour problem. I agree with the others that your expectation that your dog won't need to toilet in a 12 hour period is unrealistic. Try to find a way to contain her in a kitchen (using baby gates maybe?), bathroom or laundry where the flooring won't be difficult to clean.

[Staranais]

I too think 12 hours is a long time to expect a dog to hold on. Just because she can do it some days, doesn't mean it's reasonable to expect her to do it all the time - I could probably hold on for some days for 12 hours, and not on other days. She's the same.

If it were my dog, I'd probably rather put her outside & look for strategies to reduce/stop the barking, than keep her inside all night & try to stop her toileting.

[♥Baxter♥]

12hrs having to hold it?? Poor dog :S might end up damaging her bladder/bowel having/being forced to hold it for so long

I know I can't hold it for that long & I'm not a dog, I'm fully toilet trained!

I think the issue is your expecting a little to much here & no way should she be forced waiting that long.

[megan_]

It is interesting to read the comments about 12 hours being too long.

My dogs are indoors during the day (used to have a dog door but got broken into, so now they are inside the house when I'm at work). I am away for about 11 hours each day. Occasionally, it is 12 hours if there has been an accident etc.

They seem to comfortably hold it in - there have been no inside wees since I started doing this. My girl would happily wee inside if she needed to. My boy would hold it in, but would go if absolutely required.

I was once delayed for 12.5 hours, my girl had weed in the dining room (thank goodness for floorboards) and my boy had eventually weed in the bathroom (after trying to scratch at the laundry door to get to the dog door ).

Obviously it isn't ideal, but they seem to be fine with it and certainly don't rush out when I come home - they go within 10 - 30 mins. They aren't punished for mistakes so would go if they needed to.

[Erny]

I too think 12 hours is a long time to expect a dog to hold on. Just because she can do it some days, doesn't mean it's reasonable to expect her to do it all the time - I could probably hold on for some days for 12 hours, and not on other days. She's the same.

If it were my dog, I'd probably rather put her outside & look for strategies to reduce/stop the barking, than keep her inside all night & try to stop her toileting.

Agree - I find that even a change in weather (hot to cold or vice versa) can have me looking for a loo a little sooner and more often than I ordinarily might. And/Or perhaps I drink more on some days than I do on others - this would also have a bearing on what my bladder requirements would be.

Edited October 19, 2010 by Erny

[♥Baxter♥]

It is interesting to read the comments about 12 hours being too long.

My dogs are indoors during the day (used to have a dog door but got broken into, so now they are inside the house when I'm at work). I am away for about 11 hours each day. Occasionally, it is 12 hours if there has been an accident etc.

They seem to comfortably hold it in - there have been no inside wees since I started doing this. My girl would happily wee inside if she needed to. My boy would hold it in, but would go if absolutely required.

I was once delayed for 12.5 hours, my girl had weed in the dining room (thank goodness for floorboards) and my boy had eventually weed in the bathroom (after trying to scratch at the laundry door to get to the dog door ).

Obviously it isn't ideal, but they seem to be fine with it and certainly don't rush out when I come home - they go within 10 - 30 mins. They aren't punished for mistakes so would go if they needed to.

Have you asked your vet, what it could do to them, in the long run??

I think it's cruel.

[megan_]

I will speak to him. I was going to buy an indoor loo but they didn't wee inside. We go for a morning walk and they toilet then (just before I leave). They don't rush outside to wee when I get home. As I said, if they wanted to wee, they would. There are NO negative consequences for weeing inside. My girl doesn't go outside to wee on her own volition - she will go inside if she needs to wee.

Cruel is a very strong word. I am not a perfect dog owner but my dogs are as far from abused (the word often linked to cruelty) as you can get.

[♥Baxter♥]

I will speak to him. I was going to buy an indoor loo but they didn't wee inside. We go for a morning walk and they toilet then (just before I leave). They don't rush outside to wee when I get home. As I said, if they wanted to wee, they would. There are NO negative consequences for weeing inside. My girl doesn't go outside to wee on her own volition - she will go inside if she needs to wee.

Cruel is a very strong word. I am not a perfect dog owner but my dogs are as far from abused (the word often linked to cruelty) as you can get.

I know - But I personally feel that no dog should have to wait that long..

I know you say they will if they have too, but they shouldn't have too do it inside.

Anyways, I'm not trying to have a go at anyone.

[ellz]

They seem to comfortably hold it in - there have been no inside wees since I started doing this. My girl would happily wee inside if she needed to. My boy would hold it in, but would go if absolutely required.

I wouldn't mind betting that there possibly ARE toilet spots inside that you probably haven't found yet.

[dee lee]

I have read on DOL before that dogs can hold on for over 12 hours during the night. Not so much during the day, but due to natural bio-rythms, its easier for them overnight.

My dog can easily hang on overnight (unless she has the squirts from something she has eaten or is on antihistamines). She is too big for a doggie door and I dont intend to lock her outside overnight just so she can wee.

I cant see that the OP's situation is any different?

[poodlefan]

I have read on DOL before that dogs can hold on for over 12 hours during the night. Not so much during the day, but due to natural bio-rythms, its easier for them overnight.

My dog can easily hang on overnight (unless she has the squirts from something she has eaten or is on antihistamines). She is too big for a doggie door and I dont intend to lock her outside overnight just so she can wee.

I cant see that the OP's situation is any different?

There are doggie doors big enough for Golden Retrievers - I know a large male squeezed through mine once. :D

Most dogs don't do a full 12 hours overnight. IF you toilet your dog before bed at 10.00 and get up at 7.00, that's only 9 hours.

[megan_]

PF - the problem is that intruders can get in - they got in through my small one (for mini schnauzers!). I don't care about them getting my stuff, but they came into my house twice and could have hurt the dogs.

The police said that dog doors are a common entry point.

[♥Baxter♥]

I have read on DOL before that dogs can hold on for over 12 hours during the night. Not so much during the day, but due to natural bio-rythms, its easier for them overnight.

My dog can easily hang on overnight (unless she has the squirts from something she has eaten or is on antihistamines). She is too big for a doggie door and I dont intend to lock her outside overnight just so she can wee.

I cant see that the OP's situation is any different?

There are doggie doors big enough for Golden Retrievers - I know a large male squeezed through mine once. :D

Most dogs don't do a full 12 hours overnight. IF you toilet your dog before bed at 10.00 and get up at 7.00, that's only 9 hours.

I sleep less than that & go before I go to bed & when I wake up OT sorry .....I don't think anyone here would sleep 12 hrs in a row..

[♥Baxter♥]

PF - the problem is that intruders can get in - they got in through my small one (for mini schnauzers!). I don't care about them getting my stuff, but they came into my house twice and could have hurt the dogs.

The police said that dog doors are a common entry point.

Isn't there some doors that will only open with the dogs collar??(electronic thingy??)

[poodlefan]

PF - the problem is that intruders can get in - they got in through my small one (for mini schnauzers!). I don't care about them getting my stuff, but they came into my house twice and could have hurt the dogs.

The police said that dog doors are a common entry point.

Get an alarm system. They still have to open the door at some point.

Locked doors only stop honest folk. They can break windows, remove roof tiles - you name it. A back to base alarm is the best deterrent along with a dog.

[megan_]

PF - the problem is that intruders can get in - they got in through my small one (for mini schnauzers!). I don't care about them getting my stuff, but they came into my house twice and could have hurt the dogs.

The police said that dog doors are a common entry point.

Isn't there some doors that will only open with the dogs collar??(electronic thingy??)

Then they get your dog to get the collar . The police woman who attended the second robbery advised against them.