Expert: Have4Paws - 11/17/2008

Question
we've had our beagle/hound dog for 4 years now. My fiance got her before I came around 3 years ago.  Now we have a 2 year old also.  Anyways my fiance always treated the dog like a baby and took her everywhere until I came around.  I've tried to train her praising her when she potties outside, but she still would potty in the house and on our bed which she slept in.  So I bought a cage and have to put her in there anytime we are not around and at night when we sleep.  She will still potty in the house when we are not looking and she tries to hide it.  She also acts likes shes starving and bites the baby whenever he has food, and she'll jump on the table and counters trying to get food.  Shes fed twice a day and treated very well. I don't understand why shes like this.  If it does not stop we will have to get rid of her. Please help!

Answer
Hi, sound likes you have your hands full. When you said she bites the baby do you mean human baby or dog? If this is a human baby this is very concerning. You need to have a professional trainer come in and help you immediately if this is the case. If it is another dog that's a different story.

The behaviors you are describing are typical of a dog who is in charge of the house and believes it is the Alpha. You have mutiple negative behaviors going on. I could give you pages and pages on instructions on how to work on these issues but based on the fact that there are numerous I really feel it is better for you to have someone physically come into the house and work directly with you on these issues. Sometimes, without meaning to, an owner can inadvertently reinforce negative behaviors by not handling them correctly and without being there I can't tell. So please, spend the money to have someone come out 2-3 times and really do the job right with you. Even I have another trainer come to help me with issues sometimes because it is often hard to see what others see happening with ourselves.

And by the way, if you aren't using an enzymatic cleaner to rid the carpet or bed of the bathroom smells they are still there and she will continue to soil there. Natures Miracle is what I recommend but it must be done in conjunction with proper retraining.