Expert: Delores Beck - 12/31/2010

Question
QUESTION: I have adopted a 2 yr. old cockerspaniel from the aspca about 5 weeks ago. she is very loving and playful and gets along with the children very well. unfortunately she goes to the bathroom anywhere she happens to be at the time. She will even urinate while walking around. i have even tried taking her outside every hour but she just walks in the house and urinates or defecates on the floor. Is there any way to break her of this? could there be health issues? We feed her Iams premium protection adult. we do not let her self feed. Please HELP!!

ANSWER: Carol, please please take her to the vet and get a urinalysis AND a culture done.  What you're describing just screams "Urinary tract infection".  Very common in shelter dogs.

No big deal - not expensive and a round of antibiotics will clear it up.

Also, a lot of rescue pups have forgotten their housebreaking so do the following:
Take her out on leash - choose a command "go potty" or whatever you like. Continue giving the command (no other chat). When you see her about to go, give the command again.  Praise and reward.

The trick here is "association" - she goes outside and you praise a LOT :) and there's a reward involved.  Get all over it and she'll "get it" in a week.

Iams is crap food and I'd love to discuss better things for her and I can work with any budget.
I'd also ask how often you're feeding her?

I love to hear about rescues and I have to say you're very lucky that in spite of all she's gone through, she's loving and mellow.

so get a urinalysis done - start with the proper training and do write me anytime.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I would like to know a better dog food for the same price as IAMS. Also I feed her 1 cup of food twice a day.

Answer
The thing people don't realize is sometimes a better food costs a bit more BUT you feed less of it.  For instance you're using 2 cups of Iams when if you were feeding Innova EVO you'd be using about 1 1/3 cups a day.

Mostly you can't buy a decent food in the supermarket but even PetSmart & Petco carry a few very decent foods.  Wellness CORE - Blue Wildnerness - Organix - Nature's Recipe - AvoDerm are what I'd term decent.  They're not first class but you can also buy "some" more expensive food (like EVO) and add that.

Let me say this - cheap food can end up being very expensive.  Health begins with good nutrition plus exercise.  Health means no vet bills :).

You can also add some first class (and inexpensive) protein to a less desirable food.  Like some organic eggwhite ( 1 cup and cooked)...1/2 cup plain boiled chicken (no skin-no bones)...1/2 cup boiled hamburger.  (Not to each meal - to the full daily supply).

Skip buying junk food "cookies" and use fresh, crunchy veggies like a green bean - baby carrot - piece of apple - chunk of zucchini - asparagus, etc. (go easy with carrot - it's loaded with sugar but a few a week are fine).

Rotate her food - don't stick with one protein.

And don't vaccinate annually.  Save the money & your dog's health.  Every single major vet college in North America and every vet association has changed that protocol to every 3 years.
And even that is going to be extended.

You have a cocker and know about the importance of ear cleaning, but I can tell you about a line of ear products you can order online that work so amazingly you'll hardly ever have to go to the vet for an ear infection.  My own vet Dermatologist uses nothing else and my own vet loves it.
It's called Zymox - can be ordered from EntirelyPets.com or maybe your favorite place has it.
Not expensive - lasts a long time and is worth it's weight in gold.

They have a cleaner (use as you do any cleaner) and two different meds.  You'll probably only need to get the "Zymox Otic - Hydrocortisone FREE" med.  What you do if you see gunky ears is clean several days in a row.  Often that does it.  If not, go to the med and it's important to know you fill the canal - massage ear - let dog shake head but do NOT clean out the ear canal.
The med is supposed to stay there.  Most infections will clear in a week but it's totally safe for longer use and sometimes it can take longer.

I hope all this is helpful.