Expert: Jill Connor, Ph.D. - 10/21/2008

Question
We have a 6 month old Golden Retriever. We are having a problem with him not notifying us that he needs to go out to pee. For a while he would go to the door and whine till we took him out. which was working very well then all of a sudden he is just peeing when ever and where ever he want's with out any notification. it is getting very frustrating because we can take him out 4 or five times a night and he will pee all those times but when we get back into the house he will end up peeing again without warning.

Answer
It's quite odd for a dog that was giving signals to suddenly stop; something MUST have occurred to cause this (something so small you may have totally missed it.)  This may have been stepping on the dog's toe inadvertently, or the sudden onslaught of rain as he stepped through the door: i.e., anything (no matter how small) that he may have connected to HIS initiation to go outdoors.  This event may also have convinced him that urinating outdoors is not the first option.  Reintroduce your house training as if you were starting from day One.  Put the dog on a long, lightweight indoor leash and keep him in sight indoors; if he begins to urinate (I assume he's beginning to lift his leg, an easy thing to sight as the dog normally sidles up to something first), interrupt by clapping your hands or making a sudden sound (not directed at him, do not yell at him) then rush him outdoors.  When he eliminates outdoors, reward (small food tidbit) and praise lavishly.  Do not take him out too often.  At six months, he should be more than capable of containing his need to urinate for (at least) two hours at a time (and consider his water intake.)  It sounds as if he is confused.  Set him straight by going "back to kindergarten" and preventing accidents.  Additionally, I suggest you run this problem past the veterinarian and have a urine sample taken.  Sudden behavioral changes can also be symptomatic of physical problems.

Regarding the signal at the door, hang a sleigh bell (on a ribbon) from the door handle.  Every time you open the door to take him out, ring the bell and say "Out".  Since this dog has already given you signals (meaning he is confident and at ease in your household), he should learn to connect the word "out", the door opening, and the actual going out with its concomitant ability to eliminate  with the sound of the sleigh bell.  He might begin to ring it himself (this is a common result after approximately 50 or so trials in a confident dog.)