The most important thing to do when your dog refuses to pee outdoors is to make an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical issues. If your dog is experiencing a UTI, is having pain when climbing the stairs, or she is incontinent, medication could solve the problem.
Establish a routine
Take your dog out at the same times every day. For example, first thing in the morning when he wakes up, when you arrive home from work, and before you go to bed. Praise your dog lavishly every time he eliminates outdoors. You can even give him a treat.
A very common reason for an adult dog to have urinary accidents is from a urinary tract infection or urinary tract crystals/stones. In older dogs, urinary tract cancer in the bladder or in the tubes that carry urine is also a possibility. These urinary issues often occur with no other underlying medical issue present.
For many dogs, understanding that they should urinate in the yard rather than indoors usually takes about four to eight weeks. However, even after your dog has learned to go outside, you need to let them out often to avoid accidents. Puppies can only hold their pee for so long.
Once the puppies reach about 6 weeks old, they should be going outside regularly to get used to pottying on grass. By the time you bring your puppy home from the breeder, even as early as 8 weeks old, he should prefer to potty outside, and prefer to not potty in his bed.
This lapse in potty training can be caused by stress and anxiety, or might also happen because of missed potty breaks, and the dog has to "hold it" longer than they're used to. Change in schedule (humans go back to work, children go back to school, change in work schedule, etc.)
Your dog's refusal to go outside can be caused by a few different things, such as: Medical issues. Separation anxiety. Noise sensitivity.
The first thing to do when a previously house trained dog begins urinating or defecating inside is to rule out any medical problems. Urinary tract infections, cystitis (bladder inflammation), bladder stones, kidney disease, or arthritis or age-related incontinence could all be causes of house soiling in dogs.
Dogs will usually sniff the ground before choosing a spot to go to the bathroom because they are reading the messages that were previously left by others and, then, they are choosing an appropriate spot to mark their own territory.
Territorial marking
As you probably know, dogs urinate instinctively to mark their territory. This is different from submissive peeing because it does not necessarily reflect a lack of confidence. Often, dogs feel the need to protect their domain. This often occurs when your dog feels challenged at home.
Performance and Location Anxiety
If your dog is nervous in other areas of life, she may be nervous about where she goes to the bathroom. Like humans, some dogs have a hard time going to the bathroom in “public” places.
It typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained, but some puppies may take up to a year. Size can be a predictor. For instance, smaller breeds have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms and require more frequent trips outside. Your puppy's previous living conditions are another predictor.
It's perfectly normal for dogs to follow you into the bathroom—and perfectly normal if they don't. The only cause for concern would be if your dog gets seriously anxious about being alone while you're in the bathroom, even for a few minutes. It could be a sign of separation anxiety in dogs.
It is a common misconception that when your puppy has an accident while potty training, that rubbing their nose on the mess while voicing your displeasure will teach them that the behavior is undesirable.
In my experience, there are usually two possible reasons for this behavior. The first is that the dog asks, but the person doesn't notice, misreads the communication or doesn't act quickly enough. The second may be that the dog has unintentionally been allowed to have accidents in the house.
Citrus. The citrus smell is arguably the best dog repellent there is. You do not have to do a lot. Simply peel an orange or a lemon next to your dog and you will observe it leaving the spot immediately.
Not only will a vinegar and water solution eliminate urine odor if your dog has already peed on the rug, but it will also deter them from urinating on the same carpet again. The acidic smell of vinegar is known to repel dogs from peeing on area rugs as they do not like the smell of vinegar.
Baking soda naturally neutralizes odors. Sprinkle it liberally on the damp area or even an old urine stain, and work the powder gently into the fibers of any fabric, rug or carpet. Let the baking soda sit overnight for maximum odor absorption, then vacuum it up to remove the smell completely.
Let Them Sniff!
Unless the client specifies otherwise, we at Paws At Home allow dogs to sniff to their hearts content! Now of course we do not let a dog sniff (let alone eat) anything gross or dangerous, such as poop, mushrooms, dead critters, food, trash, and so on. But yes, they can absolutely sniff pee!
They're standing guard
Your dog knows this – and they worry about you when you pee. If you've had your pooch for a while, they've probably deduced what you do in the bathroom. By accompanying you to the toilet, they may believe they're standing watch for you during a moment of exposure. Bless them.
For most dogs, urine marking usually begins around the time they reach sexual maturity, which can be between 6 and 12 months of age, depending on the size and breed of dog.