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Ask the Veterinarian/Adopted 7 yr old male terrier mix

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Expert: - 6/16/2010


Question
Dear Expert,

One week ago, I adopted a 7 year old dog from a shelter.  He has never had a home-he has always lived in the shelter. (mostly in a kennel cage) So far he has been very good in the house, waiting to go outside to do his duties.  This morning, while I was getting ready for work, he urinated right in the middle of my bed.

He has not been sleeping with me, but I know that he sits on my bed while I'm gone to look out the window.

I did not spank him-I could never do that-I used a cold tone of voice to tell him it was "bad".  I don't know if he got the message, as I didn't actually catch him in the act.

How do I put a stop to this right away?

Darcy

Answer
Darcy,
you are going to have a really hard time breaking this dog's habits since it has been in a shelter for 7 yrs. That is incredible. There could have been reasons for this to happen, excitement, anxiousness etc.

He is probably experiencing some separation anxiety due to his background.
You may have to contact a behavioral specialist about this guy because of his unique background. This is beyond the scope of me or a vet actually.

You are correct, scolding him won't do a bit of good. He just doesn't know. He has never known a bed or a house before- so this is all new to him. He just may need some adjustment time and your bedroom door shut while you are at work.

I would ask your vet if they know a local dog trainer/behaviorist. You can also contact them online. There are plenty of good ones out there.

I hope you can find some help soon. Bless you for adopting him at all!

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

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PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

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I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

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Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

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