Expert: Alan J Turner, SATS LL1 - 12/19/2007

Question
My lhasa mix, Lexie, who is 5 years old, has defecated in the house 3 times, on the carpet, in the last 2 or3 months. She has a doggy door and can go out any time during the day (I lock it at nite). She gose out before bed time and I walk her every morning for at least 1/2 hour. I haven't disciplined her as yet, since the deed is already done when I find it. Our life style has not changed in the 5 years since I've had her, and cannot understand why she does this. Can you help? Thanks in advance. I know she dose not like it when I leave her, but I am home more than not. (I don't work)

Answer
Dear Karen,
Thanks for writing. Anytime there is a sudden lapse in housetraining, I think about medical issues. Since it's only happened every few weeks, then medical problems are not likely.

The next on my list is diet. Is there anything about her diet that changes? Does she get more treats some days or is someone in the family feeding her out of sequence?

Do you feed her at specific times each day or does she have access to food all day? It's best to place meals on a schedule. Place the food down, if she doesn't eat it all in 7 or 8 minutes, pull it up. She'll soon learn that she should eat when the food is down.

Scolding her - even if you catch her will not help.  How will she know that her choice of location (a location that has been safe and worked out well in your absence) is the reason you "attack"? Scolding will only teach her that it is unsafe to go in your presence.

Since it doesn't happen every week, it's a tough one to diagnose. If it were weather related - as in she didn't like going outside in the rain or cold - we'd expect her to urinate inside as well. So, that's probably not it.

If she were anxious because you left her alone, then we'd assume that she would be anxious every time you left- so that's probably not it.

Treat her as if she were not house trained. Keep a log of feeding and elimination. Hopefully you will see a pattern and know when she is likely to need to defecate.

Follow all the same house training rules as if she were a puppy and be sure to review her diet and review her access to food. Hopefully this stage will pass.

Good Luck. Thanks for writing.

Alan J Turner
http://howsbentley.com







I would treat her as if she were not house trained.